© East County Sports.com
WHITTIER (5-6-07) -- Steele Canyon High forward TINA MERLINO, who was named to the All-East County third-team for the 2006-07 season, will continue her basketball career at Whittier College.

The 6-foot-1 senior led the Cougars to a 16-13 record this past season, leading all East County players with a .540 shooting percentage while ranking second in rebounds as 12.3 per contest. Merlino also paced Steele Canyon in scoring, ranking 10th in the region at 13.4 points per outing.

Coaches placed Merlino on the All-Grossmont South League second team.

Whittier's Poets went 12-13 last season, finishing 5-9 in the SCIAC. Merlino should move into the line-up quickly, as the team graduates five seniors from a roster which also included seven freshmen.

NORTH (77) -- Cara Breite (Mt. Carmel) 3 1-6 9, Jenna Breite (Mt. Carmel) 1 1-2 3, Tiffany Hunter (Fallbrook) 2 5-6 10, Sage LeBlanc (Valley Center) 1 0-1 3, Katie Girten (Westview) 0 0-0 0, Carly Lackey (La Costa Canyon) 4 1-3 11, Liz Moten (Torrey Pines) 1 3-4 5, Kristin Marquardt (El Camino) 2 0-0 4, Kathleen Roerhkasse (The Bishop's) 3 2-2 8, Sabrina Valenzuela (Brawley) 1 0-0 3, Nabila Gaines (Calipatria) 2 2-2 6, Ali Pia (Parker) 1 8-8 10, Phylicia Egbuna (Horizon) 2 1-1 5. Totals 23 24-33 77.

SOUTH (65) -- Justine Chacon (Mira Mesa) 1 1-3 3, Te'ahnalin Harris (Kearny) 1 1-3 3, Danisha Corbett (Montgomery) 4 4-7 13, Lashawn Johnson (Mount Miguel) 2 0-0 4, Paris Johnson (San Diego HS) 8 3-6 19, Brittany Palmer (Eastlake) 0 1-2 1, Precious Robinson (Mount Miguel) 1 7-10 9, Morgan Sabala (Granite Hills) 1 0-1 2, Nicole Salem (Our Lady of Peace) 0 0-0 0, Erica Sanchez (Eastlake) 3 1-1 7, Ashley Rogers (Kearny) 1 1-2 4, Chelsea Jugo (Morse) 0 0-0 0. Totals 22 19-35 65.

North All-Stars.......... 41 36 -- 77
South All-Stars.......... 31 34 -- 65

Paris Johnson (S). 3-point goals -- Cara Breite (N) 2, Carly Lackey (N) 2, Sage LeBlanc (N) 1, Tiffany Hunter (N) 1, Sabrina Valenzuela (N) 1, Danisha Corbett (S) 1, Ashley Rogers (S) 1. Total fouls -- North 26, South 30. Fouled out -- none. Technicals -- none.

Tiffany Hunter (Fallbrook), with 10 points, four rebounds and a steal was named the MVP for the North while Paris Johnson (San Diego HS), who had 19 points, was the South's MVP. Katie Girten (Westview) won the 3-point shooting contest, making 13 in the finals while Sage LeBlanc (Valley Center) had 10.

© East County Sports.com
BALBOA PARK (3-25-07) -- Mount Miguel High's PRECIOUS ROBINSON and DANESIA WILLIAMSON joined La'KENYA SIMON-WEST of Grossmont among the 10 players honored with a first-team berth on the All-CIF team in basketball for the 2006-07 season

Paris Johnson of San Diego High was voted the player of the year, while Lori Morris of Montgomery was tabbed coach of the year.

Joining the trio with second-team berth were Grossmont center THERESE REIDEL and Helix forward BRITANY WILLIAMS.

The San Diego Hall of Champions is pleased to announce the official All-CIF teams for the San Diego Section, which have been selected under the auspices of the Hall of Champions since 1960.

The All-CIF teams, with the exception of wrestling, are selected by a vote of a media panel with input from coaches. The All-CIF wrestling team is determined by the champions of each weight class at the Masters tournament.

For a list of honorees in all winter sports, visit the Hall's website, at www.sdhoc.com.

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (3-14-07) — Grossmont High senior La’KENYA SIMON-WEST has been selected the All-East County Sports.com Player of the Year. The 5-foot-8 guard, who will attend Oregon State on a basketball scholarship next fall, led East County in three offensive categories this season.

Simon-West’s 25.4 scoring average was tops in the region, as was her 75.4 free throw shooting percentage. She also broke the Grossmont High record with 104 3-pointers, which ranks third all-time in the San Diego CIF record book.

East County Sports.com Coach of the Year honors go to Grossmont High’s TIM JOLLETT for the second year in a row. Jollett led the Foothillers to their first Grossmont North League title and a school record 24 wins in 30 games.

EastCountySports.com Rookie of the Year honors go to Mount Miguel sophomore guard DANESIA WILLIAMSON, who averaged 15.2 points per game for the 27-5 Matadors. Williamson’s name can be found in almost every statistical category this season.

Mount Miguel senior center PRECIOUS ROBINSON was the only player to earn All-East County Sports.com first team honors for the second straight season.

Helix guard BRITTANY WILLIAMS moved up from All-East County Sports.com second team a year ago to first team this year, as did Simon-West.

Grossmont’s THERESE RIEDEL, who earned East County Sports.com Rookie of the Year in 2005, also made first team, as did Williamson.

© East County Sports.com
SPRING VALLEY (3-11-07) — Sophomore guard DANESIA WILLIAMSON probably won’t be named the MVP of the Mount Miguel basketball team this season.

Top: Mount Miguel's Precious Robinson gets to the rim for two points in the CIF regional semifinals against Santa Margarita. Bottom: LaShawn Johnson with the entry pass. (Photos by Joe Fejeran)

Williamson, who scored 50 points in two previous playoff games and has a 15.2 average for the season, watched from the sidelines after suffering a knee injury in Thursday’s quarterfinal win over Hanford.

Although no one can say for sure what value Mount Miguel ’s game suffered in her absence, fact is the Matadors (27-5) shot more than 21 percentage points poorer against Santa Margarita (15 for 44) than they did Hanford.

“Not having Danesia hurt us, but we missed too many lay-ups and put backs we should have made,” Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL said.

Senior center PRECIOUS ROBINSON, the Matadors’ leading scorer (17 ppg) was limited to 8 points on 2-for-10 shooting by the taller Eagles (27-5). Robinson did block 6 shots and collect 8 rebounds in her joust with 6-3 Santa Margarita center Whitney Wood. Robinson did most of her work during the first half when the officials kept their whistles in check. Neither team reached the bonus during the first two periods.

