2020-21 Week 4: Torrey Pines’ Run Now at 19 in Row
Coach John Olive may have passed the word around the Torrey Pines campus on Del Mar Heights Road: Do not even think about an undefeated season.
The coach would plead, “It’s too early.” Or, “We’re just thinking about our next game.”
But three impressive victories last week have put the Falcons at 19-0, with a No. 2 state ranking by Max Preps and No. 9 by Cal-Hi-Sports. Deep and well-rounded, the Falcons beat Coronado, 86-68, Mater Dei, 80-52, and Bonita Vista, 85-63
To run the table in the regular season (we’ll address playoffs later) the Falcons would have to win their last eight games, a schedule which includes home-and-home, Avocado League jousts against traditional rivals Carlsbad, Vista, and La Costa Canyon.
The Falcons also have home games against Temecula Rancho Christian and potentially troublesome Anaheim Fairmont Prep.
Olive has scheduled as tough as possible (one win over strong Corona Centennial, 65-62) but may have been helped by, of all things, the pandemic.
The scourge forced a drastic restriction in travel. No tournaments or mid-season road games against powerful, outside-the-section opponents.
Torrey Pines takes on the Temecula club tomorrow night (Wednesday, May 12) and tips Friday and Saturday against Carlsbad, the No. 7 team in the San Diego Section.
The last San Diego County team to end the season undefeated was the 1973-74, 32-0 Kearny Komets, led by Mark Hoaglin, Rick Taylor, Alan Rhodes, and Donald Page. That squad, as good as it was, played a local schedule, no intersectionals.
Undefeated regular seasons also have been achieved by Hoover (24-0, 1959-60), La Jolla (26-0, 1963-64), Mount Miguel (28-0, 1967-68), and Helix (29-0, 1969-70). Only Mount Miguel and Helix completed unbeaten runs through the playoffs..
UPDATE: Torrey Pines made it 20 victories in a row, 82-53 over Temecula Rancho Christian.
This week’s TheSan Diego Union-Tribune poll:
RANK
TEAM
RECORD
POINTS
LAST WEEK
1.
Torrey Pines
19-0 (13)
130
1
2.
San Marcos
17-0
116
3
3.
Cathedral
8-1
97
2
4.
St. Augustine
12-2
81
7
5.
Santa Fe Christian
12-2
81
4
6.
El Camino
15-3
60
6
7.
Carlsbad
11-4
49
5
8.
Mission Hills
11-2
28
9
9.
Orange Glen
16-3
27
8
10.
Mater Dei
6-2
19
10
Others receiving votes: Coronado (12-4, 13 points), Mission Bay (10-5, 7) Bonita Vista (6-4, 4), Helix (9-7, 1).
First-place votes in parenthesis.. Points awarded on scale of 10 down to 1.
Poll voters:13 sportswriters, sportscasters from around San Diego County.
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
Aaron Burgin, fulltimehoopos.com.
Terry Monahan, Steve Brand, Union-Tribune correspondents.
John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3 FM The Fan.
Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com.
Adam Paul, ECPreps.com
Steve Dolan Mountain Country 107.9 FM.
Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
Rick Smith, partletonsports.com
Brad Enright, L.A. Court Report.
How others see San Diego Section’s top 10 in their California ratings*.
TEAM
RANK
CAL-HI SPORTS
MAX PREPS
Torrey Pines
1
9
2
Cathedral
2
13
14
San Marcos
3
24
8
Santa Fe Christian
4
NR
11
Carlsbad
5
NR
32
El Camino
6
NR
47
St. Augustine
7
NR
18
Orange Glen
8
NR
49
Mission Hills
9
NR
34
Mater Dei
10
NR
70
*Cal-Hi Sports‘ ranks a Top 25.
2020-21: Evolution of Individual Game Most Points
The innumerable number of games and points and lack of sustained record keeping, or reporting, in earlier years make basketball a most challenging sport when it comes to posting stats of the “most”.
The table below, which begins decades after the game came to San Diego, lists an evolution of individual high scoring for one game. Corrections and additions welcomed.
First-place votes in parenthesis.. Points awarded on scale of 10 down to 1.
Poll voters:13 sportswriters, sportscasters from around San Diego County.
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
Aaron Burgin, fulltimehoopos.com.
Terry Monahan, Steve Brand, Union-Tribune correspondents.
John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3 FM The Fan.
Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com.
Adam Paul, ECPreps.com
Steve Dolan Mountain Country 107.9 FM.
Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
Rick Smith, partletonsports.com
Brad Enright, L.A. Court Report.How others see San Diego Section’s top 10 in their California ratings*.
TEAM
RANK
CAL-HI SPORTS
MAX PREPS
Torrey Pines
1
11
3
Cathedral
2
10
10
San Marcos
3
Bubble
8
Santa Fe Christian
4
NR
19
Carlsbad
5
NR
21
El Camino
6
NR
41
St. Augustine
7
NR
29
Orange Glen
8
NR
38
Mission Hills
9
NR
24
Mater Dei
10
NR
54
*Cal-Hi Sports‘ ranks a Top 25.
2020-21 Week 2: Power is on Del Mar Heights Road*
San Diego Section teams have been staying close to home because of the pendemic, but the season is in full swing with usual powers Cathedral and Torrey Pines almost neck and neck. San Marcos and a few others appear to be lying in the weeds.
Coach John Olive’s Torrey Pines Falcons managed to get in a home game against a tough Southern Section opponent and defeated Corona Centennial, the Los Angeles Times‘ No. 7 team, 65-62, in the most significant exercise thus far.
