November 25 - Kewpies 65 Notre Dame de Sion 52

November 28 & 29 - (Kewpies WinQuincy Thanksgiving Tournament)

December 6 - Kewpies 54 Kickapoo 52

December 9, 11 & 13 (Kewpies WinBlue Springs S. Tournament)

Dcember 15 - Kewpies 60 Rolla 29

December 18 - Kewpies 81 Mexico 30

RANKED 11th NATIONALLY

RANKED 1st IN THE STATE

December 28-30 (Kewpies ONLY LOSS to Republic @ KTXR Classic 62-60)

January 3 - Kewpies 80 Helias 38

January 5 - Kewpies 59 Glendale 32

January 10 - 61 Bishop Miege 32

January 13 - Kewpies 59 Kirksville 30

January 16 - Kewpies 63 Nerinx Hall 35

January 19 - Kewpies 48 St. Joseph's Academy 46

January 24 - Kewpies 71 ParkwaySouth 29

January 28 - Kewpies 65 Rock Bridge 30

February 5 - Kewpies 47 Lee's Summit 38

February 10 - Kewpies 44 Jeff City 43

February 14 - Kewpies 60 University City 29

February 16 - Kewpies 82 Hannibal 39

February 23-28 (Mon.-Fri.) District Tournement @ Helias Jeff City - Kewpies Play Rock Bridge - HHS to Play Jays - District Champs

March 3 (Wed.)Sectional Game @ Borgia HS in Washington, MO - Kewpies Picked to Win - Kewpies Beat Francis Howell 67-44

March 6 (Sat.)Class 5 Quarterfinal Game in Sedalia- Pre-game Story - Kewpies Beat Kickapoo, Head to Hearnes

March 12 & 13 (Fri. & Sat.) @ Hearnes, Columbia MO SEMIFINAL RESULTS St. Joseph 47 Incarnate Word 27 - Hickman 53 Lee's Summit 28

March 13 (Sat.) (St. Joseph takes State Championship over Hickman)*No Miracle* - (Incarnate Word over Lee's Summit for 3rd Place)

Coach Mirts talks & other articles from the Missouri - BRACKETS & RESULTS - Tunes - Lauren Harris Story - Shooting Stars

Kewpies emerge victorious  Hickman bounces back from slow start to beat another nationally ranked team.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, December 7, 2003 Something just wasn’t right about yesterday’s girls basketball game between Kickapoo and Hickman during the marquee high school matchup of the Columbia College Shootout at Southwell Complex.       Jenna Isaacson photo  Hickman’s Stephanie Burger, center, squeezes between Kickapoo’s Hannah Carter (14) and Heather Ezell (15) while fighting for the ball yesterday during the Kewpies’ 54-52 victory in the Columbia College Shootout at Southwell Complex on the Columbia College Campus.  In what was expected to be another nail-biting thriller between the two state-contending rivals, Kickapoo held a surprising 16-point lead over the Kewpies midway through the third quarter.  If the lopsided score wasn’t odd enough in this intense rivalry, the zero in the scoring column next to Hickman sharpshooter Jodi Bolerjack’s name was downright weird.  Things finally started to come around for Bolerjack and the Kewpies, though. Starting with a short jumper at the 1:15 mark of the third quarter, Bolerjack scored 11 of her team’s final 18 points to lead the Kewpies to a 54-52 victory over the defending Class 5 champions and 16th-ranked team in the country according to USA Today.  "Jodi’s just got to get looks, and she didn’t get any looks," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said after her team improved to 6-0 with its second win over a nationally ranked team. "They were in her face all game. Finally, we executed our offense and got her some looks."  Bolerjack’s first points came off an inbounds play that cut Kickapoo’s lead to 48-38. She added another jumper after a block by 6-foot-3 teammate Lauren Harris to cut the score to 48-40 going into the fourth quarter.  "That first basket felt good," Bolerjack said. "It gave me a little more confidence to shoot more. I did, and it went in."  Bolerjack’s late burst also boosted the confidence of her team.  "We hit a momentum spurt toward the end of the third quarter," Mirts said. "When they came into the fourth-quarter huddle … it wasn’t, ‘Oh my gosh we’re beat.’ It was, ‘Let’s get after it.’ "  Jodi and twin, Amy Bolerjack, combined to score Hickman’s first nine points of the fourth quarter to cut Kickapoo’s lead to one. With 2:14 remaining, Harris put the Kewpies in front for the first time since the second quarter with a driving layup that made the score 51-50.  Playing its first game of the season, Kickapoo (0-1) pulled ahead one last time with 52 seconds left on two free throws by senior Molly Carter.  The Bolerjacks went back to work, though, with Jodi driving through the lane and passing the ball back out to the wing for her sister to make a game-winning 3-pointer with 35 seconds left. Both Bolerjacks finished with 11 points.  "We weathered the storm," Mirts said. "We finally got some open looks for the twins. They had to wait most of the game, but then they delivered."  Kickapoo had several opportunities to tie or take the lead in the final seconds, but Harris blocked one shot, and two long 3-pointers fell no good.  "The one kid got a good look," Mirts said. "The others were kind of heaved, but the heaved ones have beat us, too."  Considering Hickman’s heartbreaking history with Kickapoo and last-second 3-pointers, the Kewpies breathed a big sigh of relief when the final horn sounded.  "I think I had a heart attack every time each one went up," Jodi Bolerjack said.  The 3-point shooting of Hickman’s Kaela Rorvig kept the Kewpies in the game when Kickapoo used a 19-5 second-quarter spurt to pull ahead 32-22 at halftime. Rorvig made 4 of 5 3-pointers to led the Kewpies with 15 points.  A 9-0 run gave Kickapoo its biggest lead at 43-27 with 5:19 left in the third quarter.  "Ten points wasn’t really that much, and then we got down by like 15," Rorvig said. "I still knew we had it in us somewhere."  The return of Harris helped Hickman rally. After sitting out most of the second quarter with two fouls, Harris finished with nine points, nine rebounds and five blocks.  Kickapoo’s Heather Ezell made four 3-pointers to lead the Chiefs with 14 points. Holly Wade totaled 13 points, and Molly Carter scored 11.  "I think the kids did a great job of executing, and their effort was tremendous," said Kickapoo Coach Stephanie Phillips, who returned to the team this week after her newborn boy was cleared to come home. "Hey, it’s our first game of the year, so we’re OK."   Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

