Vaqueros, Eagles fall at Sweetwater event

By Ramon Scott
Updated: January 3, 2018

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

NATIONAL CITY – The El Capitan Vaqueros girls varsity basketball team suffered another close loss against a higher-ranked Division 1 team, Imperial, 44-43, Wednesday night at the New Year’s Classic at Sweetwater High.

It was El Capitan’s 5th -straight single-digit loss. The Vaqueros compete in Division 3.

“Our young Ggirls are getting frustrated without being able to find a way to pull out these close ones,” El Capitan coach DARIN CURTIS said. “We are almost back to full strength.

“SERENE WECKBACK is still out sick, but we got SHIANA PERES, who played good defense and scored 5 points, back.”

Imperial led 13-8 after one quarter and 25-16 after halftime.

But El Capitan came out strong in the second half and closed the deficit to just 32-30 at the end of three.

JORDAN GRANDY, who helped by adding 11 points, was also back in town for El Capitan. She ended up making 3 three-ointers.

MACKENZIE CURTIS was on-par with her constant output of 20 points and 12 rebounds.

“Mackenzie Curtis remains a central figure to our success,” Darin Curtis said.

MIRANDA NICHOLS scored four points in the win for the Lady Vaqueros.

“Miranda Nichols has played her heart out the last couple games, ” Darin Curtis said. “She is coming back from a preseason thumb injury and her shot is really starting to come around.”

ESCONDIDO 44, GRANITE HILLS 38 – Both teams shrugged off a first quarter that saw the Cougars leading 4-1 after one, but Escondido enjoyed an 18-8 run over the final quarter to take the Sweetwater New Year’s Classic win.

KANI KUBARI scored 10 points in the second quarter for the Eagles, who trailed just 18-17 at halftime.

But the Eagles looked even better in the third quarter, as AYANG AGOTH had four field goals, including a three-pointer in the third, as Granite Hills would eventually go up 28-22.

The Eagles play top-caliber opponent in Rancho Bernardo on Friday at 5 p.m. in the Sweetwater Classic at 4 p.m. at the Sweetwater High gym.

MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 43, SOUTHWEST (San Diego) 18 – The Red Hawks jumped out to a 10-0 lead after one quarter and improved to 6-1.

Sophomore ALYSSA NOLAND scored 15 points and sophomore DALIA JUAREZ added 10 for Mountain Empire.

The Red Hawks will be at Borrego Springs (1-2) on Friday at 4:30 p.m.