KIMBERLY (NBC 26) — The Papermakers are the team to beat in the Fox Valley Association Conference, sitting at 10-0 overall and undefeated in conference play.
Kimberly girls basketball Head Coach Dave Lepisto said the reason for their hot streak is their sacrifice for one another.
"It's a talented group," Lepisto said. "Some of these kids, if they were at other schools, they'd be scoring 25 to 30 points a game, but we're winning, and that's what they want. They want to have that sense of togetherness, and they truly do show it."
The Papermakers are led by four seniors, including Raegan Krueger and Kate McGinnis, who have been on varsity for four years. Both are committed to playing basketball at the collegiate level.
"We do have a young team, so our senior leadership definitely comes together to set an example," said Belmont women's basketball commit Kate McGinnis. "We're all good players, so I feel like senior leadership is what's going to guide this team toward success."
McGinnis is back on the court after recovering from a knee injury. In her first game back, she reached 1,000 career points.
"I'm definitely grateful for the result and how great I've been feeling," McGinnis said. "I'm just so happy that I'm back playing with my team."
Raegan Krueger, who is committed to play basketball at the University of Minnesota Duluth, said Kimberly had extra motivation heading into this season after losing to Hartford in the sectional semifinals last year.
"This year, we've been trying to show everyone that we are one of the best teams in the state and that we can be the best team in the state," Krueger said. "We're going to be a nightmare to play against. Every team is going to be like, 'OK, we're playing Kimberly. They're a really good team. We have to bring our best,' but we're also going to bring our best."
Despite their success this season, beating opponents by an average of 25.2 points per game, the Papermakers still feel like they have a lot left in the tank.
"I mean, we're just getting warmed up, really," McGinnis said. "We have so much we can improve on, and this is just the beginning for us."
The motto for Kimberly has been to strive for excellence, and the Papermakers are going to continue to do that with some tough opponents remaining on their schedule and their postseason goals still ahead.
