MINERSVILLE
Reighly Melochick looked up at the banners on the wall of the Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium during a recreational basketball practice the summer before her freshman year at Minersville.
Among the banners are the Battlin' Miners' top all-time scorers, listed chronologically.
Kim Homa's 3,151 points are the most, by far, in school history. Her brother, Jared, is second on that list with 1,979.
Jokingly that day, Melochick shared an observation with Jared Homa, who was about to enter his first year coaching Minersville's varsity girls' basketball team.
"She looked up at my sister's points and said, 'I don't know that I can catch Kimmy, but I guarantee I have a chance to get you,' " Jared Homa said, with an arm around Melochick after the Miners defeated Central Columbia in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Friday.
"Yeah," Melochick added with a smile, "I remember that."
She did get him.
Completing a three-point play with 6:37
remaining in Friday's state opener, Melochick recorded career points 1,979, 1,980 and 1,981, making the 5-foot-7 senior guard the second-leading scorer in Minersville basketball history. She had already passed Lori Pisco Snyder earlier this season for second all-time on the school's girls' basketball list.
Melochick scored 22 points in Friday's 53-36 victory, including 12 points in a pivotal second quarter that allowed the Miners to erase an eight-point deficit and storm ahead for a commanding lead they wouldn't again relinquish.
With 1,984 career points, Melochick needs 16 to become the 19th Schuylkill League girls' player to score 2,000 career points. Kim Homa's total is second in Schuylkill League history behind Mount Carmel's Maria Fantanarosa (3,823) and fifth-best all-time in state history.
"That's not really my main priority right now," Melochick said after Friday's win. "My main priorities are around team goals, not my individual goals."
And the team has achieved a lot of goals this season.
Minersville earned its first-ever Schuylkill League girls' basketball title by defeating Pottsville and Marian in the league playoffs. It then followed up with its first District 11 championship since 1990 - when Kim Homa played her final season for the Miners.
The goals haven't run dry just yet. Minersville faces District 12 champion Neumann-Goretti in the second round of the PIAA Tournament at 6 tonight at Freedom High School in Bethlehem, a task that might be the hardest the Battlin' Miners have faced all season.
Much like Minersville, Neumann-Goretti relies on a quick, high-scoring offense that averages 65 points a game and centers around 5-4 junior point guard Ciani Cryor.
"Their offense is generated off of Cryor," Homa said. "She likes to get the ball in the lane and tries to force teams to have that help defense on her. Then she kicks it out to two other guards who can really shoot the ball."
Neumann-Goretti also has a size advantage with 5-11 junior forward A.J. Timbers and 6-0 senior forward Ella Awabajo. The Philadelphia Catholic League champs, the Saints also have girls measuring 5-9 and 6-4 that don't even get much playing time.
"If we can keep (Cryer) from penetrating and keep them off the boards, then we should have a chance," Homa said. "It sounds weird to say we should have a chance against a 26-0 team, but we're going to need to have one of the best games we've ever played."
Minersville is capable of a dominating performance at any time thanks to its mixture of experienced veterans and talented underclassmen, the development of which Melochick has also influenced.
"She's been a leader for us for four years now," Homa said. "She's a very intelligent player and a very intelligent kid. She saw the potential with our freshmen since they were in sixth grade."
Freshman guard Abby Schoffstall is averaging double-digit points and steals. Freshman forward Emily Mealey is averaging double-digit points and rebounds. Sophomore Meg Schwalm and freshmen Adrienne Kroznuskie and Allison Polinsky have also been called on often this season.
From Day 1, the development of the underclassmen was a welcomed responsibility by Melochick - and fellow seniors Alyse Ryan, Leah Leshko and Hannah Rinaldo - and it has ensured a successful immediate future for the Battlin' Miners.
"She did that with open arms," Homa said. "She was a coach on the floor and in the locker room. Sometimes when you have a talented younger class come in like ours, there is jealousy. There was none of that. She really wanted to make sure that they felt at home and felt comfortable."
That comfort and assurance Melochick provided, in addition to her own talent on the floor, led to a number of successes this season - and likely for seasons to come in Minersville.
Perhaps Jared Homa's response to Melochick's light-hearted goal of passing him on the all-time scoring list 4½ years ago in Thomas Fitzpatrick Gymnasium foretold how all of this was possible.
"I said, 'Reighly, I hope you do, because that means we're going to go very, very far.' "