Blue Thunder faces Titan struggle

By Chris Johnson

REPORTER

The Lady Blue Thunder might have what it takes to make the NIC-10 leading Rockford Boylan Titans think twice about a simple walk through the park when certain games appear on the schedule. Belvidere North entered its Friday, Dec. 9 match with Rockford Guilford protecting a season mark of 4-3.

Hononegah beat Belvidere North in a NIC-10 battle. The other losses came at the hands of non-conference foes Burlington Central and Elgin Larkin.

In the NIC-10, entering the rematch with Guilford, Belvidere North has lost one game.

The problem is Rockford Boylan has to stumble for the Blue Thunder to climb to even. Right now, Belvidere North sits a game back in the NIC-10 race patiently pacing the front-running Titans.

In a recent win over the Harlem Lady Huskies, Belvidere North showed what it can do with a quick start and a few well-timed early shots. After the first quarter of play against the Lady Huskies, Belvidere North had built a 14-7 lead.

The second quarter didn’t go as well as the first did for the Lady Blue Thunder, but they made up for it a little over eight minutes later, after the halftime break was completed.

Entering the third period of play, Belvidere North was in front 26-21. By the end of the third quarter, the Lady Blue Thunder advantage had grown to 16 points, 38-22.

Once again in the final frame, the Lady Huskies won the period. Their 14-12 scoring advantage in the final quarter of play brought the game back a little closer. Belvidere North still held on for the well-earned NIC-10 win, 50-36.

Basically, the first half of the winter sports season has come to a close. The number of games already played in conference, non-conference and tournament capacities will be close to equal the number of opportunities still waiting for Belvidere North in 2017.

As Tournament games wind down this year, a match with Rockford Boylan prepares to greet the Lady Blue Thunder on Friday, Jan. 6, as they take on the Boylan Lady Titans. A win over Boylan will shock the conference and will bring the Lady Blue Thunder to the front of the pack with many other squads who also may be sitting with just one loss, all tied for the NIC-10 lead.

As January plays through, the Lady Blue Thunder will have to deal with Belvidere, Jefferson, Rockford East, and Harlem in NIC-10 matches. They also will need to face the East Dubuque Lady Warriors in a NIC-10-NUIC crossover match on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

A closing schedule which features meetings with Guilford and Freeport open and close the February regular season portion of the winter sports schedule. A game at Hononegah sandwiched between the two NIC-10 battles could be for final position in this year’s final conference standings.

The post-season begins following completion of games into the second week of February.