Below, the second weekly Union-Tribune poll result and the latest from Cal-Hi Sports and Max Preps.
RANK
TEAM
RECORD
POINTS
LAST WEEK
1.
Torrey Pines
14-0 (8)
125
1
2.
Cathedral
6-0 (4)
116
2
3.
San Marcos
13-0 (1)
108
3
4.
Santa Fe Christian
7-2
82
4
5.
El Camino
9-1
65
7
6.
Carlsbad
7-2
50
8
7.
Mission Hills
7-3
36
9
8.
St. Augustine
2-2
34
5
9.
Orange Glen
11-2
28
NR
10.
Mater Dei
3-1
27
NR
Others receiving votes: Coronado (9-3, 16 points), La Jolla Country Day (6-4, 11), Bonita Vista (3-3, 4), Montgomery (2-0, 4), Calvin Christian (8-0, 2), Francis Parker (3-2), Mission Bay (6-4), 1 point each.
How others see San Diego Section’s top 10 in their California top 25.
TEAM
RANK
CAL-HI SPORTS
MAX PREPS
Cathedral
1
13
9
Torrey Pines
2
14
3
San Marcos
3
Bubble
5
Santa Fe Christian
4
NR
22
El Camino
5
NR
21
Carlsbad
6
NR
25
Mission Hills
7
NR
17
St. Augustine
8
NR
NR
Orange Glen
9
NR
NR
Mater Dei
10
NR
NR
*The respective campuses of Torrey Pines and Cathedral are barely two miles apart on the Del Mar-Carmel Valley corridor.
1993-94: Lincoln Boys, Christian Girls Dominate D-IV
Clint Cummings (left) and Josh Merirll shared celebratory hug as University soaked in comeback win over St. Augustine in D-III decider.
Strength in the lower divisions, boys’ and girls’, continued to be the signature of San Diego Section teams.
The Christian girls followed the sensational mid-1980s stretch of four state championships by Point Loma by reaching the state Division IV championship game for the fourth season in a row.
Lincoln boys won the state D-IV title and were led by 6-foot, 8-inch Mark Sanford, a transfer from Kimball High in Dallas. The Hornets had lost D-IV championship games in 1987-88 and 1991-92.
NORSEMEN UNHAPPY
Playoff seeding meetings never would be confused with happy talk and sing-alongs around the camp fire. Agreement on pairings and on who gets in or is left out almost always is accompanied by grumbling coaches and shouting fans.
The old chant, “Elevator, elevator, we got the shaft” could be heard by Valhalla patrons as far away as Jamul.
Valhalla (19-8), a two-time winner over Monte Vista (15-12) in nonleague games, was seeded seventh in D-II and the Monarchs 10th.
The Norsemen, however, were forced to travel to Monte Vista for their first-round game, because the Monarchs won the Grossmont 2-A championship and Valhalla was third in the Grossmont 3-A race.
A CIF rule guaranteed league champions a home game in the first round.
“The coaches who were in the meeting feel it’s a bad rule,” said San Diego Section commissioner Kendall (Spider) Webb. “We’ll probably see it changed at the end of the year.”
Monte Vista ran the Norsemen out of the playoffs, 75-52.
BOYS PLAYOFFS
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND San Dieguito (13-16) 56, @ Mira Mesa 64. Poway (14-14) 61, @Rancho Buena Vista 85.
QUARTERFINALS Mira Mesa (14-12) 73, @1 Vista 107. Rancho Bernardo 81, @4 Chula Vista (17-10) 60. Fallbrook 50, @3 San Marcos (18-7) 45. 3 Rancho Buena Vista (16-12) 48, @1 San Diego (22-2) 72.
SEMIFINALS, @Mira Mesa. 1 Vista 63, Rancho Bernardo (16-10) 61. Fallbrook 63, San Diego (22-3) 61.
“It’s those damn North County refs again,” fumed San Diego’s Dennis Kane of official Rusty Rinner to writer Ed Graney. “You don’t make that call. You don’t take the game away from the kids.”
Fallbrook led, 61-59, with 13 seconds left before the Cavers’ Sedrick Bagby converted a free throw.
A whistle blew before Bagby’s second shot. Rinner called Bagby for taking too much time, more than the allowed 10 seconds.
Said Fallbrook coach Russ Keith: “I don’t expect to get that call. I don’t want to win that way.”
Said Rinner, who primarily worked games north of the city limits: “All I’ll say is I got to 15 (seconds)…and that’s stretching it.”
Said Bagby, who scored 29 points in a contest that featured 11 lead changes: “That’s how I shot the first one and he didn’t say anything. He didn’t even warn me.”
After the official’s call, Fallbrook inbounded the ball and Al Smalley scored on a layup. San Diego’s Walt Williams made one free throw with one second left for the final margin.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. Vista 65, Fallbrook (17-12) 64.
Adam Vandevoort drained a 10-footer as time elapsed. “I knew I had to get it off quick, but I also knew I had time to turn and shoot,” he told Steve Brand.
“During the time out (before the play, which began with Vista trailing, 64-63), I calculated how long it would take to shoot. I wanted the ball.”
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Long Beach Poly (26-6) 81, @3 Vista (26-4) 70.
