Prep Girls Hoops: Going Back To Their Roots

No matter the walk of life that follows Jake Stewart, his 2015-16 senior class will always hold a special place in his heart.

The class that includes: Hannah Bartok, Lilee Robinson, Kelsey Hobbs and Alexa Burtis were all in seventh grade when Stewart got his first job in the Harrisburg school system, coaching the middle school girls' basketball team.

That seventh grade team went 20-1, winning the Massac County and Eldorado Tournaments, as well as, winning the conference regular season and the conference tournament.

Fast forward to today and Stewart is looking to go back to where it all started.

Because of a scheduling conflict at Davenport Gymnasium and a late schedule pickup with Meridian High School, Stewart's game Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. will be a varsity only game at the Harrisburg Middle School.

"The freshmen boys team already had a game, we had to add a game and this is the toughest week for us to not have a game, heading into the Eldorado Mid-Winter," Stewart said. "We wanted a game this week and this was the only night we could play Meridian, so I got to thinking about what we could do.

"My assistant Jacob Morse suggested we go to the junior high and immediately thought what a great idea that was. Why not go back to where it all started with this senior group."

Stewart said the girls responded to the news in a manner even more excited than he was.

This will be Stewart's fifth year as head coach at Harrisburg High School and while the case can be made that he didn't have this group of girls their eighth grade season, isn't entirely true.

"Ironically, I had them their eighth grade yeah when I was in the first year as Middle School softball coach. I have coached them for six years, so their definitely a special group to me."

Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.