The Lady Warriors were poised to be one for the ages, and week after week, game after game, Rend Lake have proven their worth on the court through tough and tenacious teamwork.
The winningest Warriors team in quite a while, Rend Lake is headed for its 20th win of the season on Homecoming night on Wednesday, facing off against Olney Central. The Blackout game begins at 5 p.m.
The team is 19-5 so far this season and 9-2 in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference. As the Warriors head into the last games on the schedule, Head Coach Dave Brown said the mindset going forward is to tackle what’s ahead of them with the same ferocity as the team has shown all year.
“In our last few weeks, we need to handle our business and stay healthy,” Brown said. “We have goals that lead to the ultimate goal, and that is when we win, we all eat.”
Leading the team – and the nation – in several stats is sophomore forward Dais’Ja Trotter (Louisville, KY). She is currently the number one player in points per game (24), total points (576) and field goals (202/426). She also pounds the boards well and ranks 17th in total rebounds with 234.
This season’s highlights include scoring her 1,000th career point on Dec. 15 and surpassing Hall of Famer Rebecca Harris to become the second all-time scorer in RLC history. She needs only 52 points to break the nearly 40-year-old record set by Susie Woodward during the 1983 season.
Brown said Trotter, who recently signed her letter of intent to play for the University of Cincinnati next season, is the kind of player that elevates everyone around her.
“Dais’Ja is a kid who has come a long way on and off the court,” he said. “She was made to be a headliner. She has locked in her goals and her team’s goals. This is just a step forward for her, and big things are just ahead.”
The success the Warriors have seen this season can be attributed to more than one player stepping onto the court and playing at an elite level. Several Warriors are listed on the NJCAA standings in various categories.
Freshman center Megan Hallemann (Sorento) is ranked fourth in blocks with 3.9 per game.
Sophomore guard Dalayah Johnson is now placed sixth in three-point percentage (46.4 percent), while Ma’Kayla Marshall – a sophomore guard from Baton Rouge, LA – is 20th in steals with 3.3 swipes per game. Another top contributor – Jaice McCowen (Waltonville) – leads the country as the number one assists-to-turnover ratio, averaging 5 per game.
“When you coach, you take on many roles,” he said. “To see your kids reach these heights, it is heart-warming and wonderful.”
With a winning record and several leaders, it is no surprise that several Warriors have already inked deals to play Division 1 ball. Brown said other schools have also expressed interest in having players continue their athletic careers at the next level.
“Every single kid is getting attention from a four-year school and has a possibility of a scholarship,” Brown said. “I absolutely love that, and that proves what we can accomplish together when everyone does their job.”
It will be that kind of united collaboration that the Warriors will need to continue this success as the calendars turn to March and the possibility of a deep playoff run is at stake.
“Postseason is a whole new year,” Brown said. “Hanging a banner is the goal. I love this team.”
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