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.

"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. 
 

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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. 
 

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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. 
 

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"We survived," Mirts said. 

Survival was the primary objective for the Kewpies, who entered the game ranked first in the state’s Class 5 rankings and 11th in the nation by USA Today. Returning to the floor after a 13-day layoff, the Kewpies (22-1) struggled from the field and couldn’t rattle Jefferson City (14-8) with their normally effective full-court pressure defense. 

"We weren’t playing our game," Hickman point guard Stephanie Burger said. "Eventually, we started attacking the goal, and that’s when the momentum started to swing our way." 

It took awhile, though. 

Hickman never trailed in the first half, but the first signs of trouble surfaced with a second left in the first quarter when Lauren Harris picked up her second foul. Harris, a 6-foot-3 senior and Hickman’s only legitimate post player, sat out the entire second quarter as Mirts went to a five-guard set. 

"The way I look at it, we’ve got Harris on the bench for a quarter of the game … and we missed a ton of open jump shots," Mirts said. "If we can still win a game doing that, I think we’re a pretty good basketball team." 

A 3-pointer by Kaela Rorvig and two free throws by Jodi Bolerjack gave Hickman its biggest lead at 24-16 with 4:56 left, but Jefferson City closed the quarter strong to pull to within 27-25 by halftime on a last-second put-back by Alice Parker. 

Jefferson City scored on its first three possessions of the third quarter to take its first lead at 31-29 when Funtasia Clark made a short jumper at the 6:40 mark. 

Except for a jumper by Bolerjack early in the third, Hickman went cold from the field. The Kewpies were 3 of 12 in the quarter - including 0 of 5 from 3-point range - and finished 17 of 42 (40 percent) for the game. 

"We were playing safe, and then they took the lead," Bolerjack said. "We just decided to play our game. When we play our game, good things happen. 

"We figure if we keep shooting - even if our shots aren’t going in - and we keep pressing, things are going to go our way." 

With Jefferson City leading 33-29, Harris made a transition basket at the 1:55 mark to cut the margin to two. She followed that up with a block and two free throws to help the Kewpies tie the score at 35 heading into the fourth when Rorvig put back a Harris miss with two seconds left. 

"Lauren made us a different ballclub in the second half," Mirts said. 

Harris scored Hickman’s first two baskets in the fourth quarter, and the Kewpies never trailed again. Bolerjack set up Harris’ second basket by cleanly picking a Jefferson City player for a steal and assist. 

"She was just holding the ball over her head waiting for her teammates to do something," Bolerjack said. "I saw an opportunity, we got a fast break, some points, and I think that started our momentum." 

Harris led the Kewpies with 14 points, and Bolerjack scored 12. Amy Bolerjack and Rorvig added nine and seven points, respectively. 

When Jefferson City closed the margin to one late, Amy Bolerjack took over and scored Hickman’s final three points. A steal and layup by Amy - similar to her twin’s play earlier in the quarter - gave Hickman a 43-40 lead with 1:09 left. 

On Jefferson City’s next possession, Harris blocked a driving attempt by Brianna Culberson, and the Kewpies ran out most of the remaining clock. Harris finished with five blocks. 

Culberson was unstoppable for most of the game, scoring 20 points. 
 

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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.

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." 
 

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Megan Akright and Dominique Williams led Hannibal (8-16) with 10 points each.

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

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.

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.

? 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.

Michael McNamara photo

Hickman senior Janaé Estill and her fellow reserves have received plenty of playing time late in blowout victories this season.

"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. 

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 11.9 points, followed by Kaela Rorvig (11.4) and Lauren Harris (10.6). 

Even senior point guard Stephanie Burger, who averages 5.6 points a game, got into double-digits during the win over Jefferson City with 11 points. 

Francis Howell’s only comparable scoring average comes from 5-foot-6 sophomore Lindsey Lutz, who is scoring 12 points a game. The Vikings have no player listed above 5-10 on their roster. 
 

"I think they thought it was a formality, and they lost that edge," said a visibly perturbed Mirts. "I don’t want them to lose that edge." 

The Kewpies (28-1) were admittedly lacking the fire and desire they displayed in a near-perfect 30-point romp past archrival Jefferson City for the district title. 

"We weren’t as intense as we hoped to be," senior point guard Stephanie Burger said. "I don’t think it was overconfidence. We just didn’t come out like we did against Jefferson City and match the intensity we had that night." 

Although it was hardly Hickman’s best effort, the game’s outcome was never in doubt. 

Jodi Bolerjack scored Hickman’s first six points and made her first four shots to put the Kewpies in front early. Hickman never trailed, building a 16-9 lead after one quarter. A 3-pointer by Bolerjack early in the second quarter gave the Kewpies a 23-13 advantage and the margin remained in double-digits the rest of the way. 

Recalling a career-high 28-point performance in last year’s sectional at Borgia, Bolerjack led Hickman with 20 points. 

"Jodi came out with a real workmanship attitude," Mirts said. 

For the third straight playoff game, the Kewpies had four players score at least 10 points. Burger scored all but two of her 16 points in the second half, Lauren Harris totaled 14 points and 10 blocks, and Amy Bolerjack added 11 points. 

"Where do you start with them?" Francis Howell Coach Dawn Schuster said. "We dive in and get something missed on the inside, and they kick it out and can a 3. 

"They’re very talented. I’m just glad we could stay on the court with no running clock." 

Trailing 30-16 at halftime, Francis Howell (19-9) was unable to keep up with the Kewpies’ pinpoint passing in the second half. Working the ball unselfishly to find an open shot against Howell’s aggressive man-to-man defense, five players made Hickman’s first six baskets of the third quarter. 

