On the basketball court, Kayla Patton and Jeffrey Bonner are a couple of Falcons helping lead the flock.

They’ve both been with the local program all four years of high school and, as seniors, now serve as captains.

On the court, their teammates look to them for guidance and motivation. Whether they’re calling out plays or putting in that little bit of extra effort to help spur the team on, the rest of the Falcons respond.

Leading their teams in practically every area of the game, they also lead by example.

For Patton, her love affair with basketball began early on.

“I was probably two when I first started playing,” she said, settling into the bleachers in the high school gym.

“I had a Little Tykes basketball hoop and I was on it 24/7. One of my parents would be like, “Where’s Kayla?” and it was always, “Oh, she’s still shooting hoops.”

So Patton started early and kept going strong. Bonner, on the other hand, was something of a late bloomer.

“I remember a friend and I were on a church team and we were two of the worst on the team,” he said, laughing.

“They set up a play for us in the championship game one year so we could finally play. He fed me the worst pass and I missed the shot, but everyone told me what a good job we had done after. We got lots of praise and lots of food. I remember thinking, if I can do this badly and get all of this, then I’m good.”

Bonner has improved quite a bit over the years. No longer missing those important shots, he currently leads the team with 22.2 points per game for 421 so far this season.

Patton also leads her team through most of the stats book with 17 points, four assists, six rebounds and three steals per game.

If there’s one thing the duo can agree on, it’s why they both kept playing. Patton highlighted the fast pace, competitive nature and team play.

“What she said,” Bonner added.

“It’s also an outlet for everything else going on. There’s one job everyone is trying to do and we focus on that. It’s kind of refreshing.”

Despite all of his years of play, though, Bonner said he still gets nervous before a game.

“But I’ve got to have that poker face and not let the team see it,” he said.

“Before the Valley Christian game, I had butterflies so bad I ran to the bathroom thinking I was going to puke. But a teammate came in and puked instead, so I just started talking to him, saying how everything was going to be great.”

Patton, too, said she’s not immune to a bit of the jitters.

“I try to stay businesslike, but also fun,” she said.

“I try to block it all out and just be confident. I know what I’m doing. I know my job. I have the skills to win this game. I get nervous, but I just try to control it.”

Kayla admits that she’s not the most vocal leader or even the most enthusiastic person, but she said she does her best to quietly lead by example, displaying a work ethic and dedication that’s second to none. Bonner, on the other hand, is more suited to rallying the troops.

“For me, it’s communicating with the team,” he said.

“Sometimes I step in and show them what we’ve got to do. I make a shot and watch them feed off of it, and then we do better.”

As for the current season, both Bonner and Patton expect their respective Falcons to go far.

“I think we’ve got a really good shot to go back to state and win it,” Bonner said.

“We can beat any team in our division. We’ve had a few losses, but they’ve been due to small mistakes. We have to get that out of our system now and be ready for state.”

Patton said she has no doubt in her mind that this has been the best season for the Falcons since she’s joined the team, and possibly in the school’s history.

“We’ve had a few tough losses, but a lot of solid wins,” Patton said, motioning to the honors banner hanging over her left shoulder.

“It’s our year to go far in state and prove girls basketball isn’t a joke in Fountain Hills. I want to put something on that banner.”

It should come as no surprise at this point that both Bonner and Patton plan to keep basketball in their lives after high school.

Patton said it doesn’t matter to her if she joins a Division III or Division I school, so long as it’s on a competitive team at a college that fits her academic needs. She’s being looked at by a couple of schools currently and said she’s thinking of going into the medical field.

Bonner said he’s being considered by a couple of community colleges at the moment, so he’d like to work at that for a couple of years, fine-tuning his fundamentals, before hopefully going on to a bigger school to play and learn.

They’ve both put a lot into the local basketball program over the years, but both agree they’ll be taking away even more.

“For me, I’ve learned that working hard and sticking with something can lead to so many achievements you wouldn’t believe,” Bonner said. Patton wrapped it up.

“I gained a lot of confidence in myself,” she said.

“When I started, I basically never talked. Coach Baca helped a lot with that. I’ve become a better player and a better person because of this team.”