Personal statistics are not a big deal to Rory Salvesen.
That’s why the Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School senior wondered what was going on Feb. 27 during the first half of the Chargers’ WIAA regional semifinal matchup with Spooner.
Her basket had given the Chargers a 27-0 lead in the first half and she was well on her way to a 36-point night.
Those two points turned out to be Salvesen’s 2,000th career points, and she admitted after the game that she had no idea about the milestone.
“Honesty, I don’t ever pay attention to the stats,” she said. “I had no idea. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ Then I saw my teammates and coaches and kind of put two and two together.”
Those two points were part of a 25-point first half for Salvesen that helped the Chargers take a 57-12 lead into the locker room at halftime.
She added 11 more points in the second half as the Chargers advanced to a regional final against Bloomer.
Success in sports is nothing new for Salvesen.
She competed as a freshman, junior and senior at the WIAA State Cross Country Championships and is about to start her final season with the Chargers’ softball team. She will then head to the University of Minnesota, where she will play softball.
“She’s an exceptional athlete: a state cross country runner, a big-time softball player and a heck of a basketball player,” coach Nick Mechelke said. “To reach 2,000 points is a tremendous accomplishment. She is the school’s all-time leading scorer.”
Before heading to Minnesota, Salvesen has a chance to wrap up her high school basketball career with the program’s first trip to state later this month.
“I’m the same me that I was before the game as I am now,” she said. “(Scoring 2,000 points) really doesn’t make a big difference to me, but it’s super-cool to have the support for the whole team from the community. That’s awesome to see.”
