High School Roundup : Dominant Enger Tips Scale as Vista Routs Poway in Palomar Showdown

VISTA —  Jay Trousdale, Poway High’s girls’ basketball coach, likes to describe his team as balanced.

But sometimes, that balance can be thrown out of whack.

Take Thursday night’s Palomar League game at Vista. Vista has Chris Enger, a 6-foot 4-inch center. And Poway, with no player over 6-feet, couldn’t match up.

The result was an unbalanced game for the league lead, one in which Vista dominated inside, took an early lead and cruised to a 70-40 victory.

“The difference between these two teams is Chris Enger’s height and talent,” Trousdale said. “That’s what threw this game out of balance.”

Actually, Poway (15-8, 7-2) tilted early. The Titans were down, 20-10, after the first quarter and 32-17 midway through the second after Enger scored on back-to-back rebound baskets.

Enger finished with 28 points and kept Poway at bay with her rebounding and defense. Poway center Laura Nugent found the going especially difficult inside--Enger blocked 4 of her 5 first-half shot attempts.

“She’s so tall that we have to alter our game,” Trousdale said. “We just couldn’t get anything inside.”

Poway couldn’t get much outside, either, though guard Chisty Fortney did manage 13 points.

That’s because Vista (19-3, 8-1) isn’t a solo show.

Senior forward Dana Christofferson had 17 points, and senior guard Kelly Schott had 13. Both played things tight on the defensive end.

“If anybody thinks this is a one-player team, they’re not looking very hard,” Enger said. “We have experience, and we have girls who can play. I don’t just bring it up court and shoot the ball myself.”

But you get the idea she could. Several times Thursday, Enger dribbled up court to break Poway’s press.

“We didn’t handle Point Loma’s press earlier this season (in a loss to the top-ranked Pointers), so we’ve been working on it,” Enger said. “If we can keep this up, maybe it will pay off for us later.”

Later means down the road in the San Diego Section Division II playoffs, which Vista figures to win because Point Loma will be playing in Division I.

“I think we can go all the way,” said Enger, whose team has lost in the semifinals and the finals the past two seasons.

Ramona 38, Carlsbad 34--Gina Tamburrino and Kris Miller led host Ramona (14-3, 8-2) with 12 apiece; Kendra Brunge added 10. Ramona led, 26-16, at halftime but was slowed in the second half by injuries and fouls. Brunge picked up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, and two Ramona players were injured and did not return. Heidi Richner led Carlsbad with 15.

San Marcos 54, El Camino 31--Susie O’Brien scored a game-high 32 points for San Marcos (14-5, 9-0), and Shantel Paopao added 15. Heather Bassett led El Camino (3-15, 2-8) with 12 points, and Shannon Downey added 10.

Boys

Metro Conference

Sweetwater 84, Bonita Vista 57--Carlos Campbell scored a game-high 21 points, and Cortez Rice added 17 for host Sweetwater. Sweetwater (21-2, 10-1) led by six at halftime and took control with a strong running game in the third quarter.