Wozniak's timing's right for CLC

It's not often that your playing time increases when you move from high school to college basketball.

Of course, most high schools don't have two Division I players in the same frontcourt. After playing behind Sarah Boothe (Stanford) and Lory Shaw (UW-Green Bay) in high school, Warren graduate Megan Wozniak was hungry for some sustained playing time.

Fortunately for the College of Lake County, Wozniak, a 5-foot-11 forward, stayed close to home.

As a freshman, Wozniak averaged about 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. In the first game of her sophomore year, she recorded a double-double (16 points, 10 rebounds) in a 73-63 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Washington County.

"She's a good rebounder and she can score against taller players," said sophomore guard Heather Ruetsche, a Grant graduate.

By necessity, Wozniak had to learn how to score against taller players. She went up against Boothe, 6-foot-5, every day in practice.

"She was so much taller than me and she elbowed me every other practice," Wozniak said with a smile. "It was hard to play against her, but she pushed me to be better."

Even though her role was to come off the bench, Wozniak stayed positive.

"I was used to playing the whole game so it could be frustrating," she said. "What kept me going was working hard in practice and seeing how much I improved."

Even after her strong freshman season at CLC, Wozniak was far from satisfied. She spent a great deal of time during the summer working on her range, which will make her tougher to defend.

"She's the type of player you like because you know she works on her game," coach Bill Braman said. "She's been working hard and it's obvious her shooting ability has improved."

Sharing the wealth: In some previous years, the Lancers (2-1) have only been able to use seven or eight players.

This season, it won't be uncommon for CLC to have a bunch of players score in double figures.

"I think our strength is that we have such good overall depth," Braman said.

And although the Lancers have plenty of scoring, they remain unselfish.

"We're pretty talented and we're making smarter decisions," Wozniak said. "Our team chemistry is better and we're playing really well together."

While Ruetsche is known more for her point-guard play, her improved shooting will lead to more scoring opportunities.

"You better keep your eye on her," Braman said.

Added Ruetsche: "I've never been an outside shooter before. It's kind of a new thing for me."

Freshman guard Jazzamin Rivers (Round Lake) has impressed in the early going.

"When the game starts, she's ready to go," Braman said. "She never slows down."

Sophomore Becca Mahar (Mundelein) will continue to be a big help on the boards.

"That's her strength," Braman said. "She's a great rebounder for us."