Paul Hart etched his name into the record books at St. Bede Academy last week when he overtook both J.A. Happ (1,459) as the boys all-time leading scorer and Katie Carls (1,471) as the school’s all-time leader.
He added 32 points Tuesday night at Kewanee and now stands at 1,517 and counting. Imagine if he had a junior year to add to that total. He opted to play in Arkansas when the pandemic shut out the IHSA winter season and did not return for the shortened spring season.
How does he rank among all-time area leaders, you ask? Here’s a look:
According to my research, he currently stands in the top 18 for Bureau County and closing in on the top 25 in the Illinois Valley ranks. DePue great Ron Zagar, a Bureau County Hall of Famer, heads both the Bureau County and Illinois Valley lists at 2,515.
Hall star Kailey Klein is also both the Bureau County and Illinois Valley all-time leader for the girls. My records show her with 2,496 career points, but Hall has her at 2,486.
Now, let’s take a look at all the area schools you can imagine, present-day schools and many closed ones. Please let me know if you see any corrections or changes.
Schools listed with an asterisk are no longer open. Note that most came before girls interscholastic sports and some did not have a girls program.
Bureau County schools
Buda* - Charlie Moretz (1956) 2,224
Bureau* - Dick Milles (1955) 1,577
Bureau Valley - Parker Neuhalfen (2012-15) 2,208; Saige Barnett (2015-19) 1,426
DePue - Ron Zagar (1953-56) 2,515; girls NA
Hall - Shawn Jeppson (1995-98) 1,829; Kailey Klein (2002-06) 2,496
LaMoille - Roger Weller (1955) 1,785; Nigel Geuther (2000-03) 1,440
Ohio - Brad Bickett (1983-86) 2,177; Lexi Loftus (2014-18) 2,029
Malden* - Brian Blumhorst (1981) 1,498
Manlius* - Greg Berry (1964) 1,552; Angel Jaggers (1986-89) 1,405
Mineral* - Bill Baird (1949-52) 1,249
Neponset* - Roger Cannon (‘66) 1,809; Jolene Bair (1990-93) 1,989
Princeton - Joe Ruklick (1955) 1,306; Tiah Romagnoli (‘99) 1,506
Sheffield* - Dick Kaufman (1961) 1,078
St. Bede - Paul Hart (2018-20, 21-22) 1,517; Katie Carls (2003-06) 1,471.
Tiskilwa* - Tom Schertz (1980-83) 1,891; no girls
Walnut* - Pat McCarthy (1954) 1,551; Tammy Lind (1992) 1,126
Western* - Ryan Youngren (1992) 1,385; Megan Lanham (1992) 1,141
Wyanet* - Tim Burress (1985) 1,438; girls NA
Other Three Rivers Conference schools
Erie - 1. Clyde Kramer (1958-60) 1,365; Rachel Cobert (2016) 1,402
Kewanee - Donovan Oliver (2013-16) 2,355; Kelle Lindbeck (1980) 1,908
Mendota - Don Hamel (1969) 2,158; Jaci Bice (1996-99) 2,111
Morrison - Rod Bush (1967-71) 1,601; Sarah Backus (1987) 1,281
Newman - Noah McCarty (2013-16) 1,690; Jocelyn Mellen (2002-06) 1,635
Orion - Tanner Williams (2009-11) NA; Cassidy Clark (2009-13) 1,375
Prophetstown - Scott Hicks NA; Emily McLain (2005-08) 1,876
Riverdale - Wes DeClercq (2009-12) 2,057; Hannah Nimrick (2013) 1,479
Rockridge - Bryan Heath (2012-15) 2,194; Jessica Cook (’01) 1,543
Sherrard - Eric Lawson (1989-93) 1,835; Beth McKinley (1987-90) 1,258
Other area schools
Amboy - Jaron McCracken (1994-97) 2,256; Delaney Wilhelm (2013-17) 1,376
Annawan - Tanner Carlson (2005-08) 2,045; Jayde VanHyfte (2014-18) 2,775
Atkinson - Mike Hamer (1970-72) 1,050; Val Wancket (1984-87) 2,644
Bradford* - Mike Shipley (1992-95) 1,984; Tina Colgan (1988-91) 901
Dixon - Beau Bailey (2016-19) 1,479; Tammy Turner (1984) 2,226
Fieldcrest - Nathan Ropp 1,461; Haley Reustman (2011-15) 1,759
Fulton - Rick Lanning (1963-67) 1,760; W. Hayen 1,375
Geneseo - Isaiah Rivera (2016-20) 2,486; Kammie Ludwig (2018-present) 1,591
Granville Hopkins* - 1. Fran Aimone (1955-59) 1,473
Hennepin* - Ken Palm, 1961
Henry - Lee Piccinelli (2008) 1,907; Leigh Crawley (2003) 1,245
L-P - Gary Langham (1990) 1,767; Gina Anglavar (1988-91) 1,530
Magnolia Swaney* - Jim Kinney (1957) 2,301
Marquette - Bob Guyette (1971) 2,009; Kristina Yedinak (2001-05) 1,855
Ottawa - Craig McCormick (1975-78) 1,681; Amy Johnson (1989-93) 1,781
Putnam County - Carlton Fay (2003-07) 2,129; Tracy Palm (1982-85) 1,558
Rochelle - Ben Rand (1999-03) 2,144; Abby Lundquist (2016-19) 1,909
Rock Falls - Isaiah Johnson (2001-04) 2,007; Jamie Russell (2004-08) 1,870
Sterling - Joseph Bertand (2006-09) 1,430; Karna Abram (1980-83) 1,979
Streator - J.J. Cravatta (2008-12) 1,930; Natalie Haynes (2017-21) 1,309
Kevin Hieronymus has been BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com.