WINTER SPORTS 2016: PAGE 9A PRESS & DAKOTAN n VERMILLION PLAIN TALK Gayville-Volin’s Megan Hirsch leads the fast break during a game in the 2015-16 season. The senior looks to lead the Raiders back to state after missing the tournament each of the past two seasons. ‘This Is Your Team Now’ Senior Hirsch Works To Lead GV Back To State * Cross country: She’s never finished higher than 29th place at the state meet, but the Raiders were the Class B runner-up three years in a row. * Basketball: She was a freshman on a team that made a surprising run to the state tournament — the RaidBY JEREMY HOECK ers were fourth in their own jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net district. * Track: She has been a GAYVILLE — As Megan member of a 3200-meter relay Hirsch sat in the locker room quartet that won a state title after the final basketball her sophomore year (2015) game of her junior season, and has finished at least sixth her coach approached her each of the last five years. with a message. Those senior leaders It was a simple, yet throughout all of those years powerful statement from were there to hold Hirsch acGayville-Volin head coach countable, she said; to hold Matt Malloy. her to a certain standard. ‘This is your team now.’ “They would say things The torch had been to you to make you better,” passed. No longer could Hirsch said. “It’s a lot differHirsch — a multi-sport athent now that they’re gone.” lete for the Raiders — lean on Barta and Clark, in parleaders around her. She was ticular, had different leadergoing to have to step up to ship styles as well, according the next rung. to Malloy. The former was a “I remember asking her, quiet leader and the latter ‘What are you going to do unwas more vocal. til next season so you don’t “Megan’s a great blend of feel like this again?’” Malloy both of those two,” Malloy said of that season-ending said. “A lot of times she leads loss to Irene-Wakonda at the by example, but she’s also District 10B Tournament last really good with the younger season in Centerville. girls. “We had those conversa“They’ll ask her and she’ll tions all summer.” be able to explain something What Hirsch was going very calmly.” to have to do was embrace a That’s one of the responnew role. sibilities of a senior leader: Throughout her high It’s their job to guide those school career, she’s never less-experienced teammates been a star. She’s never had — “that used to be me,” to be. She’s always been surrounded by college-bound Megan Hirsch drives to the basket during a game last season. Besides being a key con- Hirsch said. For example, as she said, talent, in all four of her tributor for the Raider girls’ basketball team, Hirsch has also been a state meet competitor she noticed it during volsports: Cross country, volley- in both cross country and track, and was a starter for the Raiders’ volleyball team. leyball season this fall when ball, basketball and track. younger players would ask While it’s probably not her to watch them hit. fair to call her a role player leader,” she said after a prederstandable, too. senior Laura Nelson, has “They wanted me to give (particularly with sports like season basketball practice. She’s always been surhelped Gayville-Volin become them feedback,” Hirsch said. cross country and track), “I’m still getting used to it. rounded by senior leaders a perennial state title conThe idea of one season Hirsch will, though, admit “Not sure how I feel about like — in recent years — tender in both cross country being a player who looks that she’s still learning her it yet,” she added, with a Rachel Haas, Kelia Barta and track. up to a senior and the next new position as leader. smile. and Genevieve Clark, and Consider what Hirsch has season being the one people “I’m so used to following a And that’s probably unthat duo, along with current done throughout her career: S.D. Girls FROM PAGE 8A VITALS: Class B, District 9B, Big East Conference. LAST YEAR: The Pheasants posted a 7-14 record. RETURNING PLAYERS: Rylie Chrsitiansen (Sr., 5-10, C, third team All-Conference), Makenzie Dean (Sr., 5-4, G), Lauren Hunstad (Sr., 5-7, G, second team All-Conference), Lexi Olson (Sr., 5-7, F), Railin Jurgens (So., 5-10, F, All-Conference honorable mention), Grace Leberman (So., 5-7, F, All-Conference honorable mention), Hannah Viet (Jr., 6-1, C), Chastin Mohr (Jr., 5-7, F), Karley Peters (So., 5-6, G), Hannah Even (So., 5-5, G), Brianna Berens (Fr., 5-4, F). Parkston COACH: Brooke Seiler ASSISTANTS: Tony Kin- Kristan Soukup, Wagner (shooting) Lewis Clark Lewis & Clark Medical Plaza, Medical Plaza, 2525 Fox Run Pkwy, 2525 Fox Run Pkwy, Yankton M - FYankton 5pm • 9am Saturday Clinic M - 9am8am - 5pm F • - Noon neberg, Jim Akre VITALS: Class A, Region 5A, Southeast South Dakota Conference ROSTER: Molly Schoenfelder (Jr., 5-10, F), Mckenzie McKean (Sr., 5-11, C), Lauren Reiner (Jr., 5-8, G), Paige Semmler (Jr., 5-10, F), Jayden Bormann (Jr., 5-7, G/F), Kailee Schnabel (Jr., 5-8, G), Maysa Davidson (Jr., 5-9, F/C), Jordyn Lippert (So., 5-7, G), Sydney Wickersham (Fr., 5-9, G), Hannah Braley (Fr., 5-7, G), Izzy Hohn (Fr., 5-7, G), look up to isn’t exactly new for Hirsch, however. Just not in the sports realm. She’s one of eight siblings (four boys and four girls), and so when you’re in the middle, you don’t exactly have to lead. Then again — like will be the case this basketball season at GayvilleVolin — sometimes you have to. “This year, I think she’s put into that role, and whether she wants to be or not, she has to be that girl for us,” Malloy said. Particularly given that Gayville-Volin graduated 24 points from last season’s team, mainly from Clark who is now at Mount Marty College. “So those points have to come from somewhere,” Malloy said. “And I think she’ll (Hirsch) be able to help with that.” Entering his fourth season as the head coach, Malloy said he and his players are “hungry” for a return trip to the state tournament. The fact that the Raiders haven’t been back since that 2014 run still bothers him. “It eats at me every year,” Malloy said. That goal (and that conversation at the end of last season in the district tournament) has sparked Hirsch. She played on a summer team that was coached by Malloy, and put in a lot of work to be able to hopefully land at a college to play basketball. Now comes the task of taking the next step: Becoming the leader. “I’m not going to ask her to go out there and do what those past girls have done,” Malloy said. “She’s going to do it her way.” Follow @jhoeck on Twitter Katie Thuringer (Fr., 5-8, F), Bennett McIntosh (Fr., 5-8, F), Keelie Konfrst (Fr., 5-5, G/F), Ellie Weidenbach (Fr., 5-6, G) S.D. GIRLS | PAGE 10 Press & Dakotan photos are now available for purchase online! If you are looking for photos of your favorite team or activity, go to www.yankton.net and click on the Photo button to access the galleries. There are a variety of print sizes and products you can choose from to preserve your memories. www.yankton.net