By Kai Raymer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The team with only two seniors and a bevy of underclassmen didn’t get stage fright in Thursday’s Class 5 Show-Me Showdown semifinal.
Now they’re one win away from adding another state championship to the trophy case.
Kickapoo bested St. Joseph’s Academy 58-44 at JQH Arena behind 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds from freshman Indya Green. Seniors Jordan Wersinger and Hannah Collins added 10 points apiece.
“It feels surreal,” Wersinger said of returning to the state title game. “It hasn’t really set in yet. It’s super exciting. We’ve worked hard all year for this. To be in this position, at this point, it’s really exciting. We’re ready for the next step.”
Kickapoo faces Kirkwood at 2:40 p.m. Saturday at JQH Arena with a state championship on the line. Kickapoo beat Kirkwood in the 2016 Class 5 state championship game.
Thursday’s win also historical context. The Chiefs beat St. Joseph’s Academy in the 2003 state finals.
As a program, Kickapoo’s won six state championships overall.
“You never know if you’re going to get (to the final four),” said Chiefs coach Jim Pendergrass. “There are a lot of good coaches and players and teams that never get an opportunity at the final four.
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“You never know if you’re going to get back. So when you’re there, enjoy it. That’s what we’ve done. That’s what we did two years ago and that’s what we did today. We have a loose team and they’re just having fun.”
Leading by three, the Chiefs began the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run. Maddie Barret’s basket, off a Wersinger assist, put Kickapoo ahead 45-34 with four minutes remaining.
The Angels never got closer than seven points from there.
Kickapoo’s starting lineup included three freshmen, a sophomore and a senior. Wersinger, a former all-state player, played 19 minutes off the bench.
“We have a talented team. We have girls that are willing to give up themselves for the benefit of the team,” Pendergrass said. “We’re very unselfish. We have great leadership.”
The Chiefs limited SJA’s top player, junior Alexandra Kerr, to nine points and nine rebounds.
She entered the postseason averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds per game, and had 46 points in the Angels’ quarterfinal win over Hazelwood Central.
Kickapoo threw multiple zone defenses at SJA, including a 1-3-1 look that the Angels hadn’t yet faced.
“Seeing a little different type of 1-3-1 defense was different for us,” said Angels coach Julie Matheny. “We haven’t seen one all year. We knew (Kickapoo) would play it, but it’s a little different when you’re out there playing.”
Early on, the Chiefs struggled to make shots. Kickapoo missed 26 of its first 30 field goal attempts.
“At halftime, we talked like, ‘(Shots) will go. They’ll go,’” Wersinger said. “Those nerves in the first half… (shots) were going in and out. We just had to keep shooting the ball and keep executing, keep doing what we’re doing.”
Eventually, quantity won out. The Chiefs shot 9-for-40 from the field in the first half, but improved to 12-for-22 in the second half.
They also made 15 of 17 free throw attempts.
“We came back (from the slow start) and kept our composure really well,” Collins said. “When the buzzer sounded, we all got super excited. It brought back a lot of memories from two years ago.”
Even with the shooting woes, Kickapoo led by four at halftime.
SJA had 15 turnovers in the first half and finished with 20.
“First half, I’m thinking, ‘Thank god (Kickapoo) is shooting poorly because that’s going to allow us to get back in the game,’” Matheny said. “Then, we’d come down and shoot ourselves in the foot.”
Kickapoo out-rebounded SJA, 38-31. Freshmen Rachel Senn, Chloe Merced and Green all had at least five rebounds.
“I felt like we were the aggressor in a lot of ways,” Pendergrass said. “The tempo and being able to rebound the ball, and also limiting their looks.”
Wersinger and Collins played on Kickapoo’s 2016 state title team. Their advice for their current (and younger) teammates?
Have fun.
“It can be a nerve-racking experience if you really think about, ‘There’s four teams left and there’s about to be two,’” Wersinger said. “Just go out and have fun, play loose like you have been. They know how big of an opportunity this is and not many people get this opportunity.”
Kickapoo 58, St. Joseph’s Academy 44
SJA 15 6 11 12 — 44
Kickapoo 12 13 10 23 — 58
SJA – Annmarie Tyson 12, Tiffany Sakamoto 10, Alexandra Kerr 9, Ann Laily 6, Erika Pudlowski 5, Mary LaBelle 2
Kickapoo – Indya Green 12, Jordan Wersinger 10, Hannah Collins 10, Chloe Merced 8, Maddie Barrett 6, Leah Fredrick 5, Jaden Wiley 4, Rachel Senn 2, Mia Thompson 1