For some reason, the officials called a tighter game in the second half. That opened the door for Wood to become more aggressive, as she scored 18 of her 22 points in the final two quarters. A 79 percent free throw shooter, Wood was a perfect 10 from the foul line and made 4 of 8 field goals after the break.

Santa Margarita (27-5) snapped a 41-41 deadlock by scoring the final six points during the last two minutes.

LaSHAWN JOHNSON led Mount Miguel with 12 points, all coming on four 3-pointers.

The Eagles held a wide advantage in shooting touch as they made 17 of 34 tries from the floor and all 13 free throws. Mount Miguel was 6 for 12 from the charity stripe.

In his seven years at Mount Miguel , Sandoval owns an overall 180-39 record, seven Grossmont South League championships, four San Diego CIF titles and has taken his teams as far as the SoCal Regionals on two occasions.

“The kids had a fantastic year,” Sandoval said, “So there is nothing for them to hang their heads about.”

Mount Miguel scoring: LaShawn Johnson 12, Autumn Spikes 9, Precious Robinson 8, Marnesha Hall 6, Tori Murphy 3, Coco Fountain 3.

© East County Sports.com
SPRING VALLEY (3-9-07) — Not many teams have dared to challenge the Mount Miguel Matadors with full court pressure.

Apparently the Hanford Bullpups of Central Valley CIF Section never got that memo.

The Bullpups were snapping at the Matadors heels all night during Thursday’s (Mar. 8) CIF Southern California Regional quarterfinal game. Hanford did have success, as Mount Miguel turned the ball over 24 times. But Mount Miguel proved why it is the No. 1 seeded team in the SoCal event by pounding out an 81-64 victory.

While the Matadors (27-4) threw the ball away a little bit more than usual, they also shot well above their season average, hitting 31 of 56 shots (55 percent) to thwart the upset bid by Hanford (23-6).

PRECIOUS ROBINSON, a 6-foot senior forward, was solid in the middle for the Matadors, connecting on 11 of 16 shots from the floor and 5 of 6 free throws for 27 points. More than that, though, Robinson hauled in 16 rebounds, blocked 7 shots, dished 3 assists and made 2 steals.

Robinson admitted that one of Mount Miguel ’s short-comings came at the free throw line where the Matadors missed 18 of 34 chances.

DANESIA WILLIAMSON, the Matadors’ sophomore floor leader, hit 10 of 19 shots from the floor and half of her 10 free throws to match Robinson’s 27 points. Eight of Williamson’s points came off of her 6 steals.

“This was a very physical game,” said Robinson. “They came with it but we came ready too.”

Williamson wound up face down on an attempted scoring drive with 6:32 left in the fourth quarter. After a 5 minute delay she was helped from the court with an unexplained knee injury.

“Danesia getting hurt certainly didn’t help us,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL. “It doesn’t look good, but we’ll see. She has loose cartilage in her knee. When she twisted it she said she heard a pop. Our trainer thinks it might be a mild-sprain ACL. So we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

AUTUMN SPIKES added a stealth 13 points and 5 rebounds for the Matadors.

Mount Miguel hit 14 of 19 shots from the floor in the opening quarter to take a 30-17 lead. Hanford never got closer than 9 points thereafter.

Williamson was the Matadors’ scoring pillar in the opening 8 minutes, as she tallied 16 points.

If she is unable to go against Santa Margarita on Saturday (Mar. 10) at Mount Miguel , it will add more pressure on senior guard VICTORIA MURPHY, whose specialty is defense.

Murphy was harassed by Hanford all night, which caused her to make more turnovers than usual and diluted her defensive prowess. Even so, Murphy managed 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists to go along with 4 points.

Sandoval noted that Santa Margarita’s game is a half-court offense focused upon pouring on the pressure inside the paint. While that may sound ferocious, the Matadors welcome the challenge, given the circumstances.

“They want to drop back into a 3-2 zone and don’t pressure like Hanford does,” said Sandoval. “Santa Margarita goes 6-2, 6-2, 6-foot on the front line. So bringing the ball up should not be a major problem for us, whether it’s Tori (Murphy) or LaSHAWN JOHNSON.”

Johnson, who has been bothered by nagging injuries most of the season but has missed very little playing time, handed out 8 assists in the victory over Hanford.

Another key to Mount Miguel ’s future success is MARNESHA HALL, who contributed 5 points – including one long-range 3-pointer – 8 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench. Hall, a 6-foot senior, will probably start against Santa Margarita if Williamson can’t answer the bell.

Mount Miguel scoring: Danesia Williamson 27, Precious Robinson 27, Autumn Spikes 13 (5 reb.), Marnesha Hall 5, Tori Murphy 4, LaShawn Johnson 3 (4 reb., 3 stl.), Coco Fountain 2.

© East County Sports.com
SAN CLEMENTE (3-7-07) — After Saturday’s (Mar. 3) forgettable performance in the San Diego CIF Division I finals, the Helix Highlanders were given little to no chance of pulling off an upset in Tuesday’s (Mar. 6) CIF Southern California Regional opener.

The Highlanders, who committed 36 turnovers in a 61-47 loss to Eastlake in the SDCIF championship game, pushed the Tritons of San Clemente to the limit before falling, 73-65.

With 4 minutes left Helix (23-9) was down by 5 points. The Highlanders stole the ball and raced down the court only to miss the lay-up. On their next possession San Clemente hit a 3, and Helix was forced to foul.

“This was hands down one of the best games we’ve played all season,” said Helix coach TRINA MERIDETH.

She couldn’t say the same about the officiating.

“The referees were terrible,” Merideth grumbled.

Perhaps she had just cause. The Tritons of Orange County went to the free throw stripe 25 times and made 23. Helix, by comparison, was 3-for-3 in free throws.

Helix fell behind early, as the Tritons led 22-16 after one quarter.

“It was like playing at Duke,” Helix assistant coach WILLY HATHAWAY said. “The crowd was on its feet the whole game.”

That did not seem to rattle the Highlanders, who received 28 points, 7 rebounds and 5 steals from junior guard BRITTANY WILLIAMS.

The Highlanders scrambled back, to lead 32-30 at intermission. Steadied by their solid play in the first half, the Highlanders kept challenging the favorites and remained tied 48-48 with eight minutes to go.

“I feel they really underestimated us,” Merideth said. “We came out fired up. We stayed with them the whole game. We were able to get up and down the floor with them.”

Where the Highlanders could not keep pace was at the free throw line.

“That was the difference,” Hathaway said.

Senior MELE LEASAU concluded her Helix career with a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds.

Hitting the long ball is another reason the Highlanders were able to stay in the game. JAZ AFUSIA hit a trio of triples and her sister JEM AFUSIA netted a pair as did SINOI LEASAU. Williams hit one trey, giving Helix eight for the game.

Despite ending the season with consecutive losses, Merideth was pleased by the Highlanders’ overall finish.

