Century League Roundup : El Modena Beats Foothill to Clinch Share of Crown

Robbie Pietsch scored 24 points and had 21 rebounds to lead host El Modena High School to a 73-65 victory over Foothill Friday in a Century League’ boys basketball game that clinched a share of the league title for El Modena.

Pietsch was the leader as the Vanguards outscored Foothill, 45-29, during the second and third quarters to take a commanding 60-44 lead going into the final quarter. Pietsch, a senior forward, had 8 points in the second quarter and 10 in the third. It was tied, 15-15, at the end of the first quarter.

John Darrow scored 18 points and had 5 rebounds and Greg Gottlieb scored 15 points also for El Modena (18-5 overall and 7-1 in league). Mark Wilkinson scored a game-high 33 for Foothill (13-10, 5-3).

El Modena would have to lose its final games against Santa Ana Valley and El Modena next week and Foothill or Santa Ana would have to win both its games to tie El Modena.

Canyon 71, Villa Park 64--John Hutchinson scored 24 points and Bryan Van Noy 23 to lead host Canyon (11-10, 2-6). The Comanches led, 20-18, at the end of the first quarter and extended that lead to 35-28 at halftime. Chris Kirby scored 23 points and Chris Johnson 22 for Villa Park (9-13, 1-7).

Santa Ana 67, Santa Ana Valley 66 (OT)--Santa Ana Valley’s Renato Okilada missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 3 seconds left in overtime, and Santa Ana held on for a victory at home. With 20 seconds left, Santa Ana’s Chauncey Woolridge hit 1 of 2 free throws to give the Saints a 3-point lead, but Chuck Steen made 2 free throws with 8 seconds left, cutting it to 67-66.

But Santa Ana Valley forced the ball loose on Santa Ana’s possession, and in the scramble Woolridge was called for a foul, sending Okilada to the line. But Okilada missed, and Woolridge pulled down the rebound to preserve the win.

Steen, who scored a game-high 25 points, scored 2 points to tie the game, 62-62, with 18 seconds remaining in regulation. Woolridge, who finished with 22, missed a 17-footer at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.

Santa Ana is 17-7, 5-3.