Kickapoo girls basketball falls to Incarnate Word in Missouri Class 6 state championship
COLUMBIA — The greatest dynasty in Missouri girls' high school basketball history continued and Kickapoo will take home another second-place trophy amid Incarnate Word's historic run.
Incarnate Word (31-0) won its seventh consecutive state championship with a 53-43 win over Kickapoo (30-2) in the MSHSAA Class 6 Show-Me Showdown championship on Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.
The Red Knights rallied together a day after legendary head coach Dan Rolfes suffered a medical emergency outside Mizzou Arena following their semifinal victory. A statement from IWA on Saturday night asked for continued prayers and privacy for the Rolfes family as he recovers. Rolfes was not at the game. His daughter accepted his championship medal on his behalf to a standing ovation.
Incarnate Word has won 131 consecutive games, a state record, dating back to the 2019-20 season. It also beat Kickapoo in the 2021 Class 6 state championship game.
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Incarnate Word Academy left no doubt from the opening tip
Any questions as to how Incarnate Word would respond to a difficult 24 hours were erased when the Red Knights scored within seconds after the opening tip.
Dominant defense from the Red Knights held the Lady Chiefs without a make from the field until there was 5:55 remaining in the second quarter. Kickapoo made five free throws and trailed by seven at the end of the first.
Kickapoo made three shots in the second quarter with Allison Scott making two. The Lady Chiefs were sent to the line for 12 attempts and made 11. The Red Knights forced them into 13 turnovers and scored 20 points off them.
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Kickapoo basketball doesn't back down but Incarnate Word wins state championship
There was no quit in the Lady Chiefs. They played about even with the Red Knights for the remainder of the game and showed why they belonged in the championship.
Kickapoo took care of the ball better than it did in the first half and had the advantage on the boards. IWA threatened to go on runs to put the game in blowout territory but Kickapoo always battled back. The slow start was still too much to overcome.
Mikayla Pilley and Josie Salazar each scored 13 points for the Lady Chiefs.
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Kickapoo girls' basketball had a season to be proud of
Knocking off Incarnate Word has been a tall task for everyone in recent years. A runner-up finish, against that team in particular, leaves no reason for the Lady Chiefs to hang their heads.
Leslie Hanchey continued the great tradition Kickapoo girls' basketball is used to. She contributed as a player, long-time assistant and, now, a first-year head coach.
Kya Johnson's high school career ends as one of the great athletes to come through Kickapoo in recent years. The Missouri State volleyball commit was an all-state performer on the volleyball court and the heart of the Lady Chiefs with the orange roundball.
There is plenty to look forward to for Kickapoo and a run next year isn't out of the question. Pilley, a junior, has established herself as one of the great players in the Ozarks and Salazar, a sophomore, appears to be on her way, if she isn't there already. Mikayla Smith and Allison Scott were key to the Lady Chiefs' success this season as well.
Kickapoo girls' basketball isn't going away anytime soon.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Incarnate Word beats Kickapoo for Missouri Class 6 state championship