“We had a good season, we accomplished a lot and surprised a lot of people,” she said. “I’m pleased with the way the ladies played all season. I’m looking forward to next season already.”

Helix scoring: Brittany Williams 28, Jaz Afusia 11, Mele Leasau 10, Sinoi Leasau 10, Jem Afusia 6.

© East County Sports.com
SPRING VALLEY (3-5-07) — It was no surprise that the Mount Miguel Matadors were awarded the No. 1 seed in the Division III Southern California CIF Regional playoffs.

The Matadors (26-4), who have won 17 straight and 20 of their last 21 games, will host the Hanford Bullpups (23-5) in the opening round of the SoCal playoffs on Thursday’s (Mar. 8).

But before the Matadors take the floor, SDCIF Division I runner-up Helix (23-8) travels to San Clemente (26-5) for Tuesday night’s (Mar. 6) opening round of the SoCal playoffs.

“We’re just glad to still be playing,” said Helix coach TRINA MERIDETH. “I think we’ll be ready to play. I know we didn’t have that great a game in the (San Diego Section) finals (a 61-47 loss to Eastlake ). But the pressure when we go to San Clemente won’t be on us.”

Mount Miguel, meanwhile, makes its sixth straight appearance in the SoCal Regional playoffs as the decisive favorite for the first time. Only once has Mount Miguel reached the SoCal championship game (2005).

“To be honest, we expected to be the No. 1 seed,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL. “Playing the first two rounds at home, I like our chances (of reaching the SoCal finals).”

If the Matadors do win their first two playoff games, they will play in the SoCal championships on Saturday (Mar. 17) at UCLA.

Of course the Matadors must first muzzle the Hanford Bullpups and then most likely will have to defeat perennial power Santa Margarita Saturday night (Mar. 10) in Spring Valley.

“We have to take advantage of being the only San Diego team to gain a No. 1 seed,” Sandoval said.

© East County Sports.com
ALCALA PARK (3-4-07) — It has been said that high school teams suffer a shooting breakdown when they are assigned to play on a college basketball court. It seems simple enough because it’s only a difference of 10 feet.

The Usual Suspects

Although the top-ranked Mount Miguel Matadors (26-4) are averaging more than 64 points per game this season, they could hardly be classified as a sharp-shooting outfit.

Mount Miguel's Precious Robinson is blocked by a Lady Dons defender, so she passes for the assist in the Matadors' 55-39 triumph. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

When Mount Miguel faced off against Cathedral Catholic (26-5) in Saturday’s (Mar. 3) San Diego CIF Division III finals at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion, the Matadors seemed unfazed by the extra distance they had to go to down the Dons 55-39 to claim their fourth SDCIF title in the last five seasons.

Instead of battling the usual depth perception problem that comes with playing in a vast arena, the Matadors moved closer to the basket. Not only did they shoot 43 percent (23 of 51) as a team, they scored 31 points on shots that could be considered lay-ups.

Guard DANESIA WILLIAMSON dropped in 9 of 15 shots and 4 of 6 free throws for 23 points to pace the Matadors. More than half of her points came off of transition baskets.

Senior PRECIOUS ROBINSON scored the majority of her 21 points inside the lane, hitting 8 of 15 attempts from the floor and 5 of 8 free throws. Robinson also had 10 rebounds, two less than game leader and teammate AUTUMN SPIKES.

“We’re glad to be here, we’re glad to win, and now we want to take a look at state to see what we can do,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL.

The Matadors – who never trailed – broke a 19-19 tie with an 18-4 run. Cathedral never got closer than 7 points after that.

Mount Miguel will find out Sunday (Mar. 4) night its opponent in the Southern California Regionals. One thing is certain: the Matadors, who have won 17 straight and 20 of their last 21, will have a home game on Thursday (Mar. 8) night.

Mount Miguel scoring: Danesia Williamson 23 (3 stl.), Precious Robinson 21 (3 blk.), LaShawn Johnson 2, Autumn Spikes 2 (4 stl.), Victoria Murphy 2 (4 stl.), Marnesha Hall 2 (5 reb.), Coco Fountain 2, Cindy Ekweozor 1.

Eastlake guard Cheyenne Curley-Payne (12) forces her way into the lane, colliding with Helix' Sinoi Leasau (21). Leasau was called for the blocking foul; Eastlake won the CIF crown. (Photos by Adolfo Villanueva)

Moments after Highlanders standout BRITTANY WILLIAMS went to the bench with an early second foul, the Titans turned an early 10-point deficit into a shocking 31-17 lead -- a remarkable 26-2 scoring run -- thanks to a stifling zone press defense, racing to the section championship with a comfortable 61-47 decision Saturday (Mar. 3) at USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion.

Forcing turnovers over eight straight possessions, Eastlake lured Helix into its trap by allowing the Highlanders to dribble into defenders rather than utilizing their height advantage and a longer 94-foot college-size court by passing over the top.

The strategy earned the Titans (28-4) their fourth section title and proved redemption for a side which fell in last season's title contest to San Diego . Meanwhile, the bright lights at USD proved too much for a Helix squad (23-8) playing for the championship for the first time in more than 25 seasons.

“ Brittany is our point guard, hands down,” said Helix coach TRINA MERIDETH who’s Highlanders are short on depth. “When she’s not in there, that’s when the dynamics change. You know, we struggle when we get in foul trouble. And that can really change the momentum, as it did today.”

Williams scored six of her nine points in the opening 6:10, when Helix commanded a 15-5 lead, as she and teammate JEMINY AFUSIA drove the ball straight to the basket. But when Williams collected her second foul a little over a minute later, a confident Highlanders side which had won 16 of their last 19 starts suddenly were no match for Eastlake 's speed.

The Highlanders also saw starter SINOI LEASAU retreat to the bench with her third foul in the opening quarter.

Helix turned the ball over 22 times in the first half – and 36 times in the game – as Titans guard Brittany Palmer registered six steals to go along with her 16 points.

In what was an otherwise long afternoon for the Highlanders, Jem Afusia enjoyed an outstanding game, hitting seven of 14 shots – two of them triples – for team high 16 points. She also had eight rebounds – four less than team leader Mele Leasau.

Both teams will advance to Tuesday's (Mar. 6) Southland regionals of the CIF state championship. Eastlake will play at home, while Helix, due to an expanded tournament bracket starting this season, could play home or on the road despite the loss.

Helix scoring: Jeminy Afusia 16, Mele Leasau 9, Brittany Williams 9 (5 ast., 7 stl.), Jazlyn Afusia 7, Nydah Royster 4, Sinoi Leasau 2.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (2-28-07) -- The last time the Helix Highlanders played for a San Diego CIF girls basketball championship was in 1981. Current Helix boys basketball coach JOHN SINGER was doing double duty at the time, directing the boys in the winter and the girls in the spring.

