SEA VIEW LEAGUE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Woodbridge Clinches Share of Title

There are two unbeaten girls’ basketball teams in Orange County--Brea-Olinda and the team that plays in its shadow: Woodbridge.

The Warriors won for the 23rd time this season, clinched a share of their ninth league title in 10 years, and virtually assured themselves of the No. 1 seeding when the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs are announced Feb. 14, barring an upset next week.

Second-ranked Woodbridge did so by scoring a 59-52 Sea View League victory over eighth-ranked Newport Harbor on Friday.

The host Warriors (23-0, 12-0) shot 56% from the field, offsetting 23 turnovers. They got 15 points and 19 rebounds from Angela Burgess, and 25 points and five steals from Jamie Oenning. They also got a close game for the first time in more than a month.

“I thought we hung tough and showed the poise we need to be a champion,” Woodbridge Coach Eric Bangs said. “We needed a game like this. We had been breezing, but this is the kind of game we’ll see down the road. For a young team, we kept our poise.”

But it was the only senior starter, Oenning, who clearly stepped up. She was 10 of 17 from the field and scored 11 of Woodbridge’s 16 fourth-quarter points as the Warriors nursed a five-point lead.

“I love this team,” Oenning said. “(We) refuse to lose. When the chips are down, the calls aren’t going our way and the crowd is into it, we’re going to be right there, coming at you.”

For example:

--Newport Harbor led, 11-4. At 18-18, Oenning scored six consecutive points and the Warriors held a 26-20 halftime lead.

--Newport Harbor (17-6, 10-2) pulled to 26-24 on a basket by Genevieve Evarts (23 points), but sophomore Melanie Pearson scored twice in the paint and Oenning’s layup followed sophomore Tami Weaver’s steal.

--At 50-47 with 3:46 left, Oenning found Burgess under the basket, and then Oenning added a 15-footer before burying four consecutive free throws.

Afterward, Oenning addressed playing in Brea-Olinda’s shadow: “They’re proven--they’ve done it in Orange County and out. That’s the next step we need to take. We need to extend our boundaries outside of Orange County.”

Playoffs begin Feb. 16.

In other league games:

Tustin 55, Corona del Mar 42--Sarah Davis had 11 points, 21 rebounds and six assists for visiting Tustin (16-8, 8-4). Lindsay Warmington scored 17 for Corona del Mar (9-11, 4-8).

University 59, Saddleback 36--Jennifer Stanley had 28 points and nine rebounds to lead University (12-8, 6-6). Nicole Wiora scored 10 for Saddleback (4-16, 0-12).

Santa Margarita 47, Irvine 44--Shannon Noonan scored 22 points and Kelley Moohr added 13 to lead Santa Margarita (6-14, 4-8). Shawnee Stevens scored 15 points for Irvine (10-11, 4-8).