1984-85: It’s Poway’s Way Again
Sweetwater fired a season-opening shot to remember on Nov. 21, exploding for 136 points against Coronado in the first game (Seach 1984-85: Zarecky’s Red Devils Runnin’…andTravelin’), but the Red Devils came up short again in the playoffs as Poway, now a team of mostly juniors, ran away with the San Diego Section 3-A title.
Other moments from a long season:
11/28/84
Poway cemented its status as the team to beat come late February with a first week, 89-51 rout of Morse, an Eastern League stalwart and expected postseason contender.
The Titans outscored the Tigers, 50-23, in the second half. Jud Buechler scored 26 points.
12/12/84
“He told us if we kept playing like we had in the first half, we could watch the second,” said Poway center John Colborne.
Trailing, 31-30, at halftime, the Titans straightened out at Point Loma and eased to a 75-63 victory, punctuated by a 25-6 third quarter.
“Poway is the best team I’ve seen in San Diego since Bill Walton was at Helix and, because of their guards, Poway might be better than that Helix team,” said Pointers coach John May.
Colborne, hearing Coach Neville Saner loud and clear, led with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
12/14/84
Sixteen days after a blowout loss to Poway, Morse defeated No. 3-ranked and 9-0 Sweetwater, 80-71, as Paul Bryant scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half.
Perhaps the Red Devils were looking ahead, far ahead. They would leave in two days for a Christmas Vacation trip to Europe and play in a major event in Yugoslavia.
Sweetwater coach Gary Zarecky, his team buttressed by Castle Park transfers Mahlon Williams and Sean Styles, continued to showcase his team.
The Red Devils in previous years played in Canada, Hawaii, and at the prestigious tournament in Hobbs, New Mexico.
1/8/85
Devin Moran scored 34 points and Serra set a school record for points in a 92-72 victory over Mt. Carmel.
Point Loma made 6 of 7 free throw attempts in the last minute to edge Kearny, 76-72.
1/16/85
Patrick Henry improved to 15-0 with a 69-67 win over visiting Morse. The Patriots called up sophomore Darren Thrower from the junior varsity on the day of the game and Thrower successfully handled the ball against the Tigers’ baseline-to-baseline press.
(Twenty days later the Patriots moved to 21-0 by surviving two overtimes and winning at Morse, 63-60).
–Monte Vista led, 17-3, and 38-20 but El Capitan rallied for a 69-64, overtime victory in a game that matched teams with 7-0 Grossmont League records.
–El Camino’s Sharon Turner set a girls San Diego Section record with 60 points in the Wildcats’ 121-16 win over Ramona. Turner, 29×36 shooting from the field, brought her recent, four-game total to 197 points
–John Colborne was sidelined with an ankle injury but 6-6 Dominick Johnson, son of legendary San Diego High athlete and 16-season major league baseball standout Deron Johnson, scored 28 points and added 17 rebounds in an 80-65 triumph over Orange Glen.
1/23/84
The Point Loma girls set a San Diego Section record with their 45th consecutive win, 62-33 at Patrick Henry.
Fallbrook held the record of 44 in the 1977-78 and ’78-79 seasons.
1/25/84
Chula Vista, loser of its first four, won its 13th game in 14 with a 95-44 rout of San Diego Southwest as it prepared for a February battle with blood rival Sweetwater.
“I coach the talent,” 13-year Spartans coach Mike Collins replied to a compliment from Jeff Savage of the Evening Tribune. “We were taller last year and this year we’re shorter but quicker. We do what we have to.”
–John Colborne was back after a two-game injury but Poway struggled to get to 17-0 and 7-0 in the Palomar League with a 62-59 victory at Vista.
Dominick Johnson set a career high with 30 points and Jud Buechler added 14 for the Titans.
–Hoover came within two points of the school record in a 103-68 win over St. Augustine. The Cardinals defeated Christian, 105-46, in 1981-82.
