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