The pair were selected to participate in this year’s Hy-Vee Pepsi High School All-Star Challenge.

The game pitted Kansas and Missouri metro players against one another.

THS assistant Sue Walker also coached with Kraft, as did Blue Valley West coaches Cori Culp and Jana Wright.

Heim scored two points in the all-star game. Despite leading at halftime, the Kansas team couldn’t hang on and fell by 10 points to the Missouri squad. A boys game also was played after the girls game.

“It was a lot of fun,” Heim said. “At first I thought I was going to be nervous but once I met the girls and met the other coaches, I felt really comfortable and had fun.”

Heim also had the opportunity to rub elbows with some good players — both from Kansas and Missouri.

“It was just really neat to play against girls who you know might go D-1 or will be playing at high levels at college,” Heim said.

The team practiced twice last week at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A banquet also was held Friday at the Marriott Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City. De Soto’s Amy Petty and Lawrence High’s Megan Klingler played for the Kansas team. On the boys squad, Immaculata’s Danny McEvoy and Free State’s Brady Morningstar were area athletes selected for that team.

After making his first state appearance last month as he guided Tonganoxie to its first state appearance since 1998, THS coach Randy Kraft said the all-star game was icing on the cake.

“It’s quite an honor to be selected to coach an all-star game,” Kraft said.

With a 12-person roster full of top talent from the metro area, Kraft had a hard time of deciding who would start.

The team opted to draw cards to see who would start.

Heim happened to be picked as the fifth starter.

“I pulled the right card,” Heim said with a laugh.

The luck of the draw meant the Kansas team started the game with four forwards and a guard.

“It wasn’t even the point guard,” Kraft said.

Team Kansas actually was down early by eight points, but clawed back for a halftime lead.

The 12 players had fairly even playing time. When coaches substituted, they replaced all five on the floor with new bodies. Kraft said he wasn’t sure how much coaching he really did in the game.

“Our job was to shuffle them in and out,” Kraft said.

The game marked the last time Kraft coached Heim, but she plans to continue playing basketball in college. She has looked at possibly playing volleyball in college, but Heim thinks she’ll sign somewhere local to play basketball.

“At the moment, I think basketball is what I want to do,” Heim said. “I really enjoy volleyball and have had fun with that, but I see more opportunities for me in basketball.”

Heim hasn’t picked a school yet, but she plans to sign somewhere in the area.

The Tonganoxie senior also was chosen to play in all-star volleyball and basketball competitions at Highland Community College on Saturday, but Heim said she already was committed to playing for her club volleyball team that day in a regional tournament.

That falls on weekend club volleyball regional. Regionals this coming weekend.

“I really wanted to play in the Highland games, but I just felt like I already had made a commitment to that team,” Heim said. “They were my first priority. I couldn’t let them down.

“And prom is the night before. It’s just kind of a busy weekend.”

Kansas All-star girls roster
Jacky Smith, Blue Valley North
Mary Pishsy, Blue Valley West
Amy Petty, De Soto
Lacy Corker, Bishop-Miege
Ellen Jergenson, Shawnee Mission North
Megan Klingler, Lawrence High
Jennifer Franklin, Shawnee Mission East
Addie Heim, Tonganoxie
Jessie Burton, Blue Valley Northwest
Michaela Uriell, Shawnee Mission Northwest
Iesha Tyler, KC-Washington
Becca Bean, Blue Valley West

Coaches: Randy Kraft, Tonganoxie; Cori Culp, Blue Valley West; Sue Walker, Tonganoxie; Jana Wright, Blue Valley West.

Kansas All-star boys roster
Brett Illiff, Blue Valley North
Willie Ball, Blue Valley West
Brady Morningstar, Lawrence Free State
Aaron Linn, Shawnee Mission West
Clint McFall, Olathe South
Ryan Highfill, Gardner-Edgerton
Eric Monroe, Shawnee Mission South
Ryan Spearman, Sumner Academy
Mike Garrison, Shawnee Mission Northwest
Danny McEvoy, Immaculata
AJ Randis, KC-Schlagle
Chris Balham, Shawnee Mission West

Coaches: Don Bechard, Gardner-Edgerton, Mike Brinsko, SM West; Tim Welch, Gardner-Edgerton; Tim Bishop, SM West.