JERSEYVILLE – Brussels' Baylee Kiel became the new all-time leading girls’ basketball scorer in school history Tuesday. Fortunately for the young athlete, her record will continue to grow.
Heading into Tuesday’s game with Taylorville, Kiel had to score only six points to eclipse the record. Having completed that successfully, having fun is now her top priority for the rest of the season.
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“It was really good. I wasn’t really stressing out about it because I knew I had time left, but I’m thankful for my team because I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them,” Kiel said.
The record, previously held by the late Jessica Kamp, stood at 1,760. Kamp died tragically in a car accident in 2001. She graduated from Brussels High School in 1998.
Breaking the 18-year old record was bittersweet for Kiel, as she was aware of the legacy that Kamp left behind.
“Jessica was a great athlete and just knowing that my name will be with hers is really cool,” Kiel said.
The Lady Raiders successfully took down the Tornadoes 54-52 in their match at noon Tuesday. However, the team fell short against local rivals from Calhoun High School; the Raiders fell to the Warriors 58-31.
“It’s really hard playing a full game with five girls and then being expected to play another one,” she said after Tuesday’s loss, “We did our best and could have had a better day.”
Her coach, Doug Meyer, would love to see Kiel topple over the 2,000-point mark before the end of her season.
“That’s the plan,” she said. “As long as I’m having fun, I’m not going to stress about it about it.”
