Woodstock first-year coach Juel Mecklenburg, a 2020 Blue Streaks’ graduate, sees a special bond forming between freshman point guard Alex Nowacki and sophomore guard Emma Bierman.

In her eyes, their connection is only growing stronger.

“They have a knack for getting to the rim. They’re very comfortable, and I’m probably the hardest on those two,” Mecklenburg said. “I’m starting to see them at practice together more when we’re warming up. They’re out there walking around together. They’re really starting to bond, and I think that helps us a lot. It’s giving us leadership on the court.

“Once our seniors are gone, we’ve got two girls ready to step into that role.”

Nowacki is used to playing against top competition as a member of the U15 Poland national team. Bierman, like Nowacki, is in her first year on varsity. But her scoring and abilities are just starting to shine.

The pair of 5-foot-6 underclassmen combined for 46 points Monday night in a 55-34 Kishwaukee River Conference victory over Harvard, the Streaks’ fourth win in a row following a seven-game losing streak.

Nowacki finished with a game-high 26 points and five 3-pointers for Woodstock (8-10, 5-2 KRC), while Bierman chipped in 20 points and two 3s. They scored all 17 of the Streaks’ points in the second quarter, turning a 15-9 lead after one to 32-13 at halftime.

Freshman guard Reese Zawisza tallied five points and two assists and freshman forward Aiyana Fourdyce tossed in two blocks and four rebounds as the Streaks started three freshmen, a sophomore and a senior (Emma Douglas) in their win Monday.

Harvard was led by Summer Jones with 19 points and three 3s. Olivia Nulle added six points and eight rebounds.

“I’m pretty used to playing at this level,” said Nowacki, who had 27 points in a win over Harvard earlier this year. “It’s just bigger girls, but it doesn’t matter. It’s just skills.

“We’re really good in transition.”

Mecklenburg is happy with the development of her top two scorers. Nowacki added four steals and three assists against Harvard, and Bierman had two steals and one assist.

“I’m very pleased with how they’ve progressed this season,” Mecklenburg said. “This is Emma Bierman’s first year on varsity. It’s Alex’s first year too, obviously, but Alex has been put in situations where she always had to play against better competition and girls that are older than her, whereas Emma was kind of thrown into it this year. It really wasn’t her choice if she was going to be on varsity or not.”

Bierman has looked to attack both inside and outside, something you wouldn’t find her doing a year ago on JV.

“I worked a lot on my shooting,” said Bierman, who also competes on the school’s volleyball and track and field teams and hopes to join Woodstock’s first flag football team next fall. “Last year, I didn’t shoot at all. I was so scared, but now, here I am.”

The Streaks next face a difficult test Wednesday against undefeated Johnsburg.

Woodstock, which has never won a conference title in girls basketball, wants to get to that level eventually.

“We’re hoping for a conference championship,” Nowacki said. “We’re all working towards that. We’re just working to get better as a team and better individually.”

Mecklenburg, too, isn’t shying away from the challenge.

“We’ve never won a conference championship, and the last year we won a regional was 2015,” she said. “It’s been a long time coming for this program. I know those other top dogs in the conference are going to be Marengo and Johnsburg, but I’m confident with what we have coming up, and I’m confident with what we have now that we’re going to be moving in the right direction.

“I think it’s time that we get our shot, and I’m going to do the best to get those girls what this school deserves.”