SPRINGFIELD, MO. • One underlying story to the run to third place in Class 5 for St. Joseph's was the reemergence of senior guard Mary LaBelle.
The 5-foot-7 LaBelle, who is averaged 7.3 points and 2.4 assists per game, missed a trio of games including the Angels' district playoff games with a leg injury.
Since her return from the injury, St. Joseph's (24-7) has had a different feel to it.
Just ask senior teammate Alex Kerr.
“She's been amazing, I think she's really been a calming presence on the floor to keep us together,” Kerr said. “Everybody knows what they're doing (when she's out there) and I've been privileged to play with her the past four years.”
LaBelle added three key points in the Angels' 49-48 win over Liberty (Kansas City) on Friday in the third-place game.
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“I was really happy that I got to start today since it was my last game,” LaBelle said. “It was a privilege and my teammates have been supportive throughout this. They were all so excited when I could actually move at practice. It happened at an unfortunate time, but those things happen. I was just excited to be back.
St. Joseph's coach Julie Matheny said that LaBelle has been the consummate floor leader throughout her career.
“Every coach hopes for that extension – the coach on the floor – and that's what Mary is,” Matheny said. “She pays attention to detail and she loves the game. She naturally has leadership abilities. It's hard when you're playing and are wrapped up, trying to accomplish things, The great thing is that everyone – on the floor or on the bench, everyone is involved. It's because of (LaBelle and Kerr) that everyone does what they need to do.”
DESPITE LOSS, MILLER CAREER ENDS SEASON ON HIGH NOTE
Even though many would see Miller Career's 61-52 overtime loss to Kearney in the Class 4 third place game as a downer, Miller coach Darrin White isn't one of them.
The coach said that, after suffering a 13-point loss to Carl Junction in the semifinals, the team rebounded nicely.
“I don't know if I could ask for a better game out of them,” White said. “They played hard and this is probably the best scenario for losing. No doubt. It's unbelievable, really. From the slow start to the season to now, we just kind of came together. My seniors – Daisha Seltzer, especially – we just came together.”
Miller (18-10) seemed poised to knock off Kearney (28-4), a team that pushed Incarnate Word to overtime in the semifinals, but some late free throw misses led to overtime where the Bulldogs took over.
Seltzer said that, while Miller lost a third place game for the first time in school history – wining the game in 2009 and 2012 – she said the effort was there from everyone involved.
“I feel like we could have won that game,” Seltzer said. “It's frustrating because I felt like we could have won the game. I'm not disappointed with myself or my teammates because we played hard. We gave everything we had. It just didn't happen for us.”
Seltzer led Miller with 16 points while senior forward Mauricea Mathis added 11.
Senior guard Chaddah Hodges said that, even in the face of adversity, a consistent approach carried the team to be as successful as it was at times over the weekend.
“Our mindset was basically to come down here and win,” Hodges said. “We fell short the first time. We all agreed after that we didn't want to come down here and get the last place (at state) but, even though we fell short, we gave ourselves a chance.”
WALLACES BRING HOME WINS ON FINAL DAY
Saturday was a good day in the Wallace household.
Not only did Kirkwood bring home its second straight Class 5 title with a 67-50 over Kickapoo, with the help of 14 points from junior guard Makayla Wallace, but the Jennings boys basketball team, coached by Wallace's father, Travis, also ended the season with a third place win in the boys Class 4 tournament, by beating Sikeston 79-74 in overtime.
Wallace even got the chance to present her father with his medal after the boys won.
“I'm proud of my dad and his team because they proved a lot of people wrong with the way they played, people didn't think they'd do what they did,” Makayla Wallace said. “I'm glad they got to end the season with a win for their seniors.”