Hickman opens tourney with easy victory  By the Tribune’s staff  Published Wednesday, December 10, 2003 The Hickman girls basketball team continued to roll, topping Raytown South 73-20 in the opening round of the McDonald’s Tournament in Blue Springs.  The Kewpies, who are 7-0 and ranked first in the initial Class 5 poll released today, led 22-4 after the first quarter and were never challenged. Hickman shot 65 percent from the field, with nine players scoring for the Kewpies.  Lauren Harris’ 14 points and seven blocks led the Kewpies. Stephanie Burger had 13 points and seven assists. Naomi Tesfamikael and Jodi Bolerjack each added 12 points.  Hickman will be back in action tomorrow when they take on either Blue Springs South or St. Teresa’s.

Kewpie girls defeat Blue Springs South, face Pembroke Hill in championship    By the Tribune’s staff  Published Friday, December 12, 2003 The top-ranked Hickman girls basketball team sizzled from the field and played virtually error-free to roll past Blue Springs South 60-41 last night in the semifinals of the McDonald’s/Blue Springs Tournament.  The Kewpies (8-0) shot 52 percent from the field and committed just nine turnovers.  Jodi and Amy Bolerjack led the Kewpies with 22 and 15 points, respectively. The twins split six 3-pointers in the game, with Amy making all three of hers in the first quarter to put Hickman in front 18-10.  Lisa Dinse led Blue Springs South (2-3) with 16 points.  The Kewpies play Texas signee Erneisha Bailey and Pembroke Hill for the tournament championship at 5:15 p.m. tomorrow. The Raiders (3-0) are ranked third in Class 3.

Kewps claim Blue Springs title  By the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, December 14, 2003 The top-ranked Hickman girls basketball team survived a rough shooting night and a six-point deficit late in the fourth quarter to rally for a 46-40 overtime victory against Pembroke Hill yesterday in the championship game of the McDonald’s/Blue Springs Tournament.  With Hickman (9-0) trailing 35-32 in the fourth quarter, Megan McCabe made a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to send the game into overtime. They were McCabe’s only points of the game.  The Kewpies trailed the third-ranked team in Class 3 by as many as six points entering the final two minutes, but Pembroke Hill (3-1) missed three front ends of bonus free-throw situations. The Raiders were just 1 of 7 from the foul line.  "We put them in a situation where we fouled, they didn’t connect and the momentum changed from there," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said.  The Kewpies never trailed in overtime.  Amy Bolerjack led Hickman with 15 points. Kaela Rorvig added 11 points and held Texas recruit Ermeisha Bailey to 15 points.  The Kewpies play their first game at Hickman gym tomorrow against Rolla.

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Hickman gets point vs. Rolla  Harris leads Kewpies at free-throw line.   By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Tuesday, December 16, 2003 By the end of last night’s girls basketball game at Hickman gym, the scoreboard showed the top-ranked Kewpies with one more point than what they really scored.       Michael McNamara photo  Rolla’s Calli Collier looks for a teammate while Hickman’s Jodi Bolerjack puts pressure on the ball in the fourth quarter of the Kewpies’ 60-29 victory last night.  Hickman didn’t need the help.  Ball-hawking pressure defense and the athletic all-around play of 6-foot-3 senior Lauren Harris was more than enough for Hickman to roll past Rolla 60-29 in the Kewpies’ home opener.  Harris totaled 14 points, seven rebounds, six blocks and five steals. Impressive numbers, but what caught the eye of Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts was Harris’ 10-of-10 shooting performance from the foul line.  "That’s great," Mirts said. "We get her going to the bucket, and she’s going to end up at the free throw line a lot."  Matching up against 6-3 senior Claire Jenkins most of the night, Harris relished the rare opportunity to face a player she could look squarely in the eyes.  "I like that better than the short ones," Harris said. "I was just shooting into them because they were pushing me every time."       Michael McNamara photo  Hickman’s Jodi Bolerjack passes around Rolla’s Erica Warfield in the first half. Bolerjack finished with 12 points.  Rolla (3-2) did a lot of pushing.  Hickman (10-0) was shooting bonus free throws 55 seconds into the second quarter and made 25 of 33 foul shots in the game. Rolla made just 6 of 12 free throws.  "Their pressure defense was the difference, and we gave them half their points at the free-throw line," Rolla Coach Bryce Swafford said.  Leading 11-9 after one quarter, Hickman’s zone press forced Rolla into 10 second-quarter turnovers that pushed the lead to 36-16 by halftime. Rolla finished with 23 turnovers.  "You know it’s coming," Swafford said. "Any time you turn the ball over, you’re almost guaranteed they’re going to turn it into two points."  With Stephanie Burger and Amy and Jodi Bolerjack forcing several turnovers at the front of the press, the Kewpies got easy baskets against the Bulldogs. Jodi Bolerjack finished with 12 points, and Amy Bolerjack scored nine. Fellow guard Kaela Rorvig led the Kewpies with 15 points.  "We can play a lot of pressure because of our guards," Mirts said. "We put four guards out there, and there’s not a whole lot of people more athletic than Lauren Harris. She really anchors us in the back."  Harris scored 10 points in the second quarter, including eight free throws. With Hickman leading 22-16, Harris started a 14-0 run with a driving layup. Rorvig completed the run - and the half - with a quick jumper off an inbounds pass with less than a second left.  Making 11 of 13 free throws in the third quarter, the Kewpies continued to build on their lead until the 30-point continuous clock mercy rule went into effect.  Obiageli Okafor was one of only four Rolla players to score in the game. The 5-8 junior led the Bulldogs with 16 points.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

 
 
 

