Matadors, Hillers remain 1-2 in GHL

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: January 22, 2023

2022-23 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

ECS staff report

EL CAJON — While Mount Miguel High remains strides ahead of the its girls basketball competition in the Grossmont Conference, Grossmont High rebounded from a rough setback to the Matadors to establish its program as the runner-up in the Grossmont Hills League.

On Friday (Jan. 20), the Foothillers completed the first round of GHL play with a 4-1 mark, capped by a 64-51 decision over Monte Vista.

Senior forward Kaylee Cole collected 24 points — a dozen in each half — to lead the Hillers to the gate-to-wire victory. It was Cole’s fifth outing with 20 or more points this season.

Meanwhile, Domineece Silvels kept the Monarchs at bay in the second half, when she tallied 12 of her 15 points — her third-best effort of the season.

UPDATE: Also of note for Monte Vista: Angelina “Lina” De Leon reached the 1,000-point plateau. The senior entered at 999 points, thus, accomplishing the milestone in the opening moments.

Grossmont also limited mpst of Monte Vista’s top scorers in building an 18-point lead. The Monarchs only found early offense from Lina De Leon, who scored six of the team’s 10 points in the opening period. De Leon finished with 22 points, but most came in the fourth quarter.

Grossmont (12-3 overall, 3-1 GHL) must sweep the second round of league play to gain a share of the league title. The test begins next Friday (Jan. 27) with its home-court showdown with Mount Miguel.

Monte Vista (13-6, 1-2 GHL), which is tied for third place with idle Helix, next plays a non-league affair on Saturday against the once powerful The Bishop’s School, which is just 2-17 on the season. The Monarchs then host Mount Miguel on Tuesday.

Mount Miguel 63, El Capitan 25

LAKESIDE —There seems to be no team able to withstand the defensive pressure of Mount Miguel, which forced a half-dozen turnovers in the opening quarter en route to a 15-3 lead in Grossmont Hills League triumph at historic Foster Gym.

The lead reached 19 points before El Capitan could surpass 10 points early in the third period.

Individual statistics were promised before the weekend concludes.

Steele Canyon 40, El Cajon Valley 35

Seanna Guerrero

EL CAJON — Steele Canyon center Deanna Guerrero converted a pair of clutch baskets in the final two minutes to maintain a two-possession lead, as the Cougars snapped a three-way tie for second place in the Grossmont Valley League by holding off host El Cajon Valley, 40-35, on Friday (Jan. 20).

The Cougars led throughout,yet couldn’t shake the Braves, which came with two points on several occasions in the fourth quarter, yet Steele Canyon always seem to immediately answer with by scoring on its next possession.

Guerrero, the East County Blocker of the Year un volleyball and one of the CIF-San Diego Section’s top-ranked wrestlers in her weight class — could track (shot put and discus) be next? — finished with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.

ECVHS was still pleased with its continuing development.

“We came out kind of flat, but we woke up in the second half and made it a fun game and it went down to the wire,” said Braves head coach James Thomas. “It was just nervous jitters — thinking how they’re going to play; thinking how they’re going to perform — but we’re gaining confidence in our game plan.”

The record for the Braves proves it.

“It’s been all growth and all progress for this team,” Thomas added. “We’re 12-7 this season; we weren’t close to 12-7 last season. We’re 3-1 in league; we were 2-2 last season. So it’s a coming together.”

For the Cougars (18-4 overall, 2-1 GVL), Janea Wilson added 9 points, while Anaya Lundgren added 8. Both are forwards as ECVHS couldn’t match-up inside.

The Braves received 9 points from Ciara McCray, including going 2-for-2 at the foul line. However, the rest of the team went 3-for-12 on foul shots — all nine misses came in the final seven minutes — preventing a Braves complete comeback from a 22-15 first-half deficit.

Granite Hills 52, Valhalla 27

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Granite Hills (15-5 overall, 3-0 league) remains a half-game ahead of Steele Canyon in the Grossmont Valley League race, yet no details were reported in the Battle of Jamacha played Friday (Jan. 20) at Orange Nation.

West Hills at Santana

SANTEE — In this match-up of ballclubs both seeking their first Grossmont Valley League victory, one of these teams needed to win.

No report, however, was received on this game.