GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS : Poway Shows Why It Is Top-Ranked, Top-Seeded

Poway High School showed why it is the county’s No. 1-ranked team and the top-seeded in the girls’ Division I basketball playoffs.

Unfortunately for Mt. Miguel, it got to see for itself, up close and much too personal. Poway beat the Matadors by 58 points, 73-15. The victory was the 20th in a row for the Titans (23-1).

The game made a case for reducing the 16-team playoffs from the 17-team division. Only one Division I school didn’t make the playoffs, and it might be thankful today.

Poway had a 26-0 lead in the first quarter, held a 30-13 scoring edge in the middle two periods, and polished off Mt. Miguel in the fourth quarter, 17-2.

Twelve players scored for Poway, but only three reached double figures as Titan Coach Jay Trousdale substituted freely. Julie Lunardi and Kara Berg scored 12 each, and Kristen Carlson came off the bench to score 10. Berg is one of just three seniors on the Titans. Lunardi and Carlson are both juniors.

Carlson pulled down nine rebounds, Berg had six. Poway’s leading scorer this season, Allison Brady, had six points and eight rebounds.

Senior Linda Sitek came off the bench and dished out six assists.

Other Division I games:

Mt. Carmel 69, Montgomery 22--Second-seeded Mt. Carmel (19-2) learned that starting center Kris Grazzini will have arthoscopic surgery today, then shot 72% (23 of 32) from the floor through three quarters. They were seven of nine in the second quarter, 10 of 12 in the third. Nichol Nicholas and Vicki de Jesus scored 13 apiece, and Cyndi Payne had 10 points and seven rebounds. Jennifer Alley also scored 10 for the Sundevils.

San Dieguito 62, Chula Vista 47--The Mustangs outscored the Spartans, 19-6, in the third quarter en route to the mild upset. Michelle Bumbrey (22 points) and Catherine Taylor (14) dominated the game inside for San Dieguito (6-16). Jennifer Benitez had a game-high 19 and Allison Hines 15 for Chula Vista (10-15).

Division II

El Cajon Valley 90, Serra 45--After taking a 12-point first quarter lead, the Braves outscored Serra, 34-5, in the second quarter. Heidi Holm scored 28 points, had 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots for the top-seeded Braves (24-1). Also scoring in double figures were Heidi’s sister, Heather (20), Monica Kraknes (24) and Julie Woodley (10). Kraknes also grabbed nine rebounds. Lynn Riordan, who finished with 15 points, had four three-pointers for Serra (7-16).