Pendleton Heights’ Kaycie Warfel gets fouled by New Palestine’s Vivian Miller as she attempts a shot.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Adah Hupfer grabs a rebound against New Palestine.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Adah Hupfer talks to Mamie Trout before a free throw in the final seconds of their semifinal game against New Palestine.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
Pendleton Heights’ Olivia Jones goes up for a shot against New Palestine.
Mike Brown | For the Times-Post
By Brady Extin | The Times-Post
PENDLETON — Year to year, the goals set forth by the Pendleton Heights girls basketball program stay the same.
What changes is the players.
Whether new additions to the team or growth from the returning players, the 2024-25 Arabians aren’t the same team that lost close games to come up just short of their three goals — county, conference and sectional titles.
Midway through the season, they lost 63-59 to Lapel to come up short in the Madison County Tournament. Later on they fell 52-48 to New Palestine to lose the outright HHC title, and had their season ended in the sectional semis by the Dragons 46-44.
It’s those heartbreaking defeats that have fueled this year’s team through the offseason.
“The message to everybody has been something that I haven’t even had to say. There’s just been a lot of growth and maturity from the kids because of those experiences. Just being close enough so many times wasn’t good enough for them. They made a decision in the spring and summer to just move forward from that,” head coach Nick Rogers said. “We’re just going to continue to keep our head down, work hard and look to achieve the things that we want to do. You can tell that there’s a difference in the air.”
Leading the way for Pendleton Heights is a three-headed attack of senior Kaycie Warfel, junior Olivia Jones and sophomore Adah Hupfer.
Warfel was voted to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association’s Underclass Large School All-State team last season as a junior. Jones competed in the Indiana All-Star Classic at the end of last year and was voted co-most outstanding player at the event. Hupfer was voted underclass All-State honorable mention by the IBCA and enters the year as one of the top underclassman in the state.
“Having those three is such a blessing. Just to be able to have three players like that, and for us, we even look to go farther down the line. It’s special to have options like that,” Rogers said. “I can try to be a mad scientist and just throw things on the board to see if it sticks. With those three, the possibilities are endless with what I can draw up. It’s going to be a fun brand of basketball.”
At guard, Warfel is what makes the Arabians’ offense go. Last season her 25.2 points per game was eighth best in the state and the top mark in school history, and she was third in the state with 236 made field goals. She scored a single-season school-record 631 points.
Along with that, she added 5.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
The Taylor University commit was also a force on the defensive side of the ball, averaging 5.6 steals per game. That mark put her fifth in the state and earned her the career steal school record (308) and single-season school record (139).
She comes into the year as a senior who has matured as a player since last season, a player with the weight of her college commitment off her back and a player with big goals set in front of her.
Last year, she broke the 1,000-career-points mark, and now has her eyes set on the school record and potentially 2,000 career points.
“For her, what we’ve seen so far this summer has been some maturity. She’s been making good decisions on the court, and we’re going to see some really good things from her. She’s starting to trust her teammates a bit more, and one of our goals is to try and get that assist number up,” Rogers said. “I know she’s glad to have that college decision off her plate, but just being the player that she is, it’s never going to be easy because there’s always going to be big expectations. She’s ready, though, and has been putting in the work.”
That added trust in her teammates goes hand-in-hand with the progression of the players around her.
Hupfer, who already had one of the best seasons for a freshman in the state last year, now has that year of experience under her belt and has made strides over the offseason.
After averaging 10.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game last season, Hupfer gained the attention of colleges and made visits to a variety of places during the summer.
She’s built off that successful freshman season and has added new aspects to her game.
“Adah is a workhorse. She never puts the basketball down, and it shows. She’s wise beyond her years, too,” Rogers said. “Last year, it took a minute for her to settle in and adjust to high school ball, and it took us some time to figure each other out because it had been a while since Pendleton had a true back-to-the-basket center like her. But she’s added a lot of things that aren’t just back-to-the-basket type stuff, and she’s another girl who has put in the work and is excited to let people see those things.”
While those two will be the main focus for opposing teams each night, it’s the junior guard, Jones, who really makes the Arabians click as a team.
Last year, she did a little bit of everything, averaging 9.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
That offseason growth has been there for her as well.
“Olivia is one of those girls that probably won’t be at the top of the headlines, but we would not be able to do what we do without her. She draws the toughest defensive matchup every night, and over the summer there were plenty of times where she led us in rebounds. She just has that drive to do whatever it takes to help her team win,” Rogers said. “It hurt last winter when we lost her in the sectional due to illness. I think that game showed her that she is valued and that we need her. Ever since then, she has pushed it into overdrive with how hard she works. She’s added a lot of things to her game, and we’re excited to see her get out there and for people to see what she’s been working on.”
Around those three, the Arabians return a slew of experienced role players.
Junior guard Mamie Trout is one of the program’s top shooters. Emma Roberts is a senior guard who has played in big games. Brea Perry appeared in 24 games as a junior and is expected to have a bigger role.
“Emma is a senior point guard who has played on and off since she was a freshman. She’s a really good shooter and has matured at handling the basketball and making decisions. Mamie is one of the best shooters in our program, and she has been working really hard on honing those skills. She’s not the tallest or biggest girl, but she’s mighty and will get in there and mix it up with anybody. And then Brea is our post reserve. She has phenomenal touch; we call her the mid-range queen at practice,” Rogers said.
Sophomore Aubree Warfel will see an increase in her role as well, along with junior Avry Miller. Both dressed for the team last season but appeared in just 18 and three games, respectively.
“We’re excited to see Aubree take that next step and to see what she can do with more minutes,” Rogers said. “Avry’s role will definitely pick up this year as well. She’s a tenacious defender, and her offensive game is starting to grow and blossom.”
While the returning players have grown or seen their roles increase, the biggest change for the Arabians comes from senior transfer Aubriana Gray.
Gray has made the move to Pendleton from Killeen, Texas, and brings with her a ton of experience. She’s committed to play junior college basketball at Central Arizona College.
“We’re excited about her,” Rogers said. “She’s played some high-level basketball and brings some toughness to our team.”
The Arabians will look to build off of last season’s 15-10 record when they open the season Nov. 7 at home against Hamilton Heights.
2024-25 Pendleton Heights girls basketball roster
No. Name Grade Height
2 Avry Miller Jr. 5’6”
3 Aubriana Gray Sr. 5’5”
5 Mamie Trout Jr. 5’7”
12 Kaycie Warfel Sr. 5’10”
20 Brea Perry Sr. 5’8”
22 Olivia Jones Jr. 5’9”
23 Emma Roberts Sr. 5’7”
24 Aubree Warfel So. 5’7”
32 Claire Sorrells So. 5’10”
33 Jada McGraw So. 5’10”
50 Adah Hupfer So. 6’3”
Head coach: Nick Rogers
2024-25 Pendleton Heights girls basketball schedule
Date Opponent Time
Nov. 7 vs. Hamilton Heights 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 at Westfield 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 12 vs. New Castle 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 16 at Heritage Christian 1:30 p.m.
Nov. 20 vs. Lawrence Central 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Greenfield-Central 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Indianapolis Chatard 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 vs. Jennings County (at Brownsburg) 11:30 a.m.
Dec. 7 vs. Mt. Vernon 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 at Hamilton Southeastern 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 12 vs. Delta 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 vs. Fishers 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 vs. North Central 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 23 at Yorktown 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 2 at Jay County 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 7-11 Madison County Tournament TBD
Jan. 17 vs. New Palestine 6 p.m.
Jan. 21 at Lapel 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23 at Connersville 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 vs. Shelbyville 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 30 at Noblesville 7:30 p.m.