Kaela Rorvig collected two of her team-high eight assists during the run, which made the score 43-21 after a put-back by the 5-foot-10 senior. 

The Kewpies got a bit of a scare, though, when Rorvig hobbled off the court with 59 seconds left in the third quarter after twisting her ankle. Mirts described the injury as a mild sprain and said Rorvig could have continued playing. 

Rorvig sat out the rest of the game and watched her team build a 55-28 lead in the fourth quarter. Three straight 3-pointers by Howell’s Allison High cut the lead to 55-37, but the Kewpies answered with eight straight points to keep the game out of reach. 

"We struggled a little, and we didn’t look as good as we did against Jeff City, but we still won," Jodi Bolerjack said. "It’s great when you come out and don’t play your best and still win by about 25, but we need to get back to practice and get our focus." 

Focus shouldn’t be a problem Saturday when the Kewpies face playoff nemesis Kickapoo (26-2) in a 6:30 p.m. Class 5 quarterfinal at State Fair Community College in Sedalia. The defending state champions from Springfield are ranked third in the state and 15th in the nation. 

Kickapoo, which lost its season opener to Hickman, defeated Lebanon (21-7) in its sectional 50-36. 

"We’re where we want to be at this point," Mirts said. "We’re meeting Kickapoo … so the matchup is lined up." 

The quarterfinal meeting will be the fifth straight between the two state powers, with the playoff series tied at 2.

The two squads have split the previous four quarterfinal meetings, with Kickapoo winning last year and in 2001 on the way to state championships. 

Including regular-season meetings, Hickman owns a 5-3 lead in the series since ’99 - barely outscoring Kickapoo by a combined 424-414. 

"It seems like every game there’s a shot at the buzzer or an opportunity for a shot at the buzzer," Kickapoo Coach Stephanie Phillips said. "Every time you think of a game with Kickapoo and Hickman, you think of down to the wire." 

Taking over Kickapoo’s coaching reins in 2001, Phillips got a fitting initiation into the rivalry when current Hickman senior Jodi Bolerjack drilled a driving shot with six seconds left to lift the Kewpies to a 45-43 regular-season win in Columbia over the then-No. 1 Chiefs. 

Later that season, it took two overtimes to do in the Chiefs, when the Kewpies ended Kickapoo’s season with a 54-50 win. Not surprisingly, that game ranks pretty high with most of the senior Kewpies, who were sophomores then. 

"Double-overtime, you can’t beat that," Rorvig said. "That was a good one." 

That win helped to make up for a heartbreaking double-overtime quarterfinal loss the previous year, when Kickapoo stole certain victory from the Kewpies with a length-of-the-court dash for a last-second 3-pointer in regulation. 

After last year’s anticlimactic quarterfinal in which Kickapoo pulled away from the Kewpies in the fourth quarter for a 55-42 win, the two rivals returned to breathtaking form with a roller-coaster contest early this season at Columbia College. 

"This year’s game was pretty interesting," Hickman’s Amy Bolerjack said. 

Trailing by 16 midway through the third quarter, the Bolerjack twins led a remarkable rally to hand the Chiefs a 54-52 defeat on Dec. 6. 

For Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts, the latest installment of this epic series ranks right up there among the most memorable. 

"Three of them are hard to separate," Mirts said. "There’s the game we had at Columbia College, the double-OT win and the double-OT loss. 

"Those close ones, coaches remember." 

With both teams ranked nationally by USA Today - Hickman is 10th and Kickapoo 15th - it’s hard not to expect another tense battle. 

"Our two teams are the same every year," Phillips said. "There are some things you can count on for sure from both teams. They know us, and we know them, and at this point you just have to go out and play." 

Kickapoo will have to play without junior Heather Ezell, a Division I recruit who tore her ACL in January. Ezell, Kickapoo’s top perimeter scoring threat, made four 3-pointers and scored a team-high 14 points in the earlier loss to Hickman. 

The Chiefs still have seniors Molly Carter, an all-state guard who inked a scholarship with Drury University, Kailey Mock and Holly Wade. Mock, a 6-foot-1 forward, will play volleyball at Drury, and Wade has signed to play hoops at Central Methodist. 

Hickman also boasts some college talent, with its five starters all signed to scholarships. The Bolerjacks are headed to Wyoming, Lauren Harris to Kennesaw, Ga., State, Stephanie Burger to William Woods and Rorvig to Missouri on a track scholarship. 

"I think it speaks volumes of both programs," Mirts said. "They have an expectation to get" to the state championships, "and we have an expectation to get there." 

The winner plays either Notre Dame de Sion (18-10) or seventh-ranked Lee’s Summit (22-5) at 6:20 p.m. Friday in Hearnes. 
 

Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts was also looking forward to checking out the new venue. After putting up with the strange bounces and dead spots on the floor that was pieced together far from the crowd in the middle of the spacious rodeo arena, Mirts was glad to see the quarterfinal moved from the place Phillips playfully referred to as the "cow palace." 

"That place is just not for high school basketball," Mirts said. "You get two really quality programs with all the marbles on the line to go to the state tournament, and you’ve got them on one of the worst floors in the state. I think it’s a great venue change." 

Although they’ve never played in the new venue, Mirts’ players seem to be happy with the switch, too. 

"I’d rather play in a smaller gym," senior sharpshooter Amy Bolerjack said. "At the other place, the baskets just came out of nowhere." 

