Brooke Paalhar Scored 1,000 Points in her High School Basketball Career and Etched Her Name in Record Books on Senior Night

It was a night of celebration and milestones at Kearney High School on Tuesday, February 17, as senior guard Brooke Paalhar surpassed the 1,000-point career mark. The achievement came in dramatic fashion during the Bulldogs’ "Senior Night" showdown against Excelsior Springs, a game in which the hometown Bulldogs dominated with a convincing 57-46 victory.

Brooke, who has been a mainstay of the Bulldogs' offense for four years, entered the contest nearly unaware of how close she was to the elite scoring threshold. “I had no idea until today,” she admitted in an interview with KPGZ 102.7 FM after being named the Intercept Fiber Player of the Game. She finished the night with 22 points, cementing her place in Kearney basketball history.

Brooke acknowledged her teammates and community as those who have helped her along the way, "I could definitely not have done this without them [my teammates]. All my credit goes to them because they got me to where I am."

The 1,000-point milestone is just the latest accolade for the multi-sport star, who has already signed to play softball for the University of Utah and recently broke school records with over 200 career hits on the diamond.

Brooke has been the engine for Kearney (14-9) this year, delivering consistent high-level performances:

Scoring: Averaging 16.1 points per game, with a season-high of 27 points against Van Horn.
Efficiency: Shooting an impressive 50% from the field.
Versatility: Leading the team with 5.3 assists and 2.9 steals per contest.

With the regular season winding down, the Bulldogs turn their attention to the Class 5 District 8 Tournament. Kearney enters as a formidable contender with the following final regular-season matchups:

Feb 20: vs. Smithville Warriors (Home) – 7:00 PM
Feb 24: at Grandview Bulldogs (Away) – 7:00 PM
Feb 26: vs. Winnetonka Griffins (Home) – 7:00 PM
March 2–6: District Tournament at Kearney High School

Bulldog fans can follow Brooke and the Bulldogs on their playoff journey by tuning into local game broadcasts on 102.7 FM KPGZ.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.