One San Diego County team, Lincoln, made it to a state championship final, but there were two Hornets at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Lincoln’s were joined by the Hornets of Calipatria, 140 miles to the East in Imperial County and since 1980 members of the San Diego Section.
Scores and some recollections from the longest-ever playoff season, inclusive of 78 boys and 69 girls games, stretching almost a month, from Feb. 23 until March 19:
BOYS PLAYOFFS
(Seeds in italics).
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND
16 Mount Miguel 69, 17 San Dieguito 54 (10-15).
13 Mira Mesa 88, 20 Bonita Vista 40 (1-22)
14 Hilltop 62, 19 Orange Glen 58 (5-19)
18 Monte Vista 72, 15 Chula Vista 44 (12-16).
SECOND ROUND
6 Patrick Henry 59, 11 Vista 47 (13-11).
4 Mt. Carmel 67, 13 Mira Mesa 54 (11-14).
12 Point Loma 74, 5 Montgomery 63 (13-9).
7 Morse 112, 10 Sweetwater 50 (12-13).
2 Poway 73, 18 Monte Vista 58 (10-13).
3 Valhalla 94, 14 Hilltop 62 (13-15).
1 Santana 61, 16 Mount Miguel 57, OT (11-13).
8 Granite Hills 54, 9 Southwest 37 (15-10).
QUARTERFINALS
3 Valhalla 65, 6 Patrick Henry 59 (15-10).
1 Santana 59, 8 Granite Hills 49 (14-11).
4 Mt. Carmel 61, 12 Point Loma 52 (14-13).
7 Morse 69, 2 Poway 67, OT (19-6).
The Tigers’ Willie Davis scored with five seconds left in overtime.
SEMIFINALS
7 Morse 64, 3 Valhalla 54 (16-8).
1 Santana 58, 4 Mt. Carmel 40 (17-10).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Santana 67, 7 Morse 62 (19-10).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
2 Santa Clarita Simi Valley (27-4) 92, 7 Santana 67 (25-3).
D-II
FIRST ROUND
17 San Marcos 69, 16 Serra 66 (8-20).
12 University City 51, 21 Hoover 39 (2-23).
13 Oceanside 60, 20 El Capitan 54 (6-18)
14 Mission Bay 61, 19 San Pasqual 51 (4-18).
11 San Diego 69, 22 Mar Vista 34 (3-18).
15 Fallbrook 69, 18 Carlsbad 55 (6-16).
SECOND ROUND
2 Madison 63, 15 Fallbrook 48 (13-14).
3 El Camino 63, 14 Mission Bay 48 (11-16).
8 Helix 78, 9 Crawford 69, 2 OT (13-10).
Lamont Grove, averaging 28.1 points, scored 12 of his 25 in the fourth quarter to get Crawford to a 60-60 deadlock before fouling out with 1:47 remaining in regulation play.
12 University City 75, 5 Castle Park 69 (17-8).
11 San Diego 59, 6 La Jolla 49 (17-9).
1 Torrey Pines 71, 17 San Marcos 49 (8-12).
7 Escondido 81, 10 Grossmont 69 (11-13).
The Foothillers’ Jason Foggiano (35) and Lance Williams (24) combined for 59 points, not enough as Paul Baldwin (27), Brooks Barnhard (22), and Tim Bone (17) countered with 66 for Escondido.
4 Kearny 64, 13 Oceanside 55 (13-12).
QUARTERFINALS
2 Madison 96, 7 Escondido 70 (20-6).
1 Torrey Pines 71, 8 Helix 44 (16-9).
3 El Camino 47, 11 San Diego 40 (14-9).
4 Kearny 49, 12, University 41 (14-10).
SEMIFINALS
2 Madison 79, 3 El Camino 72.
4 Kearny 68, 1 Torrey Pines 59.
The Komets reversed a 71-62 loss to Torrey Pines in the December Baron-Optimist tournament.
CHAMPIONSHIP
2 Madison 54, 4 Kearny 53.
Robby Robinson’s team got the nod over Randy Robinson’s. Robbie had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Randy 19 points and eight rebounds.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
2 Madison 75, 7 Tustin 50 (24-6).
The Tillers actually led, 35-31, early in the third quarter. “I think we can go to the finals,” said Madison center Jeff Flanagan, who had 21 points and 16 rebounds,
6 Irvine Woodbridge 59 (Southern), 3 Kearny 49 (24-6).
4 La Palma Kennedy 71 (Southern), 5 Torrey Pines 68 (27-3).
1 Bakersfield Foothill (Central) 68, 8 El Camino 66, 2 OT (22-6).
SEMIFINALS
2 Madison 67, 6 Irvine Woodbridge 64 (23-7).
The Warhawks overcame 6-foot, 9-inch Adam Keefe, who had 34 points and 19 rebounds, with balanced scoring by Andre Mitchell (20), Robby Robinson (17), Jeff Harper (13), and Jeff Alexander (8).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Bakersfield Foothill 62 (26-4), 2 Madison 60 (27-3).