Kaela Rorvig agreed with her teammate’s assessment of the Exhibition Center 

"You were so far away from the crowd," Rorvig said. "It just seemed like you were stuck out there in the middle of nowhere, and the background was so far away." 

? NOT IMPRESSED: The folks who put together the girls basketball poll for USA Today obviously weren’t impressed with Hickman’s dominance of the Class 5 District 10 field. 

Entering the tournament ranked ninth in the nation, the Kewpies dropped to 10th after 30-point, mercy-rule romps past Rock Bridge and Jefferson City. 

The reason for the odd drop was Mountain View of Orem, Utah, which bumped up two spots to eighth in last week’s national poll after winning its fourth consecutive Class 4A title with a 23-2 mark.

"They’ve got it all," Phillips said of the Kewpies (29-1). "They’ve got the inside game and the outside game and great defense. They’re just a great team, and that’s what we all work for as coaches, to get our groups to be like that. They’ve reached that this year." 

A year removed from a frustrating two-point outing in a quarterfinal loss to Kickapoo, Jodi Bolerjack scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help the Kewpies dethrone the defending state champions. 

"I think everybody was feeling things out, and she was like, ‘Man, I’ve been here before. Let’s get this ball rolling,’ " Mirts said. "I think she jump-started us." 

While both teams seemed to open the game tentatively, Bolerjack came out firing to score Hickman’s first eight points. 

Bolerjack scored the game’s first three points on a free throw and driving layup. After a 3-pointer by Kickapoo’s Hannah Carter, Bolerjack answered with a three-point play off a put-back and topped off her personal scoring run with a length-of-the-court dash and spinning layup at the 4:50 mark to give the Kewpies an 8-3 lead. 

"I really want go to go state and to get that done, you just had to attack," Bolerjack said. "It takes a load off when you make your first shot. I felt confident all night long." 

Bolerjack added a 3-pointer to put the Kewpies in front 13-10 heading into the second quarter and added five more points before halftime to push Hickman to a 23-14 lead. 

So did Hickman’s defense, which limited Kickapoo (26-3) to just four points in the second quarter. The Kewpies held Kickapoo’s top two scoring threats, Carter and Kailey Mock, to a combined four points in the first half. Mock, a 6-foot-1 junior, finished with eight points but was held scoreless in the first half by Kaela Rorvig. 

"The defensive effort was incredible," Mirts said. "Kaela’s 5-9, guarding a 6-1 kid, and she took her out of her game." 

Kickapoo, ranked third in the state and 15th nationally, never led in the game and dug itself a huge hole in the second quarter with a seven-minute scoreless stretch. 

Trailing 23-12, Carter’s two free throws with 42 seconds remaining before halftime snapped the scoring drought. 

"Our shots just didn’t fall, and theirs did," Phillips said. "Sometimes that happens." 

Two free throws each by Megan McCabe and Stephanie Burger staked Hickman to a 36-22 lead with 2:11 left in the third, but the Chiefs mounted one final charge. 

A buzzer-beating basket by Mock off an inbounds play with .6 seconds left cut Hickman’s lead to 36-28. Kickapoo scored on its opening possession of the fourth quarter to narrow the margin to six, but Harris recovered from a rough shooting night to score two consecutive baskets to push the margin back to double digits. 

Harris finished with 13 points and nine blocks. Amy Bolerjack led the Kewpies with nine rebounds. 

Hickman advances to the semifinals where it will play seventh-ranked Lee’s Summit (23-5) at 6:20 p.m. Friday in the Hearnes Center. Lee’s Summit defeated Notre Dame de Sion 56-38 in its quarterfinal. 

Don Shrubshell photo

Opponents have found it difficult to score on Hickman’s nationally ranked girls basketball team with senior Lauren Harris guarding the Kewpies’ basket. The school’s all-time leader in blocks has also de-veloped into an offensive threat this season as one of four Kewpies averaging more than 10 points heading into Friday’s Class 5 semifinal with Lee’s Summit.

Her emergence as an offensive threat has helped Hickman (29-1) to the No. 1 position in the state’s Class 5 rankings, the No. 9 spot in USA Today’s national poll and a berth in Friday night’s Show-Me Showdown semifinals at the Hearnes Center against seventh-ranked Lee’s Summit (23-5). 

"I can’t believe how much she’s improved," senior teammate Kaela Rorvig said. "It’s just amazing. It’s a combination of everything." 

With Rorvig among three former all-state players returning in the backcourt, along with Amy and Jodi Bolerjack, Hickman was expected to field another strong team this season. But the one question mark about the Kewpies was whether the squad would get enough offensive production on the inside. 

"Everyone expected us to be perimeter-dominated, and that’s not the case anymore," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "Having Lauren score forces teams to make a difficult decision." 

That decision basically boils down to picking your poison. 

With opponents vainly trying to contain Hickman’s outside game, Harris’ scoring average has steadily increased. By getting good position down low and using an arsenal of offensive moves, Harris is fourth on the team with a 10.8 scoring average. 

"Lauren takes a lot of the pressure off us out on the perimeter," said Jodi Bolerjack, who’s averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game. 

And the extra offensive workload hasn’t slowed Harris on the defensive end, either. She’s still the same, old shot-swatter she’s always been since breaking the school’s single-season block record as a sophomore. This year, she smashed that mark for the third straight year with 188. Harris’ 455 career blocks rank her third in the state’s history. 

"Lauren’s always been a great defender, but she needed to be rewarded at the other end of the court, too," Mirts said. "She’s got great reflexes and great basketball instincts. She has an uncanny ability to be in the right spot at the right time." 

Sounds like she’s got her brother’s instincts. Or is it the other way around now? 

