Burgess Is Too Big for Bakersfield East : Division II: The 6-foot-4 center scores at ease in the first half of Woodbridge’s 71-41 victory.

Angela Burgess was prepared to spend another night being encircled, shoved and elbowed.

That is how opponents of the Woodbridge High girls’ basketball team have attempted to defend Burgess, the Warriors’ powerful 6-feet-4 junior center. But, to her surprise, Bakersfield East chose not to assign several players to Burgess.

Bad move.

Scoring at ease near the basket, Burgess led undefeated Woodbridge to a 71-41 rout of Bakersfield East Tuesday in the first round of the Southern California Regional Division II playoffs at Woodbridge.

Burgess, who is at least five inches taller than any of Bakersfield East’s players, scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the first half as Woodbridge led, 45-14, at halftime. Burgess, who played only a few minutes after halftime, also had a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Warriors (30-0), who defeated Hemet, 59-47, for the Southern Section Division II-AA title Saturday, will play host to San Bernardino in the regional semifinals Thursday. San Bernardino (26-6) defeated Bakersfield North, 64-57, in another first-round game.

“Most teams try to (double-team) me, but they just left one person on me, so I just kept shooting because I was always open,” Burgess said. “We were all really on in the first half--especially the first quarter.

“I didn’t seem like anyone was missing (shots).”

Bakersfield East, which lost to Bakersfield North, 68-45, in the Central Section Division II title game, ends the season 17-9.

Woodbridge outscored the Blades, 24-1, in the opening quarter. Woodbridge guards Jamie Oenning, Erin Stovall and Tami Weaver controlled the quarter, driving through the Blades’ defense and setting up Burgess and forward Melanie Pearson (14 points, six rebounds) for open shots.

Oenning scored six of her 10 points in the quarter and Stovall scored six of her nine. The Blades did not score until guard DeAundra Akins (10 points) made one of two free throws with 21 seconds remaining in the quarter. The Blades’ first field goal did not come until 6 minutes 35 seconds remained in the first half.

“Both teams were really flying blind in this game because there wasn’t a lot of time to prepare,” Oenning said. “They didn’t know what to expect, then we hit them with power and speed.”

Burgess dominated the second quarter, scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds. The Warriors’ lead grew to 32 points, 39-7, when Burgess hit a shot in the lane following an offensive rebound. Her layup 45 seconds before halftime gave Woodbridge a 43-10 lead.