D-II
FIRST ROUND Montgomery (14-13) 32, @1 El Camino 68. Hilltop (18-11) 49, @Patrick Henry 63. Escondido (13-11) 55, @Helix 83. El Capitan (10-18) 58, @4 Carlsbad 66. Hoover (12-12) 59, @3 Torrey Pines 82. Mount Miguel (11-12) 63, @Serra (15-10) 68. Four free throws by Lovell Swink and two by Nathaniel Wright in the final 80 seconds pushed Serra to the victory. Valhalla (19-9) 52, @Monte Vista 75. Mission Bay (11-13) 42, @2 Grossmont 58.
QUARTERFINALS Monte Vista 53 (15-13) @2 Grossmont 67. Serra (15-10), 58, @Torrey Pines 65. Patrick Henry (18-11) 33, @1 El Camino 55. Helix 74, @Carlsbad (17-9) 61.
SEMIFINALS, @Rancho Bernardo. Helix 66, 1 El Camino (25-4) 63. The Highlanders won their 16th game in the last 18 and avenged an 80-48 loss to the Wildcats in December. 2 Grossmont 45, 3 Torrey Pines (24-8) 42.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. Grossmont 60, Helix 52, OT. “It’s nice to see a CIF championship where all the kids are from Grossmont,” said Foothillers coach David Hollman. “All my kids are homegrown. That’s the thing I’m proudest of. We did it without kids transferring in.”
“We played about five minutes of basketball,” complained Helix coach John Singer, reflecting on the final five minutes of regulation time in which Helix erased an 11-point deficit.
Grossmont’s Bobby Ferriea, who scored 22 points, maneuvered around Helix’ Armon Carter in Foothillers’ 60-52, overtime win. Ferriea scored 22 points.
FIRST ROUND Kearny (7-19) 54, @Santana 57. West Hills (9-13) 42, @La Jolla 81.
QUARTERFINALS Santana (10-13) 29, @1 University 62. Eastlake 66, @4 Ramona (12-12) 60. Scripps Ranch 83, @3 Mar Vista (18-7) 75. The first-year Falcons, buttressed by five transfers for the last five games of the regular season, thrived with Ashante Johnson, who moved from Kearny and scored 33 points.
La Jolla 47 (11-14), @2 St. Augustine 53.
SEMIFINALS, @Mesa College. University 74, Eastlake (17-8) 46. St. Augustine 59, Scripps Ranch (10-16) 50.
CHAMPIONSHIP University (26-3) 71, St. Augustine (24-5) 64. University trailed, 52-41, early in the fourth quarter before a Sports Arena crowd of 7,395 persons.
Josh Merrill, the Dons’ 6-foot, 9-inch go-to guy, drained two, long, three-point attempts and was 8 for 8 from the free throw line in the final quarter.
The Saints, state D-III-ranked third behind the second-ranked Dons, had contained Merrill, holding him to six points in the first three quarters.
Merrill also had 10 rebounds, four in the fourth quarter, and blocked two shots.
“The threes, first Matt’s (Bryan) and then mine, got it going,” Merrill told Steve Brand.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Wasco (17-9) 39, @2 University 68. St. Augustine 46, @Shafter (25-7) 43.
Jelani McCoy shattered a backboard in the pregame shootaround. “It wasn’t even one of his monster slams,” said Saints coach Bill Peterson. “It was a baby one.”
McCoy had, by Peterson’s count, more than 50 cuts to his body but was okay after visiting a hospital.
McCoy had 11 points, 20 rebounds, and five blocked shots, including one in the final five seconds.
SEMIFINALS Rancho Santa Margarita (25-7) 39, @2University 41. St. Augustine (25-6) 62, vs. 1 Garden Grove Pacifica (29-1) 65, @Cypress College.
The Saints missed a handful of showtime dunks and blew a 16-point, 43-27 lead early in the third quarter.
University’s Tony Gutierrez beat Pacifica defenders to basket for score in D-III regional final.
FINALS
2 University (28-4) 55, Garden Grove Pacifica (30-1) 60, @Anaheim Arrowhead Pond.
Uni led by 11 at halftime but the Mariners, using 11 players who each averaged 15 minutes on the floor, wore down the Dons with their press and depth.
“It’s tough,” said Josh Merrill. “I’d like to take a week off, but I’ll be at baseball practice tomorrow.”
D-IV
SEMIFINALS, @West Hills.
Lincoln 98, Imperial (13-11) 64.
Mark Sanford’s line for Lincoln: 32 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocked shots, 7 steals.
Holtville 77, Coronado (15-9) 64.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. Lincoln 102, Holtville (22-4) 69. Seven section titles in a row for the Hornets. Mark Sanford had 24 points and 20 rebounds.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Easton Washington Union (23-7) 51, @2 Lincoln 105. Holtville (22-5), @1 L.A. Verbum Dei (25-2). No score.
SEMIFINALS Oxnard Santa Clara (19-8) 52, @Lincoln 83.
FINALS, @Cal State Dominguez Hills. Lincoln 94, L.A. Verbum Dei (26-4) 93. Lincoln’s Louis Johnson made the second of two free throws with 12 seconds left and the Hornets held on after losing all of a 13-point lead in the second quarter.
The Hornets’ Mark Sanford, staying tough after sustaining a fourth personal foul with 5:29 left in the third quarter, scored 32 points, including 15 in a pulsating fourth quarter, when Verbum Dei outscored the winners, 28-21, and had taken a 91-89 lead.
The shorter Eagles—their tallest starter was 4 inches shorter than Lincoln’s 6-8 Mark Sanford– continually drew Lincoln into foul trouble.
Verbum Dei, paced by future NBA star Andre Miller (23 points), was 29×42 from the free-throw line. Lincoln was 42×71, 59 per cent, from the field, but committed 29 turnovers to 11.
