- Stars win opener at NBC World Series
- ROUND UP: Wolf Pack Take Down Eastlake
- Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix
- Patriots out-slug Vaqs to claim opener
- Rain Doesn’t Stop Wolf Pack
- Gallery: Boys Hoops – Week 10
- Vaqs continue qinning ways In tight contest
- VALLEY: Sultans finish undefeated season
- It takes the Pack to sweep Scotties
- Mujica & Co. keep rolling, win convincingly
- Singer retires again from coaching
- DIII: Southwest Eagles soar to championship
- 2018 EAST COUNTY SOFTBALL Schedule / Scores / Standings
- DV: LIONS ROAR TO CHAMPIONSHIP
- Williams, Vaqueros sweep into D3 final
- D2: After walk-off thrill, Sultans slump
- DII: SULTANS HAVE MADDY, MADDY, MAD POWER IN PLAYOFF WIN
- DIII: Vaqueros end Scotties’ upset run
- CIF OPEN DIVISION: SCRIPPS RANCH ROLLS EAGLES
- OPEN DIVISION: EAGLES RALLY TO STUN COUGARS
Focused Sultans take down Vaqueros
- Updated: January 20, 2018
Santana drives past El Cap on Friday night. / photo by Tammy Ryan - TRYAN PHOTOGRAPHY
EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE
SANTANA 61, EL CAPITAN 52
By Adam Paul
EastCountySports.com
SANTEE (1-19-18) – In front of a raucous crowd on Friday night, two squads who are looking to make some noise in their respective divisions and also league really went back and forth with each other.
In the first quarter none of the teams could really separate themselves from the other and at the end of the quarter, the Vaqueros were able to hold a slim 13-12 lead.
Santana scores against El Capitan on Friday night. / photo by Tammy Ryan – TRYAN PHOTOGRAPHY
However, things in the second quarter changed and would start the trend of runs as Santana was able to push out to a 22-16 lead thanks to a 10-3 run which included a Brandon Simmons three ball.
The Sultans would lead 24-21 with about a minute remaining in the half and push the lead 26-21 when the Vaqueros zoomed back and pulled within 26-25 on a last-second layup by Chase Lovato.
The second half was even as both squads came out of the intermission making the adjustments needed and it showed as both went back and forth in the third period.
When it was all said and done to end the third quarter the Sultans clung to a 40-39 lead.
Santana really turned up the heat in the fourth quarter when they started on a 9-0 run to take a 49-39 lead in the first couple minutes of the fourth.
The Vaqueros would eventually counter with a small run of their own as they scored 6 straight to pull within 49-45 with about two and a half remaining. But the Sultans didn’t go down as they scored 6 of their own points to lead 55-47.
One of the key points in the victory for the Sultans was they were able to hold Pfitzner scoreless in the fourth quarter as he drained 5 threes on the night for 15 points.
El Capitan’s Jakob Lopez, who put up 11 points, hit a three-pointer in the first half.
Other scorers for the Vaqueros were Randy Tucker who scored 14.
Santana was led by Nick Berhalter who scored 19 points including 10 points in the fourth quarter and also Desmond Williams who chipped in with 12 points.
The Vaqueros fall to 7-11 and 0-2 in Valley League play and will next take on the Valhalla Norsemen in Rancho San Diego on Tuesday, January 24th at 5:30 pm.
Santana, on the other hand, improves to 13-7 and 1-0 in league play. They will travel tomorrow down to the desert to take on El Centro Southwest at 7 pm and then play El Cajon Valley on the 23rd at 6 pm.
