Lady Rockets Bring Home State Championship Trophy

Alessandra Velazquez Reyes

Adysen Harre, Staff Writer
March 9, 2023

The 618 had a record weekend after showcasing the impressive basketball competition we have in the southern part of the state. Not only did Okawville bring home their first 1A State Championship since 2000, but Mater Dei and O’Fallon both won their 2A and 4A divisions as well. 

The last time the Lady Rockets made it to the Final Four was in 2006. However, this year they took on another area team – the Christopher Lady Bearcats in the title game. On Saturday, March 3 at Red Bird Arena, the team knew they had their hands full with a 6’1” All-State Junior, Amiah Hargrove.

Megan Rennegarbe had an outstanding defensive performance in her last game as an Okawville Lady Rocket, keeping Hargrove under her average with 19 points. “Amiah is an incredibly talented player so I knew going into the game it was going to be a challenge. It was my goal to just shut her down to the best of my ability and stay with her the whole time. I knew that was my role and what I needed to do in order to help our team succeed so that is what I primarily focused on,” says senior Megan Rennegarbe. 

Okawville became the best 1A team in the state, finishing the game with a score of 56-25. 

The Lady Rockets could not have pulled the big win off without the help from junior guard, Alayna Kraus. She led all scorers with 21 points in the championship matchup. Not only did she excel offensively, but she also managed to grab 5 rebounds. 

Right behind her was Megan Rennegarbe with 17 points. Megan has shown true domination this postseason as she has done an incredible job rebounding and scoring for the team. 

It is safe to say that the Lady Rockets are a well-rounded team. Looking at the scoreboard, their points were spread fairly evenly. Raelyn Obermeier finished with 8 points, Madi Wienstroer had 5, and Briley Rhodes with 3. 

The Lady Rockets came home around 6 pm Saturday evening and enjoyed a welcoming ceremony with the community. This was a great way for the coaches and seniors to say their final words and show their appreciation for the basketball program and the support of the community. 

Lady Rocket bench cheering on their team from the sideline. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
Briley Rhodes (12) prepares to inbound the ball. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
Alayna Kraus (Jr) defends the ball. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
Ellie Frederking (12) watches a shot go up to get the rebound. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
Lady Rockets celebrate as the final buzzer goes off. (Alessandra Velazques Reyes)
The team lifting up their well-deserved trophy. (Alessandra Velazques Reyes)
Lady Rockets with their 2023 1A State Champions trophy. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
State Champions press conference after the game. Emotions were high as the team talked about the historic game.
OHS O-Zone gets pumped up for the State Championship game. (Sam Friess)
The O-Zone celebrates after the Lady Rockets hit a 3-pointer. (Sam Friess)
Head Coach Haylee Bowers gives a speech about the team’s season at the reception in the O’Rena.
Megan Rennegarbe (Sr), along with the other 3 seniors, wrote a speech of thank yous for the reception. (Alessandra Velazquez Reyes)
The reception ended with the traditional Okawville roller coaster, led by O-Zone leader Jared Juenger (Sr).