The Carrier Mills-Stonefort High School scholar bowl team has been ranked 5th out of 29 local teams in its IHSA Class A Regional.
The Wildcats should benefit from that #5 rank with favored matchups in the March 4 Regionals at a location to be determined. Should the Wildcats win regionals, they would advance to this year’s IHSA sectionals on Saturday, March 9 in Fairfield. The Wildcats are 12-2 this season, good for 1st place in the Greater Egyptian Conference.
Coach Burke Wasson believes the team’s depth gives them a chance to compete in regionals. “We have stepped up this year and made the jump from last year’s first winning record in years to being contenders,” Wasson said. “We are deep. That allows us to rotate players in and out and wear down other teams whose players don’t get a mental break. That gives us an edge, especially in tournaments. “We’ve practiced two days a week and sometimes more since September. These kids have earned it. They’ve learned to play as a team and they’ve taken on defined roles. We don’t beat ourselves anymore and we have fun.”
Averaging more than 70 points a game last season after joining the team, junior Jade Nalley has bumped that average to more than 100 points a game this season.
"I'm happy our team has made so much progress,” Nalley said. “We worked hard for this and we intend to keep working harder to do even better."
Returning players have also contributed significant points this season. These players include senior captain Brianna Cullers and sophomores Lilian Crawford, Brayden Harmon, and Brayden Kirk.
“I am very proud of our team this year,” Cullers said. “They have put in so much time to get to where we are. I am so grateful and blessed to be a part of this wonderful team.”
Newcomers to the team have also added depth. Junior Carson VanDyke and sophomore Bailee Odum have made the varsity starting lineup multiple times this year. The team is rounded out by seniors Kaylee Klope and Devyn Valdez, along with sophomores Taylor Dombrow, Jaxon Layman, and Madie Shafer.
“Working alone is great, but working as a team is even greater,” Shafer said. “The accomplishments that are put toward one count just as good as none without the whole team.”