Girls basketball preview: Estancia confident as it enters 2000-01
campaign
Richard Dunn
COSTA MESA - The whereabouts of the team’s returning starting
center and the eligibility time frame of a freshman phenom guard could
shift the power in the Pacific Coast League.
But, even with two players in question, Coach Paul Kirby’s Estancia
High Eagles should battle for the top spot in the Pacific Coast League
girls basketball race with seven returning players, including three
starters.
One of those starters, however, 5-foot-10 center Erika Avalos, might
have gone to Mexico and has yet to return to Costa Mesa. “Maybe she’ll
read this newspaper and come back,” Kirby quipped.
The other question mark, ninth-grade point guard Trisha Wase, is at
least listed on the Estancia preseason roster with jersey No. 24.
Wase is reportedly working on an intradistrict transfer from Costa
Mesa. “If she’s eligible, she’s one of the better players in the league,”
Kirby said. “After that, I’d look out. She’s quick, she can shoot and she
can handle the ball. She’s small (5-4), but she’s still a good rebounder.
She’s been playing on traveling teams since the sixth grade.”
While Wase’s future on the Estancia hardwood could be weeks away, the
Eagles are nevertheless planning to attend another postseason party.
“We should go to the playoffs,” said Kirby, entering his fifth season
as head coach, after leading the Eagles to the CIF Southern Section
eliminations in three of his first four years, including last year’s
17-10 squad that finished second in the PCL to Corona del Mar.
Estancia last season won an opening-round playoff game at home, then
lost to Ganesha, 66-45, in the second round of the CIF Division III-AA
playoffs in Pomona.
“Obviously, we want to win league,” Kirby added, “but we’ll probably
have to bump off a couple of teams if we’re going to do that. Our two
goals are to win league and go to CIF. Both are obtainable goals, but I
don’t know.”
Locked in place are returning starters Lisa Hirata, a senior guard,
and Xochitl Byfield, a 5-9 sophomore forward who can post up or shoot
three-pointers. Hirata, a fourth-year varsity player and second-team
all-league choice a year ago, will play point guard until Wase’s future
is decided.
Senior Zuyin Barrera, who started about half the games last season but
earned first-team all-league laurels, is Estancia’s shooting guard, while
5-4 senior Tory Matsufuji will also start in Kirby’s three-guard system.
“I don’t have a true center,” said Kirby, who hopes Byfield and 5-8
senior Jessica Orellana, the other starting forward, will be able to plug
up the middle defensively.
Backup point guard Marie Rodriguez, a junior, and 5-7 senior forward
Hilda Vasquez are also returning letter winners from last season.
Aside from Wase, two of Estancia’s top newcomers include Compton
Centennial transfer Cynthia Johnson, a 5-10 junior, and 5-9 sophomore
forward Tisha Gray, the MVP of last year’s junior varsity team.
Senior guards Jennifer Cassity and Stefanie Cachola, both up from the
JV, will be counted on as role players.
Kirby, along with tireless assistants Roger Sison and Stephanie
McDowell, believes the Eagles’ experience with at least seven returning
players (and possibly an eighth with Avalos) will put them in contention
for the league championship.
“We’ve been working really hard. Hopefully, it pays off when it comes
down to it in the big games against Costa Mesa and Corona del Mar,” Kirby
said. “Costa Mesa will be a battle. Those games (for the Lady Bell
Trophy) are always a battle.
“I’d say Corona del Mar should be favored to win league. (It) won
league last year and has got (four starters) back, including the Co-MVP
of the PCL (Kristin McCoy).”
Kirby said his Eagles will feature six players who have the green
light to shoot three-pointers.
10 Lisa Hirata 5-4 Sr.
12 Marie Rodriguez 5-4 Jr.
15 Jennifer Cassity 5-6 Sr.
22 Tisha Gray 5-9 So.
23 Zuyin Barrera 5-5 Sr.
24 Trisha Wase 5-4 Fr.
31 Xochitl Byfield 5-9 So.
32 Jessica Orellana 5-8 Sr.
33 Stefanie Cachola 5-6 Sr.
34 Tory Matsufuji 5-4 Sr.
35 Hilda Vasquez 5-7 Sr.
44 Cynthia Johnson 5-10 Jr.
Coach: Paul Kirby
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