"I haven’t heard that in a while," Harris said. "People would be like, ‘Oh, you’re Lance Harris’ sister.’ And I’d say, ‘My name is Lauren.’ 

"It still happens sometimes, but most people know I’m Lauren now." 
 

"That was a nightmare," Matheny said, referring to her squad’s colossal collapse in a 48-46 loss to Hickman on Jan. 19. 

During a dream season, Hickman’s nationally ranked girls basketball team has offered many a nightmare to its opposition. 

Included in the Kewpies’ run to the No. 9 ranking in USA Today and No. 1 spot in the state poll have been victories over the three other teams coming to the Hearnes Center for the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown semifinals that start tomorrow. 

Considering her team’s rankings and previous conquests, Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts realizes her 29-1 squad will be wearing the biggest bull’s-eye when it opens at 6:20 p.m. with seventh-ranked Lee’s Summit (23-5). 

"I’m sure there are three people that definitely want another shot at us," Mirts said. 

In trucker lingo, Mirts’ comment would receive a big "10-4" from the three Class 5 coaches coming to Columbia. 

With a win over second-ranked St. Louis rival Incarnate Word (27-2) in the 4:45 p.m. semifinal, Matheny said her fifth-ranked Angels (24-4) are hoping to see the Kewpies in Saturday night’s 6:30 final. 

"By all means," Matheny said. "Our kids wanted to play Incarnate Word and they wanted to play Hickman. They feel they have some unfinished business to take care of." 

The Angels, who return four key players from last year’s Class 5 runners-up, are hoping to avenge two of their losses this weekend. St. Joe split its two games with Incarnate and was handed a demoralizing defeat by Hickman during the Martin Luther King Jr. Classic at Maryville College when the Kewpies scored 27 points in the fourth quarter to rally from an 18-point deficit. 

Hickman trailed 43-27 heading into the final, fateful four minutes that haunted Matheny for weeks. 

"They held their composure, made a couple of wonderful shots, and we didn’t handle the pressure well," Matheny said. "It took us probably a couple weeks to recover from it. It hurt." 

Lee’s Summit’s pains have been more physical than mental, but injuries to starters Shana Wheeler and Megan Mayer haven’t kept the Tigers from returning to the Showdown after last year’s fourth-place finish. 

Wheeler, a 6-1 Kansas State recruit, missed all but seven games with a broken bone in her wrist, and Mayer has been out since a sectional victory over Liberty. 

Megan Nyquist has taken up most of the scoring slack, averaging 21 points a game since the end of the regular season. The 5-10 Illinois recruit was held to just nine points, including zero in the second half, during a 47-38 home loss to Hickman on Feb. 13. 

"Their defense in the second half was just stifling" Bubalo said. "We had a lot of trouble getting open for shots. It wasn’t just a case of not having good shots, we couldn’t find a shot against them in the fourth quarter." 

In a 37-25 loss to the Kewpies on Nov. 29 in the championship game of the Quincy, Ill., Thanksgiving Classic, Incarnate Word struggled finding shots in just about every quarter. 

"We actually started out up 8-0, and then we just couldn’t score," Rolfes said. 

With 6-3 junior Division I recruit Rachel Pierson mired in foul trouble, the Red Knights scored just 13 points over the final three quarters. Felicia Chester was the only Red Knight to score more than two points in the loss with a game-high 18 points. The 6-1 sophomore with D-I tools was impressive, but she proved to be no match for the balanced attack of the Kewpies. 

"All five starters can score," Rolfes said. "They give people matchup problems. Essentially they’re playing four guards, and they’re all good-sized guards." 

Wyoming recruits Amy and Jodi Bolerjack lead Hickman’s offensive attack, which includes four double-figure scorers. Jodi Bolerjack leads the way with a 15.3 scoring average, followed by Amy Bolerjack (11.6), Missouri track recruit Kaela Rorvig (10.9) and 6-3 center Lauren Harris (10.8). 

The Bolerjacks have combined for 94 3-pointers and are shooting better than 52 percent from the field. Rorvig is Hickman’s top defender, and Harris is the school’s single-season (188) and career (455) blocks leader. 

Three of the four started two years ago as sophomores when the Kewpies lost the 4A title game to Lee’s Summit North. In their final go-around, Mirts hopes her seniors - which include starting point guard Stephanie Burger - can lead the way to the program’s first state title. 

"These kids have been really resilient," Mirts said. "When their backs have been pushed up against the wall, they’ve responded very positively." 
 

Don Shrubshell photo

From left, Kaela Rorvig, Amy Bolerjack and Jodi Bolerjack make up a deadly trio of shooters for top-ranked Hickman. The seniors have scorched the nets for a combined 3,455 career points and hope to lead the Kewpies to the Class 5 title.

Since bursting onto the scene as freshmen in 2000, Jodi Bolerjack, twin Amy Bolerjack and Kaela Rorvig have rarely let the Kewpies down during the most successful four-year run in the program’s history. 

Compiling a record of 105-13 as key members of the varsity, the high-scoring trio has combined to score 3,455 career points entering tonight’s Class 5 Show-Me Showdown semifinal in the Hearnes Center against seventh-ranked Lee’s Summit (23-5). 

Throughout Hickman’s magical 29-1 season, the three seniors all topped the 1,000-point barrier. Jodi was first, and she currently sits second on the team’s all-time scoring list with 1,279 points. 

Rorvig was next to accomplish the feat, and she recently passed older sister Anna Rorvig for fourth place on Hickman’s scoring chart with 1,104 points. Amy Bolerjack’s current total of 1,072 career points makes her the sixth player to score 1,000 for the Kewpies. 

