Following arthroscopic knee surgery in December, MELANIE
BOEGLIN missed three weeks of action. After she returned
to the court, Melanie helped the Lady Braves post a 25-2 mark
and win the 4A state title. Her 10 points, five rebounds, six
assists, and five steals in the championship game victory over
South Bend Riley landed Boeglin on the All-Tournament team. For
the season, she averaged 13.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.3 spg, and 6.3
apg. Melanie was named a third-team All-State player by the
AP, while the Louisville Courier-Journal and ICGSA selected
her to their respective All-Indiana second teams. Midwest
Sports Publishing tabbed her the #17 senior in the state. As
a junior, Melanie averaged 9.8 ppg and 5.2 apg. Her greatest
AAU success came in 1998, when she helped Indiana’s Finest to
a fourth-place finish in the national tournament. On April
21 of this year, she was named the Hoosier Basketball Coaches
Association All-Star Classic MVP after her 21 points led
District 1 to a 113-73 triumph over District 3. Melanie has
committed to Indiana State.
BRIGETT BRANSON follows up her 2001 Junior All-Star
berth with this senior-year selection. Her 11.6 ppg
and 9.6 rpg helped the Warriors achieve a 14-7 record
this past season. For her efforts, Brigett was
selected an AP All-State second-teamer and Midwest
Sports Publishing’s #20 senior in Indiana. In an
April 14 contest, she scored 10 points to help her
North squad to an 86-72 win over the South. As a
junior, Branson contributed 14.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.6
apg, and 2.3 spg as Turkey Run finished 16-4. Her
sophomore averages of 11.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, and
3.0 spg helped garner a sectional championship for her
school. Brigett made both the All-Sectional and
All-Conference teams for ’98-’99, ’99-’00, and
’00-’01. She accumulated 1038 points (a school
record) and 868 rebounds during her Turkey Run career.
The adidas All-American was a member of AAU state
championship teams at both the 13-and-under and
15-and-under levels. Her 15-U squad also took fifth
at Nationals. Brigett’s AAU teammates have included
Candace Dark, who will play alongside her during this
series. This fall, Branson will begin her stint as a
member of Kathi Bennett’s Indiana Hoosiers.
CANDACE DARK was named the local small-school Player
of the Year by the Lafayette Journal & Courier after
averaging 20.7 ppg as a senior. Of her 477 points on
the season, 34 were scored in her best game. She also
contributed 7.5 rpg, 4.1 apg, and 5.0 spg as the
Mustangs won their second straight sectional crown en
route to a 19-5 finish. Candace, who was accorded
second-team All-State honors by the AP and Louisville
Courier-Journal, also made the ICGSA’s first team.
Midwest Sports Publishing named her the #13 senior in
the state. In 2001, Candace received honorable
mention on the Street & Smith All-America team after
leading Fountain Central to its first regional
championship by averaging 21.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5 apg,
and 5.6 spg. She broke the 1000-point barrier as a
junior, and finished with 1875 points and 633 rebounds
as a Mustang. The perennial Fountain Central MVP and
All-Wabash River Conference selection has also been an
adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star. A core
Junior All-Star last year, Candace has played AAU ball
for Indiana’s Finest Black Cats and the Indiana Force.
On April 14 of this year, she scored 15 points to
help the North to an 86-72 win over the South.
Candace will attend summer school at Ohio State before
taking the court for the Buckeyes in the fall.
According to Fountain Central coach Phil Rash, Dark
"is one of the most complete players in the state."
Besides annually leading western Indiana in both
scoring and assists, she is also "a great defender and
rebounder" blessed with "excellent court awareness and
the unique ability of making her teammates better."
MEGAN DOSSEN contributed to four state championships
during her remarkable career at Fort Wayne Luers.
After taking three straight 2A crowns with a combined
mark of 81-2, the Knights moved up to 3A this past
season and finished 21-5 after defeating Gibson
Southern by a 51-37 count in the title clash. Megan
averaged 16.2 ppg and 6.5 rpg as a senior, and
finished with 1180 points and 479 rebounds for her
Luers career. She was recently named an ICGSA
All-State second-teamer, a 3A All-Tournament
selection, and Midwest Sports Publishing’s #15 senior
in the state. In the 2001 title game, Megan led all
scorers by posting 23 points in a 55-39 victory over
Shenandoah. She contributed 14 ppg and 4.6 rpg as a
junior. The two-time All-Conference selection and
former Junior All-Star was the 2000 semi-state MVP.
