KLEW-TV

February 26, 2020

To view video and social media clips:  

https://klewtv.com/sports/prep-athlete/p1fcu-prep-athlete-of-the-week-lapwai-wildcats-glory-and-grace-sobotta

LAPWAI, ID (KLEW) — Teams are often described as families.

For the Lapwai Girls Basketball team it was the family within their family that helped key their state title run. Sisters Glory and Grace Sobotta combined for 31 of the team's 46 points in their 1AD1 State Championship game.

"I remember telling K.C. [Lussoro] 'Hold the ball, hold the ball, hold it,’ and she holds it and everyone was like screaming and we went into our huddle and everyone was crying,” Glory remembers.

That was the moment the Lapwai Wildcats Girls Basketball team realized they were state champions after defeating the Prairie Pirates 46-40 in the 1AD1 Real Dairy Shootout on Saturday. Despite trailing 21-14 at halftime, the team rallied back and went on a 9-0 run to open the fourth period and take control to clinch an Idaho record 10th state title.

It just didn't feel right that we were going to lose,” Glory says. “So I just kind of had it in my head that we're going to win and you got to do everything you can to make us win.”

Glory scored 17 and Grace had 14 but the sibling backcourt has been crucial to Lapwai's success all season.

"Dynamic duo. That's what they say,” Glory said with a smile.

“That's not what they say,” Grace said before they both started laughing.

Both First-Team All-Whitepine selections, Glory averaged 9.4 points per game this year while commanding the top offensive unit in girls basketball. Grace was Whitepine League MVP, putting up 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 2.2 assists per game during the 2019-20 season.

"We've grown up playing basketball together since we're only a year apart,” Grace says. Anything from the AAU tournaments we used to do to going to open gyms together, (we were) working on ourselves together."

That bond makes them even more dangerous when their on the court at the same time.

"Seeing each other on the court and just little sounds that we make, 'Oh yea, she's open. Pass it to her,’" Glory says of their chemistry.

Their talent and unselfish attitude gave the Wildcats the luxury of having two top point guards to run the offense and distribute the ball during their 25-1 season.

"There was a moment in the state championship game I was like, ‘You get the ball,' and she handled it well,” Glory says. “So that's what we do, we switch off when one's struggling."

Dreaming of winning the state championship for Lapwai since they were little, the Sobotta sisters say it was even more special getting to do it together.

"I'm just really proud of her being my younger sister and the player that she's become,” Glory says.

"I just always looked up to her, since she was my older sister and she did start basketball before me,” Grace says. “And watching her work hard always makes me want to work harder myself."

A junior and a sophomore, they’l both be back next year to see if they can help the Wildcats get banner number 11.