No one seems to have an answer to that question, because the thought apparently hasn’t popped into any of their state-championship-focused heads. 

"I never really thought about it," Jodi said. 

In typical twin fashion, Amy chimed in with, "I never really thought about that." 

At least Rorvig mixed things up a little bit by adding, "I never really thought of it like that." 

When pressed, Jodi finally relented and offered her best guess. 

"I don’t know," she said, rolling her eyes. "I guess a lot more." 

The truth is, no one will ever know how many points the three superstars could have compiled on their own, and thankfully for Mirts, its something none of her players are losing any sleep over. 

Mirts had already spent many a sleepless night in the preseason wondering how she was going to spread one bouncing basketball around to three point-producing machines once the 2003-04 season started. 

With Jodi fully recovered from an ACL injury that forced her to miss all but the final nine games of last season, Mirts opened this season with three legitimate go-to scorers. 

"My concern was keeping everyone happy," Mirts said. "It’s hard in this day and age to get kids to buy into that team concept." 

Winning helped Mirts sell the concept. 

The Kewpies opened the season by sweeping four games in two days to claim the prestigious Quincy, Ill., Thanksgiving Classic. A 16-point second-half comeback in a home-opening win against defending Class 5 champion Kickapoo at Columbia College didn’t hurt matters, either. 

No matter who was producing the points, the Kewpies kept winning. 

"I like it this way," Rorvig said. "We’re just a better team this way." 

The trio even made room for another scoring presence in the lineup with the inside emergence of 6-foot-3 senior Lauren Harris. All four starters are averaging more than 10 points a game, led by Jodi’s 15.3 average. 

"I think the kids have bought into it," Mirts said. "They’ve seen team success. They’ve come to terms that they’re a better team with all of them and Lauren being an offensive threat." 

Currently riding an 18-game winning streak, the Kewpies have climbed to the No. 1 spot in the state’s Class 5 poll and the No. 9 position in USA Today’s national rankings. 

After evenly distributing the ball all season, the Kewpies hope to share one more thing with each other by the end of the weekend: the program’s first state championship. 

"There’s not another year to say, ‘Oh we can get it next year,’ " Jodi Bolerjack said. "This is it." 

The Kewpies certainly hope so, anyway. 
 

Ed Pfueller photo

Hickman’s Stephanie Burger celebrates while Lee’s Summit’s Toni Picerno laments a call in the Kewpies’ 53-28 victory.

Even an 18-0 lead after the first seven minutes wasn’t out of the question, which just happened to be how the Kewpies (30-1) opened last night’s rout. 

Picking up where they left off when the Kewpies limited Lee’s Summit (23-6) to two fourth-quarter points in a 47-38 win Feb. 13, Hickman continued its defensive dominance over the Tigers. 

Describing Hickman’s defensive effort in the earlier meeting as "stifling," Lee’s Summit Coach Brian Bubalo settled for merely "stingy" this time around. 

"We couldn’t make shots," Bubalo said. "I think we looked a little shaky. We might have been a tad nervous. A lot of it was their defense, too." 

Megan Nyquist, a 5-foot-10 Illinois signee who was held scoreless in the second half of the previous meeting, continued to struggle against the relentless play of Hickman’s Kaela Rorvig. With the 5-10 defensive stopper hounding her from the start, Nyquist missed her first five shots and was 1 of 8 at halftime before finishing with a team-high 12 points. 

"We had a lot of trouble getting Megan open," Bubalo said. "We tried a lot of different things and she didn’t get many good looks all night long. Their defense was just very stingy." 

Lee’s Summit missed its first 10 shots - including three blocks by Harris - and committed four turnovers as Hickman scored the first 18 points of the game. 

"We came ready to play, and that’s what started things for us," said Jodi Bolerjack, who was obviously ready to go. The 5-8 Wyoming recruit made 11 of 12 free throws and led the Kewpies with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. 

Amy Bolerjack, who’s also headed to Wyoming, opened the onslaught with a 3-pointer off a kickout pass from Harris at the 7:16 mark. Jodi Bolerjack scored the next four points followed by another 3-pointer by Amy Bolerjack that was sandwiched around two identical alley-oop inbound plays to Rorvig that made the score 14-0. 

Amy Bolerjack finished with 12 points, Harris totaled 11 and Rorvig scored eight. Baskets by Harris and Amy Bolerjack made the score 18-0 before Jenny Brown’s basket finally got Lee’s Summit on the scoreboard with 41 seconds left in the quarter. 

"That feels pretty good when you’re sitting up 18-0 in the Hearnes Center," Mirts said. "I have to be honest, that made me relax quite a bit. I got to sit down on the bench a whole lot more. I’m usually squatting and chewing my nails." 

Unlike Mirts’ nails, Lee’s Summit did not hold up as well under the pressure of the game - or Hickman’s unrelenting defense. 

Besides Rorvig’s defensive play, Harris shut down 6-3 Lee’s Summit junior Ashley Patterson. Harris finished with seven blocks, while Patterson scored two points on 0-of-8 shooting. 

"That girl has very long arms," said Lee’s Summit senior Tony Picerno, who went scoreless on 0-of-11 shooting. 

With the game seemingly over, Lee’s Summit scored the first six points of the second quarter and held Hickman scoreless until the 2:41 mark when Jodi Bolerjack made two free throws that extend Hickman’s lead to 20-8. 

