The Falcon School District 49 girls’ basketball team is on the right path to the state tournament. Sitting at 11-4 with six games left, the team is too hot to handle. Each member of the team has contributed to Falcon’s winning record, even if it’s just cheering from the bench.Coach Angie Heldstab, who played and coached college basketball at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, said, “The Falcons are playing good team ball; and, when we play that way, we are tough to beat.”Kylie Cockrum has a hot hand and sinks 3-pointers every game; leave her on the curve of the 3-point line and you can guarantee the score is going up. Gen Patton is a scrappy player; get in the way of her and the ball and you’re going down. Cheyenne Mix has stepped up her aggressiveness and it’s paid off. Janniqua Thomas has been averaging seven rebounds a game, and she is always boxing out beneath the basket to be the first to get the ball. Kiah Hicks and Shelby Goniea are frosting on the cake; they bring a sense of leadership to the team – it helps that both of them are ranked in the top 30 in assists for the 4A division.Falcon lost to Harrison by one basket and lost to Cheyenne Mountain due to a rocky fourth quarter. The girls beat Sierra 55-43, where Cockrum had a season high of 19 points. “I felt the team really came together in the Sierra game, we started the game on an 8-0 run with four different people scoring. I was proud of the girls for playing tough in a very physical game,” Heldstab said.On Jan. 21, Lewis-Palmer visited the Falcon’s home court and the first half was slow. It seemed as if the girls were having a hard time pulling together, but a halftime pep talk raised their spirits. Coming together in the third quarter, the girls hustled and put on a full-court press that Lewis-Palmer couldn’t defeat. Hicks was all over her opponents, wreaking havoc and forcing turnovers. The fourth quarter showed how much confidence the girls have; they passed around the ball and used teamwork to uphold their lead. Hicks had an assist to Goniea to make the final score 45-39.In a slaughtering 52-24 win against Wasson, the second string got a chance to play, and proved they would be ready to step up when it’s their turn. Wasson was overwhelmed with the powerhouse of the Falcon girls’ basketball team – first and second string. Greatness is about team support. During the fourth quarter when the second string was making their mark, Hicks was on the sideline, jumping up and down each time an underclassman scored or got a rebound.The Falcons are giving it their all. At the end of the season, the Falcons will have a chance to play the teams that beat them during the regular season. “The Falcons are a great team, and I am very lucky to coach them,” Heldstab said. “They work extremely hard and set high expectations for themselves at the beginning of the year. We are now 11-4 and in a great position to accomplish our goals.”This column does not necessarily represent the views of The New Falcon Herald.
