Gilkey's Monstrous Double-Double Leads Falcons to 7th Straight Win

 It appeared as if Woodinville's final home game of the 2010-11 regular season wouldn't mean much on the surface. After all, their playoff berth and seed had already been secured.

Yet it was Senior Night and the Falcons were without junior Ali Forde (knee), their second leading scorer and facing a Roosevelt (6-8 KingCo 4A, 9-10 overall) squad that defeated them handily less than a month ago.

Melissa Gilkey and her Falcons teammates weren't about to let that happen again.

Gilkey scored 28 points and pulled down 16 boards to go with three blocked shots, as Woodinville (12-2, 15-5) thoroughly dominated the Roughriders 65-47, Wednesday night to win their seventh consecutive game.

"It wasn't a big game as far as playoffs or seeding was concerned," said Falcons head coach Scott Bullock. "But Roosevelt is a team that beat us, embarassed us at their place the last time we played and it was a big game for pride."

The Falcons got out to a fast start behind their senior forward who felt she needed to step up with Forde out. Gilkey provided nine points as well as two early blocked shots that keyed a 12-0 run out of the gate. The Roughriders didn't get on the board until the 2:09 mark of the first quarter, with the score 16-1. At the end of the quarter it was 19-3 Woodinville.

The outcome was decided, even if the final 24 minutes hadn't yet ticked away.

"There was definitely an extra drive (for me)," said Gilkey, who had 11 points in the quarter,  said. "We all knew that we were without Ali who is a big part of our team and had to step up ... We had a lot of energy tonight."

At the break, the score was 29-12 and Woodinville was completely in charge. Everytime Roosevelt looked to have their offense going, the Falcons sunk their claws in defensively and took control.

The lone Roosevelt run came as the third quarter opened. The Roughriders went on a 12-0 spurt which cut the Falcons lead to 29-24.

Just when Woodinville looked to be reeling, Gilkey stepped up yet again with a lay-in and Deidre Miller soon followed with two consecutive 3-pointers as Woodinville extinguished Roosevelt's run with a 14-4 run of their own. By the end of the quarter, it was 47-28 and the Roughriders will was shot.

The Falcons on the other hand, celebrated a more than successful senior sendoff.

"It's hard to say," a humble Gilkey responded when asked what contributed to her outstanding night. "You say 28 points but all of those were assists by (my teammates). It was just the entire team working hard, passing me the ball ... We've improved so much all year and really, it could be any girl next game."

"It was her last home game, no Ali who's resting her knee and she knew she had to step up big time," Bullock added of Gilkey. "She played outstanding."

Woodinville will meet Bothell in each team's final contest, Friday, before the district playoffs begin next week.