Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Bonduel High School seniors Hayley Sorenson and Emily Sorenson signed Friday to play junior college basketball at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois, next winter. Posing after the signing are, from left, front row, Hayley, Emily, mother Kim Sorenson and Bonduel coach Jerry Reinke; and back row, father Stuart Sorenson, Rock Valley head coach Misty Opat, Rock Valley assistant coach Darryl Watkins and AAU coach Ted Stefaniak.
Twins Emily and Hayley Sorenson on Friday signed to play junior college basketball at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois.
Finding a program that was successful was imperative to the Bonduel High School seniors’ college search.
“It was a great group of girls,” Emily said. “We just knew from the start that we could call that place home for two years.”
Hayley had always thought about the chance to go to college with her sister, but Emily was skeptical of attending the same school. But now, they are going to room together along with two other basketball players.
“I don’t think she did, but I always said we were going to,” Hayley said of picking the same college.
Rock Valley College has won four of the past six National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division III national championships. The Golden Eagles went 13-0 in the North Central Community College Conference this year en route to winning the title last month.
Rock Valley College won its final 23 games of 2016-17 and set a program record for wins in a season at 33.
Next season will be different, however, with 11 freshmen coming into the program.
Hayley and Emily, who have been told their specific roles yet for the Golden Eagles, will need to adjust to the speed and physicality of the college game.
Rock Valley College head coach Misty Opat believes they could be major contributors.
“They play hard. Athletic, very, very athletic, and we’re really excited about what we think they are going to be able to impact immediately,” Opat said.
After two years of junior college play, the Sorensons hope to transfer to a larger four-year program to continue playing.
The twins were regular contributors off the Bears’ bench as sophomores before becoming starters over the final two seasons under head coach Jerry Reinke.
Bonduel compiled a 53-19 record over the past three years, in large part due to the success of the Sorensons.
“They are probably two of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever coached, and they are very unselfish, sometimes unselfish to a point,” Reinke said. “If there was a flaw, that would be it.”
The Sorensons, daughters of Stuart and Kim, have competed in volleyball and track in addition to their prominent roles on the basketball team.
They have acted as significant role models for the younger group of athletes coming up through the ranks in Bonduel.
“They never ask questions. They just do it,” Reinke said. “I think that’s been their strength as roles models just being as coachable as they are.”