Mark Sanford (right), who led Lincoln’s 83-52 victory over Oxnard Santa Clara, battled Kris McLucas for rebound.
STATE CHAMPIONHIP, @Oakland Coliseum Arena. Lincoln (25-7) 63, San Anselmo Sir Francis Drake (32-4) 50.
Seeing that Lincoln had averaged 93 points in the playoffs, the Pirates from Marin County took the air out of the ball but still trailed, 24-10, at halftime.
“It was evident they didn’t want to get into a running game,” Lincoln coach Charlie Paulk told Steve Brand. “That didn’t change our plan. We still run, no matter what they do.”
D-V
FIRST ROUND Santa Fe Christian 68, @Calvin Christian (14-9) 60. Calipatria (7-16) 69, @La Jolla Country Day 84. Tri-City 89, @Julian (15-9) 76. Army-Navy 62, @Horizon (15-6) 54.
QUARTERFINALS Santa Fe Christian 42, @1 Christian (18-8) 40. La Jolla Country Day (17-10) 48, @4 Calexico Vincent Memorial 59. Tri-City (12-14) 55, @3 Francis Parker 67. Army-Navy (11-11) 50, @The Bishop’s 58.
SEMIFINALS, @Scripps Ranch. Calexico Vincent Memorial 61, Santa Fe Christian (11-16) 51. The Bishop’s 43, Francis Parker (14-11) 38.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. The Bishop’s 56, Calexico Vincent Memorial (18-10) 47.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Pasadena Poly (22-5) 58, @4 The Bishop’s (19-10) 50.
North Hollywood Campbell Hall 68, Calexico Vincent Memorial (18-11) 61, OT.
GIRLS PLAYOFFS
DIVISION I
FIRST ROUND
San Dieguito (9-17) 41, @Rancho Bernardo 77. Rancho Buena Vista 61, @San Diego (18-7) 52.
QUARTERFINALS
Rancho Buena Vista (12-17), 39 @1 Poway 57.
Fallbrook (20-6) 55, @4 Chula Vista 57.
Allision Hines’ layup with 3 seconds left doomed the visiting Warriors.
Vista went on a 20-0 run after Morse led, 14-13. “I think our press ruffled them a little,” said 28-point scorer DeAngela Minter. The Tigers turned the ball over eight times in the second quarter, 21 for the game.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena.
3 Vista 51, Poway (21-6) 41.
DeAngela Minter shook off a sore hamstring and two tender ankles to score 32 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.
Ventura Buena’s Michelle Giordano, guarded by Vista’s Kristen Marsh, ignored her free-flowing pigtail and scored 21 points in 39-37 victory.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Ventura Buena (25-2) 39, @4 Vista (20-8) 37. The host Panthers missed their final 18 field goal attempts.
D-II
FIRST ROUND
Helix (7-17) 24, @1 Mission Bay 92. Adia Barnes led the Buccaneers with 41 points.
Mount Miguel 51, @Torrey Pines (13-13) 49.
The Matadors avenged a 67-37 loss to the Falcons as Amie Belanger scored 25 points, including their first 16, despite playing on a sore knee and after a physician suggested not playing.
San Pasqual (11-15) 45, @El Cajon Valley 60. Hilltop (14-9) 27, @4 El Camino 75. Montgomery (13-12) 40, @Grossmont 84.
Amber Phoenix’ 35 points rose the Foothillers.
University City (11-12), 39, @1 Escondido 65. Point Loma 62, @Bonita Vista (17-8) 60. Jill Birmingham’s 22 points and 13 rebounds weren’t enough for the Barons, who led, 21-9, after one quarter. Angie Martinez had 31 points for the winners.
Patrick Henry (9-17) 29, @2 El Capitan
QUARTERFINALS
Mount Miguel (14-10) 28, @Mission Bay 58.
Point Loma (19-12) 40, @El Capitan 67.
El Cajon Valley (18-8), 40, @El Camino 46.
Grossmont (20-7), 51, @Escondido 64.
SEMIFINALS, @Rancho Bernardo.
Mission Bay 68, vs. El Camino (20-6) 45.
Adia was at it again for the Buccaneers, triple doubling with 40 points, 11 rebounds, and eight steals.
Escondido (26-3) 52, vs. El Capitan (25-2) 35.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena.
Mission Bay 68, Escondido (25-4) 44.
Future collegiate head coach Adia Barnes said to Steve Brand of The San Diego Union: “I listened to their coach (Lori Becker) and every time she said to get the ball inside, I knew it was coming.”
Barnes forced six Escondido turnovers in the fourth quarter and the Buccaneers won their first championship, girls or boys, and their 2st straight victory, spoiling a Cougars hoped-for celebration during the school’s 100-year anniversary.
SEMIFINALS, @El Cajon Valley. Coronado (13-11) 47, 1 Lincoln 71.
The Hornets, 12-9 competitively but 4-17 legislatively after an ineligibility, lived up to their top seeding.
3 Clairemont (12-12) 42, 2 Holtville 44.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. Lincoln (6-17) 58, Holtville (19-6) 43.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL Sun Valley Village (25-1) 71, @Lincoln (6-18) 70. Holtville (20-7), @2 Cerritos Valley (27-2) 62.
Christian’s Theresa Kain launched shot between The Bishop’s Amy Greifenstein and Amanda Updegraff. Patriots won San Diego Section and Regional final battles with Knights.
D-V
FIRST ROUND Francis Parker (11-10) 53, @Tri-City (12-4) 48. Lutheran (10-11) 34, @LaJolla Country Day (11-10) 48.