2/2/85
Oceanside was 5×14 from the free-throw line, El Camino 11×12, including eight in a row in the final 1:21, to lock a 51-47 victory in a battle of Avocado League rivals.
“That’s the way it’s gone all season,” noted Oceanside coach Bill Christopher of the team’s lack of success at the line. “No, make that all decade.”
2/8/85
Poway’s John Colborne missed another game because of flu and Torrey Pines sprung the upset of the season, 55-53, in the Falcons’ gym.
The victory elevated Torrey to 11-11 on the season and reduced the Titans to 19-1, leaving only Patrick Henry undefeated, 22-0.
–El Capitan clinched a playoff spot with a 46-36 win over Helix in a game that erupted with 1:32 left.
–A Helix foul touched off a melee in which both benches emptied and about 100 fans, players, and peace-keepers swarmed the court.
–No one was ejected. Game officials couldn’t determine who the instigator was.
BOYS SCORING LEADERS
| NAME | TEAM | GAMES | POINTS | AVERAGE |
| Ron Howard | Vista | 26 | 520 | 20.0 (10) |
| Howard Wright | Patrick Henry | 25 | 501 | 20.04 (9) |
| Bill Donley | Christian | 22 | 500 | 22.7 (1) |
| Jim Tatum | Santana | 23 | 497 | 21.60 (3) |
| Brad Milhoan | Kearny | 24 | 496 | 20.66 (5T) |
| Sam Aguirre | Hoover | 24 | 475 | 19.8 |
| T. Shawcroft | Granite Hills | 23 | 465 | 20.2 (8) |
| Mahlon Williams | Sweetwater | 28 | 473 | 16.9 |
| Williams | Hoover | 24 | 465 | 19.4 |
| Paul Bryant | Morse | 22 | 459 | 20.86 (4) |
| Dean | Madison | 21 | 455 | 21.67 (2) |
| Dominick Johnson | Poway | 25 | 451 | 18.2 |
| Steve Burroughs | El Capitan | 24 | 438 | 18.2 |
| Edgar Harvey | Chula Vista | 26 | 441 | 16.96 |
| Larry Willson | Sweetwater | 22 | 448 | 20.36 (7) |
| Robert Jones | El Cajon Valley | 21 | 434 | 20.66 (5T) |
| Demetrius Lafitte | Monte Vista | 24 | 430 | 17.9 |
| Bay Dean | Chula Vista | 26 | 426 | 16.4 |
| White | Carlsbad | 22 | 406 | 18.5 |
| Darnell Woods | Chula Vista | 25 | 406 | 16.24 |
| Markowitz | Army-Navy | 21 | 395 | 19.75 |
| Jeff Barry | Santana | 23 | 399 | 17.3 |
| John Colborne | Poway | 23 | 390 | 16.95 |
| Pelletier | Valhalla | 23 | 390 | 16.95 |
| Sommer | Escondido | 20 | 387 | 19.3 |
| David Fulmer | Bonita Vista | 23 | 382 | 16.6 |
| Kennedy | Torrey Pines | 23 | 382 | 16.6 |
Billings, Mountain Empire, 16×285, 19.0. Karl Rumpelhart, The Bishop’s 14×255, 18.2.
GIRLS
| NAME | TEAM | GAMES | POINTS | AVERAGE |
| Sharon Turner | El Camino | 29 | 863 | 31.7 (1) |
| Terri Mann | Point Loma | 27 | 680 | 25.2 (2) |
| Paula Mascari | Monte Vista | 25 | 599 | 23.96 (3) |
| Chris Sherman | Santana | 24 | 518 | 21.58 (4) |
| Karen Chariker | Clairemont | 22 | 471 | 21.4 (5) |
| Hranek | Vista | 24 | 448 | 18.66 |
| Evans | El Camino | 27 | 441 | 16.3 |
| Michelle Wilkes | Bonita Vista | 23 | 431 | 18.7 |
| Heidi Erpelding | University | 24 | 424 | 17.7 |
| Sheri Johnson | Santana | 23 | 416 | 18.08 |
| Donna Matthews | Hilltop | 24 | 404 | 16.8 |
| Julie Evans | Hilltop | 18 | 402 | 22.33 |
PLAYOFFS
BOYS
3-A
QUARTERFINALS
Patrick Henry 80, Vista 58 (13-11).