Grossmont's La'Kenya Simon-West sinks a short, baseline jump shot. (Photo by Chris Edwards) ADDITIONAL GAME PHOTOS HERE

Although Singer’s girls lost to Patrick Henry in the 1981 SDCIF 2A championship game, a year earlier the Highlanders had beaten those same Patriots 41-40 to capture the second girls basketball title in school history.

More than a quarter-century later, the Scotties will seek their third overall title after skating past visiting Fallbrook, 56-46, in Tuesday's (Feb. 27) Division I semifinals at Caledonia Gym.

Helix (23-7), the second-seed, will battle top-seeded Eastlake (27-4) in Saturday's 6:05 p.m. (Cox Cable 4) title game at USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion.

BRITTANY WILLIAMS poured home a game-high 29 points for the Highlanders, which led practically wire-to-wire. Besides 2-all, the only time the Warriors were even close came at the close of the first period, when Natalie Zepada tossed in a halfcourt shot at the buzzer to level the contest at 12-all.

However, when the Scotties opened the second period on a 12-4 run -- half of the points courtesy of Williams -- Helix went on to its sixth consecutive triumph and 11th win in the last 12 outings.

Both coaches attempted different versions of the same defensive strategy, but Williams & Co. made the necessary adjustments on offense to avert the opponent's attempt to clog the lane.

"We usually tend to get into foul trouble, so there have been scenarios where they get charges on us," noted Williams. "So we had to stop-and-pop it."

Many of Williams' points came by penetrating the lane, but when the extra Warriors defenders moved into position to take the charge, Williams would pull up and sink an array of unchallenged 10-to-12 footers.

"They were really smart -- that girl would stop and get in position to take the charge," noted Helix coach TRINA MERIDITH. "I told Brittany that two points is more important than an offensive foul, and she really listened and really played great offensively."

Meanwhile, on the other end, a Helix scouting report noted that only three of Fallbrook's starters scored on a regular basis, so the two remaining Highlanders defenders covering the non-shooters cheated inside.

"We knew they had three top-notch scorers," Meridith explained. "So the goal was, especially in the first half with Liz (ELIZABETH CALDWELL), was have her play what we call 'door defense' and not guard anybody -- just sit in the middle and create some cluster."

Included was a risky charge created by SINOI LEASAU, who missed last Friday's quarterfinals with a mild concussion. However, she stood her ground inside and forced the turnover when Fallbrook guard Katie Gangnath stormed into her.

Leasau was okay following the violent collision just 2:47 into the ballgame, but Gangnath missed the remainder of the period after wrenching her back.

"Sinoi usually gets charges like that-- it really helped us -- so that our game goes up even more," said MELE LEASAU, who posted a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, plus blocking four Fallbrook shots. "That gave us the hype to go on."

Added Meridith, "That's not the girl you want taking a charge right now, but she did and it was a huge swing."

Then Williams found the lane to the basket, including a sequence of three straight drives, capped by a behind-the-back move to avert an attempt at the steal. She continued with a crossover dribble for the dramatic layin.

Early in the fourth period, Caldwell stepped into a passing lane for a steal. The ball went to reserve guard NYDAH ROYSTER, who tossed a long, downcourt pass to Williams for the breakaway layin. The transition basket pushed the Scotties' lead to 48-29, sealing their invitation to the section final.

"It feels great -- I feel honored because Helix hasn't won it in a long, long time," added Mele Leasau.

Meanwhile, the Helix boys -- still coached by Singer -- seeks to gain its own berth in the section final, giving the school an opportunity to claim championships for both genders in the same season.

"That would be nice if we both just took it home -- that would be great," added Williams.

By reaching the SDCIF finals, Helix will receive an automatic berth to the Southern California Regionals next week.

“This whole thing is a little surreal,” said Merideth. “It hasn’t hit me yet that we are going to the playoffs.

For the record MARIANNE LOFTIS guided Helix into their first ever SDCIF girls championships in 1975 and 1976. The Highlanders came up short in 1975, but defeated Fallbrook for the 1976 crown.

Helix scoring: Brittany Williams 29 (8 reb.), Mele Leasau 13 (12 reb., 4 blk.), Jeminy Afusia 8, Sinoi Leasau 4 (10 reb.), Elizabeth Caldwell 2.

Foothillers center Therese Reidel (right) gets to this rebound before Montgomery's Felicia Pet can. The Aztecs nipped Grossmont, 57-56. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

MONTGOMERY 57, GROSSMONT 56 – What had become the finest season in Grossmont High girls basketball history came to an abrupt ending in Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) San Diego CIF Division II semifinals.

The top-seeded Foothillers (24-6) led the majority of the night against visiting Montgomery, but blew an 8-point lead in the final nine minutes to allow the Aztecs (20-9) to continue on to USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion for Friday’s (Mar. 3) Division II championship game.

Grossmont used a 10-0 scoring run to turn a 2-point deficit into a 43-35 advantage with less than a minute to go in the third quarter. Instead of building on that momentum, the Foothillers surrendered 5 points in 35 seconds to keep the Aztecs in contention.

Montgomery, not known for its 3-point shooting prowess, burned the Foothillers for 10 triples over the course of the night. The biggest trey belonged to Felicia Pet, who connected with 38 seconds remaining to give the Aztecs a 55-53 advantage.

“I just can’t believe that they hit all those 3s,” said Grossmont coach TIM JOLLETT of the Aztecs. “Even so, our defense held them to just three points more than the first time we played them (and won 65-59).”

Jollett did not fault his team’s defense for the stunning loss. What irked him most was the fact that the Foothillers shot only 33 percent (22 of 66) from the floor – and committed 19 turnovers.

“We were averaging less than 10 turnovers a game,” he said. “Tonight we committed 19 against a team that wasn’t pressing us. And our guards only made 3 of 25 shots. You can’t have numbers like that and expect to win.”

On the upside for the Foothillers was the sparkling performance by La’KENYA SIMON-WEST. The Oregon State-bound Simon-West, who suffered a meniscus tear Feb. 9 against El Capitan , returned to the lineup for the first time and appeared to be close to full strength.

Simon-West scored a game-high 29 points on 11 of 20 shooting from the floor, which included 6 triples. The East County 3-point shooting leader concluded her senior season with 104 treys, which broke CHRISTINA ADAMS’ Grossmont High record and anchored Simon-West in third place in the SDCIF record book.

“That’s cool,” exclaimed Simon-West. “I know that I did something that will be in the record books for awhile so people can remember me for this season. But I can’t leave my teammates out because without them I would have never gotten this record.”

Grossmont’s season could well have continued had Jollett’s strategy in the final 14 seconds been executed in the manner he designed it.

