Kankakee Valley senior small forward Raegan Walther became the school's all-time scoring leader Saturday in a victory over Munster.

Not too shabby when you consider that the Kougars' three-sport star nearly decided not to play basketball after her freshman year.

“Oh my goodness, I wasn't even sure if I was going to come back out,'' said Walther, now up to 1,186 career points.

Kankakee Valley coach Ryan Myers isn't sure where the Kougars (18-1) would be without Walther, who is averaging 19.8 points, five steals and five rebounds this season..

“She's our leading scorer, but she's a great defender, too,'' he said. “Usually, your best defenders aren't your best scorers, but Raegan leads the team in defense and scoring. I don't think her defense gets talked about as much, because it's overshadowed by her offense.

“She anticipates so well and has an ability to really put pressure on the ball.''

Playing behind guards Bethany Jansma, Lauren Stokes and Breanna Toppen three years ago, Walther didn't get many minutes.

“I wasn't used to sitting the bench, I was used to being out there and taking charge,'' she said. “That was a hard year for me. I actually hated basketball. I was forced to play by my parents (Alison and Bill). Looking back now, I'm pretty glad they forced me to play.

“The team I have now is the reason I love it as much as I do. We're all good friends and very close. We have fun and connect together very well.''

While Walther is one of Northwest Indiana's best basketball players, her favorite sport is soccer.

The Kougars' forward scored 25 goals and had six assists, earning a spot on the All-Area first team.

Blessed with a very quick first step and good overall speed, it's not surprising that Walther runs sprints and relays for KV's track team.

But Walther may not compete in college.

“I'm really torn whether to play or not,'' she said. “If the right situation comes along, I could. It depends if it does or not. We'll see. I've had a lot of coaches contact me, most from far away. I don't want to go far away. I'm kind of a homebody. I really can't even imagine sports not being in my life. I know I'll miss it when I'm done.''

Walther hopes for a career in athletic training and physical therapy. She's searching for a school which has that curriculum and wants her to play sports.

A member of the National Honor Society, Walther carries a 3.8 grade-point average while taking AP classes. She's active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and involved in SADD and Environmental Club.

Back on track: With a 53-51 win over Michigan City last Friday, Valparaiso ended a four-game losing streak.

The Vikings had won five straight before the slide, which included losses to Indianapolis Cathedral, Morgan Township, Portage and East Chicago Central.

“Against East Chicago and at our holiday tournament, our girls played very well,'' Valpo coach Candy Wilson said. “We had a very strong defensive effort, did a great job on the boards, had good energy, shot the ball well, and were focused. When those components come together, like many teams, we're pretty successful.''

Being accountable: Lake Central junior Rachael Robards feels a responsibility to keep the program's Duneland Athletic Conference domination going.

The Indians, which have won 22 straight in the DAC, haven't lost a conference game since falling to LaPorte on Jan. 10, 2014. They've won back-to-back league titles and on Friday host Valparaiso for a third straight undefeated DAC championship.

“I feel like it's our responsibility to win the DAC again,'' Robards said. “We want to make sure we keep it going and not let anybody down.''

John O'Malley is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.