Morse 76, Monte Vista 57 (22-2).
The third-ranked Monarchs had led the County with a defensive scoring average of 43.7.
The Tigers 5-foot, 11-inch Paul Bryant scored 29 points and said, “I’m used to playing under pressure, usually against cats taller than me.”
Poway 106, Bonita Vista 51 (14-9).
Dominick Johnson scored 27 points and the Titans, opening with a 35-7 first quarter, came within two points of the school record, set in 1973-74 against San Dieguito.
Sweetwater 77, El Capitan 69 (18-6).
SEMIFINALS
Morse 71, Patrick Henry 64 (23-2).
Overflow crowd of 2,700 persons at Serra saw the Tigers avenge two losses to Patriots as substitute Deshang Weaver, who played at Lincoln last season, scored 18 points and “gave us an emotional lift,” said Morse coach Ron Davis.
Poway 70, Sweetwater 64 (24-4).
The Titans’ Big Three of Dominick Johnson (23), Jud Buechler (17), and John Colborne (15) led an early, 17-8 run and the Red Devils never caught up.
–“If we play our game, hard to defense us,” said Johnson. “We’re a year older, we’re much more mature, and we’re not selfish.”
CHAMPIONSHIP
Poway 87, Morse 63 (15-7).
Johnson (23), Colborne and Buechler, 20 each, combined to match the Tigers’ total, before 7,618 persons at the Sports Arena.
“We’re not the Cinderella team we were last year.” said Coach Neville Saner.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
L.A. Crenshaw 79, Poway 61 (24-2).
A crowd of more than 2,500 at Mira Mesa watched Poway hang in, trailing only 40-35 in the third quarter.
“They just keep coming at you; they never rest,” said the Titans’ Andy Byrne.
“This is an excellent team,” said the Cougars’ Stevie Thompson. “When we came here we didn’t think they’d be tough. They were a three-A team from San Diego and we just didn’t think they’d be very good.”
2-A
QUARTERFINALS
Oceanside 51, Hoover 47 (20-5).
El Camino 72, Hilltop 60 (9-17).
Hilltop crept to 39-38, but “I didn’t think we were in any danger,” Wildcats coach Ray Johnson told Bud Maloney of the Evening Tribune. “If you’ve seen our team play you would know we go to sleep at times.”
Chula Vista 62, Kearny 61 (18-7).
George Brynd’s two free throws with six seconds left climaxed the Spartans 11-point comeback in fourth quarter.
Mission Bay 56, Crawford 53 (11-11).
SEMIFINALS
Mission Bay 60, El Camino 52 (21-3).
Before Ray Johnson’s boys squad took the floor against and the underdog Buccaneers, Johnson coached the girls’ team to its win over San Marcos. There would not be an El Camino double final in 2-A.
Oceanside 42, Chula Vista 40 (19-7).
Junior Seau swatted George Brynd’s shot into the stands with one second left at Serra High to preserve the Pirates’ win.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Oceanside 63, Mission Bay 40 (19-6).
Pirates led only 23-21 at halftime.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Easton Washington Union 50, Oceanside 32 (19-7).
The Panthers were of a Fresno suburb and members of the Central Section of the state CIF.
1-A
COASTAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Army-Navy 73, La Jolla Country Day 52.
Lutheran 68, The Bishop’s 66.
SEMIFINALS
Lutheran 67, Army-Navy 57 (20-4).
CHAMPIONSHIP
Lutheran 61, Imperial 51.