Lee’s Summit’s mini-run didn’t appear to unnerve Hickman’s student cheering section, who attempted to start The Wave during a timeout midway through the second quarter. Similar to Lee’s Summit’s comeback hopes, though, it trickled about a quarter of the way across the Hearnes Center crowd before fading away. 

Hickman scored the final eight points of the half to take a 26-8 lead into halftime. The Tigers never got closer than 12 points. 

"We were prepared; we knew what they wanted to do," Bubalo said. "They just went ahead and did it anyway. They’re a good team." 

The Kewpies, ranked ninth by USA Today, will play St. Joseph’s Academy (25-4) for the Class 5 championship at 6:30 tonight. 
 

The Angels (25-4) got their wish by outscoring Incarnate 26-5 over the second and third quarters. Mackenzie Stirmlinger led St. Joe with 13 points. 

"I think it’s a great matchup for the state of Missouri," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "Both programs have been tremendous all year. The bottom line is - whoever wins it this year - this is a heck of a state to play in because there are a number of good basketball teams in the state." 

Rachel Pierson totaled 14 points and 11 rebounds for Incarnate. 
 

Ed Pfueller photo

Brittney Cox, left, and Caroline Lamb spell out the first two letters of the Hickman High School mascot as they cheer the Lady Kewpies basketball team in the girls Class 5 state championship match in the Hearnes Center last night. The Kewpies lost 56-44 to St. Joseph’s Academy, finishing with 30 wins and two losses.

With the Kewps down by a point after a hard-fought first quarter, Hickman students tried for the second night in a row to start the wave. Unlike Friday night’s failure, the effort met with marginal success as a sporadic wave eventually made it back to the Hickman partisans. 

The second quarter came to an ominous end when St. Joseph’s hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer, but backers of the purple and gold stayed positive. Caroline Lamb, a Hickman junior, was in the heart of the student section, wearing a bead necklace, an "E" on her T-shirt, and purple and gold stripes on her face. She explained the purpose of the face paint: "intimidation." 

Lamb said several of the girls who were similarly costumed were members of the junior varsity basketball squad. 

"We wanted to … support the girls because we know they worked really hard for this," she said. 

The game also brought out some familiar faces. 

Former Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Jim Ritter was on hand, as well as former Hickman Principal Ken Clark, who wore a Kewpies football jersey over his dress shirt. 

"I saw them a couple of years ago, and they about made it. … I’m hoping this will be the year," Clark said at halftime. 

Bill McFarland was seeing this year’s team for only the second time, drawn by the recent success. Asked for a prediction at halftime, the Columbia resident expressed optimism but also a portent. 

"I wonder how tall that one girl is, double zero for St. Joseph’s," he mused. 

McFarland had zeroed in on a major problem. Angel center Erin McCarthy, a 6-feet, 5-inch junior, scored 22 points in the victory, and 11 of them came after the half. 

By the end of the third quarter, Hickman was trailing by 14 points. During the break, Hickman fans were largely subdued while, across the way, green-clad Angel fans were standing, swaying and chanting. Shortly after the last period began, Hickman students chanted, "Remember last game," a reference to the Jan. 19 contest when Hickman beat St. Joseph’s after trailing by 18 in the fourth quarter. 

St. Joe’s students responded with a chant of "We can’t hear you," and they had the last word. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, they jumped and cheered; Kewpie fans were a little slower to their feet but offered a standing ovation as their own team made its way off the floor. 

Hickman junior Alyssa Toalson said the loss was disappointing, "but we’re really proud of the girls for making it to the state championship." 

And there’s always hope. "Can’t wait till next year," she added. 

Ed Pfueller photo

Hickman senior Jodi Bolerjack walks off the court as the players from St. Joseph’s Academy cele-brate their Class 5 state championship behind her last night at the Hearnes Center. The top-ranked Kewpies came into the game with a 30-1 record but couldn’t overcome a 14-point fourth-quarter defi-cit as they fell to the Angels.

The situation was all too familiar for St. Joseph’s Coach Julie Matheny. 

"There were some sudden flashbacks. … As a matter of fact, I think their fans reminded us," Matheny said, before breaking into an impromptu imitation of the Hickman fans’ chant with players Kelsey Luna and Erin McCarthy during the postgame press conference. "They were so thoughtful." 

The Angels weren’t as sympathetic. 
Rather than wilt under Hickman’s pressure like they did the last time, the Angels rose above the Kewpies and their No. 9 national ranking to hold on for a 56-44 win. 

"I thought they played great," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "The winner of a state championship should have a great game, and I thought St. Joe played great." 

Hickman (30-2) held St. Joseph’s (26-4) scoreless for the first 3:21 of the fourth quarter but was only able to shave two points off the lead on a basket by Lauren Harris at the 5:47 mark. 

The two teams traded baskets a few times after that, but when Amy Bolerjack made a layup and then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and scored again to make the score 48-39 with 3:20 left, Hickman appeared to be in business. 

"I was thinking we might be able to pull it off again," twin sister Jodi Bolerjack said. 

Alas, the Kewpies could get no closer. 

St. Joseph’s made enough free throws down the stretch and forced Hickman to make several tough shots that didn’t fall to claim its sixth state basketball title and first since the ending a string of four straight championships in 1994. 

"We knew we’d been in that situation before," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. "We got some turnovers and we got some good looks, but they got a couple of long passes past us and converted those for layups, and I thought that was really, really key. 

"Had we gotten maybe one more turnover and not a long pass like that, maybe they miss a layup and I think the snowball would have started." 

Instead, the Kewpies experienced another disappointing post-season defeat. Making its third Showdown appearance in five years, Hickman finished second in 2002 and third in 2000. 