Madison trailed, 41-40, but the Trojans scored a 3-point basket with one second to play in the third quarter. “That three-point play killed us,” said Warhawks coach Jim Thompson, whose team saw its 19-game winning streak come to an end.
D-III
QUARTERFINALS
4 Rancho Buena Vista 51, 5 Clairemont 50 (5-19).
3 St. Augustine 68, 6 University 51 (7-16).
“We had a malicious mind,” said Mark Strawbridge of the Saints, who closed with a 22-7 run.
SEMIFINALS
1 Lincoln 85, 4 Rancho Buena Vista 55.
2 Ramona 56, 3 St. Augustine 51 (6-18).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Lincoln 71, 2 Ramona 63 (14-16).
“We played horrible,” said winning coach Ron Loneski of the Hornets’ first championship, boys or girls, in the school’s 33-year history, including time in the Southern Section.
Ramona, trailing, 46-32, fought back to a 56-56 tie before Carl Gaines, who had 23 points, answered with two straight baskets.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
SEMIFINALS
1 Lincoln 88, 4 Visalia Golden West 64 (Central, 16-10).
“Lincoln killed us on the boards and with their up-tempo game,” said losing coach Rex Robertson. “In the second quarter they just ran up and down the court. Our kids wilted.”
After establishing a 24-18 lead in the first quarter, Lincoln coach Ron Loneski leaned over to writer Steve Brand and said, “Watch what happens now.” The Hornets went on a 25-7 run in the next eight minutes.
2 Lemoore 69 (Central), 3 Ramona 57 (14-17).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Lincoln 80, Lemoore 68 (17-10).
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Daly City Jefferson 76 (Central Coast, 33-1), Lincoln 71 (26-3).
Lincoln led, 49-33, with 15 minutes remaining, but the usually rapid Hornets suddenly were run into submission by the Indians in a 29-17 third quarter that that left them only one point behind.
Jefferson, alma mater of football Hall of Fame coach John Madden, led, 76-69, with three minutes remaining in the game.
“We won the first half; they won the second half,” said Hornets coach Ron Loneski.
Lincoln averaged 82.9 points, passed 100 points four times this season, and had 19 games above 80.
D-IV
QUARTERFINALS
4 Holtville 78, 5 Marian 71 (5-17).
3 Coronado 92, 6 Army-Navy 53 (7-16).
SEMIFINALS
4 Christian 70, 1 Holtville 60.
5 Mountain Empire 70, 2 Coronado 69.
CHAMPIONSHIP
4 Christian 54, 5 Mountain Empire 50.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
1 Banning 97 (31-0, Southern), 8 Holtville 55 (14-11).
2 Easton Washington Union 86 (28-2, Central), 7 Mountain Empire 40 (17-8).
3 Beaumont 79 (24-5, Southern), 6 Christian 57 (12-13).
D-V
FIRST ROUND
8 Julian 52, 9 Calvin Christian 46 (7-14).
5 Imperial 68, 12 Borrego Springs 31 (5-14).
6 Lutheran 53, 11 Calexico Vincent Memorial 48 (5-17).
7 Midway Baptist 58, 10 Santa Fe Christian 57 (6-13).
QUARTERFINALS
5 Imperial 56, 4 La Jolla Country Day 45 (14-9).
3 Francis Parker 85, 6 Lutheran 73 (12-10).
1 The Bishop’s 60, 8 Julian 45.
“We played like the Lakers at the start, then we went into daze,” said the Knights’ Kamal Assaf of The Bishop’s 18-0 run in the first quarter. “We had a shot to win by 40.”
2 Calipatria 95, 7 Midway Baptist 51.
SEMIFINALS
1 The Bishop’s 57, 8 Imperial 39 (12-14).
“Dynasty with a view” is how Mike Jensen of The San Diego Union described the 22-0 Knights, whose campus is yards from the Pacific Ocean.