QUARTERFINALS Francis Parker 23 (11-11), @1 The Bishop’s 65. Calvin Christian (13-6) 34, @4 Marian 47. Calipatria (15-7) 43, vs. Julian (24-3) 89, @Ramona. The Eagles outscored the Imperial Valley-based Hornets by at least 11 points in every quarter.
SEMIFINALS, @West Hills The Bishop’s 50, vs. Marian (11-14) 29. Christian 88, vs. Julian (24-4) 48.
CHAMPIONSHIP, @Sports Arena. Christian 64, The Bishop’s 50.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL San Bernardino Christian (20-9) 41, @1 Christian (26-4) 72. The Bishop’s 60, @3 San Luis Obispo Mission Prep 39.
SEMIFINALS Cambria Coast Union (19-7) 51, @The Bishop’s 65. San Luis Obispo Mission Prep (19-7) 39, @Christian 74. The Patriots gained the regional finals for the fourth consecutive year.
FINALS, @Cal State Dominguez Hills Christian 53, The Bishop’s (27-4) 48.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, @Oakland Coliseum Arena. Ripon (31-5) 62, Christian (28-5) 46.
A factor often overlooked, according to Steve Brand of The San Diego Union-Tribune, was Ripon’s dominance on the defensive backboard, outrebounding the Patriots, 27-17.
They were much bigger and stronger,” said Christian coach Ken Grainger. “They bulled us around. They had the muscle and the mass.”
Christian had beaten Ripon in the state championship game in the 1991-92 season.
1992-93: Playoffs Now Have 5 Divisions
CIF bosses approved a fifth division for playoffs.
“Those who worried that five playoff divisions would take some of the glitter off league races needed to be in the stands at Christian and San Diego High this past weekend,” wrote Steve Brand before the start of the postseason.
“When Christian beat Our Lady of Peace there was genuine exhilaration from the Christian girls,” continued Brand. “You’d have thought they won the state title again.”
Same at a boys game featuring the Cavers and St. Augustine, pointed out Brand, endorsing the added playoff grouping and contending that league titles were as important as ever.
The Palomar League produced all 4 Division1 playoff semifinalists. Power was in the North County.
Come the Southern California regionals, only Lincoln enjoyed an extended stay. Area teams were 1-8 in first-round games.
With apologies to the Surfaris and their early-1960’s hit, the playoffs were a collective “wipeout” for San Diego’s best.
Coach Greg Lanthier is toast of Vista after Panthers defeated Poway for first championship in 31 years.
BOYS PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
D-I
Mt. Carmel 63, @San Diego (13-8) 42.
Morse (7-16) 65, @Poway 86.
Montgomery (9-18) 41, @Rancho Bernardo 82.
Mira Mesa (12-13) 60, @Rancho Buena Vista 79.
San Dieguito 54, @Fallbrook (15-13) 51.
Granite Hills (4-18) 76, @Chula Vista 93.
The Spartans bettered their season average of 80.9 points a game.
Bonita Vista (4-21) 57, @Vista 138.
The No. 1-seed Panthers reached 100 points with a minute left in the third quarter and won their 21st straight. Shane Jager (30) and Kyle Duport (28) led the carnage.
Vista came close to the one-game record set in 1991-92 by La Jolla Country day in a 143-60 romp over Mountain Empire.
Southwest (9-16) 72, @San Marcos 81.
D-II
Patrick Henry (14-11) 69, @Carlsbad 79.
Grossmont (13-11) 58, @Kearny 64.
El Capitan (17-10) 45, @Monte Vista 76.
Hilltop (8-16) 48, @Valhalla 78.
Castle Park (12-12) 47, @Serra 72.
Point Loma (8-15) 49, @Helix 67.
Mount Miguel (8-18) 52 @Torrey Pines 58.
Mar Vista (9-15) 50, @El Camino 97.
El Camino’s Bryant Westbrook shoots over Monte Vista defenders in Wildcats’ 69-62, semifinals playoff victory.
D-V
Lutheran (13-10) 66, @Marian 86.
Calvin Christian (7-14) 57, @Santa Fe Christian 88.
La Jolla Country Day (7-17) 49, @Tri-City 72.
Army-Navy (9-10) 46, @Francis Parker 50.
Horizon 35, @The Bishop’s 90.
Calexico Vincent Memorial 74, Julian (16-8) 71.
QUARTERFINALS
D-I
San Dieguito (12-15) 59, @Poway 66.
Rancho Buena Vista 58, @Rancho Bernardo (16-11) 54.
San Marcos (15-13) 76, @Vista 99.
Mt. Carmel 64, @Chula Vista (26-2) 61.
D-II
Carlsbad 66, @Valhalla (21-8) 53.
Torrey Pines (18-13) 65, @El Camino 78.
Helix (17-7) 50, @Serra 56, OT.
Kearny (20-5) 43, @Monte Vista 49.
D-III
Crawford (3-19) 54, @University 74.
Madison (9-14) 63, @St. Augustine 84.
La Jolla (13-11) 50, @Santana 53.
Ramona (10-12) 43, @Oceanside 64.
Sterling Wyman lost footing and Mount Miguel’s Marcos Gallardo passed over Falcons defender. Torrey Pines won playoff, 58-52.
D-IV
Eastlake 75, @Coronado (10-16) 74.
D-V
Marian (9-14) 65, @Calipatria 75.
Tri-City (13-11) 47, @Santa Fe Christian 66.
Francis Parker 40, @Christian (19-6) 34.
