Vaqueros squeeze out win over Wolf Pack

By David Dickens
Updated: January 10, 2018

El Capitan and West Hills battle under the boards on Tuesday.

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

El Capitan and West Hills meet in Lakeside on Tuesday night.

By Dave Dickens

EastCountySports.com

LAKESIDE (1-9-2018) – A pedestrian first half would be an understatement, however, for the host El Capitan Lady Vaqueros, they decided to save the best for last in a 35-29 Grossmont Conference victory over visiting West Hills on Tuesday night.

One thing the West Hills Lady Wolf Pack and the Lady Vaqueros, along with their respected coaching staffs would love to forget, was the first quarter, which had more fouls than points scored.

The were 12 fouls and 9 total points, as the only thing worse was the weather outside the gymnasium.

The visiting West Hills Lady Wolf Pack led by a slim margin for a majority of the first half, but the host Lady Vaqueros took the lead at the end of the first half, 12-11, that is correct, 12-11.

The one bright spot for the Vaqueros, MIRANDA NICHOLS, was 4-for-4 at the free throw line.

For the Pack, KERRIE DANIELS, NOLIE WILEY, PAIGE EVANS each had a bucket, as overall the first half would love to be forgotten by both squads, and the officiating was lackluster.

For halftime festivities, the home crowd was treated with recognition of several Lady Vaqueros, and their phenomenal accomplishments on and off the court during their particular year as a player, along with momentous tidbits such as battling with their beloved head coach DARIN CURTIS, from 1999-2010, with coach CARMEN STANLEY and KIMBERLY GALVAN, from 2010- 2015, and again Curtis, who has been the skipper from 2015-present day.

West Hills and El Capitan battle for a rebounds on Tuesday.

The former lady vaquero greats recognized were BECCA SOUTHWARD-2002; MACKENZIE MEAD-2015; MARISSA PITMAN-2010; LIAM PITMAN-2008; TAYLOR FAGAN-2017; JESSICA CABLE-2003; VALLI BURKS-2002; CARISSA GONZALES-2001; KIMBERLY GALVAN-2013; CARMEN STANLEY-1988; ALISHA HOWE-2000; MEGAN LONG-2000; CIERRA CUTLER-2015; STEPHANIE SOU-2000.

Each lady was given a pink rose as well as a great round of applause.

After a fantastic alumni recognition, the second half picked up some speed and accuracy.

Both teams improved on shooting percentage and less fouls as the contest came to a conclusion.

The Vaqueros also started the contest without the services of key team player, DEVON BULLOCK, and Nichols could only go for the first half, as she was limping into the locker room at the half.

The Wolf Pack outscored the Vaqueros in the third, 8-7, and tied it at 19-all.

However the Lady Vaqueros led by JORDAN GRANDY, hit 3 3-pointers for 10 points on the evening, as the host
Vaqueros picked up the win in the low-scoring event.

For the Wolf Pack, Daniels ended the evening as her squad’s leading scorer with 14 total, and led the team in third-quarter scoring with 8 points.

West Hills passes on Tuesday night.

“SHIANA PERES and VIRGINIA MARTIN worked hard to slow down the West Hills offense and it worked,” said Curtis. “We played hard, but we did not play well.

“However, I’m proud of my players, but our inexperience had us frustrated from the beginning.”

West Hills (5-9) have a home game versus Santana (2-5), a league and rival game on Friday at 5;30 pm, while the Lady Vaqueros (6-11), enjoying a 3-game winning streak, will host Valhalla (2-9), which destroyed San Ysidro 52-18 on Friday the 5th.

The game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday the 12th.