Only one player on this year’s Hickman girls basketball team has ever played in a state playoff game.

Senior Lauren Nolke got a few mop-up minutes as a freshman during Hickman’s last run to the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown in 2004.

It’s been almost three years since that second-place campaign, but that doesn’t mean this year’s crop of Hickman players don’t know the program’s playoff history as the second-ranked Kewpies (26-1) prepare for tonight’s Class 5 sectional against Holt (13-13) at Borgia High School in Washington.

"Oh we’re aware of it," Hickman senior Shana White said. "Coach makes sure that we know."

Current Kewpies Kristin Conrad and Miriam Tesfamikael had sisters that played on successful Hickman squads under Coach Tonya Mirts. But just in case her other players weren’t aware, Mirts plastered the playoff history of her program on the back of a team T-shirt.

Funny thing about those shirts: In the seven years the Kewpies have won a district title under Mirts, they’ve won all but one of the following sectional games - including the last six.

"We have it on the back of our T-shirts, and it does seem like for every year we’ve won districts, we’ve won sectionals, too," said Nolke, who played late in Hickman’s last sectional victory - a 67-44 win over Francis Howell. "We haven’t really thought about it too much, but hopefully we can add another one to that."

It would appear likely.

The Kewpies have won 26 straight since opening the season with a 59-48 loss to Bolingbrook, Ill., ranked sixth nationally by USA Today.

Holt lost three straight games in December to Helias, Rolla and Kirksville - teams that Hickman soundly defeated this season - to begin a 2-10 midseason slide. The Wentzville program had to win three straight games to claim its district crown and even its record at .500.

Coming off an emotional 46-39 district-championship win over crosstown rival Rock Bridge last week, the Kewpies are doing their best not to look past their sectional foe.

"At this point, we know every game could be our last, so we’re not going to overlook anyone," Nolke said.

Mirts has been impressed by her team’s attitude leading up to tonight. Although the Kewpies have played a tough slate of playoff-caliber teams throughout the season, she said her players have kept their focus during practices.

"Their intensity was tremendous," Mirts said. "They know if they don’t win, they don’t have a chance to go to the final four. We have to get by two more games to do that."

Darla Gatschenberger is Holt’s top scorer and rebounder. The 5-foot-10 senior leads the Indians with averages of 17.6 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Yvonne Anderson has done a little bit of everything for Hickman since arriving in Columbia with her father, Missouri men’s basketball Coach Mike Anderson. The 5-7 junior is among the area leaders in scoring (21.6), assists (4.4) and steals (4.7).

Nolke, a 5-10 Missouri Western recruit, adds a dangerous perimeter threat. She’s averaging 13.3 points and has made an area-best 62 3-pointers.

Tonight’s winner advances to a 2:45 p.m. quarterfinal Saturday at State Fair Community College in Sedalia against either Nixa (21-8) or Waynesville (22-5).

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