2 Calipatria 90, 3 Francis Parker 64 (13-10).
CHAMPIONSHIP
6 Calipatria 52, 1 The Bishop’s 51, OT (22-1).
The Hornets’ view is of the more prosaic desert and they ruined The Bishop’s view of an undefeated season.
The Bishop’s, fat with a 29-9 lead at the half, were stunned, 43-22, in the final 19 minutes, the clinching points coming on Andre Zendejas’ free throw with five seconds remaining in the extra session.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
4 The Bishop’s 51, 5 Reedley Immanuel (19-9, Central) 48.
SEMIFINALS
2 Calipatria 103, 3 Hesperia Christian 85 (23-4, Southern)
4 The Bishop’s 46, 1 North Hollywood Oakwood 44 (25-3, Southern).
Mitchell Butler’s 32 points weren’t enough to overcome balanced The Bishop’s, led by Maurile Tremblay (13), Kamal Assaf (12), Bob Peterson (11), and Chris McKenna (10).
CHAMPIONSHIP
2 Calipatria 56, 4 The Bishop’s 47 (24-2).
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Ripon Christian (28-8, Sac-Joaquin) 67, Calipatria 63, 2 OT (25-6).
It’s what happened during regulation play.
The Hornets’ Robert Romero, who scored 34 points, fouled out with seven seconds remaining, sending the Knights’ Mike Vander-Molen to the free-throw line and his team trailing, 59-56.
Vander-Molen missed the first free throw and then purposely hoisted a hard shot that caromed off the backboard into the hands of Vander-Molen, who stepped back and drained a three-pointer for a 59-59 tie, forcing overtime.
GIRLS PLAYOFFS
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND
16 Granite Hills 52, 17 Hilltop 35.
19 Montgomery @14 Morse, no score.
18 Mount Miguel 41, 15 Sweetwater 35 (9-10).
SECOND ROUND
1 Point Loma 78, 16 Granite Hills 13 (6-17).
3 Vista 72, 14 Morse 35 (8-14).
Chris Enger scored 35 points and blocked 11 shots.
7 Poway 58, 10 Mira Mesa 51 (11-16).
4 Mt. Carmel 71, 13 Chula Vista 49 (8-15).
2 Santana 68, 18 Mount Miguel 34 (4-21).
6 Patrick Henry 81, 11 Orange Glen 58 (13-12).
The Patriots couldn’t stop Laura Hughes, who scored 41 points but had little help.
2 Helix 55, 15 Mar Vista 33 (13-9).
QUARTERFINALS
3 Vista 71, 6 Patrick Henry 57 (15-6).
Chris Enger was 15×19 from the field, scored 33 points, and added 16 rebounds for the Panthers.
4 Mt. Carmel 68, 5 Bonita Vista 37 (20-5).
1 Point Loma 67, 8 Monte Vista 33 (18-7).
2 Santana 51, 7 Poway 39 (13-11).
SEMIFINALS
2 Santana 50, 3 Vista 40 (22-7).
4 Mt. Carmel 55, 1 Point Loma 38 (26-3).
“I don’t know if I’m happier going to the (Sports) Arena or beating Point Loma,” 6-foot, 2-inch Sundevils center Lynda Jones said to writer Steve Brand.
“They played like they wanted to win; we played like we didn’t want to lose,” said Pointers coach Lee Trepanier. “Give them credit, they played very well.
The Sundevils harassed high scoring Monica Filer and had raced to a 41-17 lead by the end of the third quarter.
CHAMPIONSHIP
4 Mt. Carmel 57, 2 Santana 47 (25-2).
“We don’t play setup basketball real well…our game is run and have fun,” Mt. Carmel coach Peggy Brose told Mike Jensen of The San Diego Union.
The Sundevils’ Kara Warner had seven fast-break baskets and 18 points.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
3 Lynwood 72 (29-4), 6 Mt. Carmel 42 (24-5).
4 Hanford 64 (25-1), 5 Santana 54 (25-3).
D-II
FIRST ROUND
17 El Cajon Valley @16 El Camino
12 Torrey Pines 56, 21 Valhalla 30 (3-24).
13 Crawford 58, 20 Carlsbad 55 (3-15).
Erica Kiser’s three-point basket came as the scoreboard clock clicked 0:00.
19 Kearny @14 El Capitan, no score.
11 Grossmont 66, 22 Hoover 34 (1-18).
“My girls are tired of getting beat,” said Hoover coach Mary McCarthy. “If I had my choice we wouldn’t be in the playoffs.”
