By Ronnie Gallagher
Salisbury Post
Throughout her North Rowan career, JaQuanta Wilks suited up in Cavalier green.
In about two months, she’ll still be wearing green.
As in fatigues.
Wilks, North’s only senior this season, will join the Marines after graduation. She certainly needed that mentality to stay strong during a two-win campaign.
What may have shocked her coach, Mike White, and her teammates more than winning only twice was when Wilks told them she had selected the military as her career.
“My reaction?” White chuckled. “I couldn’t say anything. I know I couldn’t do it. But she’s strong-minded. It’s fortunate that she chose to go.”
Wilks may be the first all-county player in history to choose the military.
So the question is, why?
“It’s like the ad, ‘The few and the proud,’ ” Wilks said. “I want to be one of those.”
White was certainly proud of her. His team was full of inexperience and injuries knocked out potential all-county selections.
Wilks finished with 12 double-figure games, her high coming against West Davidson when she poured in 17.
White quickly realized that when Wilks was on, the Cavs could come close. When she wasn’t, it usually meant a blowout loss.
“She was a leader,” he said. “She didn’t say much but led by example. She got a little feisty near the end of the season when she noticed she had to take charge.”
Wilks was ready for the challenge.
“Last year, I thought I should’ve been a leader because I was one of the guards,” Wilks said. “This year, we had a young team so I had to step up.”
Especially in the final eight games. Wilks had six of her double-figure games during that stretch. She scored 13 against Lexington and 16 more against West Davidson. After scoring eight against eventual state champion East Davidson, she finished the last four games of her career with point totals of 12, 14, 11 and 15.
“She was always a steady performer,” White said. “It was a tough year but I’m glad she fought through it.”
It might just make her tougher for her next step in life. In fact, Wilks arrived for the all-county photo shoot after her class in military science.
Wilks said she could report either June 23 or July 7, adding, “The reason I’m going is for school, mainly.”
Wilks was asked to think back to the reaction of her teammates when they heard about her choice.
“They were like, ‘What? Huh? Are you crazy?’ ” Wilks laughed.
JaQuanta Wilks isn’t crazy. She knows exactly what she’s doing.
“Just the title of being a female marine …” she smiled.
She’ll be one of the few.
And she’ll be proud.
So there’s really only one more thing for her teammates óand White ó to do until she graduates:
Salute her.
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Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4287 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com.