Dossen will attend the University of Indianapolis.
Purdue-bound CAROL DUNCAN averaged 14.5 ppg and 9.4
rpg during her senior campaign as a Panther. She
accumulated 1214 points and 828 rebounds for her
NorthWood career. Carol, who helped her team claim
the 1999 3A crown with a win over Indianapolis
Cathedral, finished her high school tenure with a 16-6
season and 76-19 total record. As a senior, she was
named a first-team All-State player by both the
Louisville Courier-Journal and the ICGSA. She also
received a third-team berth on the AP All-State squad,
while Midwest Sports Publishing declared her the #5
senior in Indiana. A core member of last year’s
Junior All-Stars, Carol contributed 17.3 ppg and 11.1
rpg during a 2000-’01 campaign in which the Panthers
went 19-4. That season saw her make the
All-Conference squad for a second straight time as she
led Elkhart County in scoring.
Although BRIANNA HOWARD finished her Southwestern
career as the Rebels’ all-time leader in both points
(1918) and steals, she will join the Purdue
Boilermakers as an "invited walk-on" in the fall.
Educational expenses will not be much of a concern,
however, as the future Ph.D. candidate in pharmacy has
received a four-year academic scholarship. As a high
school senior, Brianna averaged 19.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg
as the Rebels won the 2A championship with a 70-64
victory over Shenandoah. After contributing 19 points
in the title clash, Howard was named both an AP
All-Tournament selection and the recipient of the
Patricia L. Roy Mental Attitude Award. The Rebels’
MVP was a first-team (Louisville Courier-Journal) and
second-team (ICGSA) all-stater. She was also named
the #30 senior in Indiana by Midwest Sports
Publishing. The Rebels’ leading scorer for each of
her four seasons at Southwestern averaged 23.2 ppg and
7.1 rpg as a junior. She has also been an AAU
teammate of Sharika Webb, who will join Brianna as a
freshman member of next season’s Boiler squad after
playing with Howard in this All-Star series. In the
South squad’s 86-72 loss to the North on April 14,
Brianna scored 16 points in defeat.
CINDI MERRILL averaged 23 points and 7 rebounds per
game as the Lady Millers compiled an 18-2 mark this
past season. She finished with 1525 points (high game
39) and 548 boards for her Noblesville career. The
three-year team captain and three-time All-Conference
selection was named a 2001-02 All-Stater by the
Louisville Courier-Journal (first team), ICGSA (second
team), and AP (third team). Midwest Sports Publishing
tabbed her the #18 senior in Indiana. As a junior,
Cindi averaged 18.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg. She was named to
the All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference First Team after
being awarded All-Olympic Conference honors for
’98-’99 and ’99-’00. Cindi was also a perennial
All-Metro and All-Hamilton County choice. On April
14, she scored 9 points for the North in an 86-72
triumph over the South. Cindi will matriculate at
Ohio’s Miami University.
JENNY PFEIFFER finished with 1527 career points
after averaging 22.5 ppg during her senior campaign as
a Panther. Against Jeffersonville, she scored a
season-high 36 to help Jennings County win the Hoosier
Hills Conference crown. Jenny was selected an
All-State first-teamer by both the Louisville
Courier-Journal and the ICGSA, and was named
second-team All-State by the AP. Midwest Sports
Publishing tabbed her Indiana’s #6 senior. After a
2000-01 season in which she contributed 20.7 ppg,
Jenny was named a Junior All-Star and a Street & Smith
Honorable Mention All-American. She has also been an
adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star, a Blue Star
Elite Selection, and a High School Christian Athlete
All-America choice. The perennial All-HHC athlete has
been ranked among the nation’s top 20 guards and 50
best players. Bret McCormick of All-Star Girls
Report characterizes Pfeiffer as "both a true point
guard and a true shooting guard, which is a great
combination." Jenny will attend the University of
Kentucky.
As a senior, JESSICA SCHERER overcame foot and back
problems to average 20.1 ppg and 9.4 rpg as the Tigers
took their second sectional crown in three seasons en
route to a 23-2 mark. Her 1304 career points place
her atop Triton Central’s all-time list. Besides
becoming Shelby County’s MVP for the third time,
Jessica was selected an All-State performer by the
ICGSA (second team) and AP (third team). Midwest
Sports Publishing named her Indiana’s #24 senior. A
Junior All-Star last year, Jessica averaged 18.5 ppg
and 8.2 rpg for 2000-01. The Indianapolis Star named
her to its Metro South First Team after her junior
season, then placed her on its Super Team this year.