Athletic director John Johnson: “I think we owed it to the kids to try. Once you start something it’s critical to follow through.”
18 San Diego @15 Mar Vista, no score.
SECOND ROUND
9 Serra 49, 8 San Marcos 39 (12-12).
5 La Jolla 59, 12 Torrey Pines 47 (9-15).
4 Madison 74, 13 Crawford 66 (14-9).
6 Mission Bay 50, 11 Grossmont 33 (13-11).
3 Fallbrook 48, 14 El Capitan 41 (10-11).
10 Oceanside 40 7 Castle Park 31 (19-7).
Maybe the Trojans should have stayed on the road. Castle Park played its first game of the season on their own floor, damaged in October when vandals left a fire hose running over night.
Oceanside sophomore Mildred Conston scored 13 points, blocked 11 shots, and had 12 rebounds.
Pirates coach Jimmy Stant said, “I talked to her three times this week and said, ‘Mildred, we go as you go.'”
1 San Pasqual 53, 16 El Camino 30 (9-16).
QUARTERFINALS
4 Madison 53, 5 La Jolla 47 (17-6).
1 San Pasqual 54, 9 Serra 26 (13-12).
8 Helix 57, 10 Oceanside 50, OT (13-13).
3 Fallbrook 49, 6 Fallbrook 44 (14-9).
SEMIFINALS
1 San Pasqual 59, 4 Madison 48 (13-11).
6 Fallbrook 54, 8 Helix 43.
A 20-5 run in the fourth quarter earned the Warriors a trip to the finals.
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 San Pasqual 45, 6 Fallbrook 40.
SOUTHERN CALIFRONIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
2 San Pasqual 38, 7 Helix 32 (17-7).
4 Los Altos 47 (21-4), 5 Fallbrook (17-10).
SEMIFINALS
1 Palos Verdes Peninsula Palos Verdes 44 (27-7, Southern), 2 San Pasqual 37 (27-3).
D-III
QUARTERFINALS
4 Our Lady of Peace 42, 5 Clairemont 35 (5-20).
“We’re excited about the new format, because it let us into the playoffs,” said OLP coach Carol Burnett to Karen Frawley of The San Diego Union.
“Actually, I think it’s a joke,” said Clairemont coach Dan Miller. “We were last in our league and I don’t see the value in going to the playoffs.”
3 University 52, 6 Rancho Buena Vista 35 (10-16).
2 Lincoln 54, 3 University 49 (11-8).
1 Ramona 54, 4 Our Lady of Peace 28 (12-15)
SEMIFINALS
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Ramona 41, 2 Lincoln 23 (16-8).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
1 Lemoore 54 (Central), 4 Lincoln 37 (16-9).
3 Ramona 54, 6 Bakersfield Highland 38 (7-15, Central).
SEMIFINALS
1 Lemoore 50 (22-8), Ramona 35 (19-8).
D-IV
QUARTERFINALS
4 Christian 52, 5 Mountain Empire 25 (2-21).
2 Coronado 43, 3 Marian 30 (6-11).
SEMIFINALS
1 Holtville 48, 4 Christian 35 (7-17).
3 Marian 2 Coronado, no score.
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Holtville 47, 2, Coronado 34.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
2 Cerritos Valley Christian 68 (26-2, Southern), 8 Coronado 35 (11-13).
5 Oxnard Santa Clara 54 (22-7, Southern) 4 Holtville 29 (16-10).
D-V
FIRST ROUND
8 Imperial 34, 9 Francis Parker 7 (3-15).
7 Borrego Springs 63, 10 Calexico Vincent Memorial 42.
QUARTERFINALS
3 Calvin Christian 43, 6 Calipatria 31 (7-9).
2 Lutheran 52, 7 Borrego Springs 41 (12-10).
1 La Jolla Country Day 42, 8 Imperial 37.
5 The Bishop’s 38, 4 Julian 35.
SEMIFINALS
1 La Jolla Country Day 48, 5 The Bishop’s 29 (9-9).
2 Lutheran 41, 3 Calvin Christian 39 (17-6).
CHAMPIONSHIP
1 La Jolla Country Day 48, 2 Lutheran 32
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
2 Avenal 41 (25-3, Central) 7 Lutheran 36 (17-8).
3 Lone Pine 61 (22-4, Southern) 6 Calvin Christian 37 (17-7).
5 Riverdale 51 (17-12, Central) 4 La Jolla Country Day 47 (20-5).
