Whiz Kid: Rachel Schenck
Whiz Kid’s Age: Rachel Schenck, 18
Whiz Kid’s School: Joel Barlow High School
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Whiz Kid’s Accomplishment: Three-year varsity starter on the Falcons' girls basketball team who has progressed in each of her three seasons.
Whiz Kid’s Key to Awesomeness: Known for her strong all-around play, the well-respected 5-foot-11 senior is averaging eight points per game this season. She also is third on the team in rebounds (3.1) and blocks (12).
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After moving up to the varsity level midway through her freshman season, Schenck’s numbers were solid as a sophomore, averaging six points, 10 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. She was named to the honorable mention all-South-West Conference Colonial Division team.
Last season, she landed a spot on the Colonial Division first team, contributing 10 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks per outing.
“Now that teams know about her, she is still putting up good numbers,” Barlow coach Joe Carollo said. "(She’s) a terrific kid, terrific teammate. (She has) pushed herself to be the best she could.”
Individual statistics are one thing, but Schenck always makes unselfish play a priority.
“She’s just good to her teammates,” Carollo added. “She tries to make them better.”
The Falcons' core group of Kelly Haines, Delaney Bracken, Ellie MacGregor and Schenck have played together since middle school, creating for a chemistry on the court.
Schenck says it’s her job to score points off offensive rebounds.
“It’s the bigger girls' job,” she said. "Rebounds are a big part of basketball. If we get the rebound, the other girl (on the other team) doesn’t get the rebound, so they can’t get the ball and they don’t get more points.”
“She does what she can do offensively,” Carollo added. “She runs the floor. She’s made herself into a complete player.”
Barlow takes a 15-6 record into the state tournament after losing to Newtown 39-37 in the first round of the South-West Conference playoffs. That loss snapped the Falcons' five-game winning streak.
The Falcons host Prince Tech in the first round of the CIAC Class M state tournament on Tuesday.
While Schenck’s basketball career is coming to a close, she still hopes to play her main sport of volleyball in college at the club level.