Montgomery was leading 57-54 when the Foothillers inbounded the ball in the front court.

“The ball was supposed to go to me,” said Simon-West, who was 6 of 13 from 3-point range. I was supposed to get a screen at the top of the key, but it wasn’t there so I picked up my dribble way too soon.”

That created panic and junked Jollett’s design for a shot that would have created overtime.

Instead of shooting, Simon-West gave up the ball to TINA RIOS, who seemed surprised when she received an unplanned pass from Simon-West. Not knowing how much time was on the clock, Rios threw up a desperation shot that was way short of the mark.

Grossmont’s PHYLICIA SCHULTZ grabbed the airball and banked in a shot as the buzzer sounded, leaving the Foothillers one point short.

Senior THERESE RIEDEL scored 12 points, cleared 16 rebounds, blocked 3 shots and made 3 assists for the Foothillers.

“It’s hard to lose a game so close,” Simon-West said. “But we had a great season and went farther than a lot of people expected us to.”

Grossmont scoring: La’Kenya Simon-West 29 (10 reb.), Therese Riedel 12, Phylicia Schultz 6 (5 reb.), Tina Rios 5 (4 ast., 5 reb.), Michelle Gonzalez 4 (7 ast., 5 stl., 8 reb.).

MOUNT MIGUEL 64, BRAWLEY 22 – Game after game, the Matadors continue to prove they are the elite girls basketball team in the San Diego Section.

No matter how high the stakes, the No. 1 ranked Matadors (25-4) always seem to rise to the occasion. In Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) SDCIF Division III semifinals Mount Miguel led 16-0 before the (25-5) Wildcats could leave a mark on the scoreboard.

Although there are cynics and critics of coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL’s Matadors – no doubt due to their continuous success – they cannot argue with the fact that Mount Miguel has won 16 straight and weighs in as a primary Division III contender for the state championship.

Can you say envy?

Even though this was a semifinal playoff game, the talent level at Mount Miguel allows Sandoval to rotate his players without losing an ounce of quality.

Senior PRECIOUS ROBINSON rolled a quiet double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds while blocking 5 shots and recording 5 steals.

COCO FOUNTAIN came off the Mount Miguel bench to contribute 13 points – the majority coming from a trio of 3-pointers – and 4 steals.

Steady senior LaSHAWN JOHNSON did not log record-breaking numbers, but in her allotted playing time contributed 8 points, 6 assist and 5 rebounds.

“We had a real good first quarter, then we kinda got complacent in the second quarter,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL. “We go through that sometimes where we have droughts. But we can usually pick it up. We’re just trying to get ready for the championship game against Cathedral. The kids know the last four or five opponents have not been good teams. Their mindset is going to be totally different on Saturday.”

Mount Miguel scoring: Precious Robinson 18, Coco Fountain 13, Danesia Williamson 9 (3 stl.), LaShawn Johnson 8, Autumn Spikes 6 (9 reb., 4 blk., 4 stl.), Marnesha Hall 6, Victoria Murphy 2, Trina Clark 2.

Shae Bass of Santana is on the drive in Tuesday's semifinalds at Cathedral Catholic. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

The game was knotted at 16-all after one period before Cathedral (26-4) crept in front 28-26 by intermission.

An emotional turning point that occurred in the final seconds of the opening half was a 3-point bucket by Cathedral that turned a deficit into a lead for the Dons.

“The game was decided in the third quarter,” said Santana coach JIM MOTTERSHAW. “We came out tired in the third quarter. We turned the ball over too much and didn’t shoot well at all.”

With 5 minutes remaining, Santana (24-8) was still in contention, trailing only 51-43. The Sultans were forced to foul and Cathedral made a bunch of free throws and had two breakaway lay-ups as well.

“This was not a 17 point game, not at all,” emphasized Mottershaw.

Senior ASHLEY BAKER spearheaded Santana with 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and a block. The tallest of the Sultans at 6-foot, Baker was 4 for 8 from the floor and 4-4 from the free throw line.

DANIELLE BALOUGH was held well below her average, finishing with 11 points and 5 rebounds.

Senior point guard SHAE BASS concluded her varsity career with 8 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds.

Sophomore JAMIE ELIAS added 9 points and 5 rebounds for the Sultans.

“We had a very exciting year. This team exceeded all my expectations,” said Mottershaw.

Santana scoring: Ashley Baker 12, Danielle Balough 11, Jamie Elias 9, Shae Bass 8, Nicole Brzeczek 4.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (2-25-07) -- It wasn't the calm before the storm, it was more like an ice storm before the calm.

"We came out cold, freezing cold," deadpanned Helix High coach TRINA MERIDITH. "I don't think we forced anything, we just hurried our shots."

Mele Leasau of Helix skies above the crowd to grab the rebound against Escondido. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

But when the Scotties exploded out of the gate in the second half by scoring on 10 of their first 11 possessions, a 9-point deficit reverted into a 13-point advantage, as Helix went on to eliminate visiting Escondido, 58-49, in Friday's (Feb. 23) quarterfinals of the CIF-San Diego Section Div. I championship.

It was an amazing turnaround.

"With the hype of this game, we weren't missing shots short, we were missing them long," added Merideth about a 7-for-39 (17.9 percent), first-half shooting performance. "So you know the adrenaline and the nerves were going."

But when a calm came over the Scotties and the shots started to fall, the defense, in turn, did even better. Escondido was blanked for the first 4:08 of the second half, thanks to a simple change in philosophy.

"I have to give a compliment MELE LEASAU," added Merideth. "She said to me, 'Coach, what about a 2-3 zone?' and I said, 'Well, let's do it.'"

"Mel loves the game of basketball and I appreciate her input -- and it was the right decision."

The ensuing 19-2 run to start the half (24-2 including five straight points to close the first half) turned a 25-16 deficit -- and with it images of last season's upset loss to Montgomery , also in the quarterfinals -- into a commanding 40-27 lead.

Helix (22-7) will host Fallbrook in Tuesday's (Feb. 27) semifinals at Caledonia Gym. The Warriors (24-6) advanced by upsetting 3rd-seeded Poway , 64-52. The other half of the draw stayed true to form, with 4th-seeded San Diego going to top-seeded Eastlake for the berth in the Division I final at USD's Jenny Craig Pavilion on Sat., Mar. 3 at 6 p.m.

The Highlanders defeated Fallbrook, 42-29, in the teams' season opener back on Nov. 27 in Sportland Classic tournament play.

Junior guard BRITTANY WILLIAMS, the Grossmont South League scoring champion, was among the guilty parties in missing a series of close-range shots. But when she started to penetrate the lane, then dished the ball off to open teammates before the Cougars could double-up on Williams, everything suddenly reversed; Helix seemingly couldn't miss.

