Allie Turner – HS Athlete of the Week

The John Burroughs girls’ basketball team has had a season for the ages this year as the Bombers have won the Metro League for the first time in 18 years and have advanced to the Missouri State High School Activities Association quarterfinals for the first time since 2003. One of the main reasons for the Bombers’ resurgence this year is the play of our HSSC/Scoops with Danny Mac Student-Athlete of the Week, sophomore Allie Turner.

Turner has splashed onto the scene this season by averaging 17.6 points a game and dishing out 4.5 assists per contest to lead John Burroughs. She was named the Metro League Player of the Year and she also earned District Player of the Year honors.

John Burroughs is a young team and as Turner talked about, it took a bit for the team to gel this season.

“Having a new coach each of the past two seasons is different and that is something that we had to adjust to,” stated Turner. “Overall, I think that our team has adjusted well. At the beginning of the season, we were not quite gelled together because we had no seniors and a lot of freshmen and sophomores. But I think we have progressed well over the course of the year. We are on a 13-game winning streak, so that has been amazing and as a team, we have been getting closer, which has helped us win districts for the first time in many years.”

This young team defeated Westminster in the regular season and then had to rally in the second half to knock off the Wildcats in the district final to advance to the Class 4 sectionals where they defeated Cardinal Ritter to move on to the quarterfinals. Turner has turned into a leader this year and she is quick to credit her teammates for helping her adjust to that role.

“Our team is young and at times, it seems like I am more than a sophomore,” said Turner. “I am one of the captains of the team and that is odd being a sophomore. But I think that everyone on the team has helped me become more of a leader this season, especially our coaches. I think that it has benefited me in being so young to have this leadership role on the team and I think that this will help me over the next two years.”

Growing into a leadership role as a sophomore has been an easy transition for Turner. She has led the Bombers by example both in practice and during games. She is not the vocal type of person, but she lets her actions speak loudly.

“I am probably a quieter leader and I like to lead by example more,” stated Turner. “People look at me for what we are doing during play or at practice for what we need to do. I am not necessarily the loudest person on the team, so I like to set an example with my actions more than my words. Having a young team has helped me and the team grow in listening to the captains and it has helped everyone become leaders in general.”

The Bombers have flown under the radar this season and a lot of people in the area did not believe that they would accomplish what they have done in advance to the state quarterfinals. But Turner and her teammates had goals that they wanted to achieve.

“At the beginning of the season, our goal was to win districts,” stated Turner. “We thought that we were pretty good, but I don’t think that any of us thought we could be this dominant in our conference and the district. As a team, we have grown so much, and it is exciting for me as I have never played in this big of games in my high school career nor have any of my teammates. It is a new experience for all of us and we are super excited.”

Turner is also an outstanding student at John Burroughs and has learned that balancing her classroom work and her time in the gym is a very important aspect of being a student-athlete.

“It is definitely hard as usually shoot in the morning or get a workout in and then I go to class,” said Turner. “I have practice after school and then must get to my homework, so my days are full. But I like it like that. I like having something to do at every moment. I do relax but it has been like this for the past few years, so I am getting the hang of how to balance school and basketball or any other sport that I am doing. It is exciting, but it is also hard to do.”

John Burroughs first-year head coach Jacob Yorg knew when he took over the Bomber program that he had a great player in Turner and is impressed with how she has grown this season.

“You realize right away when watching Allie that she is a great player,” stated Yorg. “The thing people don’t realize is how much she is growing into a complete player. She is the perfect complement for those around her finding what they need from her to help them be successful. Her goal to help the team become successful has helped her grow so much this year.”

Congratulations to Allie Turner, our HSSC/Scoops with Danny Mac Student-Athlete of the Week and we wish her and the Bombers the best of luck in the state quarterfinals Saturday afternoon against Hallsville.