National ranking latest coup for Kewpies      By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, December 21, 2003 After knocking off a couple of USA Today’s preseason Top 25 girls basketball teams on the way to an undefeated start, Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts couldn’t wait to get her hands on a copy of the national newspaper Wednesday morning.       Jenna Isaacson photo  Hickman girls basketball Coach Tonya Mirts saw her Kewpies move into USA Today’s national rankings this week. Hickman, which is 11-0 and sitting at No. 1 in Class 5, was chosen as the No. 11 team in in the nation, No. 3 in the Midwest.  After purchasing a copy on her way to school, Mirts’ heart sank when she didn’t see her team’s name as she scanned the poll from the bottom up.  "I thought we’d pop into the poll somewhere between 20 and 25," Mirts said.  After sliding her gaze up the poll a few more notches, Mirts noticed that the Kewpies had popped into the national poll at the eye-popping position of No. 11. The national ranking was more than Mirts could have ever asked.  "I think it says a lot about our personnel," said Mirts, who fields a starting lineup loaded with collegiate talent. "It’s a special opportunity that doesn’t come around very often. These kids have worked hard for it, and the time has come appropriately."  The national ranking is another feather in the cap of a program that opened the season No. 1 in the state’s Class 5 poll. The Kewpies (11-0) are also ranked third in the Midwest according to USA Today.  Surprisingly, the extra accolades haven’t seemed to affect the focus of the Hickman players.  "The last three days, we’ve had better practices than we’ve had in the last couple years at Hickman," Mirts said. "It seems like they’ve made a group commitment. They have made a decision that, ‘We have this one opportunity, and we’re going to make the most out of it.’ "  Mirts hopes her players keep that attitude throughout a season that is once again filled with huge expectations.  After several seasons of close calls and disappointing playoff losses, senior starters Stephanie Burger, Kaela Rorvig, Lauren Harris and Amy and Jodi Bolerjack seem to be relishing their final season together and their last shot at claiming the basketball program’s first state title.  "As long as they don’t feel undue pressure, this has been a neat thing," Mirts said of the national ranking. "It’s going to be something these kids can talk about when they’re 40 years old. It doesn’t happen to everybody; it’s a unique thing."  The Kewpies will put their lofty rankings to the test over the holidays when they travel to Springfield for the KTXR Lady Classic that begins next Sunday.  Hickman opens with Republic at 1:30 p.m., and a victory over the 10th-ranked Class 4 squad would likely pit the Kewpies against defending Class 5 champion Kickapoo in a 7 p.m. semifinal on Dec. 29. Kickapoo, ranked 18th by USA Today, suffered its only loss against Hickman on Dec. 6 when the Kewpies rallied for a 54-52 victory in the Columbia College Shootout.   Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

Tales of tapes , titles and Transitions  10. Hickman girls earn No. 1 ranking       Published Sunday, December 28, 2003 Four Division I athletes, a season-opening tournament championship and a thrilling win over the defending state champions earned the Hickman girls basketball team the No. 1 spot atop the Class 5 poll to open the 2003-04 season.      Jenna Isaacson photo  Returning three all-state players — Kaela Rorvig, Amy Bolerjack and Jodi Bolerjack — and 6-foot-3 Lauren Harris, the Kewpies were expecting to have another big season. A trip to Quincy, Ill., for a prestigious Thanksgiving tournament stoked those expectations when Hickman held off nationally ranked Whitney Young of Chicago for a 58-50 overtime win. Two more impressive victories gave the Kewpies the 16-team tournament championship.  The next week, Hickman rallied from a 16-point deficit in the second half to top Kickapoo 54-52. The Chiefs, the defending Class 5 champions from Springfield, were also nationally ranked. The two big wins and an 11-game winning streak to open the season propelled Hickman to its first-ever national ranking in USA Today. In December, the national publication ranked the Kewpies No. 11 in its girls basketball poll. Before the season started, four of Hickman’s five senior starters had signed letters of intent to accept athletic scholarships. Amy and Jodi Bolerjack (Wyoming) and Stephanie Burger (William Woods) earned basketball scholarships, and Kaela Rorvig signed with the Missouri track program. — Rus Baer BACK TO TOP

 
 
 
 
 

Hickman girls fall in Springfield     By the Tribune’s staff  Published Monday, December 29, 2003 Early foul trouble and a last-second shot contributed to the nationally ranked Hickman girls basketball team losing its first game of the season yesterday during the KTXR Lady Classic in Springfield. After Republic, ranked 10th in Class 4, recovered a loose ball in the lane, Jennifer Nichols made a short shot at the buzzer to upset the top-ranked Class 5 Kewpies 62-60. Hickman (11-1) led by one with 4.9 seconds left when Lauren Harris fouled out, sending Republic star Kelsey Lock to the foul line for two shots. Lock made the first free throw to tie the score but missed the second. A tie-up on the rebound gave possession to Republic, setting up the game-winning shot by Nichols, who finished with four points. "It was a mad scramble in the middle of the lane," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "They got the ball, threw it up, and it went in." Amy Bolerjack led the Kewpies with 17 points. Jodi Bolerjack added 16 points, and Kaela Rorvig scored 11. Stephanie Burger, who finished with eight points, made two free throws in the final minute to give the Kewpies a three-point lead. Harris picked up two fouls on Republic’s first two offensive possessions and sat the rest of the first half. The 6-foot-3 senior finished with four points, five blocks and five rebounds. Lock, a 6-1 Arkansas State recruit, scored 22 points and Josie Sparkman added 18 for the Tigers (6-2). Hickman, which entered the tournament ranked 11th nationally by USA Today, plays Lincoln, Ill., today in a consolation semifinal.

Kewpies win costly tussle  Senior suffers injury in slugfest.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Saturday, January 17, 2004 Leading by 33 points with the running-clock mercy rule in effect, the nationally ranked Hickman girls basketball team was a minute away from surviving last night’s home game with Nerinx Hall.       Ed Pfueller photos  Above, Hickman’s Lauren Harris pulls down a rebound in front of Nerinx Hall’s Liz Sharpe-Taylor in the second half of a 63-35 victory. Below, Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts guides the Kewpies to a 63-35 victory over Nerinx Hall last night.  Although the outcome of the game was secure, playing a rough-and-tumble group of gals from St. Louis, the Kewpies’ physical welfare was not.  With 56 seconds left in the 63-35 win, Hickman suffered a crippling loss. On one of the more harmless looking plays of the rugged contest - which included a lot of holding and pushing by the Markers - Hickman’s Naomi Tesfamikael twisted her left knee trying to defend a driving Nerinx Hall player and fell to the floor in agony. The preliminary diagnosis was a meniscus tear, likely keeping the Kewpies’ top post reserve out of action for four weeks.  Considering the physical play of Nerinx Hall (11-5), Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts was merely hoping her team could emerge from the game victorious and injury-free. One out of two made for a grumpy coach after the game.  "They were nasty dirty to begin with," Mirts said.  From the game’s opening minute, when Hickman’s Stephanie Burger went skidding across the floor after a forearm shiver by a dribbling Marker, it was clear Nerinx wasn’t going to back down from the Kewpies (18-1) just because they’re ranked 17th in the country and third in Class 5.  "That was the game plan: Come in, play hard and don’t back down," Nerinx Hall Coach Mike Slater said.  Initially stunned by the Markers’ strong-armed start, Hickman fell behind 4-2, prompting a timeout by Mirts at the 6:08 mark. Then the Kewpies went on a 10-0 run to take the lead for good. Jodi Bolerjack scored all eight of her points to end the run, including back-to-back 3-pointers.  "Nerinx Hall was definitely pretty physical, but I thought we responded well to it," said Burger, who scored six points. "I like a game that’s physical. It makes you get into the game more."  Burger’s teammates were up to the challenge, too. Lauren Harris produced a game-high 17 points and five blocks inside. A little extra shoving didn’t affect the Kewpies long-range aim, either.  Led by the shooting of Kaela Rorvig and Amy Bolerjack, the Kewpies made 8 of 16 3-pointers. The two split six 3-pointers and each finished with 13 points.  "As physical and uncoordinated as the game was, I thought we performed at a high level," Mirts said. "I think we handled it as well as we ever have."  For the game, Hickman made 22 of 46 field goals (48 percent) and 11 of 14 free throws. Aided by Nerinx Hall collecting its 10th team foul at the 5:13 mark of the second quarter, the Kewpies shot 12 free throws in the first half.  Although the sluggish play continued after halftime, Hickman got to the free-throw line only two more times.  "In this physical of a game, I think it’s really interesting that we’re only shooting that many free throws," Mirts said. "It seems when the score gets separated … there’s a lot of stuff let go" by the officials.  Hickman led 35-14 at halftime, and Amy Bolerjack scored Hickman’s first 10 points of the third quarter to push the Kewpies to a 51-26 lead heading into the fourth.  Nerinx shot 13 of 40 from the field and 8 of 14 from the foul line. Casey Kraft led the Markers with 16 points.  Hickman plays top-ranked St. Joseph’s Academy on Monday during the Martin Luther King Shootout in St. Louis. The undefeated Angels are ranked 13th in the nation.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

 
 
 

Kewpies state case for No. 1      By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Tuesday, January 20, 2004 ST. LOUIS - It was all over but the pizza for the Hickman girls basketball team.  Trailing St. Joseph’s Academy by 18 points heading into the fourth quarter of last night’s Martin Luther King Jr. Shootout, the only thing the Kewpies seemed to have going for them was the stack of pizzas that were delivered to the Maryville University gym and waiting for them behind their bench.  So with their pizza getting cold, the Kewpies decided to turn up the heat.  With nothing left to lose against the 13th-ranked team in the nation, Hickman, ranked 17th nationally, turned to its run-and-jump full-court press that the Angels torched last year in a victory over the Kewpies in this same event.  "We had nothing to lose, so we were all over the place, throwing everything at them, and we forced some steals," Hickman senior Amy Bolerjack said.  Recalling a 16-point second-half comeback against Kickapoo in a stunning season-opening win, Hickman forced 10 St. Joseph’s turnovers in the final quarter to battle back for an improbable 48-46 victory.  "Coach" Tonya Mirts "was like, ‘This is the same thing with the Kickapoo game,’ " Bolerjack said. "We thought about that comeback, and we knew we could do it again."  But down 18 points to the top-ranked team in the state’s Class 5 rankings, the third-ranked Kewpies (19-1) had little margin for error. After dominating the first three quarters, St. Joseph’s (12-2) obliged the Kewpies’ comeback with a colossal collapse.  "Unfortunately, I didn’t know you had to play one good quarter to win," said Angels Coach Julie Matheny. "We just made some poor decisions."  What started humbly with a wide-open 3-pointer by Bolerjack at the 7:09 mark of the fourth quarter, twin Jodi Bolerjack ended with two clutch field goals in the final minute to end a 27-point fourth-quarter outburst by Hickman.  After scoring just four points in each of the second and third quarters, the Kewpies trailed 39-21 entering the fourth. St. Joseph’s still led 43-27 when the pizzas arrived early in the fourth.  Showing a hunger for victory not seen since the thrilling comeback against Kickapoo, the Kewpies used a 13-0 run over the next two minutes to slice St. Joseph’s lead to 43-40 with 3:35 left.  Despite a talented group of guards, the Angels struggled with Hickman’s full-court pressure. Sparked by the spirited play of Jodi Bolerjack and Megan McCabe, Hickman got several transition baskets off its press.  "They kind of crumbled there at the end," Hickman senior Kaela Rorvig said.  A basket by 6-foot-5 junior Erin McCarthy ended Hickman’s run at the 3:24 mark, but the Kewpies came right back with a jumper by Rorvig. Her eighth point of the game made the score 45-42 and allowed Rorvig to join Jodi Bolerjack with more than 1,000 points in her career.  A basket by Stephanie Burger cut the margin to one with 1:17 left, before McCarthy scored the Angels’ final point at the 1:09 mark.  A driving baseline scoop shot by Jodi Bolerjack with 49 seconds left tied the game for the first time since an 11-all deadlock late in the first quarter. Another steal by Jodi Bolerjack off the press led to the game-winning shot seconds later.  Off an inbounds play under the basket, Jodi Bolerjack dropped in a 12-foot jumper with 39 seconds left to give Hickman its first lead since the first quarter. Jodi Bolerjack led Hickman with 17 points, and Amy added 16.  "We were thinking we were going to go out fighting," Amy Bolerjack said. "Once we got a good run, and the lead was down to seven and then five and then three … and all off a sudden we’re up by two."  St. Joseph’s called a timeout with 19 seconds left to set up a final play, but Kelsey Luna’s 3-point attempt was short and Lauren Harris grabbed the rebound with 1 second left.  "We’ll take a victory and run out of this place," Mirts said.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

