(Falls City) -- An integral part of Falls City Sacred Heart girls basketball's dynasty is taking her talents to the collegiate level next year.
Senior Jessica Wertenberger recently announced her commitment to Hastings College.
"It means a lot," Wertenberger said. "I really wanted to play (beyond) high school.
A multi-year contributor at Sacred Heart, Wertenberger said she had little interest from colleges until this year.
"I started getting emails from other coaches," she said. "It started to set in that I could play at the collegiate level. One of my assistant coaches knows the Hastings coach. She showed me to her."
Wertenberger instantly bonded with head coach Jina Douglas.
"(Coach Douglas) was really open," Wertenberger said. "I watched some games. When I visited, they were great. It was a great experience."
Hastings was the only school Wertenberger seriously considered.
"I felt like I would fit in with their team," she said. "I saw the benefits of playing for them. There really weren't many schools looking at me. Hastings was the main one."
Wertenberger hopes the things she did well at Sacred Heart translate to Hastings.
"I feel like I'm an aggressive player," she said. "I try to get all the rebounds and score a bunch. I also help my teammates and try to play solid defense. I'm trying to improve my shooting skills."
Wertenberger didn't get to this point by herself. She credits those at Sacred Heart for her successful career.
"My coaches have coached me since I was a little kid," she said. "They've brought me a long way. And my teammates have helped me out."
Aside from continuing her basketball career, Wertenberger -- who plans to major in exercise science -- wants to cherish the college experience.
"I hope to have fun, learn new things, improve and make new friendships."
Wertenberger joins a Hastings program that went 11-17 last year. Click below to hear the full interview.
