Foothillers come alive to sound of championship

By Bill Dickens
Updated: February 13, 2016

Senior Night at Grossmont High on Friday.

2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

By Bill Dickens
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EL CAJON (2-13-16) — The Grossmont Foothillers clinched their first championship since 2006.

Despite only scoring one point in the second quarter, Grossmont won going away to secure the Grossmont Valley League title with a 43-23 win over visiting Santana on Friday (Feb. 12).

TAISHIA SILAS buried four 3-pointers on her way to a game high 18 points for Grossmont (22-4, 7-1 GVL).

Photo by Ramon Scott

Freshman ball-handling genius ATHENA SOTELO chipped in with 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals.

“We’re a very close group,” Sotelo said. “We don’t care about polls or rankings, we just want to win league.

“This was a very important game to us to set up the importance of the final two games,” she added. “If we had lost this game we would have been out of the league race. If we win the final two games we’ll be league champions for sure since 2006.”

Grossmont took a 14-2 first quarter lead, but the Foothillers offense went flat in the second quarter as they produced just a single free throw.

Santana was unable to take advantage, tallying only 4 points.

“I don’t consider myself a selfish player,” said Sotelo. “No matter how intense the game gets, we seem to pull through and it’s not just because of me.”

Grossmont: Taisha Silas 18 (6 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk), Athena Sotelo 8 (2 reb, 3 ast, 4 stl), Symone Griffith 6 (3 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl), Lydia Halcott 4 (8 reb, 1 stl, 3 blk), Candace Henderson 4 (3 reb), Jazmine Lee 3 (1 stl), Emily Barnes (3 reb), Salina Hernandez (1 reb, 1 stl), Noel Luezader (1 reb), Grace Cerrado (1 reb).

Santana leader: Kobie Holland 8 (15 reb).