SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk seniors Kayla Meier and Chaesta Shager were eighth-graders and managers for the girls basketball team when they made promises to their mothers.
"We knew in eighth grade they had a good team," Meier said. "We were sad to see them lose in the sectional final. Chaesta and I were with our parents and we promised our moms that we would make it to state. It's always been a big dream of ours to make it."
The Warriors (22-2) are seeking a fourth straight trip to the Division 5 state tournament, with the next hurdle coming Thursday night against Barneveld (22-3) in a sectional semifinal game at Monroe High School.
Three of their four seniors who will take the floor this week once served as managers for the team and dreamed of playing in high school.
Black Hawk senior Kate Quinn was a manager in seventh grade - an experience she said helped motivate her to become the player she is now.
"Being a manager was great because you got a taste of what it was like to be on the team and the success they had," Quinn said.
Black Hawk has tasted plenty of success thanks in large part to a quartet of unsung seniors in Meier, Shager, Quinn and Katie Powers.
"This group really had to battle the low expectations people have had of them," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "The other groups have been more touted."
Flanagan said the key to the Warriors' success has been the development of the seniors and their willingness to take on new roles.
Shager and Powers have played on the varsity for three years and Quinn and Meier are two-year varsity players. Shager has started since halfway through her sophomore year. She was limited in last year's run to the state tournament after recovering from mono.
"It definitely feels better knowing that I can probably be a little bit more help this year," Shager said. "It's nice to be able to play full strength."
The seniors have worked to develop their games and have defied odds after graduating two all-conference starters in Rachel Rygh and Melissa Wellnitz.
Powers spent five days a week in the gym honing her outside shot and working on driving to the basket during the summer.
"She absolutely is a different player," Flanagan said. "She has transformed herself as far as what she has been able to do on the basketball court."
Powers has high expectations for herself. Black Hawk and Barneveld split the two regular season games in the Six Rivers East Conference. Powers scored 11 points and hit some big shots in the second half of the Warriors' 43-32 win over the Eagles Feb. 11.
"I'm never satisfied," Powers said. "I knew I would get more minutes this year. I wanted to work on my outside shot and driving into the lane. I wanted to bring something back from last year's team."
Flanagan said it will be a chess match in the third game against Barneveld. The Warriors are expected to make some adjustments after a 52-32 loss to the Eagles on Feb. 17.
"We have kids who have played in big-game environments," Flanagan said. "It pays dividends."
Meier said the key for the Warriors will be to play tough defense.
"The last time we played our defense hurt us," she said.
The Warriors relied on a fullcourt press the last few years, but they changed their identity this season by becoming more of a halfcourt team with two 6-footers in Meier and Quinn.
The style of basketball on the court at times may have changed this year, but the winning has continued.
"We knew many were doubting us," Meier said. "That just makes us work harder to get to where we want to go."
The Warriors won at least a share of the the conference title for the fourth straight year and had a 54-game winning streak. Powers doesn't want it to end.
"I'm nervous, but I know we can beat Barneveld and I know they can beat us," Powers said. "I don't want the season to end. I'm going to leave it all out on the floor Thursday night. I want to go back to state."
"We knew in eighth grade they had a good team," Meier said. "We were sad to see them lose in the sectional final. Chaesta and I were with our parents and we promised our moms that we would make it to state. It's always been a big dream of ours to make it."
The Warriors (22-2) are seeking a fourth straight trip to the Division 5 state tournament, with the next hurdle coming Thursday night against Barneveld (22-3) in a sectional semifinal game at Monroe High School.
Three of their four seniors who will take the floor this week once served as managers for the team and dreamed of playing in high school.
Black Hawk senior Kate Quinn was a manager in seventh grade - an experience she said helped motivate her to become the player she is now.
"Being a manager was great because you got a taste of what it was like to be on the team and the success they had," Quinn said.
Black Hawk has tasted plenty of success thanks in large part to a quartet of unsung seniors in Meier, Shager, Quinn and Katie Powers.
"This group really had to battle the low expectations people have had of them," Black Hawk coach Mike Flanagan said. "The other groups have been more touted."
Flanagan said the key to the Warriors' success has been the development of the seniors and their willingness to take on new roles.
Shager and Powers have played on the varsity for three years and Quinn and Meier are two-year varsity players. Shager has started since halfway through her sophomore year. She was limited in last year's run to the state tournament after recovering from mono.
"It definitely feels better knowing that I can probably be a little bit more help this year," Shager said. "It's nice to be able to play full strength."
The seniors have worked to develop their games and have defied odds after graduating two all-conference starters in Rachel Rygh and Melissa Wellnitz.
Powers spent five days a week in the gym honing her outside shot and working on driving to the basket during the summer.
"She absolutely is a different player," Flanagan said. "She has transformed herself as far as what she has been able to do on the basketball court."
Powers has high expectations for herself. Black Hawk and Barneveld split the two regular season games in the Six Rivers East Conference. Powers scored 11 points and hit some big shots in the second half of the Warriors' 43-32 win over the Eagles Feb. 11.
"I'm never satisfied," Powers said. "I knew I would get more minutes this year. I wanted to work on my outside shot and driving into the lane. I wanted to bring something back from last year's team."
Flanagan said it will be a chess match in the third game against Barneveld. The Warriors are expected to make some adjustments after a 52-32 loss to the Eagles on Feb. 17.
"We have kids who have played in big-game environments," Flanagan said. "It pays dividends."
Meier said the key for the Warriors will be to play tough defense.
"The last time we played our defense hurt us," she said.
The Warriors relied on a fullcourt press the last few years, but they changed their identity this season by becoming more of a halfcourt team with two 6-footers in Meier and Quinn.
The style of basketball on the court at times may have changed this year, but the winning has continued.
"We knew many were doubting us," Meier said. "That just makes us work harder to get to where we want to go."
The Warriors won at least a share of the the conference title for the fourth straight year and had a 54-game winning streak. Powers doesn't want it to end.
"I'm nervous, but I know we can beat Barneveld and I know they can beat us," Powers said. "I don't want the season to end. I'm going to leave it all out on the floor Thursday night. I want to go back to state."