Leasau and Williams drained short jumpers to tie the game at 25-all, Leasau scored on a putback -- one of 18 offensive rebounds gathered by Helix -- for the lead, then Williams found JAZ AFUSIA open in the corner for a baseline 3-point goal.

Even a pair of Escondido timeouts failed to slow Helix, as sophomore guard NYDAH ROYSTER hit three straight outside jumpers for seven of her nine points from off the bench, as the hosts rolled up 27 points in the third period to grab a commanding 48-33 cushion.

Helix guard Brittany Williams. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

"We wanted it more than Escondido, so we took it to them -- it was important to us," said Royster. "Coach just told us to take our time with our shots, then we started to make them."

Royster and ELIZABETH CALDWELL were key components, receiving additional minutes due to the absence of SINOI LEASAU, who suffered a mild concussion in Helix' opening-round triumph over La Costa Canyon.

"Oh, my gosh, we came out a little shaky, but we pulled it out because we had some key points from off the bench -- it changed the whole pace of the game."

Williams paced Helix with a game-high 23 points, but her other numbers proved more significant, collecting eight rebounds, eight steals and five assists.

"That first half seemed very long. We just couldn't put the ball into the hoop -- the ball just couldn't go in," noted Williams. "But lots of people stepped up. Nydah is only a sophomore, but made some big shots, and Jeminy came in when we were in foul trouble."

Helix scoring: Brittany Williams 23 (7 reb., 8 stl.), Mele Leasau 13 (12 reb., 3 blk.), Nydah Royster 9 (4 reb.), Jaz Afusia 5 (6 ast., 5 reb.), Jeminy Afusia 5 (8 reb.), Elizabeth Caldwell 3.

GROSSMONT 83, UNIVERSITY CITY 39 – Playing without East County scoring leader La’KENYA SIMON-WEST for all but two minutes of Friday’s (Feb. 23) San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinal, the top-seeded Foothillers proved that they are not a one-player team as they demolished the Centurions (17-13).

Junior TINA RIOS, a 5-foot-3 guard, scored a career-high 25 points – most of it coming on 7 triples – as the Foothillers (24-5) won going away.

“I think it’s important that our girls proved they can still win without one of the best players in the county,” said Grossmont coach TIM JOLLETT. “We played a great all-around game, especially offensively. I guess this goes to show that the system we run is something that our kids believe in.”

Grossmont connected on 13 of 29 shots from above the arc (45 percent) and made 34 of 78 shots overall (44 percent).

“If we shoot like that, we’re going to be awful hard to beat,” Jollett said.

Senior THERESE RIEDEL posted a strong double-double of 21 points and 15 rebounds while blocking 5 shots and recording 6 steals.

“Therese showed why she’s a Division I player,” said Jollett of the 6-foot-4 Riedel, who will play at the University of Idaho next season.

“She has the best hands for a post player of anyone I’ve ever coached,” said the veteran Jollett. “She was really on top of her game today. Not just her shooting, but the way she crashed the boards and ran the floor.”

Grossmont’s MICHELLE GONZALEZ continues to prove that height is not everything when it comes to basketball. The 5-foot-2 senior made 11 steals, crashed the boards for 14 rebounds and scored 8 points in one of her best games every.

Playing only a quarter and a half, HEATHER SPRINGE scored 8 points on 4 of 10 shooting, made 4 steals and grabbed 3 rebounds for the Foothillers.

Simon-West, who averaged 26 points during the regular season, made a cameo appearance in the final two minutes. The senior guard, who was hobbled with a sore knee, took only two shots and both were on-the-mark 3-pointers.

The Oregon State-bound Simon-West now has 98 treys, which is two shy of the Grossmont High record.

“It was good to get her out there, even for as little as it was,” said Jollett. “When she hit that first 3 in the fourth quarter, the crowd went crazy.”

“All I can say about Simon-West at this point is she’s day-to-day,” he continued. “We hope to have her, but we can’t be sure.”

Grossmont will host No. 4 seed Montgomery (19-9) in Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) Division II semifinal. The Foothillers edged the Aztecs 65-59 in a regular season meeting.

Grossmont scoring: Tina Rios 25, Therese Riedel 21, Michelle Gonzalez 8, Heather Springe 8, La’Kenya Simon-West 6, Phylicia Schultz 6, Shandis Rios 3, Marcee Fitzpatrick 3, Allie Baxter 3.

Santana center Ashley Baker (left) duels Kearny's Te'ahnalin Harris for the rebound. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

DANIELLE BALOUGH, probably the smallest post player in the SDCIF at 5-foot-6, came up big once again for Santana (24-7). Balough made 11 of 26 shots from the floor and 10 of 14 free throws on her way to a 32 point finish.

“I’m just amazed at what she can do inside,” said Santana coach JIM MOTTERSHAW. “The post play was extremely physical on both sides.”

While Balough was mixing it up inside, Santana’s 6-foot senior ASHLEY BAKER was a force for the Sultans, gathering 11 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 assists and 3 steals.

“Balough and Baker played great post defense,” Mottershaw noted.

Senior floor leader SHAE BASS handed out 11 assists, blocked 3 shots, grabbed 5 rebounds and finished with 9 points for the Sultans.

The third seeded Sultans were coming off a 10-day break, having played their last regular season game on Feb. 13, and being awarded a bye.

“The kids really suffered from having been off that long,” said Mottershaw.

That was evident in the first quarter as Kearny claimed an 18-15 lead. After that, though, the game belonged to Santana.

Santana, which has won the last two SDCIF Division III titles, advances to the semifinals on Tuesday (Feb. 27) at No. 2 seed Cathedral Catholic (25-4) at 7 p.m.

Santana scoring: Danielle Balough 32, Ashley Baker 11, Shae Bass 9, Nicole Brzeczek 8 (5 reb.), Brianna Padilla 4, Miki Sankary 2.

MOUNT MIGUEL 61, SAN MARCOS 14 – After rolling to a 7th straight Grossmont South League championship, the top-seeded Matadors (24-4) proved themselves playoff-ready Friday night (Feb. 23) opening post-season play with a San Diego CIF Division III quarterfinal cakewalk over visiting San Marcos.

The Matadors led 28-0 three minutes into the second quarter before the Knights (17-14) converted a free throw.

Mount Miguel led 37-8 by intermission and 51-10 after three quarters.

“We pressed them the whole first half,” said Mount Miguel coach ROBBIE SANDOVAL. “We forced them into 39 turnovers.”

PRECIOUS ROBINSON paced the Matadors with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 6 steals.

MARNESHA HALL knocked down 12 points and made 4 steals, while DANESIA WILLIAMSON pitched in 11 points, 3 assists and 4 steals.

Despite the lop-sided win, which will send the Matadors into Tuesday’s (Feb. 27) semifinals against Imperial Valley League champion Brawley (25-4) at 7 p.m. in Spring Valley , Sandoval wasn’t overly pleased.