"It’s disappointing, but we gave it all we had," Jodi Bolerjack said. "We have to be happy with that. They’re just a good team." 

Behind the inside play of 6-foot-5 senior Erin McCarthy, St. Joe shot 61 percent (19 of 31) for the game. McCarthy score 11 points in each half to finish with a game-high 22 points. 

Mackenzie Stirmlinger added 12 points and Katie Heidenreich 11 for the Angels, who lost last year’s title game to Kickapoo. 

Despite struggling offensively for most of the game, Hickman only trailed 17-16 after one quarter and 25-23 at halftime. A step-back 3-pointer before the halftime horn by Luna gave the Angels a little extra dose of momentum going into the second half. 

"That was a gift," Matheny said. "We needed that little mojo." 

Luna was perfect from the field, making all three of her field goals - including both 3-point attempts - to score eight points. 

Hickman shot 38 percent (17 of 44) from the field. Amy Bolerjack led the Kewpies with 14 points and Stephanie Burger added 10. 

Jodi Bolerjack (seven points) and Kaela Rorvig (four) struggled from the field, combining to make 4 of their 19 shots, including an 0-of-8 performance from behind the 3-point arc. 

Hickman finished 4 of 16 from 3-point range. 

"We went through a long stretch in the third quarter where we had a lot of open jump shots," Mirts said. "We have a lot of good jump-shot shooters and nothing fell." 

A jumper by Rorvig was Hickman’s only field goal in the third quarter as St. Joe outscored Hickman 15-3 to take control of the game. 

"I thought our defense once again made us win the game," Matheny said. "These kids were all about getting the opportunity to play Hickman again and taking care of some unfinished business. That was the game plan." 

Unlike the previous meeting, that game plan included playing hard for the entire game. 

"It’s about effort, and we got a lot of it for 32 whole minutes," Matheny said. "Not just three-and-a-half quarters." 

Ed Pfueller photo

St. Joseph’s junior Erin McCarthy blocks Jodi Bolerjack’s shot in the first half of the Angels’ 56-44 win.

From the opening tip, the Angels (26-4) turned to McCarthy, who scored six of the Angels’ first nine points. As the Kewpies (30-2) began to collapse their defense toward the post, St. Joseph’s four guards found room to shoot from the perimeter. The Angels connected on all four of their 3-point attempts, including a buzzer-beater by Kelsey Luna before halftime. 

"It’s difficult when you have four perimeter players that can score so well," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said of the Angels. "They’ve got a good package, and that’s what makes them a great team. You’ve got a kid that’s 6-5 - and I thought Harris did a great job on her most of the night - but she did get some good looks. I think if they wouldn’t have hit the 3s so early in the game, we wouldn’t have been so hesitant to be so tight on those perimeter players." 

As the Kewpies’ only threat to defend McCarthy, the 6-2 Harris couldn’t afford to pick up costly fouls. McCarthy took advantage in the second half, scoring eight of the Angels’ first 13 points. 

"When Lauren has that kind of room, she’s very successful as well," Mirts said. 

Harris, who scored nine points, picked up her third foul with 2:46 left in the third quarter. A minute later, 5-9 Amy Bolerjack got caught on a defensive switch with McCarthy, and the Angels’ center scored easily. 

In a 48-46 Hickman win over the Angels on Jan. 19, McCarthy outscored Harris 16-2. But it was last year’s loss in the championship game that McCarthy was thinking about. 

In that five-point loss to Kickapoo, St. Joseph’s was outrebounded 41-25. 

"About a year ago, we didn’t do so well in rebounding here," McCarthy said. "So we wanted to make sure we did a little better this year. … We didn’t want to hear that speech again. Everyone made sure to work hard again to avoid it." 

As Hickman’s jump shooters went cold, the Angels rarely allowed a second shot despite losing the rebounding battle 27-24. 

"She joked about rebounding, but, honest to God, it’s the No. 1 key that we put up on the board every game," Matheny said. "Playing with four guards, rebounding is about positioning and effort. You cannot allow second shots." 

And with a reminiscent post presence, the Angels are state champions for the sixth time in school history. 

Ed Pfueller photo

Hickman's Jodi Bolerjack (22), Megan McCabe, center, Amy Bolerjack (30) and Lauren Harris, right, show their frustration after losing the Class 5 state championship game 56-44 to St. Joseph's Academy on Saturday.

But as time was winding down Saturday, and the Kewpies were unable to take a serious slice out of the Angels’ 14-point fourth-quarter lead, it became obvious there would be no pizzas delivered, no colossal comeback and, once again, no state championship for another talented Hickman squad. 

The top-ranked Kewpies got as close as nine points twice in the fourth quarter, but this time, fifth-ranked St. Joseph’s finished with a 56-44 state-championship win. 

"These kids were all about getting the opportunity to play Hickman again and taking care of some unfinished business," St. Joseph’s Coach Julie Matheny said. "That was the game plan." 

Unlike the previous meeting - when the Kewpies outscored the Angels 27-7 in the final quarter for a stunning 48-46 win - the game plan included playing full out for the entire game. 

"It’s about effort, and we got a lot of it for 32 whole minutes," Matheny said. "Not just 3½ quarters." 

Hickman (30-2) matched St. Joseph’s effort but was unable to equal the exceptional execution of the Angels (26-4). St. Joseph’s made all four of its 3-point attempts and shot 61 percent from the field (19 of 31). 

"The winner of a state championship should have a great game, and I thought St. Joe played great," Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said. 

Hickman uncharacteristically struggled with its shooting touch. Although the Kewpies fired up 13 more shots than the Angels, they made two less field goals during a 17-of-44 performance. 

