Kaycie and Whitney Warfel have proven to be a consistent force for the Trojans basketball team.
On Wednesday, November 5, Kaycie became the first player in Taylor women’s basketball history to score more than 37 points in a game twice in a season.
“They’re both dynamic players,” head coach Cassie Wiseman said. “They both have a knack for the ball. They both have a scoring mindset.”
Basketball is nothing new for the sisters. Their journey through the sport began a long time ago. They first began to play at the age of five in YMCA leagues. It was not, however, until fourth grade that it became serious for them.
“I remember when I was younger I, like, tried out soccer, gymnastics, softball, like you know, volleyball too,” Kaycie said. “But I think, just like, the competitiveness of basketball is what really kept me in the game.”
Competitiveness is something that brought the sisters together to the court. It became the sport to which they could contribute at a high level.
“I’d say the contact is probably the most fun thing about the sport is like, you know, you could take out your anger a little bit on the court in a nice way, a legal way,” Whitney said. “But yeah, I’d agree, the competitiveness is the best part about basketball.”
Throughout high school and travel ball, the Warfel sisters continued to play together as a team. Even at home, they would practice in the driveway together. By training together, the sisters were always familiar with one another’s games, especially when on a team of new players.
“Honestly, my favorite year was the year that she [Kaycie] got to sub with me at one of our national tournaments,” Whitney said. “She outscored the entire team and we won the top position.”
It was at a high school game that Wiseman first met them. She had been a coach for Heritage Christian High School when she played against the sisters who were at Pendleton Heights High School.
“I got to, like, get to know them from playing against them, and scouting them, and knew they were both really good players,” Coach Wiseman said. “Then I started recruiting Kaycie right after I got the job here at Taylor, because I knew she was really good, and I knew Whitney was good. Whitney was already at Mount St. Joe for college.”
It was Kaycie’s recruitment that sparked an interest in Taylor for Whitney.
Whitney said she had been home watching one of Kaycie’s games and started chatting with Coach Wiseman. She had not been particularly loving Mount St. Joseph. After seeing God open a door for her to come and play at Taylor, she decided to transfer.
Now the sisters are once again on the same team. Not only are they on the same team together, but they room together as well. There are plenty of things they love to bond together over.
“I can just ask, like the whole team, we always like, love to go you know, like the Stu, or even just like a Taco Bell or McDonalds run,” Kaycie said. “But, also just like sitting in the apartment. Criminal Minds was kind of like one of the TV shows we just got done binge watching.”
The connection Kaycie and Whitney have together also translates to the court.
“You know, the same twin telepath, whatever, I feel like we have that, but we’re not twins,” Whitney said. “Like we connect really well when we play together. And we haven’t really got to show that much yet this year, but in high school, it was untouchable.”
While both sisters are massive contributors to the team, they present unique skills to the table. Each of these skills help the team win, albeit differently. While their games can sometimes mirror each other, their skills complement each other.
“Kaycie Warfel is fast,” Wiseman said. “She is so hard to guard in the open court…. She’s tough-nosed,” Wiseman said about Whitney. “She knows how to get to the ball, she knows how to push people…. She’s also older, and so she’s taken on more of, like a mothering, leadership role at the team, which has been really helpful.”
Kaycie and Whitney are accustomed to playing with each other. They even have two of their own signature duo plays.
Kaycie said it is usually her giving Whitney the ball then back cutting, because she can snake the pass through anybody. The other play is when Whitney gets open, Kaycie can lob the ball past the post to her.
The Warfel sisters have already created a massive impact on the Trojans, leading them to a 4-0 start to the season, giving Taylor a duo that has proved to be dominant.
