KNOX, Pa. – Going into the season, Keystone’s Emily Lauer didn’t even know she was close to 1,000 career points.
But she was excited to reach the milestone Tuesday, Feb. 2, in a win over Karns City.
“I didn’t really know about it until this year when Mr. Irwin (Keystone athletic director Bill Irwin) emailed and said ‘she is actually kind of close (to 1,000 points),” Lauer said. “I wanted it, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up because anything could happen at any time.”
Going into the Karns City game, Lauer needed 16 points to reach 1,000, and through three quarters of play, she was sitting at 14 points.
With the Lady Panthers on the road Friday at Moniteau with no visiting fans able to attend, Lauer was able to achieve the milestone on Keystone’s final basket of the night in a 51-18 win.
“I was close and it was our last home game because Friday we are at Moniteau,” Lauer said. “I was surrounded by my family and everyone I wanted to be there.”
Watch Lauer’s full interview
One of the people who was able to be in attendance was Lauer’s brother, Andrew, who graduated from Keystone in 2020.
“I have looked up to him so much,” Emily Lauer said. “Ever since he started playing varsity, I just wanted to be like him.”
Emily said Andrew was one of the people who really pushed her to become the basketball player she is today.
“He is like 6-foot-4, and we would go out to the basketball court and would be playing and he would block me,” Lauer said. “He would (tell me) to get up and shoot again, and I would shoot again, and he would block me again.”
Emily Lauer with her brother, Andrew, after scoring her 1,000th career point. Photo of Keystone’s Danae Hurrelbrink. Photo by Diane McMunn. See more of McMunn’s work here
Lauer is more pleased with the play of her team, the Lady Panthers are 10-0 after Tuesday’s win than she is at scoring 1,000 points.
“It means so much (our record),” Lauer said. “This team is so special. We are so close. Everyone is just great. I have played with Danae (Hurrelbrink) and Maddie (Dunlap) since third grade. They have been there for me, and having them there and going through this experience with them is so awesome.”
Emily Lauer (center) with teammates Maddie Dunlap (left) and Danae Hurrelbrink (right) after scoring her 1,000th career point. Photo of Keystone’s Danae Hurrelbrink. Photo by Diane McMunn. See more of McMunn’s work here
Lauer is the ninth player in Keystone girls’ basketball history to score 1,000 points. Here is the complete list:
1. Brittany Mays – 1,743
2. Morgan Johnson – 1,606
3. Madison Johnson – 1,551
4. Taylor Geer – 1,401
5. Deanna Henry – 1,310
6. Laurie Heath – 1,129
7. Sam Schwabenbauer – 1,167
8. Julie Ganoe – 1,084
9. Emily Lauer – 1,000 (Through Feb. 2, 2021)
