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Settling In: William Monroe girls beat Fluvanna in road opener

Photo by Bart Isley

As a first year addition, William Monroe senior Bryonna Woofter is naturally trying to find a comfort level within the Dragons’ girls basketball team now that the games count and the team isn’t practicing or scrimmaging.

 

Woofter took a big step forward Friday night in a 67-35 win over Fluvanna County.

 

“At first it was a little different because I only knew two players,” Woofter said. “But it’s such a great group and they’re all just so welcoming. We’re just one big family and I’m just so happy to be with this team.”

 

The transfer from North Carolina finished with nine points, seven boards, four assists and two steals. One of those assists came on three of Sam Brunelle’s 35 points when Woofter dribbled to the free throw line and immediately kicked to Brunelle on her right who knocked down a catch and shoot 3-pointer.  

 

“If she’s open, she’s going to knock it down so that’s an automatic assist,” Woofter said. “If I can get to the basket and they start collapsing, she’s going to be out there, ready to shoot.”

 

Brunelle finished with six boards, three assists and two blocks to go with her 35 points including five 3-pointers. Woofter’s continuing emergence at the point though may be the best indicator of what the Dragons can become. Her steady hand at the point allows Monroe to handle the press without having to use Brunelle as a ball-handler, particularly when sophomore Hailey Morris, who finished with 10 points on the night, is on the floor with Woofter at the same time.

 

“It’s a ton of versatility and a lot of depth,” said Monroe coach Jess Stafford. “Hailey feels comfortable with that role, you can see she had fun and played well. They play really well when they’re on the court together so it’s been nice to have them play off each other and then within the rotation get them some rest.”

 

That depth and the resulting threat in the backcourt opens things up for players like Iyanna Carey who scored six points to go with four rebounds and Martha Apple who yanked down six boards and scored four points. The Dragons had just seven total turnovers as a team.

 

Fluvanna struggled against the Dragons while running a man-to-man approach, which is predictably deadly when facing Brunelle. Monroe built a 25-9 lead in the first quarter.

 

“It’s a slow and steady process — we wanted to compete and we want to win but we’re working on our man stuff because we haven’t been very good on the help side,” said Fluvanna coach Chad White. “We’ve got to work on that so it’s not about tonight, it’s about later on in the year.”

 

Mya Wright and Nevaeh Ivory each scored eight points to lead the Flucos. Jules Shepherd and Khamare Steppe chipped in seven points each.

 

The Dragons will travel to Orange County Tuesday while Fluvanna County hosts Turner Ashby.

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