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Maine West blitzes Bartlett

Get up the floor. Push the pace. Set the tempo.

"That's how we try to start every game," said Maine West senior point guard Allison Pearson.

The Warriors had it down to a science to begin Monday's nonconference game in Des Plaines against Bartlett.

With sophomore Angela Dugalic scoring 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first five minutes, the Warriors (13-0) enjoyed their finest quarter of the season.

They led 37-6 after the first eight minutes en route to a 77-34 triumph over a Bartlett team that entered the game at 6-4.

"We knew that team was better than a lot of the competition we see," said senior guard Catherine Johnson, who scored 6 points with 6 rebounds and 3 steals in about 14 minutes of action. "We wanted to come out strong so we started pressing and tried to change up our defense.

"We were hitting our shots - and if we weren't, we were getting rebounds for second and third shots. That was the real key to the quarter."

Dugalic also had 7 assists and 3 rebounds.

Like all the West starters, she played less than a half.

"I love her," Johnson said of the talented 6-foot-4 forward. "She has those long arms and gets all those rebounds. She is very reliable. I always feels better when she is in the game."

Junior Rachel Kent pulled down 9 rebounds to go with 11 points (nine in the first quarter) while senior Alisa Fallon had 6 rebounds with 8 assists.

Public address announcer Tommy Sochowski seemed to be calling a basket every trip down the floor for the Warriors. Reserves Bianca Mando and Jessica Riedl (11 points) also scored points in the explosive quarter.

"That's what we play for - to have a quarter like that," Pearson (10 points, 5 assists) said. "We want to have fun like and play as a team. Overall, we played well offensively and defensively."

There was no disagreement from Bartlet coach Brad Hunt or Hawks senior sharpshooter Kayla Hare.

The Missouri-St Louis recruit scored 16 points with four 3-pointers and 4-of-6 free throws.

"They a very good team," Hare said. "I think they are going to go far this year. Their ball movement is so good. They're very unselfish. They play a very good 'team' game."

That's exactly what Warriors coach Kim deMarigny emphasized.

"They really enjoy playing together," she said. "They have a chemistry going which is great to see in high school girls. They are unselfish, share the ball and really look for the best shot - not the first shot they see, but the best shot."

Freshman Alexis Sinclair added 9 points for Bartlett while junior Teagan Noesen had a pair of buckets for 4 points.

"They (Maine West) are a state-caliber team," Hunt said. "They can win state. There's not much you can take out of a game like this. They're better than us. We were overmatched in all facets of the game.

"They've just got more players than us. They've got Division 1 girls. We've got one. Kayla is going D-II but capable of being D-I. Maine West is really, really good. It's a nice experience. I told the girls they (Maine West) are what we want strive to be. Unfortunately we've got some work to do."

Getting work for her starters is always on deMarigny's mind.

"We're going to the Dundee-Crown tournament and I'm trying to get my starters a little more playing time," she said. "It's a hard thing to manage. Bartlett is a great team. They've got some great players."

"Our girls are starting to click. But we have to keep them conditioned and that is difficult sometimes. But they are doing well. I'm proud of them."

Hare says her team just tried to keep its confidence up.

"Playing a good team like Maine West, you've just got to go hard and strong," she said. "You know it's going to be a rough game, but you can't get down on yourself when the score gets run up so high."

The 37-6 first-quarter margin was Maine West at its best.

"That was a lot of fun," Johnson said. "I looked at the scoreboard at one point and couldn't believe it was only the first quarter."

  Maine West's Angela Dugalic, left, drives on Bartlett's Justina Hernandez on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Maine West's Catherine Johnson, left, drives on Bartlett's Alexis Sinclair on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Bartlett's Alexis Sinclair and Maine West's Alisa Fallon battle for a loose ball on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Maine West's Alisa Fallon goes in for a layup during their game against Bartlett on Monday in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Maine West's Angela Dugalic, left and Bartlett's Kayla Hare battle for a loose ball on Monday in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Maine West coach Kim de Marigny talks to her players during a timeout Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Bartlett's Alexis Sinclair (11) drives on Maine West's Jessica Riedl on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Bartlett's Kayla Hare (4) drives past Maine West's Jessica Riedl on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Bartlett's Justina Hernandez blocks the shot of Vanessa Reyes on Monday night in Des Plaines. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
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