Seniors Callie Kurczek and Aaron Bartol broke 1000 total varsity basketball points in their high school careers within a week. Kurczek achieved it at Pardeeville High School on Feb. 3. Bartol broke it at Laconia High School on Feb. 10.
Kurczek has been playing on the varsity basketball team since halfway through her freshman year. Kurczek has played a total of 88 games in her varsity career so far, with an average of 11.6 points per game. As of now, Kurczek has made 307 field goals out of 773, 293 free throws out of 482, and 41 three pointers out of 136, resulting in 1022 points total.
“There is a lot of pressure with making sure I don’t mess up, but I am lucky to have a team to pick me up,” Kurczek said.
Varsity girls basketball head coach Ray Mlada has been coaching football and basketball for 42 years and counting.
“I have only coached three girls, including Callie, who have broken 1000 points,” Mlada said.
Kurczek is the fourth girl to break 1000 points in school history for girl’s basketball, following alumna Myah Jodarski in the 2019-2020 season.
Varsity boys basketball head coach Jeremy Mercer has been coaching varsity basketball for four years.
“He is the first boy I’ve coached to reach 1000 points,” Mercer said. “He is the third boy in school history to break 1000 points, the last one being Toby Hegner in 2013.”
Bartol started on the roster for varsity in his freshman year, but has been playing full time varsity since the start of sophomore year. Bartol has played a total of 71 games in his varsity career so far, with an average of 14.2 points per game. As of now, Bartol has made 396 field goals out of 798, 160 free throws out of 238, and 59 three pointers out of 156, resulting in 1011 points total.
“I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t a lot of pressure,” Bartol said. “When I got close I definitely felt the pressure of the crowd and all my family in the audience.”
Both players received a graphic that displays 1000 career points, their name, and their picture. The fact that both players broke 1000 points within exactly a week of each other the same year is something that will be remembered for quite some time.
The next game Kurzeck will be at is a home game tonight.