 
 
 

An im-press-ive victory  Top-ranked Kewps blitz Parkway South.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, January 25, 2004 Since Hickman girls basketball Coach Tonya Mirts has learned her lesson, opposing coaches won’t have to wonder what to expect from the Kewpies for the rest of the season.  No matter who, when or where they’re playing, expect the Kewpies to use their full-court pressure defense early, often and - if necessary - until the final horn.  "We have to do what we do best," Mirts said after yesterday’s 71-29 pasting of Parkway South at Columbia College. "I owe that to these kids."  Hickman’s full-court defense picked up where it left off on Monday when the Kewpies, ranked first in Class 5 and 11th by USA Today, rallied from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat previous state No. 1 St. Joseph’s Academy.  Mirts was wary of using full-court pressure against St. Joseph’s, but after the press sparked her team’s frantic rally on Monday, she vowed to never stray again.  "That game was the only game I didn’t come out with the press," Mirts said. "We didn’t do that in that game and came out really sluggish. I’m not going to make that mistake again."  Pressing from the opening tip, Hickman (20-1) forced eight turnovers and opened up a 21-7 first-quarter lead. Parkway South (13-5) finished with 27 turnovers, 18 coming off of Hickman steals.  "Coach stresses defense a lot," Hickman junior Megan McCabe said. "She tells us if we’re good on the defensive end, then it’s going to help our offense. We figure if we can get a couple steals and get a layup, that will get us going."  McCabe and Jodi Bolerjack were Hickman’s primary thieves. Bolerjack finished with five steals and McCabe, Hickman’s top reserve, totaled four.  Besides her defense, McCabe provided an unexpected jolt of offense with a career-high 10 points. The 5-foot-9 guard was one of five Kewpies with at least 10 points.  "Megan played marvelous," Mirts said. "She came up offensively for us, but she really gets her hands on a lot of balls. When she tips it out, it helps our other kids to score."  Kaela Rorvig led the Kewpies with 15 points, and Lauren Harris totaled 13 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. Amy and Jodi Bolerjack both totaled 12 points.  Just another day at the office for Hickman’s high-profile starters, who can normally overshadow the efforts of Hickman’s other players. McCabe said she doesn’t mind playing in the shadows of her older teammates, especially considering Hickman’s string of success.  "We’ve got a great group of seniors, and it’s their time to shine," McCabe said. "I still have another year to play. It’s not difficult for me at all because I love playing with these girls."  Hickman built a 38-9 lead in the second quarter before Mirts called off the press. With her depleted bench playing several minutes, eight of Hickman’s nine players scored.  Starting point guard Stephanie Burger had a team-high seven assists and scored six points. Reserves Rachel Conrad and Janaé Estill added two and one point, respectively.  Hickman led 41-17 at halftime and 58-25 entering the fourth quarter. Parkway South had three players score six points.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

Kewpies still dominate Bruins
Hickman to challenge Jays for district.

By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff 

Published Sunday, February 1, 2004

 
 
 

Heart of the Kewpies  Estill leads rout on senior day.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, February 15, 2004 Playing on a girls basketball team with five college talents in the starting lineup that have combined to accumulate more than 4,000 points in their high school careers, Hickman senior Janaé Estill knows her role on the Kewpies’ nationally ranked squad.       Michael McNamara photo  Hickman senior Stephanie Burger drives around University City’s Precious Holmes in the first half of the Kewpies’ 60-29 win last night.  And it has nothing to do with scoring.  Lauded for her hard-working attitude and upbeat personality, Estill was described my many of her teammates and coaches as the heart of the team in a special pamphlet featuring Hickman’s eight seniors.  All those things might be true, but somebody obviously forgot to mention Estill’s deadly jumpshot.  Playing her final game in Hickman gym yesterday, Estill upstaged her high-scoring teammates with a career-high nine points on 3-of-4 shooting to help the top-ranked Class 5 Kewpies close out the regular season with a 60-29 romp past University City.  "Janaé played fabulous," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "She has given us everything - her whole heart - so it was a special day for her."  Since it was senior day, Estill expected to play a few more minutes than normal against University City (17-6). Producing as many points as she did was not part of the plan, though. Estill, a 5-foot-5 guard, entered the game having scored 19 points all season.  "I was just expecting to work hard, like I always do, and try not to turn over the ball," Estill said. "That was my main goal."  But when Estill got her hands on the ball, she was instant offense.  After missing her first attempt on a driving attempt, Estill knocked down a short jumper at the end of the first quarter to give the Kewpies, now 24-1 and ranked 10th by USA Today, an 18-9 lead.  Hickman’s full-court pressure gave University City fits in the second quarter. Forcing eight straight turnovers to open the quarter, the Kewpies got points from four of their five senior starters to bolt to a 27-9 lead. Stephanie Burger started the run with a driving basket, followed by a Jodi Bolerjack jumper, a putback by Kaela Rorvig and 3-pointer by Amy Bolerjack.  After University City snapped the run at the 2:40 mark with a jumper by Ceara Brown, Estill answered with a baseline jumper to make the score 29-11. Rachel Conrad, a 5-8 senior reserve, also got into the scoring column with a baseline jumper late in the quarter to give Hickman a 31-17 lead at halftime.  "Connie could have hit some more," Mirts said. "I wish she would have taken them because she’s a good shooter away from the basket. She drained the first one."  Mirts generously substituted throughout the game, offering her seniors an opportunity to shine. Every senior except Naomi Tesfamikael, who is recovering from a knee injury, scored.  "Chemistry-wise it kind of throws you off, but I thought it was well worth it to let them interchange with each other," Mirts said.  Jodi Bolerjack led the Kewpies with 18 points, Amy Bolerjack scored 11 and Rorvig added 10. Harris finished with eight points and six blocks.  Outscoring the Lions 11-2 in the third quarter, Hickman finished off the rout with a strong fourth quarter. Right in the middle of a 13-0 run was Estill, who flipped in a shot from underneath the basket after a nice pass from Harris.  Estill’s career day also came with a Hollywood ending.  With time running out, she took a pass at halfcourt dribbled to the top of the key and drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the game. The scenario was similar to a scene in one of the team’s favorite movies, "Love and Basketball."  "We have this thing about ‘Love and Basketball’ and how the girl talks to herself," Estill said. "I was talking to myself, looking at the clock and at two seconds I was like, ‘Gotta shoot it, gotta shoot it.’ "  Mirts was beaming with the way her seniors were able to finish off their final home game.  "What a cap to a great day," Mirts said. "They mean an awful lot. They’ve grown up with us. They’re going to take a big part of me with them."    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Kewpie girls enter postseason on roll      By the Tribune’s staff  Published Tuesday, February 17, 2004 The Hickman girls basketball team wrapped up another stellar regular season by walloping Hannibal 82-39 last night.  The Kewpies, 25-1 and ranked 10th in the nation by USA Today, shot 65 percent from the field and had no problems with Hannibal’s zone.  Kaela Rorvig’s 22 points led three players in double figures for the state’s top-ranked Class 5 team. Jodi Bolerjack added 19 points, and Lauren Harris totaled 16 points and 11 blocks.  Megan Akright and Dominique Williams led Hannibal (8-16) with 10 points each.

District tournaments set  Jeff City boys, Hickman girls top seeds.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, February 15, 2004 The boys and girls basketball coaches at Hickman and Rock Bridge made the hour-long round trip to Jefferson City yesterday morning to decide something that most basketball fans could have probably figured out in five minutes.       Michael McNamara photo  Lauren Harris, right, and the Hickman girls basketball team are the top seed in the Class 5 District 10 Tournament, which begins next week. The Kewpies are the top-ranked team in the state.  Rather than leave the Class 5 District 10 seeds in the hands of a know-it-all such as yours truly, the coaches from the six schools involved convened in Jefferson City to officially hammer out the formalities for the tournament that begins next week.  Jefferson City will host the boys tournament beginning Feb. 23. The girls tourney will be at Helias starting Feb. 24.  Jefferson City (18-3) was the clear-cut choice for the top seed in the boys tournament. Hickman was second, followed in order by Helias, Rock Bridge, Camdenton and Smith-Cotton.  About the only seed up for debate was the No. 3 spot between Helias (14-9) and Rock Bridge (15-8). Too bad the two squads couldn’t use Friday’s regular-season finale at Rock Bridge - the final North Central Missouri Conference game for both - to decide their district position.  Ranked No. 1 in the Class 5 state rankings and 10th by USA Today, it was no surprise to see Hickman (24-1) claim the top seed in the girls bracket. The other seeds were just as easy to peg with Jefferson City taking second, followed by Helias, Rock Bridge, Smith-Cotton and Camdenton.  The top two seeds in each tournament receive first-round byes, setting up the possibility for some interesting semifinal matchups.  Rock Bridge and Camdenton open boys action at 6 p.m. next Monday. The Bruins beat the Lakers twice in December: the first time by 30, but four days later the Bruins needed overtime.  Camdenton, which entered the weekend with a 7-13 mark, is the only district team to beat Jefferson City. The Jays will play the winner at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25.  Helias and Smith-Cotton (9-14) play the other first-round game at 7:30 p.m.  Hickman (12-13) plays the winner in the second semifinal at 7:30. The Kewpies were 4-2 against district foes, with the two loses coming to Jefferson City.  The boys championship game will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27.  In girls action, Rock Bridge (5-15) opens with a 6 p.m. contest against Smith-Cotton (6-14). The Bruins have won two straight this week, including a victory over Smith-Cotton, but a season-ending injury to Ashley Stanfill suffered in Friday’s win over Marshall could prove costly. Hickman awaits the winner at 6 p.m. on Feb. 26.  At 7:30, Jefferson City plays the winner of the other first-round game between Helias (11-11) and Camdenton (1-19).  The girls title game is slated for 7 p.m. on Feb. 28.

