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Washington Evening Journal
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Kissell, Kirkwood take gold
Former WACO star wins national title in freshman year
JOPLIN, Mo. — One year ago, WACO graduate Ellah Kissell was wrapping up her final high school season on the hardwood in Wayland. One year later, she was cutting down the nets after a national championship game.
Kissell and the Kirkwood women’s basketball team wrapped up a perfect run at the National Junior College Athletic Associaiation (NJCAA) Division 2 tournament on Saturday, knocking off previously undefeated Johnson Community College in the final game.
“Honestly, it was pretty wild,” Kissell said. “At the beginning of the season, thinking of the national tournament, let alone winning it, was something so crazy.”
Kissell and the Eagles won all four of their games by double digits, including a 69-58 win in the national championship. Kirkwood won its last 21 games of the year, finishing 35-2.
“Once we got there, I think our coaches and all of our girls had the right mindset every game,” Kissell said. “We were focused every game.”
Kissell, who comes off the bench for Kirkwood, played in all four tournament games, getting nine minutes in the championship. She finished the national title game with two blocked shots, including one at the end of the first quarter.
“It was kind of funny,” Kissell said. “I re-watched the film, and after the block, my face was kind of blank.”
Kissell says the season wasn’t all glory. She faced adversity early in the season, adjusting to jumping in to college ball with a winning program.
“At the beginning, it was quite terrifying,” Kissell said. “Everyone is good up here. Everyone can do about everything. There were lots of phone calls with my dad about getting my head straight.”
Kissell says her dad, WACO boys basketball coach Paul Kissell, told her to stay calm and control what she could control as she continued to adjust.
The former WACO star scored 22.2 points per game in her senior year of high school, but during her time with the Warriors, the team never made it to the state tournament. Kissell says playing on the big stage was a fulfillment of the work she put in throughout her hoops career.
“It makes it all worth it,” Kissell said. “All those long AAU trips to tournaments, and the whole stressful recruiting process. At the end of the day, being able to say that I'm a part of a national championship winning team is incredible. I'm so blessed”
