By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

dobrien@dailynews.net

The seniors on the Thomas More Prep-Marian girls' basketball team will have to make room for another patch on their already fully decorated letter jackets.

And their school will have to make room for another large addition to the trophy case.

Kaylee Hoffman, Sophia Schippers and Jessa Stramel and their teammates made sure of that this past weekend when they brought home the top prize from the Class 3A state tournament in Hutchinson.

The 56-45 win over Marion was a school-record 24th consecutive victory for TMP-Marian (25-1).

Sophomore Rachel Jacobs was the leading scorer for the Monarchs at state, averaging 18.7 points, including an impressive 21-for-23 effort from the free-throw line.

But no one will argue that the core of the team was the trio of seniors who have played together since their fourth-grade season.

The three, all good friends since grade school, have traveled a lot of miles over the years with their parents and other family and friends, playing basketball and softball together on youth teams, then in middle school and all the way through high school.

While Saturday's performance marked the third state basketball title in six years for TMP-Marian -- boys' teams won state championships in 2005 and 2007 -- it also was the third state title in four years for Hoffman, Schippers and Stramel.

They were part of Monarch softball teams that won state championships their freshman and sophomore seasons.

But this state championship was one they had been chasing for a long time, and maybe the most unlikely.

Sure, TMP-Marian returned most of its players this year from a 22-1 team that came within one victory of advancing to state a year ago.

But when Hoffman -- a team leader in several categories since her freshman year -- tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Feb. 19, a lot of people thought the Monarchs' chances of getting to state left the court with her.

However, the rest of the team dug deep, and with Hoffman cheering them on from the bench, the Monarchs went on a four-game winning streak and even upended previously undefeated and No. 1 state-ranked Kismet-Southwestern Heights in the sub-state finals.

You're going to state, I'm going with you, Hoffman said.

And she didn't mean as a tag-a-long.

"I'm playing," Hoffman told everyone and anyone who would listen.

Following a whirlwind couple of days, Hoffman strapped on a knee brace sent to Hays just in time to play and packed her bags for state.

A win for many

Coach Alan Billinger said this state title was for the seniors.

But those seniors know it was for a whole lot of other people as well.

"Incredible support from their parents," Billinger noted.

There also were the players of past teams that got so close to advancing to state.

Lisa Beran Hays, a senior on the only other Monarch girls' team to advance to state in 1994 -- when the Monarchs lost in the first round -- was in the stands Saturday.

And there's former coach Roger Ruder, who now lives in San Antonio, Texas, but still loyally follows the Monarchs via the Internet.

Ruder coached some talented teams during his stint back in the '80s, but only after first enduring some thin, character-building seasons.

"I said 31 years ago that there should be no reason why TMP couldn't be competitive on a yearly basis, and (Billinger) proved that to be true," Ruder said by e-mail. "All that they ever needed were direction, discipline, and commitment. All are present now."

Ruder was particularly interested in the success of this year's team because he had two nieces -- junior Shaunna Ruder and her younger sister, Heather, a freshman -- on the team.

The Ruder sisters' dad, Russ Ruder, was a standout for the Monarchs during his high school career and even qualified for state his senior year. But they lost in the first round.

Their mom, Janel Ziegler Ruder, played on some talented girls' teams during her high school days at TMP-Marian but never made it to the season finale.

Billinger said he didn't realize how much support they would get at state until he saw the large student section behind one of the baskets at Thursday's first-round game.

"Gee whiz, I was really surprised at how many people were there," Billinger said. "That sure meant a lot to our team. The atmosphere was fantastic."

One for all ...

Schippers and Stramel said that Hoffman's presence on the bench during the four-game stretch when she couldn't play was key to the team's success.

Her return to the court proved even more invaluable.

From the time she came off bench in the first quarter at state against Riley-Riley County to the final buzzer in Saturday's championship game, Hoffman sparked the team.

"It sure took a lot of courage to come back and play," Billinger said of Hoffman, scheduled for surgery Wednesday in Wichita.

In addition to a boost from their teammate's return, Stramel and Schippers also said they got a boost from the big fan support.

"I was surprised how many made the trip," Stramel said of her fellow students, admitting that a state championship atmosphere in basketball is different than that of state softball.

"The fans are so much closer, and you can hear everything," Stramel said.

"The crowd gets involved with every single possession," Schippers agreed. "Constant adrenaline."

Now, the seniors' attention must quickly turn to other things.

Schippers and Stramel have to get ready for the softball season, for which they are getting a late start.

And Hoffman already is thinking about rehabilitating her injured knee following surgery.

No matter.

They know this state championship is something they can celebrate long down the road.

"I'm still on Cloud 9," Schippers said Sunday night, about 24 hours after the biggest win of their career. "We always wanted to win it. Now, I'm glad it happened our senior year."

Hoffman smiled as she looked at her buddies.

"We didn't lose the last game of our senior year," Hoffman said. "We couldn't have planned it any better."