After the Adams County Christian School Lady Rebels lost six seniors to graduation last year, few expected the team to be tremendously successful this season.

According to Holli Hankins, one of only two seniors on this year’s squad, that just gives the Lady Rebels something to prove.

&uot;We were tired of hearing how bad we were supposed to be,&uot; she said.

After a slow start to the season, the Lady Rebels proved many critics wrong by taking the championship round of last week’s Tensas Academy Tournament in St. Joseph, La. Hankins made the All-Tournament team and was named tournament MVP.

&uot;I was shocked,&uot; she said. &uot;I didn’t expect to get anything.&uot;

ACCS coach Bruce Pickle wasn’t surprised at all.

&uot;She’s one of our top players on defense and in scoring,&uot; he said. &uot;She’s a tough player. We depend on her to score a lot of points. When she’s shooting from the outside, we’re usually doing better as a team.&uot;

Hankins also provides senior leadership for a young team, Pickle said.

&uot;I don’t have very many players returning with a lot of experience. Holli has played the last two years,&uot; he said. &uot;I hope through Holli’s work habits, the younger ones will see what it takes to be successful.&uot;

Hankins said she doesn’t mind having the mantle of leadership thrust upon her, but mostly because she thinks the Lady Rebels play as a team and don’t require her to act in that role.

&uot;I want to step up and be a leader, but that means just helping everybody else out,&uot; she said.

&uot;She’s one of our go-to players this year,&uot; Pickle said. &uot;Last year we had so many people, she wasn’t really looked to to carry the team or be a leader.

&uot;She wasn’t accustomed to it and still is getting accustomed to it,&uot; he said.

With softball season fast approaching, Hankins will have a few more months to hone her leadership skills.

&uot;I’ll probably be the only player on the softball team,&uot; she said.