Lady Rockets Celebrate Senior Night as Conference Champions

The Lady Rockets played their last home game of the 2022-2023 basketball season on Wednesday, February 8. Facing rival Carlyle, Okawville looked to win the Cahokia conference for the second year in a row. 

OHS took the win with a final score of 65-45. Alayna Kraus was the leading scorer with 28 points, but not too far behind her was Briley Rhodes with an impressive 24. Kraus shot 100% from the free-throw line going 4-4. Megan Rennegarbe had a great defensive game with 11 rebounds.

The Lady Rockets honored four special seniors for their time and dedication to the Okawville girls’ basketball program – Briley Rhodes, Megan Rennegarbe, Ellie Frederking, and Paige Riechmann. 

Senior guard, Briley Rhodes, grew up in Sandoval Illinois but decided to move to Okawville in 2017. Since then Briley has been a major part in the succession of the Okawville basketball programs, in both Junior High and High School. 

Rhodes was a part of the 2019 Junior High Class M State Championship team. Upon moving onto the high school level she has met many other athletic accomplishments and long postseason runs within the program. 

As a four-year starter, Rhodes hit her 1,000 point as a junior. In her senior season, she currently averages 13.5 points per game and shoots 45% from the field goal and 81% from the free-throw line. 

Some of her many accomplishments include earning IBCA 1st Team All-State in ‘21-’22, IBCA All-State ‘20-’21, IBCA 3rd Team All-State in ‘19-’20, AP Honorable Mention in ‘22, All-South the past three seasons, as well as Cahokia All-Conference Team the past two years.

Briley Rhodes is going to be missed tremendously within the program but has some very exciting things coming in her future. She plans to further her education at Maryville University where she will obtain a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

Rhodes states,  “I am sad the season is ending, but I know we still have a lot of work to get done. With the postseason coming around the corner, I am very excited to see what the next few weeks have in store for us!”

Megan Rennegarbe was the second senior the Okawville basketball team honored. Megan attended the Immanuel Lutheran School in grade school. At ILS, Megan took a key role in leading their basketball team and led the team to a Class S State Championship. 

Her leadership abilities have carried over to high school where she is a key player in the success of the Okawville Lady Rockets. Rennegarbe has been a starter for the Okawville Rockets for four years. 

She says, “I have been blessed to have been a part of an amazing team every year here at Okawville. Our team has made it to the elite eight each year which I believe to be a huge accomplishment and we hope to make it even further this year!” 

Rennegarbe has made many accomplishments on the court as she received Cahokia All-Conference Team and IBCA State 2nd Team during the ‘21-’22 season. This year she has impressively grabbed 157 rebounds while averaging 5.2 per game. 

She plans to further her educational career at Mizzou where she will obtain a degree in Journalism. Rennegarbe comments, “As my senior year comes to an end, I can’t help but remember all of the fun and exciting times I have had in this program and I wish nothing but the best of luck to the Okawville Lady Rockets in the future. I’m beyond thankful to have had the teammates and coaches possible as they have taught me valuable lessons on and off the court.” 

The third senior honored was Ellie Frederking. Frederking also adds more accolades to the Okawville girls’ basketball program. She has been on Varsity all four years and was also a part of the 2019 Jr. High State Championship team. 

Frederking has taken a highly valued leadership position on the team and is looked up to by all underclassmen. Her work ethic, positive attitude, and confidence push her teammates to improve daily.

“The biggest lesson basketball has taught me is how always to be a leader no matter what. I learned how to do it last year when I was a junior on JV, and I also learned how to be a leader on varsity even if I wasn’t on the court all the time,” says the senior guard. 

She believes that being a part of the OHS Lady Rockets has taught her skills she can take with her after her four years in the #30 uniform.

Frederking says, “Learning how to be an effective leader in different situations is a skill that I know I will take with me down the line. It’s important to know that you should always give your full effort. No matter the outcome or situation, you try your hardest each day – again and again. I am grateful to be a part of this program and wouldn’t change it for anything.”

While she is currently undecided on where she will further her education, Frederking plans to obtain a degree in Criminology and Psychology. 

The fourth and final senior OHS honored is Paige Riechmann. Riechmann has been a manager for the program for the last 4 years. The basketball team is very grateful for her and sad to see her leave. 

Not only has she kept the team running smoothly behind the scenes in high school, but she was also a manager for the Jr. High basketball team in 2017-2019. Her job in recording all games allows the team to watch films, learn from mistakes and successes, and prepare for future games. This is especially vital during the upcoming postseason. Paige plans to attend Kaskcaskia College to major in Elementary Education. 

“ I have really enjoyed being with the basketball team over the last few years. It has been a good experience for me. I always have fun when I am with the team,” says Paige. 

As the year comes to an end it is a bittersweet feeling for all. We are incredibly thankful for the time we have gotten to spend with the seniors, but sad those years are coming to an end. These four seniors have had a huge impact on their teammates and the future generations of Okawville Lady Rockets Basketball. 

The Lady Rockets ended their regular season with a record of 27-4 and 10-0 in the conference. Their regional will be hosted at home, in the O’Rena.