When it came to winning the popular icebreaker game Two Truths and a Lie, Caitlin Bickle always had an ace in the hole.Shed say her room is pink, she plays basketball and rides horses.They would always think the horses were the lie, said Bickle, a junior at Cactus Shadows (Cave Creek, Arizona). Everyone was like, What? You dont do that. But I did.Bickle didnt play with dolls as a 5-year-old. Instead, she started horseback riding. She was adept at a variety of styles, including saddlebred and barrel racing. Up until March, Bickle and her horse, Abby, traveled from state to state to compete.Thats where she developed leg and core strength -- not to mention uncanny balance. Each piece has helped her on the basketball court, where shes a 6-foot-1 wing and the No. 34 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Super 60 for the 2018 class. She also enjoys basketballs version of H-O-R-S-E. When she visited Berkeley last month, she played (and won) against a Cal coach and an Arizona Select AAU teammate.But early returns on horseback didnt always net the best results. She was thrown off, and even had her hand stepped on by a five-gaited horse.I honestly fell off so much, but I was like, Might as well keep doing it, Bickle said.Her perseverance has certainly paid off, notably in a different arena.A lot of kids who are tall in basketball are awkward, said her mom, Lyn. Caitlin, shes just always been very dominant on the court.She also had a knack for being a fast learner. The first time she rode a bike, she didnt need help, though the surface was grassy and uneven.She just got on and rode, no training wheels, Lyn said. It was the craziest thing.The glueIt was important to Lyn and Caitlins dad John, a doctor in family practice, that their daughter be well-rounded. In addition to basketball and equestrian, Caitlin played softball and soccer.By fifth grade, she realized basketball was the right fit. Thats when she started playing for Ben Boyd at Arizona Pure, which later became Arizona Select.Caitlin has two older brothers: James (19) and Danny (21), a reserve in the U.S. Marines. Both attend Grand Canyon University, where Lyn works. And both study accounting, but Caitlin envisions studying therapy or law in college.The brothers helped instill toughness in Caitlin from an early age. It was always like, you wake up and youre competing with your brothers, she said.The first time Caitlin hit the court hard during rec ball with a thigh contusion -- dead leg -- her father came down from the stands after Lyn nudged him.But his daughter wasnt interested in help.Shes on the court, and she looks up at me and goes, Get away from me, John said. Like, What are you doing here? I was like, Oh, OK. She got up and shook it off and kept playing.Bickle has been part of a transformation at Cactus Shadows. The Falcons won a combined 16 games in the two years before she enrolled. With her in the lineup, they won 51 games over the past two seasons.Shes changed the whole dynamic of our program, coach Richie Willis said.Bickle led the Falcons to a No. 6 state ranking last year while averaging 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists. She also earned first team all-state honors.Willis describes Bickle as a worker and contributor. He has even tweaked some portions of the playbook based on her suggestions.Our program has been on the rise, and Caitlin is a huge part of it, Willis said. Her IQ for the game is ridiculous.Basketball isnt Bickles only team activity at school. Shes part of the Break-away Leadership Team -- a group of student leaders who work to make the school inclusive. She has helped with fundraisers, handed out papers with compliments to students, and brainstormed ways to stop bullying.Away from school, shes working to get stronger. She regularly visits EXOS -- an athlete performance center -- before practice.Above all, her coach and parents say, she keeps her team together with an intrinsic confidence.She really serves as the glue for a team, John said. It makes me so proud when other people and evaluators say those things.You know its true because you can see it also.Which Bear will it be?Bickle narrowed her college choices to Michigan, Louisville, Cal and Baylor in August. Recently, she picked a top two: Cal Golden Bears and Baylor Lady Bears.She hopes to commit before the AAU season kicks into full swing in June.It isnt really a goal for me to go far away from my family, Bickle said. That was a big decision for the two. ... I have a very good relationship with Cal-Berkeley and Baylor.I love their coaching staffs and their campuses.While she mulls over her options, Bickle and Cactus Shadows are on a mission. They fell 49-40 to Seton Catholic last postseason in the Division II state final.I do want to make sure that our team gets to that point, but also past that point, she said. That would be amazing to be able to achieve.Bickle and Cactus Shadows will undoubtedly face some challenges along the way.No worry, though.A basketball is much easier to control than a 1,500-pound horse with a mind of its own.Hopefully Im there for another 10 or 15 years, Willis said. I dont know if there will be another player that I will be blessed by the basketball gods that will come through the doors like Caitlin.You never know, but Im a lucky guy right now. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Authentic . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. 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The Penguins program that he coached to four FCS national titles in the 1990s is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006. His first title came in 1991 following a 10-0 win over Samford in the semifinals. The Penguins are coming off a blowout win over Missouri State in which they had three rushers gain 166 yards or more (Ruiz, Jody Webb and Joe Alessi). The QB position hasnt been settled for coach Bo Pelini, and Hunter Wells is the better passer and Ricky Davis the more mobile signal caller. The defense features the FCS active sacks leader in Rivers, but the unit is particularly stout against the run. The Penguins also feature place-kicker Zak Kennedy and punter Mark Schuler.dddddddddddd. Samford is regrouping from a surprising loss to East Tennessee State, the Bulldogs third in four games and nearly enough to keep them from an at-large bid. It may not take long for their offense to leave the losses behind because it has produced 30 scoring drives of less than two minutes. Hodges, the Southern Conferences offensive player of the year, dissects opponents with a quick-strike, short passing game. Hamilton has hit the 100-reception mark and Kelvin McKnight and Emmanuel Obajimi have combined for 103 catches. Salmon and defensive ends Ahmad Gooden and Roosevelt Donaldson have gotten into opposing backfields for a combined 41 tackles for loss. Lanky cornerback Omari Williams is tied for second in the FCS with 18 passes defended.Up Next -- The winner plays at No. 3 seed Jacksonville State (10-1) in the second round Dec. 3.Prediction -- Despite last Saturdays results, this is a terrific matchup. Youngstown State was 6-0 at home, but the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule set up nicely for that to happen. Youngstown State 27-21. Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '