In April 2007, The New Falcon Herald ran an article about an eighth-grade girls basketball team from Falcon Middle School that had not lost a game in seven years. Almost four years later, seven original members of that team helped propel Falcon High School to its first class 4A state quarterfinals in the school’s history.The seven original middle school team members, Kylie Cockrum, Gen Patton, Kiah Hicks, Shelby Goniea, Mary Wilmore, Cheyenne Mix and Darci Stechmen; were instrumental in Falcon High’s 18-8 record. In their final game of the quarterfinals, they lost 52-45 in the last six minutes to Mesa Ridge 52-45.It was a successful year for the Falcons. Two seasons ago, the team finished the 2010 regular season 18-6, with high expectations entering the playoffs. After an opening round win, the Falcons were eliminated by Pueblo South in the Sweet 16.The Falcons were granted a chance at redemption in 2011 when they were matched up with the same Pueblo South squad in the round of 16. With the help of some stifling second-half defensive play, the 12-seeded Falcons upset No. 5 Pueblo South 35-32, despite trailing 22-12 at halftime. Senior Cockrum scored nine points, and the team received a big lift from junior Janniqua Thomas, who scored 14 points. Thomas also led the team in scoring for the year at 11.7 per game. “It was a great feeling, the revenge factor,” said lead rebounder Hicks. “Some of the girls on that team are really nice, but it was still nice to have that revenge from last year.”In a post-season interview, second- year head coach Angie Heldstab took time to reflect on each of her seniors: “Kiah Hicks was an all around leader as far as points, vocal, everything. Kylie Cockrum was a vocal leader for the team who kept people in check. Mary Wilmore stepped up big for us this year. Her post presence inside was huge for us. Cheyenne Mix comes in and does the little things you don’t see in the stat line. The hustle plays, the plays that you needed. Shelby Goniea was a vocal leader and stepped up and did those little things on the court. Gen Patton was the starting point guard the past two years. She’s my quarterback. Darci Stechman came in and played hard during practice and was great for the young kids as far as helping them learn.”With the season over and graduation approaching, the seniors are looking forward to the future. Goniea will attend and play basketball at Bethel College in Kansas. Hicks has accepted a track scholarship to Colorado State in Fort Collins. Cockrum will be playing basketball for Cornell College of Iowa, and several of the other seniors could also have an opportunity to play college ball.Although they have an exciting new transition on the horizon, the seniors won’t soon forget the time they spent playing basketball and growing up with their friends. “In every situation and game that we’ve ever played in, we always found a way – winning or losing – to come together as one; have one heartbeat and just play as a team,” Cockrum said. “If we got into arguments with each other; if we didn’t concur on anything, we still found a way to come back and win.””It’s a family when you’ve grown up with everybody. When we were little kids we played with and against each other,” Hicks said. “In middle school and high school we’ve always been together. Not everybody can say they’ve played with the same people for eight years. It really is like a family. We fight with each other all the time, but we’ve had more fun than I’ve ever had in all of my life.”Look for the Falcon girls’ basketball program to remain strong. “The seniors are going to be missed,” Heldstab said. “They were a huge part of our program offensively, defensively and stat wise, so we have some big shoes to fill. But I do actually have eight going-to-be seniors next year and they’re talented, but they just had to wait their turn.”
