Prairie trio sparking girls’ basketball hopes

CEDAR RAPIDS - Guards Sarah Schmitt, Mallory McDermott and Sid McCrea have led the Prairie girls' basketball team to the best season in recent history.

The Hawks have a 13-6 record going into the final week of the regular season. They are ranked 11th in Class 5A.

Schmitt, McDermott and McCrea account for 71 percent of the Hawks' scoring this season.

They have chemistry on the court, but it doesn't end there. Since they started playing together a year-and-a-half ago they have been inseparable.

They haven't been playing together for long, but they have made a lot of memories.

'We are learning more about each other which is helping our season,” Schmitt said.

They have plenty of time to grow. Schmitt is a junior and McDermott and McCrea are sophomores.

'We are competitive with each other in practices and games,” Schmitt said. 'It helps us play at our best. We all want to get our shots.”

Schmitt is committed to University of Nebraska-Omaha and McDermott and McCrea hope to play in college, as well.

There is not a lot of verbal communication on the court. The three seem to know what the others are going to do without talking.

'We almost have telepathy on the court,” McCrea said.

To calm the nerves before a game, they play cards. It's a ritual most don't see, but it helps them compete to their best ability.

'We have good chemistry from top to bottom, which really helps us win games,” McCrea said.

The goal for the team is to make state this year and the Hawks seem ready for the challenge.

'We have been practicing really hard,” McDermott said. 'We keep on improving and we think we will make a run for state this year.”

The Hawks play Cedar Rapids Jefferson on Feb. 17 for their first substate game on their road to state. If they win that, it is probable they meet sixth-ranked Waukee on Feb. 20. They end the regular season this week, at Jefferson tonight and hosting Kennedy on Friday.