JuliAnne surpasses greatest players in Hillsboro hoops history
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports Writer
The history of girls' basketball in the tradition-rich town of Hillsboro dates back to the early 1980s and former Lady Trojan coaching great Becky Carlson.
Carlson guided Hillsboro to eight Class 3A state tournaments, with standout players such as Susan Decker, Amy Klaassen, Taryn and Tesha Ratzlaff, Keli Chisholm, Carmen Hein, Angela and Shannon Kroeker, and Jill Hein.
The Lady Trojans won back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996, and Carlson won more than 300 games during an illustrious career in Hillsboro. As an era, it may never be equaled.
But this past season, Trojan senior JuliAnne Chisholm did something that has never been done before, not by Decker, or Tesha Ratzlaff, or even her sister, Keli, when she was chosen as one of the top five players in Kansas High School basketball.
After a six-year absence from the state tournament, Chisholm led the Lady Trojans (23-3), to their first title in 11 years. Both the Wichita Eagle and the Topeka Capital-Journal named JuliAnne as a first team All-State All-Class selections.
JuliAnne, who has signed to play volleyball at Kansas State University, will go down in history as arguably the greatest female athlete in the history of Hillsboro High School.
A four-year starter for the Lady Trojans in basketball, JuliAnne averaged double figures in scoring throughout her career, and was a three-time unanimous All-MCAA pick, too.
This season, she carried Hillsboro to the state title, elevating her teammates' game while leading them in scoring, rebounding, and shooting 50 percent from the field.
She led all 3A state tournament scorers, including 21 points and 10 rebounds in a semifinal blowout of previously unbeaten Neodesha, and 17 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and three steals in the 50-31 rout of Sacred Heart in the title game.
JuliAnne even set a school-record of 40 points earlier in the season in a semifinal win against Republic County at the Hillsboro Classic where the Lady Trojans finished runner-up to Riley County.
Her accolades aren't just limited to volleyball, or basketball, but track as well.
JuliAnne had a key role in the Lady Trojans capturing a 2006 state track title, winning the high-jump for the third straight year while remaining one of 3A's top hurdlers.
She'll have one last chance to break a 16-year-old state high-jump record as well as helping Hillsboro defend its 3A crown this year.
Any other year, and instead of reading all about JuliAnne, the sports pages would be filled with the exploits of Chisholm's best friend, senior Tina Frick.
Frick signed to play volleyball for Wichita State University after helping lead the Lady Trojans to a third-place finish in the 2006 state tournament. The 6-2 senior Frick was instrumental in the championship basketball season, gaining all-class 3A honorable mention by the papers.
She also high jumps and runs hurdles that will help make the Lady Trojans a strong contender for another state track title.
Even a mediocre 11-11 season couldn't keep coaches and sports writers from acknowledging the play of senior post Lucas Hamm.
Hamm had 11 double-doubles on the year, helping earn 3A honorable mention by both newspapers.
He was the most consistent for coach Darrell Knoll, leading Hillsboro both in scoring, and rebounding.
He closed out a spectacular career scoring a season-high 24 points and pulling down 12 rebounds in a semifinal loss of the Halstead sub-state to state qualifying Southeast of Saline.
The beefy Hamm, who will play football at power Butler Community College, was a four-year starter for Knoll.