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Known commodity  Kewps stay on course, end Bruins’ season.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Friday, February 27, 2004 JEFFERSON CITY - Facing its top-seeded, top-ranked and all-everything cross-town counterparts in the semifinals of the Class 5 District 10 Tournament last night, the Rock Bridge girls basketball team knew what was coming when it took the court against Hickman.       Michael McNamara photo  Hickman’s Jodi Bolerjack goes to the basket in the first half of the Kewpies’ 67-33 victory over rival Rock Bridge in a Class 5 District 10 Tournament semifinal last night at Rackers Fieldhouse in Jeffer-son City. Bolerjack scored 18 points to lead four Kewpies in double figures. Hickman, 26-1 and ranked ninth in the nation by USA Today, seeks its fifth straight district title tomorrow against Jefferson City. The Bruins, meanwhile, finished the season with a 6-20 record.  Frankly, most everyone in Helias’ Rackers Fieldhouse knew what was coming.  But when the Bruins surprisingly won the opening tip over Hickman’s towering senior Lauren Harris, even the 6-foot-3 Harris had a sliver of doubt pop into her head as she oddly backpedaled to play defense in the opening seconds of the game.  "It was a bad tossup," Harris said, smiling. "It kind of went Rock Bridge’s way. I was like, ‘OK, I hope the rest of the night isn’t like this.’ "  It wasn’t.  Harris quickly asserted her dominance on both ends of the court, her teammates sizzled from the field and the Bruins crumbled under the Kewpies’ full-court pressure in a 67-33 Hickman win.  Hickman, now 26-1 and ranked ninth by USA Today, will shoot for its fifth straight district championship at 7 p.m. tomorrow against Jefferson City.  Coming off a 10-day layoff, the Kewpies showed little rust - a few new wrinkles - and appeared ready to start a long playoff push. Hickman scored the game’s first 11 points, including three straight jumpers by Jodi Bolerjack, to seize early control.  "We came out with real good intensity and played together throughout the whole game," Hickman senior Kaela Rorvig said. "I think we’re all ready to get back to playing a regular string of games."  Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said her team responded better to this layoff than the 13-day drought without a game earlier this month. The Kewpies escaped Jeff City with a 44-43 win in their long-awaited return to the court on Feb. 10, but this time, Hickman left little doubt about the outcome from the start.  With Rock Bridge (6-20) playing aggressively on defense and making the Kewpies work for open looks at the basket, Hickman repeatedly found open shots with long, cross-court passes.  "It was really nice to see our perimeter shots fall early," Mirts said. "I think they’ve been anticipating this for a long time. I felt that we played aggressively and in attack mode as opposed to our last long layoff. I feel real good about that."  Jodi Bolerjack scored eight of her team-high 18 points in the first quarter to put Hickman in front 18-4. Rorvig added 14 points, Amy Bolerjack scored 13 and Harris totaled 10 points and eight blocks.  Stephanie Burger added six points and a team-high six assists for the Kewpies.  Hickman opened each of the first three quarters with long scoring runs. Besides the 11-0 start in the first, the Kewpies scored the first 10 points of the second quarter and opened the third on an 8-0 run.  "They have so much commitment, and mixed with the athletic ability that they have, it makes them an awesome team," Rock Bridge junior Rachel Jones said.  Although overmatched, Jones led a spirited effort by the Bruins. The 5-8 guard aggressively drove into the paint several times to lead Rock Bridge with 11 points. Freshman Ashley Dressler, who scored Rock Bridge’s four points in the first quarter, finished with 10 points. Senior Ashley Guy wrapped up her career with eight points.  "You always have that negative feeling a little bit when you lose, but honestly, you can’t expect more except to go out there and give your best effort," Jones said. "I really do believe that’s what we did."  Hickman was just too much.  Opening up leads of 28-4 and 34-6 in the second quarter, Mirts got all of her players plenty of minutes. Senior reserves Janaé Estill and Rachel Conrad scored four and two points, respectively. Estill got her points on slicing drives to the hoop, while Conrad popped an 18-foot bomb from the top of the key late in the third quarter to make the score 57-24.  Hickman led 38-17 at halftime and 61-24 entering the fourth quarter.  ? Jefferson City 61, Helias 43: Ten players scored for the second-seeded Jays, but sophomore Brianna Culberson did most of the damage with a game-high 32.  Helias (14-12) led 11-7 after the first quarter, but Jefferson City (16-10) outscored the third-seeded Crusaders in the remaining three frames. Ashley Clad scored 21 points in her final game for Helias.  The winner of tomorrow’s District 10 final plays Francis Howell (19-8) on Wednesday at Borgia High School in Washington, Mo. The Vikings defeated Troy Buchanan 46-33 last night in Wentzville for the District 9 title.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

Reaching for another district title  Kewpies aren’t strangers to championship games.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Saturday, February 28, 2004 After a thorough 67-33 pounding of Rock Bridge on Thursday in the first Class 5 District 10 girls basketball semifinal at Helias’ Rackers Fieldhouse, Hickman senior Kaela Rorvig offered no preference for which team her nationally ranked squad would rather meet in tonight’s championship game.       Michael McNamara photo  Rachel Conrad (32) and the Hickman girls basketball team is looking for its fifth straight district championship tonight in Jefferson City.    Familiar foes  Hickman’s girls basketball team is entering its 10th straight district title game. Including tonight’s 7 p.m. game at Helias, the Kewpies have met Jefferson City in nine of those finals.  2003: Hickman 58, Jeff City 38 2002: Hickman 52, Jeff City 36 2001: Hickman 53, Smith-Cotton 44 2000: Hickman 55, Jeff City 39 1999: Jeff City 53, Hickman 50 (OT) 1998: Hickman 51, Jeff City 42 1997: Jeff City 56, Hickman 48 1996: Jeff City 49, Hickman 41 1995: Hickman 53, Jeff City 46  "We’ll take whoever," Rorvig said with a shrug.  Ho-hum.  Another year, another district championship game for the Kewpies (26-1). Ranked first in the state and ninth by USA Today in Tonya Mirts’ 10th year as head coach, the Kewpies have advanced to their 10th straight district final.  And, ho-hum, the Kewpies will meet second-seeded Jefferson City (16-10) in the 7 p.m. title game. With a 61-43 win over third-seeded Helias in Thursday’s late semifinal, the Jays earned the right to try their luck against the Kewpies in the title game for the ninth time since 1995.  Hickman holds a 5-3 edge in those games. Including a championship win over Smith-Cotton in 2001, the Kewpies have won four straight district titles.  "They do so many things well," second-year Jefferson City Coach Doug Light said. "It’s going to take a lot of effort to be able to play with Hickman. I think we played pretty well against them the last time."  Light definitely got an impressive effort from his team in a 44-43 loss to Hickman on Feb. 10. The Jays led by four in the third quarter.  To have a chance tonight, though, the Jays will probably have to improve on that effort. Alice Parker, Jefferson City’s second-leading scorer and tallest player at 6-foot-1, was lost for the season when she broke her hand last week.  Despite an illness that caused her to miss the first half of school Thursday, sophomore Jestine Gerber scored nine points against Helias to take up some of the scoring slack left in Parker’s absence. Sophomore Brianna Culberson improved on her 17-point scoring average by unloading 32 points in the semifinal win.  "We’re not at 100 percent," Light said, "but you just have to have kids step up and accept responsibility."  Despite a 10-day layoff, Hickman was firing on all cylinders in its win over Rock Bridge. Starters Kaela Rorvig, Lauren Harris and Amy and Jodi Bolerjack entered the postseason averaging more than 10 points a game, and the quartet continued that trend with double-digit outputs against the Bruins. Jodi Bolerjack led the way with 18 points, improving her team-leading scoring average to 14.8.  Besides her 10.2 scoring average, the 6-3 Harris broke the school’s single-season block record for the third straight year. With eight Thursday against Rock Bridge, Harris has 164 on the year.  "They’re the best team we played all year - there’s no question," said Light, whose schedule included games against state powers Kickapoo and St. Joseph’s Academy. "They’re such a great team and so well-coached. They do so many good things."  Tonight’s winner plays Francis Howell (19-8) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in a Class 4 sectional at Borgia High School in Washington, Mo.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com. BACK TO TOP