Calexico Vincent Memorial (10-10) 50, @The Bishop’s 54.
SEMIFINALS
D-I
3 Poway 74, Mt. Carmel (12-15) 50.
The Titans virtually were playing at home before 2,400 persons at neighboring Ranch Bernardo
The game was the second half a doubleheader and a capacity turnout was guaranteed when the opponent also was close-by Mt. Carmel.
Andy Davis scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds as Poway moved out to a 40-21 halftime lead.
1 Vista 60, 4 Rancho Buena Vista (19-11) 57.
Carlsbad 79, 2 Serra (23-3) 53.
The loss ended a 14-game winning streak for the Conquistadors.
D-II
1 El Camino 69, 4 Monte Vista 62 (20-7).
The Wildcats trailed by 11 points late in the third quarter, when Chris Dade, sitting with 4 personal fouls, was called on by coach Ray Johnson and scored 13 points in the final 8:30, finishing with 19.
“We just needed to survive the third quarter (a 25-11 Monte Vista run) without him,” said Johnson.
D-III
Santana (13-11) 50, @St. Augustine 53.
Oceanside (14-14) 38, @University 39.
D-IV
Holtville (12-10) 52, @Clairemont 58.
John Brady and Will Gray each scored 21 points and the Chieftains drained 11 three-point shots. “Good thing we were nailing those threes,” said coach Greg Lee.
Lincoln 129, Eastlake 38, @Hoover.
Lincoln, which averaged 78.8 points during the regular season, got started with a 33-7, first-quarter run and closed with 40 points in the fourth as Eastlake committed 15 of its 41 turnovers. Twelve Hornets scored, six in double figures, led by Chester Mangum’s 27.
The 129 total was sixth highest in County history.
Eastlake, which opened months before, played a junior varsity schedule during the regular season.
Jade Copple stole ball from Patrick Henry’s Darryl Patmon in Carlsbad’s 79-69 playoff victory.
D-V
3 Santa Fe Christian 39, the Bishop’s (23-4) 37.
4 Calipatria 44, Francis Parker (14-13) 43.
CHAMPIONSHIP
D-I
1 Vista 64, 3 Poway 52.
The Panthers’ championship was their first since defeating Fallbrook for the small-schools title in the 1962.
Poway had won the last two D-I championships and trailed only 49-48 before Vista closed with a 13-4 push.
1 El Camino 77, Carlsbad 62 (24-4).
Football Parade Magazine all-America Bryant Westbrook had 12 points and 11 rebounds and the Wildcats blew open the game with a 16-0 run in the first quarter.
Carlsbad rallied with a 14-2 streak in the third quarter to close to 48-39, but Westbrook halted the Lancers with a basket that returned the double-digit lead.
D-III
St. Augustine 62, University 46.
The somnolent Saints, trailing, 39-36, awakened and blitzed the Dons with a 26-7 fourth quarter. Jelani McCoy scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
D-IV
Lincoln 88, Clairemont 58.
Lincoln won its sixth consecutive championship and third straight division title over Clairemont, which led the Hornets, 28-25, midway through the second quarter.
“Sometimes it’s hard to get our kids up for these games,” said Hornets coach Ron Loneski, whose team had beaten the Chieftains, 96-49, in the regular season.
The Hornets’ five starters scored from 12 to 14 points each.
D-V
4 Calipatria 49, 3 Santa Fe Christian 41.
The Hornets won their second straight title in their eighth consecutive visit to the Sports Arena, despite missing Referral Simpson, a 20-point scorer as a sophomore who transferred to Hemet West Valley.
Guillermo Zendejas paced the Hornets with 20 points.
Artesia’s Charles O’Bannon loomed over Bryant Westbrook and El Camino in hard-fought playoff.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL
QUARTERFINALS
D-I
Poway (25-5) 65, @Santa Ana Mater Dei (32-1) 88.
Huntington Beach (29-4) 81, @Vista 55 (28-3).
Future NFL All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez led the Oilers with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
Vista, which averaged 83 points a game in the regular season, had one run of 13-4 in the third quarter that provided temporary relief and some hope for the standing-room home crowd.
D-II
Lakewood Artesia (26-4) 67, @El Camino 64 (25-5).
“We put everyone on him,” said El Camino coach Ray Johnson to Ed Graney of The San Diego Union. “A great player. We’re tired of seeing him.”
The object of Johnson’s praise was 6-foot 7-inch Charles O’Bannon, who scored 28 points and had nine rebounds, dished five assists, and slammed four dunks.
The highlight and the definitive O’Bannon contribution was a three-point play with one second left in the game.
El Camino came the closest in this third Regional matchup in the last four seasons against Artesia. The Wildcats did it after trailing by 15 points with 3:57 left in the third quarter.
WILDCATS TAKE LEAD
Artesia’s lead was down to one entering the fourth quarter and El Camino held a 64-62 advantage inside two minutes.
Artesia’s Shawn Caracoza tied the score and then, back on defense, O’Bannon forced a change of direction of an El Camino shot and blocked a second attempt, giving Artesia the ball with 37 seconds left.
The Pioneers dribbled and passed until there were seven seconds remaining, then gave the ball to O’Bannon, who scored on a 10-foot, baseline jumper and was fouled and converted a free throw.
“We never went away from what we do best,” Johnson said to Graney of his team’s man-to-man defense and up-tempo offense.
The coach shrugged. “They beat us, but we gave them hell,” he said.
Carlsbad (24-5) 55, @Riverside North (31-0) 65.
