Reaching the 1,000-point plateau is a difficult task and requires several factors to fall into place during a varsity career, including avoiding long-term injuries and playing with consistency. 

To have five players meet the mark, it takes even more. The Tigers were aided by their balance, extreme competitiveness and unselfishness, traits that caught the eye of Middendorf during the girls' first years on the varsity.

Kircher and Butcha both saw limited time as seventh-graders, while Pearson, Callahan and Knutson debuted for the Tigers in the eighth grade, and gaining that early experience was key in their development.

“Anytime that can happen at a young age, I think it’s a recipe for something good,” Middendorf said. "There are a lot of things that have to go right to get to that point, but we knew the potential was there. It was just a matter of if we could tap into it.”

Middendorf’s plan to draw out the girls’ potential included giving them plenty of playing time without concern about the team’s record, and the five took their lumps while facing more experienced opponents.