GIRLS: Hillers, Lions advance to semifinals

By Ramon Scott
Updated: June 7, 2021

Liberty Charter following its victory in the San Diego CIF Division IV quarterfinals.

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

GROSSMONT 48, MORSE 34

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA – The Grossmont Foothillers advanced to the San Diego CIF Division II semifinals by defeating the Morse Tigers, 48-34, on Saturday at Grossmont High.

The second-seeded Foothillers will advance to face the Eastlake Titans on Wednesday at 7 at home with a spot in the Division II championship game on the line.

Ari Duke led Grossmont with 18 points, while also recording four steals. Duke has 37 points in two playoff games.

Hiller Shyann VanKirk had 12 points, 13 rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots. It was her third straight double-double in the postseason.

Domineece Silvels scored 9 points and grabbed five rebounds for Grossmont.

Grossmont led 12-8 after the first quarter but retained just a 24-20 lead at halftime.

The Hillers took a 41-28 lead into the fourth quarter.

Grossmont missed 15 free throws.

Grossmont improved to 17-5 overall.

Morse finished 12-9.

LIBERTY CHARTER 60, HILLTOP 37 – The Lions outscored the Lancers 18-8 in the second quarter to take a 24-14 lead into halftime, then Liberty put Hilltop away with a 23-11 advantage in the fourth quarter to earn a berth in the San Diego CIF Division III semifinals.

Hilltop scored the first six points of the quarterfinal game, although the Lions evened the game at 6-all at the end of the quarter.

Liberty Charter (16-7) got 10 points from senior Katie Peet in the first half, including eight in the big second-quarter push.

Peet also scored eight points in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Kellan Hayden scored six points in the first half, then also had six points in the fourth quarter.

Sabrina Espelet, a sophomore, had a big second half for the Lions. She had two big field goals in the third quarter and also made five free throws in the second half.

The third-seeded travel to meet second-seeded St. Joseph Academy in the semifinals on Tuesday at 5.

St. Joseph Academy defeated Rancho Buena Vista, 66-35 in a quarterfinal on Saturday.

WESTVIEW 54, EL CAPITAN 39 – The Vaqueros were defeated by the Wolverines in a San Diego CIF Division I quarterfinal thanks to a 17-8 second-quarter advantage.

The Vaqueros finished 20-10.

The game marked the end of the prep career of senior Mackenzie Curtis, the Grossmont Conference’s all-time scoring leader (2,658 points).

Curtis scored 10 points and had seven rebounds against Westview.

Kaylee Cole, a sophomore, led El Cap with 16 points. She knocked down four three-pointers and also had four assists and six steals.

Senior Emma Driskill added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots for the Vaqueros.

LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY 63, MOUNT MIGUEL 36 – The Torreys dispatched the Matadors in the San Diego CIF Open Division quarterfinals.

La Jolla Country Day used a 22-7 first-quarter advantage to take control, although the Matadors trailed just 36-23 at halftime.

Mount Miguel is 19-5 and will await a road playoff assignment in the SoCal regionals.

EASTLAKE 42, HELIX 25 – The teams played to a defensive stalemate early with Eastlake leading just 10-9 at halftime of the San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinal on the Titans’ home floor.

But the Titans outscored the Highlanders 17-3 in the third quarter.

FALLBROOK 51, SANTANA 16 – The Warriors limited the Sultans in their San Diego Section CIF Division III playoff quarterfinal in Fallbrook.

Santana didn’t score until the second quarter but trailed just 5-0 after the first eight minutes.

However, the Warriors led 24-4 at halftime.