The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

F2K
Northern's Kaitlynn Fratz reaches 2,000 career points

By Kevin Spradlin
The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
ACCIDENT, March 1 -- As middle school student-athletes prepared for their basketball tournament over the next couple of days, one girl in Garrett County drew a jersey with the number 11 stitched onto the back.

She cried. Her mother didn't know why. She didn't know. The little girl knew, however, that No. 11 wasn't just any jersey. That number, at least in north Garrett County, belongs to Huskies senior Kaitlynn Fratz.

"She has been so exciting," said Steve Fratz, Kaitlynn's father, after watching his daughter score her 2,000th career point. "I don't think she even realizes what she has done. I don't think I realize what she has done."

For more than a little while Tuesday night at the Igloo, it seemed Fratz's milestone shot might come in a loss to Southern Garrett. Then it seemed as if the shot might not come at all, as the Rams executed their defensive schemes just as coach Daniel Bosley drew it up.

Fratz entered the game 21 point shy of 2,000. By halftime, she had collected 11 and in the first five minutes of the third quarter, Garrett County's all-time leading scorer - male or female - pocketed six more points.

She needed just four more - but the Rams' defense tightened up on Fratz, who scored only one other bucket in the third quarter with 1:07 left.

"These fans - they come to see her," her father said.

And they waited for the next shot. Terra McKenzie completed two three-point plays to increase the Huskies' lead to 44-36 and the teams traded baskets over the next two minutes. Northern led 46-40 with 2:42 when the ball found Fratz on a pass from fellow senior Morgan Brosnihan.

Fratz caught the ball just beyond the 3-point arc and dribbled in two feet, spun to her right and, just a foot shy of the free throw line and two seconds left on the shot clock, let the ball go.

The ball found the net. The crowd - without even an announcement from the pressbox due to fears of violating MPSSAA rules - roared. Fratz, though, said she wanted to finish out the game.

"I wasn't thinking about that at all," Fratz said. "I had no idea, actually. I was surprised that shot went in. I saw my sister and her friends (in the bleachers) holding up the sign (2,000 points). I thought, 'that's great, but let's get the 'W.'"

The win was in serious jeopardy. Southern's Alli Shaffer refused to cave in to the home team crowd's pressure and scored a short jumper over Fratz on the next possession only seven seconds later. Shaffer scored again with 1:20 left in the game to pull the Rams within four points, 48-44.

The milestone achieved, Fratz appeared more relaxed and hit a layup with 1:02 to play for points 2,002. Senior Terra McKenzie hit two foul shots and, with 5.3 seconds on the clock, Fratz finished the night - but not yet her senior season - with points 2,003 and 2,004 on a pair of free throws

Timeline
Freshman year: 371 points
Sophomore:     468 points
Junior:              530 points
Senior:             634 points*
* through March 1

March 1 in 52-44 playoff win over Southern Garrett, in which Fratz scored a game-high 24 points. She entered game with 1,979 points and needed 21 to reach 2,000 career points.

1st quarter
Points 1-3: 6:20 to go
Points 4-5: 5:24

2nd quarter
Points 6-7: 6:50 to go
Point 8: 4:20
Point 9-11: 3:43

3rd quarter
Points 12-13: 5:30 to go
Points 14-15: 4:10
Points 16-17: 2:58
Points 18-19: 1:07

4th quarter
Points 20-21: 2:09