Olpe star forward Kathryn Flott went into the locker room on Sunday and wrote in big letters, “This is our year,” on the chalkboard.
On Wednesday, Flott and the undefeated Eagles will head to Manhattan for the Class 2A State tournament as the No. 1 seed and favorite to win State.
Olpe, which placed third last year, has steamrolled through this season, winning every game but two by double digits and overwhelming opponents with their full-court press, superior talent and tradition.
Flott, a junior, has already been to the State tournament twice, and this is the year that she believes will end with her first State title.
“It’s kind of always talked about,” she says. “I think this year we can definitely make that come true.”
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Basketball success is pretty much a given at Olpe. Jesse Nelson, in his 32nd season as head coach, has to get out his record books to recall all the State tournament appearances and finishes.
“I’m not very good with records and statistics,” he says.
Nelson has guided the Eagles to eight straight State tournament appearances, 12 in the last 14 years and 20 overall.
Yet in all those trips, Olpe has only brought home a State title one time: in 1980-81, Nelson’s third season.
“They say I can’t win the big one,” Nelson says with a wry smile.
Flott is well aware of the history. When asked when was the last Olpe team to win State, she answers, “Back when Ms. Davis was in high school.” That’s coach Carolyn Davis, Nelson’s assistant for the last 13 years and a junior on the State championship team.
Nelson says some of his best teams haven’t even made the State tournament, and even Olpe’s most decorated player, Michelle Stueve, never won a State title, losing in the State championship game.
Flott is the best player to come through Olpe since Stueve. She has always wanted to emulate the school’s all-time leading scorer.
“I just thought she was awesome,” Flott says. “My goal is to hopefully break her scoring record. She was just a good role model for me growing up. That’s who I want to be like.”
Flott idolizes Stueve, but she believes she can achieve the one thing that eluded Stueve, a State title.
“I think she has a vision,” Nelson says. “Some kids go through high school and they just play the game. She wants to win championships and she wants to play the game well. It’s not by accident she’s the kind of player she is either. She works extremely hard at it.”
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Flott talks openly about the goal to win back-to-back State titles, and she seems comfortable in her role as the star player on the best team in the State.
But Flott’s sidekick, Kendyl McDougald, is a little more cautious in making bold predictions — she talks about taking it step by step and one game at a time — and she also shies away from soaking up the limelight.
When asked about her increased production this year, McDougald is quick to mention her teammates.
“I think every one of us has improved, and I know I have,” she says. “We all have to make each other better as we play.”
Earlier this season after McDougald put up 29 points in a win over Marais des Cygnes Valley, she approached me during the boys game about leaving something she had said out of my story. Whatever she said didn’t sound the least bit controversial to me, but McDougald was worried how her words would be perceived.
Flott is a special talent, a player good enough that Division I schools have been calling this season and Emporia State coach Brandon Schneider keeps close tabs on what some envision as the next Stueve. But McDougald’s development this season as a sophomore could be the reason Olpe has been so dominant.
When teams concentrate on stopping Flott, McDougald benefits, and she can score from anywhere on the court. She was good as a freshman, but this year as her game has matured, she has made the Eagles almost impossible to defend.
Nelson also has nice pieces around his two stars. Junior Katelyn Henderson plays the Dennis Rodman to Flott and McDougald’s imitation of Jordan and Pippen. Henderson rebounds, chases down loose balls, creates havoc in the press with her long, lanky arms, and she doesn’t care if she scores. Juniors Natalie Kuhlmann and Jill Cole are steady guards who don’t make mistakes, and freshman Janae Haag has come on strong late in the season and could be the next big thing at Olpe.
When asked if this is his best team, Nelson hesitates and contemplates how to answer as he walks slowly back to his office, where pictures of many other great teams line the walls.
“I don’t think we’re as deep as we need to be. I think I’ve probably had some better teams in that part, but skill-wise,” Nelson’s voice trails off, he pauses and then changes the subject. “To get to State, nobody really realizes how hard it is, because you can’t screw up. A lot of it has to do with the pairings.”
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When practice ends on Monday, Nelson tells his team how happy he’s been that it’s never been privy to any inter-team turmoil and how important it is that they all continue to get along.
The Olpe players all laugh, and several playfully hug each other.
Nelson believes the reason he’s been so successful — an amazing 689-95 career record — has been this type of team-first attitude.
“I have some really good kids,” he says. “I’m not going to tell you that they’re all great athletes. We have really good kids that really believe in what we do. They really don’t want to disappoint you. I think they play as much in not wanting to disappoint themselves as not wanting to disappoint the team and not want to disappoint me. I think when you can get that going, get that feeling, they don’t want to be the team that can’t get it done.”
Olpe has only one senior, Shelby Stout, and she rarely plays, although Nelson says she’s done a good job of “mothering” this team.
So the floor leadership falls on Flott, and it’s a role she’s come to embrace.
Flott’s voice breaks the huddle as Olpe ends practice, before they head back to the locker room to get a reminder on the chalkboard that 2010 is their year.
Nelson has seen too many teams catch an unlucky break or go cold for one game, which is one too many at State, to make such a bold prediction.
But Flott has a vision, and that might just be what brings back the State championship to Olpe.
“Throughout this whole year,” she says, “it’s been, we’re going to go undefeated and we’re going to win State.”
eaglefan (anonymous) says...
I think the Olpe girls are fantastic this year. I wish them the best of luck at State this week. My piece of advice to Coaches Nelson and Davis is this. If the girls are ahead in the 4th quarter, let them keep playing and scoring. Every time they play stall ball, the girls end up losing.
Good Luck Girls!! Take State!
March 9, 2010 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fairbro (anonymous) says...
Hey Olpe girls, ESU needs some help.
You can sneak into the ESU locker room before their playoff game, slip into their uniforms...no one will know the difference..
March 10, 2010 at 10:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Great basketball, Lady Eagles. Nice going on that first game. Take it all the way to state.
March 11, 2010 at 7:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )