Girls Basketball: Woodgrove Stays Red Hot, Rolls Past Riverside

Leesburg, Va. — From the opening tip to the final whistle, the Woodgrove High School girls basketball team was in complete control. In just their second game back from COVID quarantine, sophomore forward Colette Baine and sophomore shooting guard Jenna Steadman got the Wolverines out to an early 13-1 lead and never looked back as they cruised past Riverside, 64-34, on January 26 in Leesburg.

“It’s not always about basketball, basketball, basketball; we have a lot of fun,” Baine said. “We just love each other and bond so well. To have that chemistry as well as amazing talent is really great for the team.”

Woodgrove’s chemistry was evident throughout the night as the Wolverines saw nine different players score and six different girls pick up assists.

In the first half, it was Baine who led the charge, posting 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists through the first two quarters.

“She’s just such a versatile player,” Woodgrove head coach Derek Fisher said. “She can adapt to what the game dictates: if we need her inside, she can do it; if we need her to handle, she can handle; and she hit a shot tonight, too. Above all else she’s just a competitor.”

In the second half, Baine continued to rebound and distribute the basketball as she finished with 9 points, 10 boards, and 7 assists. Four of those assists found the hot hand of Steadman, who hit 5 of the Wolverines’ 10 three pointers to finish with a game-high 18 points while also adding 8 rebounds.

“We have a different superstar every night. We try to get it to whoever’s open,” Fisher said. “We feel like we have a lot of good players, and it’s to our advantage to use as many as we can.”

Woodgrove also got great offensive production from freshman point guard Sadie Shores (9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) and junior guard Lisa Nice, who finished with 12 points off the bench.

Riverside freshman point guard Ella Mahaey did what she could to keep her team in the game, scoring the Rams’ first 8 points. But despite Riverside also having nine girls score, the Rams never got into rhythm offensively.

“Both teams played with good effort tonight, but we were really happy with the focus on defense,” Fisher said.

No. 1 Woodgrove (8-0, 8-0) will need to keep that defensive focus intact when they travel to No. 2 Stone Bridge on January 30, in a game that will help determine the top seed in the Potomac District. Riverside’s (4-7, 4-7) game against Potomac Falls scheduled for January 28 was cancelled due to a change to the master district schedule.

“We’re really just trying to focus day by day and continue with the chemistry,” Fisher said. “The girls have really bought into ‘we know we’re playing today, and we’re going to give our best effort today, because nothing tomorrow is promised.’”

Derrick Jerry captured 200+ photos at the game…

Woodgrove Stats

Riverside Stats