“It’s hard to complain, but we weren’t as sharp as I’d like us to be,” he said.

VICTORIA MURPHY did not contribute to the scoring, but helped blank San Marcos scoring leader Diana Espinoza, who came into the game averaging 12.4 ppg.

Mount Miguel scoring: Precious Robinson 14, Marnesha Hall 12, Danesia Williamson 11, Coco Fountain 7, LaShawn Johnson 5 (4 reb., 3 stl.), Trina Clark 4, Autumn Spikes 4 (5 reb., 3 stl.), Janelle Stroud 4.

WESTVIEW 48, WEST HILLS 45 – Not many people gave the visiting Wolf Pack a chance to win Friday’s (Feb. 23) San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinal game against No. 3 seed Westview.

West Hills (17-13), which trailed by 11 points after one half, was clinging to a 44-43 lead with 3:40 remaining.

Westview, one of the top free throw shooting teams in North County, was only 8 of 18 against the Wolf Pack. That nearly cost the Wolverines (23-7) the game.

A basket by Brittany Zych gave Westview a 45-44 edge with 2:50 remaining.

“It seemed like nobody could score in the last part of the game,” said West Hills assistant coach SIG CHABROWSKI. “We were ‘this close’ to tasting victory.”

With Westview leading 46-44, senior MUAAU NADERHOFF hit one of two free throws with 8 seconds left.

Knowing the time was running out, West Hills had to foul.

It was sound strategy but the Wolverines’ Katie Girten swished a pair of free throws in the final 3 seconds giving Westview the win.

Freshman MARILYN NADERHOFF paced the Wolf Pack with 17 points, the majority of it coming on 11 of 13 free throw shooting. She also had 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and a trio of steals.

Senior MUAAU NADERHOFF settled for 10 points as she was triple-teamed by Westview defenders.

Had it not been for SHELBY RUSSO’s two 3-point connections, the Wolf Pack would have been 1 for 18 for shots from above the arc.

It was the second time in two years that Westview has eliminated West Hills from the SDCIF playoffs. The Wolverines knocked the Pack out in the first round 50-30 last year.

West Hills scoring: Marilyn Naderhoff 17, Muaau Naderhoff 10, Shelby Russo 8, Sherika Miller 4 (5 reb.), Kimberly Clark 2 (6 reb.), Mariah Bennett 2 (5 reb., 3 ast., 2 stl.), Ashley Alderton 2.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (2-21-07) -- Helix High junior BRITTANY WILLIAMS has scored more points, grabbed as many rebounds, defended just as effectively, and passed the ball with stunning precision. However, Williams never put together all four elements better than in Tuesday's (Feb. 20) San Diego CIF Division I playoff opener against La Costa Canyon.

El Capitan's Ashley Duffy goes baseline around a Conquistadors defender. Serra won, 51-39. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

"It all came together in the end -- they couldn't keep up with our speed," said Williams, who seemingly found the open teammate every time La Costa Canyon tried to double-team her. "We just tried to get our post players the ball."

By the time Williams collected her seventh assist, Helix mounted a 13-point lead. The Mavericks (9-17) made one strong run to move to within 37-36 midway through the third period, when Carly Lackey scored eight of her 16 points.

La Costa Canyon 's comeback was fueled but some nice post-to-post passing. But when Helix switched briefly into a zone defense, it kept the Mavs away from the basket.

"We were helping out, but our rotation wasn't quite there while they were rotating right on the money," noted Helix coach TRINA MERIDITH. "But once we got the rebound, we made clean passes -- we were on our game-- and we beat them down the court."

An unrelenting transition game saw the Scotties close the contest on a 32-15 run over the final 12 minutes.

And Williams was at the center of the action.

"She consistently comes every night ready to play," added Meridith. "And she does a lot of good thing on our behalf which makes other players on our team better."

"Brittany's been a huge asset and she's been perfecting her game all year."

Many of Williams' teammates were amazed as she elevated her game up a level in time for the postseason.

"Brittany came out ready -- she doesn't normally come out like this -- but she was really prepared for tonight's game," noted JEM AFUSIA, who finished with 15 points and took a charge on defense to help ignite Helix’s closing sprint. "I'm real proud of her. She did a really good job moving the ball."

SINOI LEASAU added 13 points for the Scotties, while JAZ AFUSIA had 10. MELE LEASAU finished with nine points and 10 rebounds, even missing a good portion of the second quarter after taking an accidental elbow to the jaw.

“La Costa Canyon was a very tough team to play,” said Merideth. “They are a very structured and well-disciplined team. I had a lot of pre-game jitters, but we came out and played a great game overall.”

For the Mavericks, Lindsay Wofford matched Lackey with 16 points, while point guard Cha-Cha Simpson posted 10 assists, but only two in the second half.

La Costa Canyon scoring: Lindsay Wofford 16, Carly Lackey 16, Melissa Murray 9, Cha-Cha Simpson 4, Charlotte Ashbrunner 3, Julie Koopmans 2, Anna Wofford 1.

Helix scoring: Brittany Williams 20, Jem Afusia 15, Sinoi Leasau 13, Jaz Afusia 10, Mele Leasau 9, Elizabeth Caldwell 2.

WEST HILLS 62, SAN PASQUAL 38 – Sometimes being young is not a bad thing. West Hills, which had lost three of its last four regular season games, might want to salute its youth-laden team after Tuesday’s (Feb. 20) San Diego CIF first-round Division II victory over visiting San Pasqual (13-15).

The Wolf Pack (17-12) jumped on top 20-12 and never let go.

Freshman SHERIKA MILLER turned in a clutch double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Pack. Miller connected on 7 of 11 shots from the floor and all 3 free throws for 18 points.

Senior MUAAU NADERHOFF added 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assist and a pair of blocks for West Hills. Her freshman sister MARILYN NADERHOFF chipped in 8 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.

“We started out slow and then picked up the pace,” said West Hills assistant coach SIG CHABROWSKI.

West Hills’ zone press seemed to confuse San Pasqual.

“We got lots of turnovers and turned them into easy baskets,” said Chabrowski.

It was not the best of shooting nights for West Hills, which made only one of 15 shots from above the arc.

But the Wolf Pack did pound the boards, collecting 45 caroms for a decisive edge.

West Hills scoring: Sherika Miller 18, Muaau Naderhoff 11, Mariah Bennett 9, Marilyn Naderhoff 8, Corryn Kivett 5, Kimberly Clark 4 (4 stl.), Leilani Yawn 4 (5 reb.), Shelby Russo 2, Ashley Alderton 1.

PALO VERDE 56, CHRISTIAN 52 – They put in eight hours of driving time – four hours each way – and 401 miles on their odometer just to compete in Tuesday’s (Feb. 20) first round of the San Diego Section Division IV playoffs in Blythe.

