All-CIF trio leads Mustangs’ championship quest

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - As the only girls basketball team in the CIF Southern

Section with three All-CIF returners, Costa Mesa High is certainly a

known quantity.

But Coach Jim Weeks said he continues to be pleasantly surprised by this

year’s group, including standout veterans Autumn Smith, Jenny Earnest and

Nancy Hatsushi.

“Each day, each one of them does something to make me think ‘My goodness,

this is going to be fun,’ ” Weeks said.

The Mustangs went 19-11 a year ago, advancing to the CIF Division III-A

semifinals after settling for second place in the Pacific Coast League.

This season, despite the section’s decision to combine former III-A and

III-AA schools into one 38-school division, Weeks said his Mustangs have

to be considered a section title contender.

“We got to the semifinals last year and we have a better team, so the

girls should believe we can get there again,” Weeks said.

Helping smooth the road to an extended playoff run, as well as a bid for

the championship of the newly configured PCL, will be the aforementioned

trio.

Smith, a 6-foot senior center, was first-team All-CIF as a junior, after

averaging 11.8 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.8 blocked shots. She was also

the Newport-Mesa District Co-Player of the Year and a first-team All-PCL

selection.

“She should be a true force inside,” Weeks said. “She moves so well and

runs the court. She can be as good as she wants to be.”

Earnest, a 5-8 senior wing, was second-team All-CIF, first-team All-PCL

and all-district last season, when she averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds

and 3.2 assists.

“She’s so polished and such a great team player,” Weeks said. “She has

the ability to take the game in her hands.”

As a three-year point guard, however, Hatsushi, a 5-4 junior, will run

the show. She averaged 8.3 points, 7.2 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9

steals last season, earning second-team All-CIF, second-team all-league

and all-district recognition.

“She’s the best point guard in the school’s history,” said Weeks, in his

18th year of teaching at Mesa, his eighth as varsity girls coach.

“She’s an amazing passer with great vision and a deadly three-point shot.

And she’ll make it tough for teams to press us with her ballhandling.”

As good as this talented trio is, Weeks said they have embraced their

teammates, all but one of which are varsity newcomers.

Among the newcomers, whom Weeks said fared very well during the summer,

are projected starters Leigh Marshall and Laura Muniz.

Marshall, a 5-6 junior, will join Hatsushi in the backcourt after earning

Most Valuable Player laurels on the junior varsity last season. Defense

is her strength, according to Weeks.

Muniz, a 5-9 junior, brings a strong work ethic and solid rebounding

ability to the starting forward spot.

Julie Hitt, a 5-6 senior, brings experience to a talented bench brigade.

Hitt, who plays primarily on the perimeter, scored 49 points last season.

Barbara Trejo, a 5-3 junior, is a good on-ball defender and will back up

Hatsushi at the point.

Weeks particularly likes his front-line depth, led by Maria Lazos and

Christine Caron, both 5-11.

Lazos, a junior, provides Smith a capable backup, a luxury not available

last year. This is particularly valuable considering Smith’s propensity

for foul trouble, a byproduct of her aggressive shot blocking.

Caron, a sophomore, can play inside, but she also has extended shooting

range, a combination which figures to provide matchup problems for

opponents.

Miranda Cooper and Pauline Le, both 5-3 junior guards, will also provide

depth.

COSTA MESA ROSTER

11 Miranda Cooper Jr.

21 Autumn Smith Sr.

24 Nancy Hatsushi Jr.

25 Pauline Le Sr.

31 Barbara Trejo Jr.

32 Laura Muniz Jr.

33 Leigh Marshall Jr.

34 Jenny Earnest Sr.

40 Christine Caron So.

41 Julie Hitt Sr.

44 Maria Lazos Jr.

Coach: Jim Weeks