When her sophomore year with the Hannibal-LaGrange women’s basketball team started in November, Taylor Flake found out her new role.

The Montgomery County graduate was selected to play point guard, a position she never played before.

“It was a huge change for our whole team,” Flake said. “We had a lot of injuries and bad luck.”

But the new position helped Flake turn in her best season with the Trojans. She played in all 27 games and averaged 6.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Flake was a point guard of a Hannibal-LaGrange team that had a combined seven freshmen and sophomores and four seniors. She said coaches picked her for the position since two other point guards were out due to injuries.

“What they told me is to be confident and rely on my other teammates to help me because it’s a team sport,” Flake said. “We all really had to adjust. Some post players were playing the wing position and the wings were playing point guard. Some people had to get big. So it was kind of a teamwork type of thing that we had to get through. It wasn’t just me who had to adjust. It was the whole team.”

Flake started in all but two games this winter. A year ago, she started in eight out of 17 games.

“I love starting,” Flake said. “I started in high school and I worked hard for that position. I guess I did the same in college. It’s kind of harder in college, especially with me majoring in nursing. But it’s good to know that I can get through that and be a starter for my team.”

Flake finished in double figures seven times. She scored 13 points in the Trojans’ 77-36 season-opening victory over Manhattan (Kan.) Christian on the road on Nov. 2. She also scored a season-high 15 points against Missouri Valley on Nov. 8, grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds against Stephens College on Dec. 1 and finished with eight assists against Culver-Stockton on Nov. 5.

Flake said her best highlight was helping her team snap a seven-game losing streak with a 51-48 win over Cottey College at home on Jan. 12. The sophomore finished with eight points and 13 rebounds.

“The energy was awesome,” Flake said.

Hannibal-LaGrange, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school, finished with just four wins this season. Besides Cottey and Manhattan Christian, the Trojans also beat William Woods and Central Christian College of the Bible.

Flake will play for Hannibal-LaGrange for one more year as she plans to graduate with a nursing degree in May 2024.

“I can’t wait to start life. I love basketball, but I’m also excited for my future career,” Flake said. “I got most of my general education and prerequisites out of the way in high school. They said I had the perfect schedule going to college. I just got my basics out of the way in my freshman year. I got into the nursing program this past year. It’s only a two-year program, so next year is my last year.”

Flake graduated from MCHS in 2021. During her four-year career with the Wildcats, Flake scored 972 points, earned three all-Eastern Missouri Conference awards and helped her team finish with four winning seasons.