Kewan Shariff kept the Lancers in the game with 26 points.
The Saints cut a 15-point halftime deficit to three points but faded. Jelani McCoy led them with 20 points.
D-IV
Clairemont (10-18) 45, @Gardena Serra (23-7) 112.
The top-seeded Cavaliers fattened their lead with a 22-0 run in the first half.
Playa del Rey Sr. Bernard (13-16) 76, @Lincoln 90.
The Hornets were breezing, 53-28, at the half, but the visitors were pressing, 79-71, with 2:01 left.
We got very complacent,” claimed Lincoln coach Ron Loneski.
D-V
L.A. Bel Air Prep (18-9) 61, @Calipatria 65.
The Hornets never trailed, buzzing with Guillermo Zendejas’ 15 points, including four from deep.
@Palos Verdes Chadwick 64, Santa Fe Christian (20-10) 50.
SEMIFINALS
D-V
Bakersfield Garces Memorial (21-9) 58, @Lincoln 70.
Joe Evans scored 33 points and told Ed Graney of the Union, “I felt it. I was at home (before the game) and began meditating….”
Vista’s Caleb Ashley (left) kept ball away from Poway’s Chad Wellon. Vista won, 60-52 for D-I championship.
D-V
Palos Verdes Chadwick (24-9) 68, Calipatria (17-9) 48, @Imperial Valley Community College.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Gardena Serra (25-7) 69, Lincoln (29-5) 67, @Cal State-Dominguez Hills.
A beef behind the Lincoln bench as the game ended resulted in both teams not being present to accept postgame rewards.
Lincoln botched an inbound play with 18 seconds left and the score tied at 67. Serra promptly turned the ball over. Lincoln then turned the ball over again.
Serra got the ball inside, where it accumulated 46 of its 69 points and the Cavaliers’ Akeli Jackson scored with three seconds to go.
Lincoln was 6×16 from the free-throw line, missing the front ends of five 1-and-1 opportunities, and committed 30 turnovers.
“We’re a better team than Serra,” said coach Ron Loneski. “They didn’t beat us; we beat ourselves.”
GIRLS PLAYOFFS
FIRST ROUND
DIVISION I
Sweetwater (5-12) 18, @Rancho Bernardo 114.
Mt. Carmel 66, @San Diego (14-9) 61, 3 OT.
Granite Hills (6-20) 26, @Morse 53.
San Dieguito (8-18) 45, @Chula Vista 49.
Allison Hines’ 3×4 free throws in the final 1:30 to go with 22 points, seven assists, and five steals got the Spartans to the finish line.
Orange Glen (11-15) 39, @Bonita Vista 52.
San Marcos (7-16) 28, @Poway 77.
Fallbrook 39, @Mira Mesa (17-8) 29.
D-II
Torrey Pines (12-13) 48, @Kearny 56.
Hilltop (12-12) 30, @El Capitan 52.
Mount Miguel (13-10) 41, @Escondido 59.
Castle Park (13-13) 61, @Grossmont 79.
San Pasqual 54, @El Cajon Valley (16-7) 47.
Patrick Henry (8-14) 27, @Carlsbad 67.
Valhalla (9-19) 47, @University City 62.
Mission Bay 55, @El Camino (15-9) 47.
Adia Barnes led the way for the Buccaneers with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals.
D-III
Crawford 40 (3-19), @Ramona 46.
D-V
Calexico Vincent Memorial 45, @Marian (4-18) 38.
Tri-City (4-12) 17, @Francis Parker 69.
QUARTERFINALS
D-I
Mt. Carmel (11-15) 45, @Rancho Bernardo 63.
Vista (16-10) 50, @Morse 63.
Fallbrook (10-17) 44, @Chula Vista 47.
Bonita Vista (14-10) 49, @Poway 77.
D-II
San Pasqual (12-12) 36, @University City 61.
Mission Bay (11-12) 47, @Carlsbad 66.
Kearny 61, @El Capitan 36 (19-7).
Grossmont 48 (20-6), @Escondido 69.
D-III
Madison (6-16) 29, @University 53.
Ramona (4-18) 51, @Santana 80.
West Hills (3-19) 17, @Our Lady of Peace 67.
Oceanside 47, La Jolla (5-16) 40.
D-IV
Eastlake (17-7), 29, @Clairemont 45.
D-V
Calvin Christian (8-11) 53, @La Jolla Country Day 63.
Calipatria (5-15) 33, @Julian 74.
Calexico Vincent Memorial (12-9) 26, @The Bishop’s 47.
Francis Parker (15-6) 17, @Christian 79.
SEMFINALS
D-I
2 Poway 66, 3 Morse (23-6) 36.
1 Rancho Bernardo 71, 4 Chula Vista (20-7) 40.
D-II
1 Carlsbad 73, Kearny (22-6) 42.
Vanessa Nygaard, sidelined with a broken right ankle in a seven-point December loss to the Komets, led the Lancers with 29 points.
2 University City 60, 3 Escondido (20-6) 59, OT.
Alicia Weihi’s two successful jump shots in overtime were the difference for the Centurions.
D-III
Oceanside (8-17) 34, @Santana 61.
Our Lady of Peace (19-5) 35, @University 39.
D-IV
3 Lincoln 67, vs. 2 Holtville 16-5) 58, @West Hills
4 Clairemont (4-16) 20, @1 Coronado 49
D-V
La Jolla Country Day (10-10) 37, vs. Christian 78, @West Hills.
Alisha Nater pulled down 26 rebounds and Stephanie Shadwell scored 18 points for the Patriots.