The Patriots (13-14) led Imperial Valley League champions Palo Verde (20-8) by a score of 26-23 at halftime, but seemed to run out of gas during the final 16 minutes.

From a statistical point of view, the Patriots can blame their inept shooting from the free throw line for the loss. Christian missed 21 of 37 chances from the free throw stripe.

From a physical standpoint, the loss of starting point guard, freshman MELODY CRISWELL, who went down in the third quarter with a sprained ankle and did not return.

Despite her early exit, Criswell led Christian scorers with 14 points, including 6 of 10 free throw shooting. Her sister, junior RACHEL CRISWELL assumed the role of point guard and finished with 9 points. All but two of her markers came on 7 of 8 free throw shooting.

“It was a tough way to go out,” said Christian coach CORI ESPELET. “Obviously our free throws hurt us, and so did losing Melody. We had 32 turnovers, and that didn’t help.”

Senior SARAH SEYMOUR concluded her high school basketball career with 11 points and 11 rebounds. She also blocked 5 shots and made 3 steals.

“It was a good season,” said Espelet. “It was hard to end on a game like this when it was so close.”

Christian scoring: Melody Criswell 14, Sarah Seymour 11, Rachel Criswell 9, Emily Reed 8, Nichole Miller 8 (10 reb.), Allie Scott 2.

EL CAMINO 58, GRANITE HILLS 38 – Senior MORGAN SABALA completed her four-year varsity career with 14 points – the majority coming on 4 triples – as host El Camino captured the San Diego Section Division I opener in Oceanside.

Sabala concluded her career with 179 three-point buckets, including 62 this season. Her four-year total ties Sabala with Santana’s CATHY BASS for third in the Grossmont Conference record book. Sabala and Bass are tied for 7th on the San Diego Section record annals.

El Camino decided this one early as the Wildcats (15-9) led 24-6 after one quarter and 39-14 by intermission.

“El Camino jumped out on us early,” said Granite Hills coach JERRY PARKER. “We made a lot of mistakes with the ball. We looked a little nervous out there and they took advantage of it.”

Granite Hills Junior AMY SYLVESTER rolled a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds (and made 3 steals) for the Eagles (16-13).

“Morgan and Amy gave us everything they had tonight,” Parker added. Overall we grew a lot as a team this season, and we expect to grow more next season.”

Granite Hills scoring: Morgan Sabala 14, Amy Sylvester 10, Molly Hillenbrand 4, Katrena Gabardi 4, Lauren Bender 4 (6 reb., 4 stl.), Sabrina Jimenez 2 (3 reb., 3 ast.).

El Capitan's Samantha Spring (right) seeks to score while avoiding the block attempt by Serra's Ashley McWhorter. The visiting Q's upset the Vaqueros, 51-39, at Cook Gym. (Photo by Greg Eichelberger)

Time and time again during the frustrating loss Vaqueros first-year head coach JASON CAVAZOS threw his hands in the air then covered his eyes as he slumped back into his seat.

El Capitan marksmen connected on only 15 of 65 shots from the floor (23 percent), and missed 8 of 13 free throws in what resulted in a frustrating season-ending loss.

“We got what we wanted, high percentage shots, but just couldn’t finish,” Cavazos said.

Those disturbing numbers peaked during the second quarter when Serra (15-12) gained an 11-1 scoring edge for a 21-15 halftime lead.

Although finishing on the high end, Serra did not strike gold with its offensive thrusts. The Conquistadors converted only 18 of 54 shots (33 percent), but did manage to make the most of its free throws, hitting 11 of 14.

Sophomore ASHLEY DUFFY paced the Vaqueros – as usual – with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals.

VALERIE LOGEL, the lone senior on the El Capitan roster, gave a fierce effort, tallying 8 points and 13 rebounds.

“Shooting like we did just doesn’t make it in the playoffs,” said Cavazos. “Hopefully our girls remember this bitter taste when we begin next season.”

El Capitan scoring: Ashley Duffy 18, Valerie Logel 8, Liana Pitman 7, Jamie Ferguson 3 (8 reb.), Sam Spring 3 (4 reb.).

Sam Beasley (3) of Steele Canyon rejects this shot by University City's Malinda Richard. (Photo by Adolfo Villanueva)

UNIVERSITY CITY 63, STEELE CANYON 37 – It’s hard to imagine, considering Tuesday’s (Feb. 20) San Diego Section Division II playoff opener at University City, that a team could come out “flat” in a sudden-death affair.

But that’s what Steele Canyon coach FRANK QUINONES saw from his Steele Canyon ballclub, which was outscored all four quarters in a season-ending loss.

“It was horrible,” Quinones summarized. “We had 37 turnovers."

University City (17-12) led 32-13 at halftime.

“We were flat in the first three quarters,” noted Quinones, who saw the Centurions take a 46-21 advantage after three periods. “We finally decided to start playing in the fourth quarter but it was too late.

TINA MERLINO, one of the most consistent players in East County , came through with 12 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Cougars (16-13).

Freshman JANVIER BARBARIN, who was sidelined for much of the Grossmont South League season, crashed the boards for a team-high 12 rebounds but scored only 4 points.

Senior guard SAMANTHA BEASLEY contributed 7 points, 4 assists and 3 steals in her final basketball game at Steele Canyon.

“We have a young team and there were a lot of butterflies out there,” he commented. “We have a lot of work to do this summer.”

Steele Canyon scoring: Tina Merlino 12, Samantha Beasley 7, Janvier Barbarin 4, Samantha Silva 4, Belinda Pickens 3, Xanning Tyler 3, Briana Eiter 2, Katerina Snew 2.

Montgomery took its first step toward a possible title by stomping on visiting Valhalla (8-17) in a game that was decided by halftime on Tuesday (Feb. 20).

The Aztecs led 24-9 after one quarter then limited the Norsemen to a single point in the second period to stand on top of a 40-10 bulge by intermission.

“ Montgomery came out and took us out of our game,” said Valhalla coach JON OWENS. “They pressed us and we couldn’t handle it.”

Steady senior BREE MARTIN rolled a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds to pace Valhalla .

None of the other Norsemen scored more than 4 points, although sophomore EMILY ROBERTS contributed 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Senior SARA STANINGER did not score but blocked 5 shots to raise her season total to 56, which ranks 4th in East County.

“Bree and Sara finished their careers with the best season possible,” said Owens. “They were our leaders all season on and off the court. They did everything asked of them. It was a real pleasure to coach them this year. I’m going to miss them.”

Valhalla scoring: Bree Martin 16, Amy Woods 4, Kelanie Blackwell 2, Emily Roberts 2, Megan Tex 2, Kelsey Cartmill 2, Laurel Scovie 1.