During her freshman year at Lordstown High School, it became apparent to girls basketball coach Dave Smith that Sarah Cash would break the 1,000-point mark during her basketball career - but not this early.
In the 2010-2011 season, Cash averaged about 21 points per game, which made Smith realize that she could break that mark in her junior year, but he thought it would be later in the season.
After seven games, Cash's career total sits 10 points below the mark.
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Tribune Chronicle / Dave Dermer
Lordstown’s Sarah Cash is 10 points away from scoring 1,000 career points.
"From her freshman year, we knew that she'd probably hit it," Smith said. "I didn't think this early in her junior year - we knew it might be late junior, beginning of senior year. She's done great things in the past, so we knew that if she put the time in, she'd do it."
Tonight against the Lowellville Rockets, Cash is a safe bet to become the fourth player in Lordstown girls basketball history to complete the feat.
The last Red Devil to record more than 1,000 points was Lindsey Harrison, who achieved it late in the 2010-2011 season. Before that, Smith said the last girl to eclipse 1,000 points did so in the 1980's.
Not only will Cash become the fourth player in Lordstown history to accomplish the feat, but she will join another select group.
Since 2000, three other area players have broken the 1,000-point mark before their senior seasons. Boardman's Amber Bland and Ursuline's Courtney Davidson, who both graduated in 2004, and Badger's Sarah Bonar, who graduated in 2012, managed to reach 1000 points as sophomores and juniors.
Bland finished her career with 2,190 points, Davidson finished with 2,076 points and Bonar finished with 1,639 points.
Smith said the exclusivity of the list shows Cash's talent on the basketball court.
"(Cash is) somebody who's really passionate about the game, that loves the game," Smith said. "(She's) somebody that works at it and somebody who really takes the game to heart."
Smith has known Cash well on and off the court since she was in fourth grade.
According to Smith, Cash and his daughter are best friends. Smith said that even at such an early age, Cash was all about basketball and looking to play as often as possible.
Cash said that the relationship between player and coach has been good, and Smith has been one of her biggest supporters during her time at Lordstown.
"He's always told me that I can do it," she said. "Even when I have a bad game and get down on myself, he picks me back up and tells me that I can succeed at whatever I want to do."
Along with Cash's individual success, she has led the Red Devils to one of the team's best starts in years.
Lordstown is currently undefeated through seven games. The Red Devils' hot start includes important wins over Pymatuning Valley, Grand Valley and Bristol already.
"I don't even remember the last time that Lordstown even had a team that went 7-0," Smith said. "It's a big stride for us to actually go in the right direction for a winning season."
The Lowellville Rockets will put that hot start to the test Thursday. The Rockets are also undefeated, winning the team's first six games. Tonight will mark the second consecutive game that Lordstown has taken on another undefeated opponent.
Win or lose, the Red Devils will look forward to Cash getting her 1,000th point.
Despite the road game, Smith said the contest will stop after the basket, and Cash will receive the game ball at that point. Then, before the team's next home game, the school plans to honor her.
For Cash, though, she doesn't care too much about the ceremonies. She's only concerned with the game.
"It's just another point in the game for me," she said. "I just want to win the game. I don't really care who's scoring or not."
