HELENA — The Helena Capital girls are off to a 7-1 start, thanks in large part to their scorers. Dani and Paige Bartsch currently lead the team in points scored, but right behind them is Mara McGinley, or as many of her teammates call her, 'The Silent Killer.'
“We like to call her 'The Silent Killer.' She just comes out and she doesn't have that much emotion, but you know she's ready to go. You know she's ready to play and we can always count on her,” said Helena Capital senior Audrey Hofer.
Whether she's having a good game or a bad one, McGinley rarely shows her emotions on the court. For her, the power aspect of the game is not showing them and giving the opposing team's nothing to feed off of.
“I’m not a huge hip hip hurrah person. I don't like the other team to see how I’m feeling to use that against me," said McGinley. "I try to have a poker face at all times.”
McGinley is so good at keeping an even keel that sometimes it's hard for her teammates to know what she's thinking.
“It is hard to read sometimes, but I know she’s never down on herself or anything like that. She’s always there for us," said Hofer.
While McGinley's attitude is an attribute to the Bruins, her head coach also knows that her outside presence is enough to drive teams insane as well.
“I think it's huge. It's made teams have to guard us in man (defense) a lot this year, which is proving to be problematic at times for a team," said Katie Garcin-Forba. "When teams have zoned us, she's shot the ball really well, and she helps us just be able to get inside-out looks because they have to really defend her there.”
Even though her emotions may not show it, 'The Silent Killer' is out for blood this season.
“I’m very focused," said McGinley. "I don’t worry about other things going on. I’m just there to win pretty much.”
