Incarnate Word tops Kickapoo to win Missouri Class 6 girls basketball championship

Red Knights win 131st consecutive game

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI – Abbie Sextro tried her best to fight back the tears.

The Incarnate Word Academy senior and her classmates had just capped off their four years with a 53-43 win over Kickapoo in the Missouri Class 6 girls basketball championship game on Saturday at Mizzou Arena for their fourth state championship and a state-record win streak of 131 games still intact.

But this one was different, Sextro explained.

“It's not the same without Rolfes,” she said, fighting back the tears. “Sorry. We didn't know last game was gonna be our last game with him. So it's really rewarding, but it's not the same.”

Dan Rolfes, Incarnate Word’s head coach, is recovering at a nearby hospital after suffering a medical emergency following Friday’s semifinal victory over Rock Bridge.

Rolfes wasn’t with the Red Knights in person on Saturday, but he was with them every step of the way.

Incarnate Word players wrote “Play4Rolfes” on the inside of their forearms.

The coach’s daughter, Kate, was on the team’s bench with them.

Young fans in the stands just steps away from the team held up posters that read “WE LOVE DAN,” "PLAY 4 DAN" and “WE LOVE YOU COACH DAN.”

“When you see the clock ticking down, it's like, dang, we did it,” senior guard Kaylynn Janes said. “So many hours in the gym. So much discipline and hard work goes into moments like these and we just, really good moment for us because we've been through a lot together but like Abbie said it's definitely not the same without Coach. He's done so, so much. He's like the backbone of this program 100 percent. But we would not have gotten here without him for sure.”

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There was no way the Red Knights could lose.

They made sure they didn’t.

“We were more motivated than ever, especially going into this game,” Janes said. “We have a lot to play for, each other, coach, our whole program, and it's amazing to see all the love and support that we get, and it really got our energy going in the beginning and really shows you how you can't take anything for granted. So we just left it all out there. That was our focus, especially for us seniors. It's very emotional for us, a lot of things going on, but we definitely left it all out there and it pays off.”

Led by junior guard Peyton Hill and Janes, energized Incarnate Word jumped out to a 12-5 lead after one quarter and 32-17 advantage at halftime.

Kickapoo battled throughout the second half – outscoring Incarnate Word 12-11 in the third quarter and 14-10 in the fourth – but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Hill finished with a game-high 17 points for Incarnate Word (31-0), while Janes scored 16. Junior guard Nevaeh Caffey had seven points, 10 rebounds and four steals. Sextro finished with six rebounds and five assists.

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Junior guard Mikayla Pilley and sophomore guard Josie Salazar led Kickapoo (30-2) with 13 points apiece. Junior center Allison Scott grabbed 10 rebounds and added six points. Senior guard Kya Johnson had three steals.

“We worked hard through it, battled through some foul trouble,” said acting IWA coach Tanner Wilkenson. “Zoe (Best) battled through an injury in the first half. I mean, we're tough. That's kind of just what we are. And it's everyone. It's everybody. It's not just these three. It's not just me. It's the whole staff, managers who work hard, all 10 of the kids every day are working hard. And it shows, it just shows. I mean, we're well prepared. Kickapoo is a great team. I mean, we knew they were going to be disciplined. They came out and gave us everything we can handle.”

Missouri Class 6 girls basketball championship: Incarnate Word - Kickapoo

Photos by David Smith

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- Nate Latsch | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveMiz