Chicago-Area High School Football News and Scores | Season Pass

After experiencing a terrible time in Tennessee, Bolingbrook returned to an area it has enjoyed plenty of success – at home and in the SouthWest Suburban Conference.

But things didn’t go well right away as Illinois-bound, four-year and varsity player Kennedy Cattenhead heard a pop in her right knee in warm-ups and couldn’t play. But the Raiders took the first step in shooting for their eighth straight SWSC title and 12th straight overall conference crown when it opened the SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue season with a 80-22 home victory over Lincoln-Way Central Thursday night.

Junior Amarah Coleman led the Raiders with 25 points, Alysia Bugg added 17, Ashley Drain 12 and Shay Robinson 11 in the romp. Robinson added six rebounds and six steals while Coleman had six rebounds and five steals.

“I was happy to see we could play with intensity throughout the whole game,” Raiders coach Tony Smith said. “Losing Kennedy like that was a letdown. And we came out with two losses. We wanted to make sure we played hard the whole game and we did that.”

Cattenhead left the gym on crutches and Smith said she will visit a doctor.

“I hope it’s not serious – she had surgery on that knee in the summer,” Smith said. “Maybe it’s just scar tissue. We need her.”

The Raiders snapped a rare losing streak as they came into the game stinging from two late November losses -- a 69-53 setback to Riverdale and a 63-54 loss to Blackman High School – two Tennessee teams in the Turkey Jamm Shootout in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Smith said they were in position to win both of those games.

The Raiders left no doubt Thursday. They led 20-4 after the first period, 49-10 at halftime and 70-15 after three to help improve to 5-2 overall.

Coleman scored 13 over her 25 points in the second quarter but wasn’t happy with her game.

“The points may say I had a good game but I didn’t play well at all,” she said. “I need to work on my offense and defense – the whole package. But it’s a team game and I’m glad we won.”

The Raiders have won seven straight SouthWest Suburban titles since the league formed in 2005-06. Prior to that, they racked up four straight SICA West crowns.

They have an 87-1 record in the SWSC and won 76 straight league games. Their only loss in the conference was a 69-62 double overtime setback to Sandburg Feb. 7, 2006.

Central fell to 2-4, 0-1. Sami Wisniewski led the Knights with seven points off the bench.

“Last year we gave up 98 and 102 points to them,” Knights coach Chris Fetherling said. “So we’re playing better. Despite the final score, I am proud of these players.”