HARDIN - The Calhoun girls' basketball team came home from Normal with a third-place team trophy, individual medals, and lasting memories for players and fans alike of another state run.
Senior Grace Baalman closed her high school basketball career in style, pouring in 40 points and hauling down 10 rebounds to pace Calhoun past Elgin Harvest Christian Academy 72-51 in the third-place matchup at Redbird Arena in Normal. Teammate Junie Zirkelbach tossed in 18 points in the game. Baalman was named first-team all-state for IHSA Class 1A girls this past week by Associated Press, while Zirkelbach was an honorable mention selection.
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Grace Baalman concluded her illustrious Warriors’ basketball career with 2,471 total points. She averaged 23.5 points per game and 11.9 rebounds a game.
"Grace is a once in a lifetime athlete for a program, you'd have to look long and hard for a three-sport talent like Grace,” Calhoun head girls’ basketball coach Aaron Baalman said.
Aaron Baalman has become an acclaimed mentor to the girls, with a second-place finish in 2015, first place in 2016 and third-place this year at the helm.
"This season it an indication of a group of girls working together for a common goal, that goal was to prove they had the dedication and work ethic to make it back to Redbird,” he said. “Teamwork and hard work truly paid off for these young ladies."
"We have had good teams over the years, but this team got it right, they understood their roles, they respected one another, they played for all the right reasons and that's all you can for as a coach." "I am extremely proud of each one of these girls."
Coach Baalman said the future looks bright for the Warrior girls.
"We have a lot of experience coming back, Junie Zirkelbach has emerged as one of the best guards in the state along with defensive specialist Emily Baalman and Sophie Lorton,” he said.
On the way home, the coach said he had a long talk with his girls about how important it was to walk off Redbird court with a win.
“This group all year long has done an excellent job of refocusing when something didn't go their way,” he said. “That's a true testament of the bond between these girls and how great of teammates each one these girls have been."
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