Injured players inspire Lark women

By Kristin Troyer – Horizon Co-Editor-in-Chief

If you thought the Larks had no chance against Brown Mackie Friday night, no one would blame you. Not only did the Hesston women’s basketball team struggle against three nationally-ranked teams in a row the week before, injuries seem to have passed through the team like a disease, knocking out four players: Jacque Anderson, Jermani Thompson, Mikaela Zook, and Kourtney Cunningham.

Team spirits were low heading into the Feb. 10 game against Brown Mackie, a team the Larks had previously beaten in a close game with a full team.

“We try to stay positive,” said sophomore Mikaela Zook, “but that can be really hard when the team is in a spot like this.”

Despite the odds, the Larks pulled off an 84-68 victory.

Freshman Jessanna Nebel started for the Larks and led in scoring with 26 points. The team was 68.8 percent behind the three-point arc, breaking a school record. Freshman Kelsey Unruh led the team in rebounds with 10.

This positive spark came from the players on the bench, according to Nebel.

With sunglasses shielding her eyes because of her concussion, Thompson, along with Anderson and Zook cheered and clapped for their teammates from the sidelines. Anderson is also recovering from a concussion and Zook is out for the season with torn ligaments in her right thumb.

“It felt really good to come off the floor and have them all excited and energized,” Nebel said. “Even the people with injuries stepped up in their own way and having them excited for us was really cool.”

Since the Brown-Mackie game, the Larks lost to Fort Scott 64-52 and beat McPherson JV 61-51. Anderson returns to the floor tonight for the make-up game against Labette. Thompson returns Saturday at Highland.

The Lark’s finish up regular-season play next week with games against Kansas City Kansas Community College at home on Monday and at Johnson County on Wednesday.