Jessica has played for the Indiana Force in U.S.
Junior Nationals competition She will be a freshman
for the Evansville Lady Aces this fall.
Team captain CYNDI VALENTIN led the Panthers to a
23-1 mark this past season by averaging 21.5 ppg,
hitting as many as 38 in a clash with Ben Davis.
Granted first-team All-State recognition by both the
Louisville Courier-Journal and the ICGSA, Cyndi also
made the AP’s All-State second team. Midwest Sports
Publishing tabbed her the #3 senior in Indiana. In
the South’s 86-72 loss to the North on April 14, Cyndi
scored 13 points in defeat. During the 2000-01
season, Valentin contributed 21.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg as
Bloomington South compiled a 17-6 record. She was
named Team MVP and an All-Conference Indiana performer
for the second straight year, and was further rewarded
by being selected as a Junior All-Star. Cyndi will
play for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Although SHARIKA WEBB averaged 18.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg
as a senior, she could not lead the two-time defending
state 3A champion Irish to a crown after Indianapolis
Cathedral’s move to Class 4A. Sharika can receive
some consolation from the fact she helped Cathedral
post a 104-6 record during her tenure, and leaves as
the school’s all-time leader in points (1651), steals
(355), and three-point field goals (165). Sharika was
also a 2001-02 first-team All-State selection of both
the Louisville Courier-Journal and the AP. Midwest
Sports Publishing named her the #4 senior in Indiana.
During her junior campaign, Webb contributed 16 ppg,
5.5 rpg, and 4.3 apg as the Irish finished 29-1 after
defeating Plymouth in the state title clash. The Nike
All-American hit a game-high 20 points in defeat as
her South squad lost to the North last April 14. When
she joins Kristy Curry’s Purdue club, Sharika will be
teamed with Brianna Howard, whom she met when both
Webb and Howard were 12-year-olds. Another Boiler
freshman will be Carol Duncan, who helped NorthWood
beat Cathedral for the 1999 3A crown.
JESSICA WRIGHT, Sharika Webb’s teammate at
Indianapolis Cathedral, averaged 12.8 ppg and 5.5 rpg
as a senior. Jessica was a Second-Team All-State
selection of both the AP and the ICGSA, as well as
Midwest Sports Publishing’s choice as the #2 senior in
Indiana. The 2001 Nike All-America Camp attendee and
Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention recipient
was rated #28 nationally by Blue Star and #45 by
Student Sports. Jessica contributed 12.1 ppg and 5
rpg during the Irish’s 2000-01 3A championship season.
The former state title game MVP will play
collegiately at Illinois.
Last alphabetically, but wearing the #1 jersey, is
SHANNA ZOLMAN. The current Miss Basketball is the
27th girl to receive recognition as Indiana’s premier
high-school player. During her senior season, Shanna
broke the state scoring record set by Stephanie White
(now McCarty) in 1995. Zolman scored 53 of her 3085
career points in a 2001-02 clash with Elkhart
Memorial. Her string of 70 consecutive free throws
made established a national mark. Shanna led the
state in scoring in each of her four seasons as a
Warrior She averaged 31.2 ppg as a freshman, 33.0 as
a sophomore, 34.3 as a junior, and 33.8 as a senior.
Zolman also distinguished herself as a rebounder,
grabbing 9 boards a game last season after collecting
7.4 per contest through her first three Wawasee
campaigns. She also entered 2001-02 with career
averages of 4.5 apg and 5.0 spg, then contributed 5.0
apg and 4.6 spg as a twelfth-grader.
Shanna was a Parade first-team All-American both
last year and in 2002. USA Today named her to its
most recent All-USA Second Team. Student Sports
similarly honored her as a second-team All-American.
Zolman was named an All-State first-teamer by the
Louisville Courier-Journal, the AP, and the ICGSA.
Midwest Sports Publishing named her Indiana’s best
senior. Blue Star and All-Star Girls Report each
ranked her #8 in the country. In 2000, Shanna was
both an AAU 16-and-under All-American and a United
States Junior World Qualifying Team invitee. Last
year, she was selected as a Junior National Team
alternate. Two days after being named the co-MVP of
April’s inaugural McConald’s All-American game for
girls, Shanna participated in the Women’s Basketball
Coaches Association All-Star game. With her Wawasee
#24 jersey now retired, Shanna will strive to add to
her legend when she begins her Tennessee Lady Vol
career in the fall.
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