“Once we got the ice off the rim we started hitting,” said Knights coach Michael Heidtbrink after the Mountain-Desert League playoff-winning Tigers took a 14-5 lead.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
Avenal 74, Lutheran 61 (21-5).
BOYS CENTURY CLUB
| TEAM | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| Sweetwater | Coronado | 136-48 |
| Sweetwater | Mar Vista | 123-54 |
| Sweetwater | Yugoslavian Club Team | 116-114 |
| Sweetwater | Mar Vista | 115-36 |
| Sweetwater | Southwest | 112-39 |
| Sweetwater | Kearny | 107-83 |
| Chula Vista | Marian | 107-67 |
| La Jolla Country Day | Victory Christian | 104-34 |
| Hoover | St. Augustine | 103-68 |
| Poway | Bonita Vista | 106-51 |
| Sweetwater | Castle Park | 100-68 |
| Poway | Fallbrook | 100-44 |
| Sweetwater | Chula Vista | 100-94 |
GIRLS PLAYOFFS
QUARTERFINALS
3-A
Point Loma 71, Grossmont 21 (14-5).
The 23-0 Pointers converted an astounding 24 steals into easy baskets, winning their 70th in a row at home and 52nd consecutive.
Fallbrook 68, Madison 48 (12-7).
Santana 56, Sweetwater 50 (14-7).
Chris Sherman’s 25 points and 11 rebounds helped Santana (23-0) stay undefeated.
Mt. Carmel 69, Bonita Vista 66 (17-6).
Donna Gutierrez’ two free throws with 33 seconds left closed out the Sundevils’ upset of the 10th-ranked Barons.
SEMIFINALS
Point Loma 63, Mt. Carmel 29 (17-8).
The Sundevils committed four fouls in a rowdy first minute, “tactically” meaning to keep the Pointers from scoring field goals. Point Loma was scoreless from the field in the first 4:33 but free throws put the Pointers ahead, 5-1.
Fallbrook 58, Santana 53 (24-1).
“We were scared of their record, but we also thought we wouldn’t be here if we didn’t deserve it,” said the Warriors Nicole Jann, who scored 23 points and pulled 10 rebounds.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Point Loma 86, Fallbrook 52 (20-5).
Terri Mann’s 31 points included 27 in the second half, plus 15 of her 27 rebounds. Fallbrook, trailing, 40-25, at the half, called off its press.
–“I hoped it wasn’t Terri’s night, so we tried to stop some other things in the second half,” said Fallbrook Coach Buck White.
–“Then,” White added, “she went to work.”
–The move up to 3-A from 2-A this season mattered not to coach Lee Trepanier’s team.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
DIVISION I
Point Loma 63, L.A. Crenshaw 51.
“That number 52 is the best around, period,” gushed Crenshaw coach Major Dennis. “She just intimidated us in the first half and by the time we realized she was just human, it was too late.”
Dennis was describing the Pointers’ Terri Mann to writer Steve Brand. Mann had 27 points and 17 rebounds.
Point Loma 59, Delano 49.
Terri Mann sat out almost seven minutes of the third quarter with four fouls but finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds, eight blocked shots, and seven steals
“I wasn’t worried at all,” claimed Pointers coach Lee Trepanier.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Point Loma 53 (28-0), S.F. Wilson 48 (26-3).
Terri Mann drained a free throw on the front end of a 1-and-1, spun, raised her fist, and smiled. The point gave Point Loma a three-point lead with 16 seconds remaining.
The Pointers scored again and held off San Francisco Wilson for the championship at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum Arena.
–The 6-foot, 1-imch sophomore Mann scored 30 points, collected 17 rebounds, six blocked shots, and had 3 steals.
2-A
QUARTERFINALS
El Camino 96, Clairemont 42 (10-13).
University 54, Southwest 34 (12-6).
Hilltop 55, Crawford 41 (14-7).
San Marcos 55, Lincoln 50, OT (8-6).
