After two years of not having a freshman make the girls varsity basketball team, the pattern was broken.

“In the beginning, it was kind of intimidating that I was the only freshman on the team,” freshman Tess Allgeyer said. “But throughout the season, I have been warming up to them, and getting used to having older kids on the team.”

Now nearing the middle of the season, Allgeyer is starting to become more comfortable with her teammates.

“Making my first three pointer in a varsity game was definitely one of my biggest accomplishments,” Allgeyer said. “But I wouldn’t have been able to make it without the help from my team.”

Her older sister, senior Abby Allgeyer, also made the team as a freshman in 2012.

“I think it’s so great to be able to play on the same basketball team as my sister, Tess,” A. Allgeyer said. “We have always dreamed about being able to play on the same basketball team, so it’s really cool to have this experience with her.”

Allgeyer practices 10 hours a week, working on shooting, conditioning and dribbling.

“Tess will continue to improve throughout the high school season because she represents hard work on and off the court,” girls varsity basketball coach John Sloop said.

Allgeyer is known to be hard on herself by her teammates and coach, but because of encouraging comments from her team, she is able to remain positive.

“Missing a basket or when I get a turnover really downgrades my confidence, and that causes me to get down on myself,” T. Allgeyer said.

Being called to be a primary ball handler on the varsity level, T. Allgeyer deals with a lot of stress of being a student athlete.

“The struggle is real being a student athlete because of time management,” T. Allgeyer said. “You have to do your best with the time you have. I say organization is key in making the best of your time.”

Allgeyer is going to wait to see where basketball takes her, and if she ends up doing well through-out her high school career, she will then apply for a scholarship.

“For all those freshman basketball players like me, don’t be afraid to take charge of the court,” T. Allgeyer said.  “Put yourself out there, and work hard with everything you do.”