SLIPPERY ROCK — Jence Rhoads sat against the wall outside the Slippery Rock Highgymnasium, an ice bag secured to her left ankle and another strapped to her right shin.

They soothed the battle scars of a record-setting senior season spent overcoming injuries as much as overcoming opponents bent on stopping her.

"I finally feel back to normal," Rhoads said after her 30-point performance against Grove City Monday night.

Rhoads sprained her left ankle before the season started and again when the Rockets played Hickory Dec. 14.

She thought she would be out until mid-January.

But she hasn't missed a game — and Rhoads set a school mark for career points with little fanfare in the process.

The record came and went as quietly as a jumper that hits nothing but net.

It was as hushed as a home crowd before a free throw shot.

It was silent because no one knew about it.

Because of a clerical error, Rhoads passed Heather Kearney for the No. 1 spot on the Rockets' scoring list without a soul being aware of the feat.

Not even Rhoads.

"I was surprised, obviously, because I didn't know until after I reached it," said Rhoads, who now has 1,766 points in her career. "No one knew. When coach and I added up the points, I said 'I think I have it.'"

Coming into the season, she thought she needed 215 points to break the record. In reality, she needed only 138.

Her playoff scoring was left off her career totals.

Rhoads broke the mark against Union in a double-overtime loss Dec. 22.

At SlipperyRock's last home game againstErie East Jan. 2, she made it official with a ceremony before the contest.

"That record has been here for a while," Rhoads said. "(Kearney) was a great player here and everyone knew her. I'm happy to break it. I hope she doesn't have any hard feelings."

This season has been Rhoads' most difficult.

She signed in November with Vanderbilt University, which is ranked No. 10 in the Division I polls, then rolled her ankle in her first week of practice.

Rhoads finally was near 100 percent when she rolled the same ankle again against Hickory.

She thought the worst.

"Oh, yeah," Rhoads said. "It was tougher because I couldn't play the rest of the fourth quarter and overtime in that game."

Without her on the floor, Slippery Rock pulled out an overtime victory against the Hornets. After the exhilaration of the win wore off, thoughts immediately went to Rhoads and her very important left ankle.

"I didn't know if I was going to be able to play the next game," Rhoads said.

But she did.

"It turned pretty colors and swelled up real big," Rhoads said. "But I was able to play. Going through the treatment and the rehab was tedious and boring, but I knew had to do it."

Now, Rhoads appears to be mended, although she realizes her gimpy ankle will be a source of pain and annoyance all season.

"I think about it and it gets sore after the game," Rhoads said. "During the game I try not to think about it and play. It's better not to think about it, but you can always feel it."

Jence Rhoads is now No. 1 on the career girls basketball scoring list at SlipperyRock High School. Below is her year-by-year breakdown based on statistics reported to the Butler Eagle.<B>Year...............Games................Points................Ppg.</B>2003-04...............24...............429...............17.92004-05...............25...............495...............19.82005-06...............28............... 610...............21.92006-07...............13............... 232...............17.8Career...............90...............1766...............19.6