Girls basketball: Eagles fly past Mesa

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Their crosstown campuses are mere miles away, but, at

least this season, the girls basketball teams from Estancia and Costa

Mesa high school are worlds apart on the court.

That was quickly and consistently evident Tuesday at the Eagles’

jampacked girls gym, where the hosts posted a commanding 51-20 Pacific

Coast League win.

The victory was Estancia’s fourth straight over Mesa, the Eagles

longest winning streak over their intracity rivals since the two aligned

in the PCL in 1991.

It was also the most lopsided margin of victory -- by either school --

in the 18 games since the schools began competing for the perpetual Lady

Bell trophy, which goes to the annual series winner.

Costa Mesa would have to defeat Estancia by 32 points in their Jan. 31

meeting to wrestle the Lady Bell from Eagle talons.

“(Mesa players) have been talking all that stuff, but we showed it on

the court,” said Estancia junior Xochitl Byfield, one of three Eagles

stars.

Byfield collected 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals to help

the Eagles (10-9, 3-0 in league) remain tied with University atop the

PCL.

Junior Trisha Gray also had 16 points and added seven rebounds, seven

steals and two assists, while sophomore Trisha Wase came off the bench to

produce 13 points, six assists and six steals.

Sophomore Crystal Mino was another key in the hosts’ swarming

full-court zone pressure, which helped force 28 Mesa turnovers. Mino

recorded four points, four assists and two steals, before fouling out in

the final minutes.

“It came down to (poor) shooting and turnovers,” Costa Mesa Coach Jim

Weeks said.

Mesa made just 7 of 33 field-goal attempts (21.2%) and 5 of 13 foul

shots.

Estancia had almost as many field-goal attempts in the second half

(32) and finished 22 of 57 from the field. The Eagles produced 20 points

off Mesa turnovers, most of which were transition layups.

Rhondi Naff led the Mustangs (6-12, 0-3) with seven points, while

senior Lauren Carich had six points and eight rebounds. Senior Christine

Caron had 11 rebounds for Mesa, which managed just two points in the

first and fourth periods.

Estancia scored the final seven points of the first quarter and the

first 16 of the fourth to illicit wild cheers from the home rooters.

“Our defense won it for us,” Wase said.

“I think our pressure wore them down,” said Estancia Coach Paul Kirby,

whose seven available players limited Mesa starters to 1-for-6 field-goal

shooting after intermission.

Kirby was not pleased with what he viewed as occasional sloppy play

from his team, which also battled moderate foul trouble. With 1:27 left

in the third quarter, four Eagles had three fouls and the hosts committed

15 turnovers.

“If we wouldn’t have made 28 turnovers and we had shot better, maybe

their foul trouble would have been a factor,” Weeks said.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE GIRLS

Estancia 51, Costa Mesa 20 Score by Quarters

Costa Mesa 2 9 7 2 - 20

Estancia 11 9 12 19 - 51

Costa Mesa - Naff 7, Caron 3, Carich 6, Poncher 0, Bello 0, Sanchez 4,

Grewal 0, Brick 0, Reeves 0, Akansel 0, Landeros 0.

3-pt. goals - Naff 1.

Fouled out - none.

Technicals - none.

Estancia - Gray 16, Byfield 16, Castro 0, Mino 4, Rodriguez 0, Wase

13, Pena, 2.

3-pt. goals - Byfield 2, Wase 1, Gray 1.

Fouled out - Mino.

Technicals - none.