RICHMOND

She has a smile that can light up a room.

That is what you get when meeting Richmond High School senior Danica Hurley, who hopes to complete, forgive the hockey term, a championship hat trick on Saturday when the Bobcats take on Eastern Maine Class D champ Washburn in the State Class D girls basketball game at the Augusta Civic Center (tip-off at 1:05 p.m.).

Danica, oldest daughter of Brian and Clarissa Hurley (with younger sister Camryn, 13, two years away from possibly starring in high school sports) has been the glue that holds the Bobcats together, whether on the soccer pitch, softball diamond or basketball court, though basketball still remains a distant tie for second on this University of Mainebound student/ athlete’s list of favorite sports.

“She has never hidden the fact that soccer is her favorite sport, which kills me sometimes,” joked Richmond basketball coach Molly Bishop of her four-year basketball player. “I’m sad that basketball isn’t her favorite sport, but once soccer is over, she comes to play basketball and plays basketball. She is very focused.

“I love Danica like she is my little sister. She works so hard and wants so much.”

High school begins

“Even in the fifth grade, she was a great leader,” said fellow senior Lindsy Hoopingarner of her early elementary school days while playing sports alongside Danica.

Soon, after successes in middle school, Danica was off to high school, playing alongside one-year older cousins Tara Hurley and Brooke Lancaster.

“When I was a freshman, it wasn’t the seniors, but essentially team leaders like Megan DeRaps, Brooke and Tara, and at the time Megan Christie, players like that who led and taught me how to be a leader. I came to watch (three-sport athlete) Amy Russell and ( cousin) Shelby Hurley play when I was in eighth grade, all people to look up to for sure.

“As a little baby freshman, it was intimidating to come up and have all these stellar athletes ahead of you. I played quite a bit for a freshman, first or second off the bench, but not as much time as I get now.”

“ She has been a leader on this team since day one, one of the oldest kids on this team since she was a sophomore,” said Bishop, whose squad during Danica’s freshman year posted a 6-12 record and lost to Buckfield, 61-41, in the Western D quarterfinals.

Danica has excelled across the sports spectrum at Richmond. The three-sport athlete has been a member of teams with a combined record of, catch this, 156-32-3.

She has two soccer Class D state titles, plus one in softball. She finished off a 37-goal soccer season with two tallies in Richmond’s 4-1 victory over Van Buren to kick off her senior season. It was the second consecutive Class D soccer championship for the Bobcats, both coming against Eastern D champ Van Buren.

Playing for longtime softball coach Rick Coughlin (“I couldn’t ask for better coaches. I’ve had the best four years imaginable and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”), Danica has starred at shortstop, teaming with second baseman Tara Hurley (Class of 2011) to form a solid double-play combination.

The Bobcats captured the Class D title in 2010 with 14-12 victory over Deer-Isle Stonington, but dropped last year’s rematch, 7- 2, at St. Joseph’s College in Standish. Danica, hitting out of the lead-off spot, sported a .500 average and scored 28 runs in her junior year.

“ I think everybody that plays sports here is really passionate about what they do. All three sports, we each put in a lot of time outside of just the high school season. I play soccer all year long against girls from all over. There is a passion for these sports up here at Richmond.”

Coming into the 2011/12 basketball season, Danica admitted she felt the pressure of trying to repeat as Western D champs.

“Obviously we had that big, red bull’s-eye on our backs and had just about everybody back, with three returning starters. We had to constantly remind ourselves that it wasn’t going to be easy. We had to still put in the time and work hard.

“We got lucky this year because the girls that have stepped up to start — replacing Tara and Brooke — and the kids on the bench have played a vital role on this team this year.”

As a leader, the number-one thing for me is to help us win. I try to help out everyone on the floor. My teammates look to me and (center) Jamie ( Plummer) for leadership and to point our teammates in the right direction. That has been my top role this year.” Danica’s on-court role before this season was mostly on the defensive end while looking to setup her teammates on offense, but this year Bishop wanted to see her point guard shoot the ball and help out more on the scoresheet.

Danica averaged a career- high seven points per game this season while continuing to excel on defense with three steals a contest. Plus, she has worked to groom her successors, fellow guards Brianna Snedeker and Noell Acord.

“She has taught me a lot and I try to model myself after her,” said Snedeker. “If I can be half the player she is, I will be happy with myself. I have improved just by watching her. I need to work on my shooting if I’m stepping into her role and just learn to be aggressive. That is what Danica does.”

“I am the key ball handler, and Brianna Snedeker is very good at it as well. They will all do it, it’s just confidence, and I always try to tell them they did really well. They just need that confidence to bring the ball up on their own.”

Danica’s passing has been another key factor to Richmond’s run, with the senior averaging four assists per contest.

“Danica is awesome, and we always see each other on the floor and talk to each other, and just have become a great pair on the floor,” said Plummer, who leads the Bobcats with 18 points a game. “She is a great athlete, a great leader. Every opportunity I have had to play with her has been awesome.”

As for the immediate future?

“I have two (titles) in soccer and one in softball, so to win it in basketball would be the icing on the cake. To be just as successful in basketball would really top things off.”

“She’s going to be gone in a couple of weeks, which makes me sad,” said Bishop. “She is just one of those kids that has the competitive drive that you don’t find in every kid. She will be missed.”

Danica said she wants to be remembered, along with her teammates, for all the successes during these past four years.

“Obviously, anybody would like to be remembered as being successful, and I think I would like to be known as a good leader who helped the other girls I played with to be successful. It’s coming to an end, which makes me sad, but I’m excited about the future and what my experiences at the University of Maine will be.”

BOB CONN is the Times Record assistant sports editor. He can be reached at bconn@timesrecord.com

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