Despite its shooting woes, Hickman only trailed 25-23 at halftime. But a costly 1-of-10 shooting drought in the third quarter allowed St. Joseph’s to outscore the Kewpies 15-3 and take an insurmountable advantage into the final quarter. 

St. Joseph’s one ugly blemish on a near-perfect performance was its woeful free-throw shooting. The Angels made just 14 of 25 foul shots in the game. 

Leading by nine with 2:51 remaining, a 4-of-9 free-throw stretch by St. Joseph’s could have proved costly. But the Kewpies were only able to manage one free throw by Stephanie Burger themselves to lose even more ground and fall behind 52-40 heading into the final minute. 

When St. Joseph’s 6-foot-5 Kewpie-killer Erin McCarthy made two free throws at the 1:21 mark - she shot 9 of 13 from the field but just 4 of 10 from the foul line to total a game-high 22 points - it finally appeared certain there would be no miraculous Kewpie comeback. 

"I think the realization hit in the last minute when we told them we’re not going to foul anymore, and they had to watch the clock run down," Mirts said. 

? UPROOTING EXPERIENCE: Mirts has been involved with some heartbreaking defeats over the years, but Saturday’s loss seemed to affect her more than the others. 

The reason for the extra emotion had a lot to do with saying goodbye to five senior starters, who took the defeat in their high school finale especially hard. 

"These kids have been around a long time, so they’ve got deep roots," Mirts said. "They were real emotional in the locker room, and that’s what got me." 

As four-year varsity members, Kaela Rorvig and twins Amy and Jodi Bolerjack have been a part of the program’s most successful era. Over the past four years, the Kewpies compiled a 106-14 record and finished second in the state’s largest class twice. 

Lauren Harris was a three-year starter, and Burger started the past two seasons at the point. 

? DOUBLE TROUBLE: Besides the statistical edges St. Joseph’s held, the Angels also had the Kewpies outnumbered when it came to twins. 

With Katie and Laura Heidenreich in the lineup, and Matheny and twin brother Bob Goessling coaching, St. Joseph’s set of twins doubled Hickman’s Bolerjacks, 2-1. 

With Matheny and Goessling offering no offensive production, though, the Bolerjacks combined to outscore St. Joseph’s twins 21-13. 

? WE’RE NO. 3!: Ranked as high as ninth in USA Today’s national poll, the Kewpies can’t even lay a good claim to being the second-best team in the state after this weekend. 

Despite just two losses, the Kewpies have the rare misfortune of being the only team in the state to lose to both of Missouri’s newly crowned champions. 

Republic (24-7) put some weight behind its stunning 62-60 regular-season win over the Kewpies on Dec. 28 by dethroning 2003 state-champ Duchesne with a 61-55 victory in Saturday’s Class 4 final. 
 

A. Bolerjack

J. Bolerjack

Rorvig

Although any of her three superstars had the ability to take over a game, Hickman Coach Tonya Mirts said the three combined their talents with senior teammates Lauren Harris and Stephanie Burger to form a menacing starting five. 

"I asked them to make a sacrifice, individually, for our team to be greater and make everyone else better," Mirts said. "It’s unique when you find a team that will do that." 

During their four years on the varsity, the Bolerjacks, who signed basketball scholarships to Wyoming, and Rorvig, a Missouri track recruit, combined for 3,515 points and led the Kewpies to a 106-14 record. 

"They were all able to handle the ball, shoot and defend," Mirts said. "There wasn’t really a weakness in their games." 

Jodi started all four years to become Hickman’s second-leading career scorer with 1,301 points. If not for an ACL tear that sidelined her for all but nine games of her junior year, the 5-8 scoring machine would have likely smashed Missy Stringham’s school-record of 1,492 points. 

With her knee fully recovered, Jodi led the Kewpies with a 15.1 scoring average on 51 percent shooting (168 of 329). She was second on the team in 3-point shooting (42 of 105) behind only the sizzling 57-of-116 performance (49 percent) of her 5-9 twin. 

For their careers, the Bolerjacks combined to make 232 3-pointers on 530 attempts (44 percent). Amy, who made 120 of those 3s, credits a year-round shooting regimen the twins started in the fifth grade for their remarkable accuracy. 

She said on school nights, they each make - not just take - 600 shots. On weekends in the off-season, the twins swish home 1,200 shots. Amy said they alternate in sets of 50, making 300 from the elbow, 300 a step inside the 3-point line and 600 from behind the arc. 

And how many shots does it take to make 1,200? 

"It probably takes me around 1,400 shots," Amy estimated. 

This season, Amy tied for the team lead in field-goal percentage (52.6) and was second on the team in scoring (11.7) and rebounding (5.4). A two-year starter, Amy finished her career fifth on the school’s career scoring list with 1,098 points. 

Inserted into the starting lineup late in her freshman season, Rorvig finished fourth on Hickman’s career scoring list with 1,116 points. The 5-10 guard/forward averaged 10.6 points this year, but her value to the team was measured more in her defensive prowess. 

Although she was coming off an all-state season, Rorvig approached Mirts last summer in an effort to improve herself. 

"She said, ‘What do I need to do to help us make the final four,’ " Mirts said. "I told her, ‘The closer you can close that gap between your skill level and your athleticism, the more successful we’re going to be as a team.’ " 

While the Bolerjacks led the Mid-Missouri Hustlers to a successful summer, Rorvig met with Mirts and junior Megan McCabe four times a week to work on basketball skills. 

The extra work put in by Hickman’s all-state trio paid off.