Rivalry heats up in Eagles’ conquest
Richard Dunn
Adding more spice on the barbecue, the girls basketball rivalry
between Estancia and Costa Mesa high schools has been kicked up a
notch.
After the host Eagles retained possession of the Lady Bell trophy
with a convincing 67-32 Golden West League victory Wednesday night to
improve to 14-8 and 10-0 in league, Costa Mesa Coach Jim Weeks was
fuming because Estancia Coach Tami Rappa left her starters in the
game and the Eagles outscored the Mustangs in the fourth quarter,
21-7.
“(Weeks) thought I was running up the score, so he didn’t shake my
hand,” said Rappa, a first-year coach who added that she was “very
surprised” at the Mesa coach’s postgame actions, “because he knows
more than I do that it’s a rivalry.”
It was a night Estancia honored its seniors, Tisha Gray and
Xochitl Byfield, during an extended ceremony before tipoff. “I wanted
to get my two seniors the best stats they could get,” Rappa said.
“I’m leaving my starters in to give my seniors the best opportunity
to do that, and (Weeks) of all people should know that. This is their
last home game, and the best way to get them the ball is to leave our
starters in.”
Byfield, a 5-foot-8 senior, scored 25 points, her second-best
output of the campaign, while contributing 11 rebounds, five steals,
one assist and one blocked shot.
The 5-9 Gray added 13 points, six rebounds, two steals and one
block, while Estancia junior point guard Trisha Wase finished with 10
points, 13 rebounds (six offensive), six steals and four assists.
“They’ve got a great team and I congratulate them on a great
year,” said Weeks, whose squad fell to 13-10, 5-4 in league. “They’ve
got a great press, great ballhandlers and a great team. I
congratulate them on their league championship and the Bell and I
hope we can compete with them next year. That’s it.”
Weeks abruptly walked away.
Estancia, which travels Friday to Orange before concluding the
Golden West season next week, claimed at least a share of the league
title.
“We have a very good opportunity to close out league undefeated,”
Rappa said.
Estancia outscored the Mustangs in every quarter, beginning with a
13-2 burst in the first period. Mesa was 1 of 9 from the field and
committed six turnovers in the opening quarter.
After Rickell Reeves scored for Costa Mesa to cut Estancia’s lead
to 6-2, the Eagles scored the game’s next 11 points, including seven
unanswered points to end the first quarter, a run sparked by Byfield,
who scored five of the points.
Following Estancia’s 17-2 lead early in the second quarter, Costa
Mesa turned to 6-foot senior Rhondi Naff, who scored her team’s next
three field goals on consecutive possessions.
Estancia, however, continued its dominance over Costa Mesa,
building a 25-8 advantage on Gray’s layup to finish a fast break with
2:51 left in the first half. After a three-pointer by Mesa’s Susana
Trujillo, Gray scored two straight baskets, then the rivals exchanged
three-pointers by Stacee Sanchez (for Mesa) and Byfield as the Eagles
amassed a 32-14 intermission lead.
Naff, who poured in 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, scored
the first two baskets of the second half, but Estancia followed with
its biggest scoring run of the game -- 14-0. The spurt was ignited by
Byfield’s three-pointer with 5:41 remaining in the third quarter and
crowned by Byfield’s driving layup with 3:29 left to give the hosts
an insurmountable 46-18 lead.
Sanchez hit a three, Lacey Navarrette netted a long jumper (her
toes grazed the three-point line) and Naff scored on a nice move in
the paint as Mesa scored seven straight points to finalize the third
quarter.
The Eagles, though, weren’t finished. Byfield canned a three to
trigger the fourth-quarter surge, then, after Naff scored to cut
Mesa’s deficit to 51-29, Estancia outscored the Mustangs, 16-3, the
rest of the way.
Estancia’s Nancy Castro, who attempted only one shot in the first
three quarters, drained 4 of 7 from the field in the fourth quarter
and scored all nine of her points in the final frame, while pulling
down 10 rebounds, five in the fourth quarter.
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