Robin Paladino scored 27 points, forced overtime with a layup with six seconds left, and clinched for the Knights with four free throws in the extra period.
SEMIFINALS
El Camino 65, San Marcos 35 (21-6).
University 53, Hilltop 49 (19-5).
Heidi Erpelding scored 22 of Uni’s 29 points in the first half and 34 overall as the Dons, 17-point losers to the Lancers earlier in the season, scored an upset.
CHAMPIONSHIP
El Camino 75, University 42 (21-4).
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
DIVISION II
El Camino 64, Easton Washington 58.
The Wildcats had to hold on after building a 53-35, third-quarter lead.
STATE CHAPIONSHIP
Chico Pleasant Valley 63, El Camino 49 (27-2).
The school that lost to Point Loma in the state D-II finals in 1983-84 had a 21-1 advantage at the free throw line.
“The real key though was they broke our press,” Wildcats Coach Ray Johnson told Steve Brand. “We usually get a lot of points off turnovers.”
El Camino gave up the ball 26 times, compared to 17 for the Vikings.
The Wildcats were called for 25 fouls to 11 for the champions.
El Camino trailed, 49-43, with 6:17 remaining.
1-A
COASTAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
La Jolla Country Day 71, The Bishop’s 31.
Calvin Christian 45, Borrego Springs 33.
COASTAL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
La Jolla Country Day 62, Calvin Christian 42.
CHAMPIONSHIP
La Jolla Country Day 41, Holtville 34*.
The Torres survived nine, first-quarter turnovers (the losing Vikings had 11) and remained undefeated with an 18-game winning streak.
*Won Mountain-Desert League playoff.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
DIVISION III
Woodlake 62, La Jolla Country Day 48 (18-1).
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TOURNAMENT SEASON
There were at least 17 involving boys’ teams before and after the New Year and probably more, as many results were not reported or publishedThe majors were the 17th Lt. Jim Mitchell, hosted by San Dieguito; the 38th Kiwanis, and the so named Belgrade Invitational Challenge (Search: 1984-85: “Those Travelin’…) featuring global traveler Sweetwater and some of Yugoslavia’s top junior teams. Others included the Mt. Helix, Grossmont, Peninsula Classic, Santana, Hilltop, Bonita Vista Baron-Optimist, Rohr-Aztec, and Mountain Empire that were played locally, and out-of-town competitions Las Vegas Red Rock, Chino, San Jose Valley Christian, Wilmington Banning, Lake Elsinore, and Santa Barbara Don Volpi.
LT. JIM MITCHELL Originally known as the Mustang Optimist in 1961-62, for the last 17 years the tournament honored the late San Dieguito High star who was killed in the Viet Nam war. Sixteen teams, including outsiders Yuma, Arizona, Burbank Burroughs, Saugus, and Playa del Rey St. Bernard. Poway 43, Playa del Rey St. Bernard 42. Poway stayed undefeated with a 10th straight victory in a cliffhanger finish to win the title. The Vikings took a 42-41 lead on a free throw with five seconds left. Poway called time. Jud Buechler missed a 10-foot shot, but 6-7 John Colborne, who had 23 points and 12 rebounds, tapped in the rebound for the decider. KIWANIS
Twenty-eight teams, marked by entry of the first out-of-the-area contingent since the 1978-79, got play under way in the 38th annual. Patrick Henry 52, Monte Vista 51, Unlimited Division. Hoover 64, Serra 62, Limited. –Monte Vista outran the Las Vegas Wildcats, 65-57, and pushed its record to 9-0 in a 65-57 victory in the opening round of Unlimited Division play. –“I don’t know how we won,” exclaimed University coach Zach Peck after a 44-42 win over San Pasqual. The Dons were outrebounded, 33-27, and committed 24 fouls to the Golden Eagles’ nine. Two free throws by reserve John Turner clinched it for the Dons with 23 seconds left.
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