Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes McDonald senior Sophia Constantino recently surpassed 1,000 career points to join four relatives on the wall commemorating their achievements.

Having a memento to remember something special can mean a lot.

McDonald senior Sophia Costantino received a basketball with her name and 1,000 points written on it in large, white letters, signifying her career achievement. It couldn’t have meant more to her.

“This was my primary goal,” Costantino said. “When I started playing varsity, even in junior high, that’s what I was working for in practice. It was always one of my goals because I have two aunts, my grandpa and my cousin all on the 1,000-point wall already. So, it’s kind of like a family thing. I strived to be with them. I’ve always had them to look up to.”

Costantino also had a teammate eclipse the 1,000-point mark this season in Molly Howard.

“It’s never been competitive between players on the team,” Costantino said. “It’s always been about working to make each other better.”

Costantino entered the Feb. 4 matchup at Springfield 20 points shy of 1,000. Howard delivered the pass that put her over the top.

“It was the middle of the fourth quarter,” Costantino said. “I had 19 points at that point. There was a fast break. I popped out behind the 3-point line, Molly passed it to me, I shot it and went over 1,000.”

An even more important number to Costantino is her 4.0 GPA. She is on track to be class valedictorian and is currently undecided as to where she’ll attend school next fall.

“School has always been first for me,” she said. “I’m taking college classes now and waiting for some applications to come back.”

Costantino enjoys reading, and recalled an inspiring book by U.S. Olympic soccer player Carli Lloyd.

“I read her book in junior high,” she said. “It was all about the dedication to your craft. The fact that you have to work day-in and day-out, no matter what. Always give everything you have.”

Costantino and the rest of the Blue Devils are giving it everything they have, trying to repeat as Division IV district champions. They are seeded first and will play a second-round sectional game at 1 p.m. Saturday at home against 24th-seeded Chalker.

“We’re super excited,” Con-stantino said. “This one feels a lot different, being seniors. We feel it in the air. It’s really special. We know this our last chance to do something that hasn’t happened at our school in a while.”