By PHIL WATSON

Globe Correspondent

Each was used to being her team's first, second and sometimes third option. Each came with a boatload of honors and recognition. But together, Kristen Ruppe and Nichole Mazurak have combined their talents to become a dynamic inside combination for the Gogebic Community College Lady Samsons.

How dynamic? In two years, Ruppe has shot to the top of the Lady Samsons' all-time scoring list with 894 points heading into this weekend's NJCAA Division II Region 13 tournament to be played at the Lindquist Center at GCC. Mazurek's 758 points leave her in fourth place on the same list.

The two knew each other and had played with, and against, each other in various 3-on-3 tournaments and other events. But due to the vagaries of Michigan playing its girls basketball schedule in the fall and Wisconsin's girls playing in the winter months, Ruppe and Mazurek never met as Red Devil and Midgette.

But the adjustment to being teammates didn't take long.

"If anything, it took the pressure off," Ruppe said of her talented teammate. "The pressure wasn't all on one player. If I had a bad night, I knew Nichole could pick up the slack."

"It was an easier transition because it was all girls from around the area," Mazurek said. "We all knew each other from tournaments and scrimmages and there was a familiarity there already."

Ruppe averaged 19 points and 12.2 rebounds as a freshman and followed that up with marks of 16.5 and 11.6 this season. After averaging 16.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season, Mazurek has averaged 15.2 points and 9.5 rebounds as a sophomore.

Each hopes to play at a four-year university next season. Ruppe says she's narrowed her choice down to a couple of schools, Mazurek said she hasn't found where she wants to go yet.

It can be a volatile mixture at times when two players, each used to being the focus of the team's attention, come together. But Ruppe and Mazurek both say there has been none of that during their two years together at GCC.

"In high school, there was a lot of time spent teaching the younger players how things were supposed to be done," Mazurek said. "But coming here, everybody already had those fundamentals down and we were just able to build off it."

"The teams we played against were a lot better than I saw in high school," Ruppe said. "And the players I was playing with were a lot better, too."

Mazurek said the biggest transition from high school to college was the level of competition -- she quickly learned there were precious few nights off.

"In high school, sometimes you knew you didn't have any competition and it was tough to get up for games like that," Mazurek said. "But here, you have to bring your best effort all the time."

This year's Lady Samson roster features three players from Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, three from Hurley and one each from Bessemer, Mercer, Bergland and Ontonagon. That familiarity with each other and with the area has created an almost familial bond on the team.

"The girls and the trips have been a lot of fun," Ruppe said. "It's been a different kind of relationship with my teammates than I had in high school and it's also been great being able to play in front of the community. It's great to know they support you."

"It's been a family-type of thing," Mazurek said. "Even with the guys' team, we've just gotten really close, with all the trips and the travel."

Ruppe said it was a matter of proximity.

"You're trapped in a van with 11 other girls, you're bound to get close," she joked.

Heading into this weekend's tournament, the Lady Samsons are 13-10, with half of those 10 losses coming by five points or less. Mazurek says it's been a question of focus.

"Some games we just don't come out focused and then the other team puts on a run and, all of a sudden, you're way behind," Mazurek said.

"We haven't been able to play a whole game all the time," Ruppe said. "We have these lapses."

Both players hope to avoid those lapses and, with a win in the Region 13 tournament, earn one more home game. GCC will host the meeting of the Region 13 and Region 9 winners for the right to advance to the national tournament.

And if this weekend is their final appearance together in the Lindquist Center, both Ruppe and Mazurek say there are things they will miss.

"I'll miss those close games, with the crowd getting into it, feeding off their energy," Mazurek said.

"I'd just like to thank Mr. Mackey and especially Mrs. (Andrea) Mackey," Ruppe said. "She did a lot for us over the last two years -- starting our cars in the cold, cooking meals for us."

"I'll remember Pete Montonati," Mazurek said. "He's at every game, he travels with the team. He's probably our No. 1 fan. And our teammates have been great. We've all helped each other out so much."

Ruppe was a three-time All-West PAC selection while at LLW and was the conference's MVP in 2001. She was also an all-state honorable mention selection twice and was on the All-U.P. Dream Team. An accomplished volleyball player also, Ruppe was all-conference twice and West-PAC MVP in 2003. She also set the U.P. record in the high jump while in track. She is undecided on a major and is the daughter of Cheryl and the late Tom Ruppe.

Mazurek was a three-time All-Indianhead Conference selection after being named honorable mention all-conference as a freshman at Hurley. She was also a two-time all-conference softball player and was on the Midgette teams that advanced to the state softball tourney in both 2001 and 2003. She is a business major and the daughter of John and Mary Korpela of Hurley and Greg Kuklinski of Ironwood.