2 The Bishop’s (22-3) 68, 3 Julian (19-8) 39.
CHAMPIONSHIP
D-I
Rancho Bernardo 48, Poway 38.
Ratings mean something. The Cal-Hi Sports 10th-ranked Broncos topped the No. 20 Lady Titans after losing two of three to Poway during the regular season.
D-II
2 University City 46, 1 Carlsbad 37.
The Centurions hounded Vanessa Nygaard with a 1-1-3 defense and U. City’s 11-0 shutout of the Lancers in the second quarter led to a 20-10 halftime lead.
Nygaard scored 10 points and had seven rebounds but the pressure applied by her defensive escorts resulted in teammates becoming reluctance to pass her the ball.
D-III
University 52, Santana 44.
The Dons stunned No. 1 seed and 26-1 Santana after getting to the finals with a victory over the second seed Our Lady of Peace.
Kathleen Murphy scored 18 points, including 13 in the second half and five in the final 3:30.
DI-V
Coronado 55, Lincoln (11-11) 50.
The sixth consecutive D-IV trip to the finals had the makings of a sixth consecutive defeat for the Islanders, who trailed by 11 points in the first half.
Lincoln’s Shondel Robinson scored 38 points, but Coronado offset Robinson’s performance with a 49-24 advantage in rebounds.
“The happiest I’ve ever been,” rejoiced the Islanders’ Michelle Stevens, who hit a game-clinching free throw in the final seconds after the Hornets took a one-point lead into the final quarter.
Christian’s Alisha Nater and Deanne Rose (from left) battled Pasadena Poly’s Valerie Slocum in Southern California regional.
D-V
Christian 53, The Bishop’s 48.
The Patriots’ third straight championship saw them trail until the final six minutes after shooting 29 per cent from the field in the first half and lagging, 34-22.
“Coach (Kenny) Grainger yelled at us, then he left the room and let us think,” said Stephanie Shadwell, who scored 15 of her game-high 22 points in the second half.
Track star Marion Jones also had hoop game. The 5-foot 11-inch senior had 30 points, 18 rebounds, nine blocked shots, and four three-point baskets.
Poway (25-5) 42, @Lynwood (28-0) 58.
D-II
Cerritos Gahr (23-9) 42, @University City 46.
Jenny Gross scored 10 points and had 12 steals and Shannon Colton led with 21 points.
Carlsbad 74, @South Bakersfield (22-4) 58.
Vanessa Nygaard had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Lancers forced 23 turnovers.
D-III
Lemoore (23-5) 52, @University 61.
The Dons wiped out a 30-21 halftime deficit with an 18-3 sprint starting the third quarter. Leslie Falante held sway with 16 points.
Santana 63, @Fresno Edison (17-8) 44.
Cathy Bass scored 33 points and her sister Michelle posted nine rebounds and seven assists.
“We limited them to one shot in the (21-7) second quarter and took advantage of some fast break opportunities,” said Sultans coach Wade Vickery.
D-IV
Santa Ynez (27-2) 71, @Coronado (18-8) 40.
Lincoln (11-12) 46, @Playa del Rey St. Bernard (26-4) 90.
D-V
Lone Pine (24-5) 40, @Christian 61.
The Bishop’s 38, Lancaster Bethel (19-6) 32.
SEMIFINALS
D-II
3 University City 45, @2 Hacienda Heights Wilson (27-1) 34.
For the third consecutive game U.C. players wore blue, stick-on tattoos of a blue Centurion on their arms and ended Wildcats streaks of 25 wins in a row at home and 17 in the season.
Jennie Gross scored 15 points and added 10 rebounds and six assists and the favored Southern Section team shot only 23 per cent from the field, 12×51.
Carlsbad (23-4) 55, @1 Brea-Olinda 64, OT.
The Lancers led, 51-45, with 3:23 left in regulation time. Vanessa Nygaard (20 points) and Holly Gerdes (16, plus 8 rebounds) fouled out in overtime.
Brea-Olinda made six, three-point baskets, Carlsbad one.
The Sultans made it respectable with a 30-13 fourth quarter, but they were outscored in every other period, 17-7, 20-13, and 18-9.
University (17-10), 45, @Costa Mesa (28-4) 67.
D-V
Pasadena Poly 32 (26-5), @Christian 37.
Stephanie Shadwell scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter.
“I don’t feel I have to do everything,” said 5-foot, 10-inch freshman Shadwell to writer Steve Brand, “but I don’t mind having the ball at the end of the game.”
Shadwell’s two free throws with 17 seconds left iced it for the Patriots.
The Bishop’s (24-5) 41, @San Luis Obispo Mission Prep (23-6) 56.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
D-II
Brea-Olinda (31-2) 45, University City (18-10) 39.
“I never dreamed we’d get this far,” said Centurion coach Steve Vukojevich. “I was just along for the ride; these girls let me come with them.”
Vukojevich took over the program this season after coaching the football team for the school’s first 11 seasons.
Their mood said it all for Christian’s Deanne Rose, Dianna DeGrenier, and Stephanie Shadwell (from left) in waning moments of state championship loss to Atherton Sacred Heart.
D-V
Christian 48, San Luis Obispo (22-7) 46, @Cal State Dominguez Hills.
The Patriots advanced after Stephanie Shadwell drained an eight-foot jump shot with 37 seconds remaining.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Atherton Sacred Heart (37-0) 59, Christian (24-4) 39.
The Lady Gators led, 11-0, after their first five possessions and concluded a two-year run with a 59-1 record.
