Iowa Girls High School Basketball Team Makes Emotional Return

Remsen St. Mary’s players, coaches were involved in car accident days before start of season

The Remsen St. Mary's girls basketball team returned to the court earlier this week following a serious accident involving players and coaches during the offseason. / Remsen St. Mary's/Facebook

An Iowa high school girls basketball team made an emotional return to the court earlier this week.

Following an offseason car accident that resulted in several players being injured, the girls basketball team at Remsen St. Mary’s High School hit the court on Tuesday night for the first timet his season.

Competing in their home gym, the Hawks bested West Sioux, 49-16. And as important as the win was, just getting back on the court was even bigger.

“It felt really good to be back on the basketball court,” Remsen St. Mary’s player Breeana Sheehan told KTIV.com, “but it felt just a piece of us was missing.”

Two Of Seriously Injured Were On Bench For Remsen St. Mary's In Season Opener

The roster for the Hawks is short three players, as they were seriously injured in the accident. Two of the three were on the bench to help coach against West Sioux.

Hallie Bunkers and Grace Galles were able to join their teammates, but are not expected to play this season. The other, Brielle Schorg, continues to recover at Madonna Rehab Center in Omaha, according to a post by the school.

“I think I really wanted to win for the people that were missing,” Allie Nacke said.

Back in November, players and coaches from Remsen St. Mary’s were traveling back home from a scrimmage in South Dakota when they were involved in an accident with another vehicle on a major highway intersection in northwest Iowa.

Accident Sent Several People To Nearby Hospitals For Immediate Treatment

Three players were seriously injured in the accident, including one who was transported by medical helicopter directly from the crash site to a nearby hospital. Two others were taken by ambulance to Sioux City before being transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska via helicopter.

Several others injured were treated on the scene.

The basketball team was traveling in a small bus while the other vehicle was a Jeep Compass. The Jeep Compass was coming southbound on the highway and the two vehicle collided at an intersection as the bus was attempting to make a left-hand turn from the county road to merge onto the highway.

Remsen St. Mary’s is scheduled to play at South O’Brien on Friday, December 12. 

Three Injured Players Were All Starters Last Year For Remsen St. Mary's

The Hawks went 11-10 last year, a season removed from reach the Class 1A Iowa girls high school state basketball semifinals where they finished 24-1. Remsen St. Mary’s had won at least 20 games three consecutive seasons prior to last year.

Bunkers, Galles and Schorg were all key returning starters for Remsen St. Mary’s. Bunkers averaged 18 points, 6.5 rebounds, four steals and three assists per game last year as a sophomore, shooting 44 percent from the field.

Galles posted five points and five rebounds per game as a junior, while Schorg added 3.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and two steals as just a freshman.

More Iowa High School Sports Headlines

feed