The show is finally over ... and Boothe was lights-out

Sarah Boothe flicked up the final shot of her wonderful high school career, the final seconds of the game ticked off, and a nanosecond after the final buzzer sounded Mundelein's scoreboard operator flicked the off switch.

Lights out. And we thought Boothe picking up 2 fouls in the game's first 44 seconds was quick.

Just as well for Warren, really, because Tuesday night's final score -- Wheeling 45, Warren 38 -- wasn't one Blue Devil fans wanted to stare at.

It wasn't a good night for Warren in the Class 4A sectional semifinal, nor was it a good night for its 6-foot-5 senior center, who scored a team-high 16 points but shot an uncharacteristic 8 of 22 from the floor.

It was a tough way to go out for one of the best players Lake County has ever produced. The Stanford-bound Boothe finished her four-way career with 2,038 points, 10 shy of the school record held by Crystal Cobb.

In four years with Boothe as their starting center, Warren went 113-16 with 4 North Suburban Conference and 4 regional titles, 3 sectional championships and a berth downstate her freshman year.

She never missed a single game.

"She's had a great career," said senior guard Shana Shepherd, who has known Boothe since the sixth grade. "We're looking forward to watching her play next year, and I know she's looking forward getting ready to go to Stanford. She's always been so positive."

"I look up to 'Boothie' and Lory (Shaw) so much," junior point guard Joree Green said. "We couldn't have gone as far as we did without them."

So for the player who was a "10" on the court, here are 10 of Boothe's most memorable performances, as listed in chronological order.

• The Debut: Nov. 18, 2004, at Barrington

The 6-4 freshman nets the first points of her varsity career on a hook shot to open the second half.

Boothe finishes with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, as Warren defeats Maine South 72-43.

"She did real good for her first high school varsity game," says guard T.K. LaFleur, who led Warren with 24 points and fed Boothe for her first varsity bucket.

"She only can get better."

• She Scores 20: Jan. 15, 2005, at Conant

For the first and only time her freshman season, Boothe hits 20 points, helping Warren beat Conant 62-41 to improve to 18-1.

She scored 12 points in the second half, helping the Blue Devils pull away.

• The Triple-Double: Dec. 23, 2005, at Warren

The sophomore dominates Deerfield, posting 22 points, 15 rebounds and 13 blocked shots, as Warren moves to 12-3 overall and 3-0 in its own Blue Devil Classic by holding off Deerfield 49-42.

"That was pretty exciting," Boothe says. "I always read about (former Zion-Benton star) Lacey Simpson getting her triple-doubles, and I really wanted to do that."

• Welcome To The 1,000-Point Club: Dec. 8, 2006, at Round Lake

It's seconds into the seventh game of her junior year and she hits a milestone that most seniors never reach.

A bonus comes with it.

"A year ago my brother received an iPod," Boothe says. "When I asked my parents when will I get one, they said when I get 1,000 points."

Boothe, who entered the game with 999 career points, leads all scorers with 14 points in the Blue Devils' 49-27 win over Round Lake that keeps them perfect on the season.

• She Can Dish The Rock: Dec. 16, 2006, at Libertyville

She's never been a ball hog, so it's no wonder teammates love playing with her. She scores only 10 points in a 56-47 win over the host Wildcats, but is more than happy to pass the ball.

Boothe dishes out 9 assists.

"She really made good passes," teammate Melanie Duplessis says in an interview after the junior Boothe was named captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County All-Area team for the second straight year. "In practice, she'd like to hold the ball (above her head and wait) just to see if she could make that pass. She really likes passing the ball."

Adds Duplessis with a laugh: "I think she wants to be a point guard."

• It's Boothe For 3!: Jan. 6, 2007, at Warren

The first 1,100-plus points of her career came within the arc. On this Saturday night against Stevenson, Boothe ventures beyond 19 feet, 9 inches in the second quarter and promptly swishes a 3-pointer.

The second 3 of her career comes in the third quarter.

"I was hitting them in warmups and then I just had the opportunity (during the game), and I just took it," she says. "I just felt it."

She finishes with a season-high 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting (2 of 2 on 3s), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 assists, as Warren wins 60-37 to improve to 15-2.

• It Takes OT For This Title: Feb. 7. 2007, at Warren

With coaches from Stanford -- her future school -- and Michigan State in attendance, Boothe helps the Blue Devils edge Grant 52-51 in overtime for their fourth straight North Suburban Conference championship.

She finishes with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks. Boothe also scores the game-winning bucket in OT.

• She's Got 34: Nov. 17, 2007, at Loyola

One of the few things that had eluded Boothe her first three seasons was a 30-point game.

It takes her just two games into her senior season to get that monkey off her back. She pours in 34 points and grabs 16 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils to a 61-41 win over Bogan.

Boothe's feat kind of gets buried in the Sunday paper, because the biggest sports story in Lake County that Saturday is the Carmel and Lake Zurich football teams playing in the Class 7A state semifinals.

Boothe's 34 points double that of Lake Zurich, which beats Carmel 17-7.

• The Weekend: Jan. 18-20, 2008, at Willowbrook, Sears Centre and Whitney Young

OK, this is actually three games -- in three days, against three great programs.

Boothe has 27 points and 14 rebounds in a 51-49 win over Indiana-power Kokomo at Willowbrook on Friday, then puts up 25 points and 10 boards, as Warren knocks off defending state champ Fenwick 60-46 at the Sears Centre on Saturday. Warren loses to Florida-powerhouse Parkland Academy 46-30 on Sunday, but Boothe scores a team-high 15 points.

"I knew this was going to be a big weekend," Boothe says after the convincing win over Fenwick. "I knew I was going to have to really step up my game on the offensive and defensive ends, and just help my team. My teammates are doing a great job."

• Welcome To The 2000-Point Club: Feb. 14, 2008, at Warren

She sinks a pair of free throws in the second quarter, giving her 2,000 points in her career. She finishes with 29 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, as Warren pounds Waukegan 60-31 to win its own regional.

It's the third 29-point effort of her career.

It's the last championship of her prep career.

It's not the last time we'll hear great things about Sarah Boothe.