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

District champions, as usual  Hickman girls snag fifth straight crown.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Sunday, February 29, 2004 JEFFERSON CITY - If a credit card commercial was made out of last night’s Class 5 District 10 girls basketball championship game at Helias’ Rackers Fieldhouse, it might go a little something like this.       Michael McNamara photo  Hickman’s Callie Johnson (54), Sade Aaron (42), Lauren Harris (with championship plaque), Rachel Conrad (32) and Janaé Estill (20) celebrate the Kewpies’ 69-39 victory over Jefferson City for the Class 5 District 10 title last night in Jefferson City. Harris scored 20 points to help Hickman win its fifth straight district title.  ? Fill-up the gas tank for trip to Jefferson City: $15  ? Inflated ticket price to attend MSHSAA-sanctioned event: $4.  ? Purchase of what is normally a free player program from Helias’ already money-hungry Future Business Leaders of America: A lousy 50 cents.  ? Putting a 30-point pasting on your archrivals to claim your fifth straight district championship … oh, you know the rest.  From the game’s opening tip - when Lauren Harris tapped the ball to Amy Bolerjack for an uncontested layup - to the 18-foot jumper senior reserve Rachel Conrad canned right before the game’s final buzzer, the Kewpies demonstrated in every way possible why they are ranked ninth in the nation by USA Today with a 69-39 obliteration of Jefferson City.  "I guess the first thing you say is, ‘Wow!’ and from there, whatever," Jefferson City Coach Doug Light said. "They came with a purpose and … you’re hoping you can weather the storm, but the storm never relented. It just kept coming."  The 6-foot-3 Harris provided most of the precipitation, raining a host of turnaround jumpers on the second-seeded Jays (16-11) to lead the state’s top-ranked Kewpies (27-1) with 20 points. With Jefferson City playing without injured 6-1 senior Alice Parker, Harris continually got position down low against overmatched defenders.  "You get Lauren the ball on the block, and she’ll just kill ’em down there," Hickman’s Kaela Rorvig said.  If Harris wasn’t killing the Jays, Hickman had plenty of other weapons. Jodi Bolerjack and Stephanie Burger drove aggressively to the hoop to score 18 and 11 points, respectively. Amy Bolerjack scored 10 points, and Rorvig made two 3-pointers for six points while guarding Jefferson City star Brianna Culberson.  "Boy, when they play together, they’re incredible," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said.  Hickman bolted to a 14-4 lead before Jefferson City scored its first field goal at the 1:14 mark by Culberson. The 5-10 sophomore finished with 20 points, but she was never a factor because the Kewpies continued to build on their lead.  Said Harris: "We were just in attack mode."  Consecutive 3-pointers by Burger and Rorvig midway through the third quarter pushed the margin to 30 points at 49-19. Taking a 57-24 lead into the fourth quarter, the 30-point continuous clock mercy rule was put in effect.  "I don’t think we can say anything bad about this game," Jodi Bolerjack said.  Hickman advances to play Francis Howell (19-8) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in a Class 4 sectional at Borgia High School in Washington, Mo.    Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com.

 

Hickman’s wins become predictable  Kewps try for sixth straight sectional.     By RUS BAER of the Tribune’s staff  Published Wednesday, March 3, 2004 Ranked No. 1 in the state’s Class 5 poll and ninth in the nation by USA Today, there aren’t a whole lot of questions surrounding the Hickman girls basketball team.       Michael McNamara photo  Hickman senior Janaé Estill and her fellow reserves have received plenty of playing time late in blowout victories this season.  The Kewpies have proven to be so predictable this season, even Hickman’s bench players have a good idea of how many minutes they’ll be playing on certain nights.  "Most games, you can pretty much call from the beginning how much you’re going to play," senior reserve Rachel Conrad said.  So how much PT does Conrad think she’ll see tonight when the Kewpies (27-1) travel to St. Francis Borgia High School in Washington, Mo., for their Class 5 sectional with Francis Howell?  "I don’t know," she said, coyly. "Hopefully a lot, because that would mean we’ll be winning by a lot."  Coming off a 69-39 romp over Jefferson City in Saturday’s district title game, all signs point to Conrad breaking a serious sweat against the Vikings. Despite an impressive record, Francis Howell (19-8) is making just its first sectional appearance since 1985.  Hickman, on the other hand, is looking to secure its sixth straight sectional victory. Since dropping their only sectional game in 1995, the Kewpies have rattled off five lopsided sectional wins by an average of 29.6 points.  Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts would like to see that trend continue tonight. Not only would it mean her senior-laden team would continue its overpowering season for another game, but it also would allow the coach to dole out some richly deserved playing time to her lesser-known seniors.       Sectional dominance  Hickman has won its last five sectional girls basketball playoff games by an average of 29.6 points. The opponents’ records entering the games are in parentheses.  2003: Ft. Zumwalt West (13-13), 82-33 2002: Wentzville (23-3), 71-44 2001: Wentzville (18-8), 61-37 2000: Francis Howell N. (22-4), 47-28 1998: Troy (23-3), 69-40  On a team loaded with five college-caliber talents, the efforts of Conrad and fellow senior Janaé Estill can easily be overlooked. Mirts wants to make sure they’re not.  "With those kinds of kids," Mirts said, "you try to reward them as much as you can for everything they contribute to the team."  Those contributions are not normally measured by statistics. But Conrad and Estill realize they’ve played an important role in the team’s success.  Without good practices, Hickman’s starting five wouldn’t be able to produce big numbers when it’s game time.  "Me and Janaé get the starting five prepared," Conrad said. "We usually go over the other team’s plays" in practice, "and we like to keep everyone focused.  "I don’t care how much playing time I get. It’s great when you get to play, but … I know that when" the starters "play good, it’s because me and Janaé helped them out and got them prepared."  Conrad and Estill must be doing a good job in practice lately because Hickman played some of its best ball during the Class 5 District 10 Tournament. Lopsided wins over Rock Bridge and Jefferson City kept Hickman’s season rolling along.  Jodi Bolerjack’s 14.9 scoring average leads four starters averaging in double figures. Amy Bolerjack is second with