1-A Girls : On a Foul Day for Wilgenburg, Calvin Christian Loses, 45-37

The centers were the center of attention in Saturday’s San Diego Section girls’ basketball 1-A finals at the Sports Arena.

Most of the attention was on Holtville High School center Claudia Garcia, who scored 21 points to lift her team to a 45-37 win over Calvin Christian of Escondido. It was Holtville’s second 1-A title in three years.

However, Calvin center Elsa Wilgenburg suffered from the attention she got--from officials. She was forced to sat out 1 1/2 quarters because of foul trouble. She never did foul out, but her 8 points were 6 below her season average.

Wilgenburg, the Crusaders’ top scorer, picked up her second foul with 3:51 left in the first quarter and, after sitting out, was called for her third with one minute left in the half.

While she was gone, Garcia dominated the middle. She scored nine first-half points as the Vikings took a 22-20 lead. By the time Wilgenburg returned with 5:25 left in the third quarter, Garcia had scored 10 more points and Holtville led, 39-27.

“We tried to front her,” Christian Coach Frank Zuidema said, “but we hadn’t faced anyone with her skills this year. It hurt not having Elsa in.”

Wilgenburg hit two baskets in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 39-34.

However, Garcia helped seal the victory when she made the first free throw of a one-and-one and made a layup after missing the second to make the score, 42-34, with 4:33 to play.

Forward Greta Dejong scored 15 points to lead the Crusaders.