Dynamic Duos: Cave and Barrett Mapping out Another Trip to Lincoln

At the heart of Nebraska is our small communities, where generations of families inhabit the same farmlands, the same homes and the same high schools.  Grace Cave and Peyton Barrett come from the small town of Weeping Water, Nebraska, but their basketball skills are putting this small community on the basketball map. Barrett, a senior and Cave, a junior, led the Indians to an 18-9 record and a state tournament appearance last year, where they lost in the first round to Pleasanton.  Barrett lead Weeping Water with just over 20 points a game, while Cave was right behind her with 18 a night.  Both also were defensive demons, averaging almost four steals a game apiece. "I like the fact that we both know the game so well and we use each other’s skills to help one another out. I like to play with Grace because she is a diverse player and gets me the ball when I am open. Grace and I use our own skills to make plays for one another," Barrett said. <span style="font-weight: 400">"My favorite part about playing with Peyton is because we both know the game and each others strong suits," Cave said. "She is a good shooter on the wing and when I have the ball I try to look for her in the offense or if she is driving she looks to the corner. Our skills mesh so well because my ball handling masks hers, and her outside shooting makes up for mine."</span> Like most kids in a small town, Barrett and Cave have been basketball buddies for a long time. <span style="font-weight: 400">"In junior high we played together for the first time at Weeping Water," said Cave. "That season, I was a seventh grader and Peyton was in eighth grade, we lost only one game and as a team we averaged 50 ppg. We went to the same school so we knew we were going to play together but we didn’t think we would feed off of each others skills so well."</span> Although Barrett and Cave are the main attractions of the Weeping Water attack, they are team players and know that they are only as good as their teammates. "Our coaches do not base our offense off of our skills. The offense is ran by everyone on the team, but in some cases the plays are made for either Grace or I to shoot or drive," Barrett explained. Cave, a Nebraska-Omaha committ, agreed. <span style="font-weight: 400">"Though some plays are meant for Peyton or I to score, our coaches understand both of our strongest points and try to create plays for them."</span> After reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2012, both Cave and Barrett want more than a first round appearance; they want that elusive gold medal. <span style="font-weight: 400">"I am excited and anxious to start the new season," said Barrett. "Going to state last year was a huge step for our program, but the main goal is to take state for our school, team, and community. Our team is more than capable to win a gold medal, we just need to put the time and effort in and expect nothing less." </span> <span style="font-weight: 400">I think our team has many strong suits to it and many different skill sets. My goals for this season is to be a better all around player," said Cave. "My goal for the team is to play as hard as we can throughout the season to eventually go onto play at the Pinnacle Bank.  </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Making history and winning a state title would put Weeping Waters girls basketball on the map and a target on our backs for us to prove that we are the best in the state."</span> While both players are coming off outstanding seasons, both want to improve their own games and have individual goals that they want to achieve along with their team goals. "My goals for this season is to be a better all around player. I would also like to beat the all time scoring record for girl’s basketball at Weeping Water," Cave stated. <span style="font-weight: 400">"My goals as an individual is to break my high school assists in a game/season record again with Peyton and the rest of my team’s help," said Barrett. "As a team I want to break the points in a game. Last year in our district final we beat Hitchcock County and scored 85 points that game, the record was previously 75. We hope to break that again."</span> &nbsp; &nbsp;