On Friday, Dec. 29, PA’s girls’ varsity basketball team, lead by senior Annelise Dexter, faced off with John Stark Regional High School for third place in the Capital Classic Holiday Tournament. 

Prior to the game, Dexter was 19 points away from the elite milestone of scoring 1,000 points in her high school career with the Spartans. 

In the middle of the third quarter, having netted 17 points, Dexter grabbed an offensive rebound in the paint, floated up a shot from close distance and found the bottom of the net for her 1,000th point. 

The Spartans went on to win the game, and Dexter finished with 29 points, but none quite as special as number 19.

Dexter’s bid to make the 1000-point Club at PA has recently been in the spotlight, but Dexter said that she has had the goal of reaching this achievement in the back of her mind since she was young. Dexter is only the eighth basketball player, and third female, to reach the milestone at PA since 2000, joining Chris Barker, Kelly Thomas, Alex Hall, Matt Persons, Pat Welch, Sean Menard  and Noah Cummings. 

“Reaching this accomplishment means a lot to me,” she said.

Outside of the basketball court, Dexter  maintains a strong commitment to school and academics. 

“I’ve always put academics first over basketball. It’s what my parents told me to do,” said  Dexter, who will be attending and playing basketball for the University of Rochester next year. “Balancing school and sports teaches you good time management.” 

Whether in the classroom or on the basketball court, Dexter’s disciplined approach and determination serves as an example for peers. 

In terms of basketball at PA, Dexter said she is still out to achieve more with the team, aiming for  a championship for her final season. Currently, the girls varsity basketball team is looking like a top contender, currently undefeated in the regular season.

Aside from the team’s performances, Dexter hopes to be selected as a first team All-State  player . She also expressed optimism for winning the major achievement of “D-2 New Hampshire Player of the Year.”

But the team championship still ranks as Dexter’s ultimate goal.

“I have had a lot of goals since I was young,” she said. “I wanted to start, and I wanted to score 1,000 points, but I also wanted to win a championship”. 

With two out of her three goals met, Dexter is still keeping her eyes on the prize in hopes of hoisting the championship trophy to finish her senior season.