The leaders of the pack

Marina girls’ basketball looks to push Sunset League record to 6-0 tonight against Fountain Valley. The second half of the league season gets underway this week in both the Sunset League and Golden West League boys’ and girls’ basketball races.

Five games into the girls’ race in the Sunset League, Marina sits atop the league standings.

The Vikings, who shared the 2005 title with Esperanza, went 5-0 to start league play, winning three of those games on the road.

They survived tough encounters at Huntington Beach and Edison to come through as the only team unscathed in the first half of league play.

Last year, the Vikings went 9-1 in the league.

“This is a great group of young ladies who really support each other throughout everything, both academically and athletically,” Marina coach Butch Fredlow said of his Vikings. “Our team unity and senior leadership has really been the backbone of our team this year. We do team dinners before every game, and the girls do something called ‘positive partners,’ where they offer up motivation for their teammates.”

The pregame rituals have worked.

Marina is now 18-3 overall heading into tonight’s 7 p.m. game against visiting Fountain Valley (0-5). The Vikings are ranked third in this week’s CIF-Southern Section Division I-A poll.

This time around, they get Huntington and Edison at home but must play a tough one at Esperanza.

“We do have to play it one game at a time because we respect our opponents and know how difficult each game is in league,” Fredlow said.

A trio of senior all-league players has helped key Marina’s run: Erin Barney leads the Vikings in scoring; Rachael Maulit has more than 100 steals and 100 assists and is the team’s third-leading scorer; and Allison Budzinski is the second-leading scorer and has “played great defense throughout league,” Fredlow said.

Also on tap tonight, Edison (2-3) visits Esperanza (3-2) and second-place Huntington (4-1), ranked No. 8 in Division II-AA, travels to face Los Alamitos (1-4) in a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

In the Golden West League girls’ title chase, Ocean View (6-0), ranked No. 8 in Division III-AA, has a one-game lead on the rest of the pack heading into the second half of league play.

In recent play, Marina came back from a five-point halftime deficit at Edison, then used overtime to pull out a 54-51 victory. Erin Barney, who nailed five three-point baskets, was the game’s high scorer with 24 points. Wahine Kepilino scored 15 points and Sarah Schmidt 12 for the Chargers.

Huntington concluded a successful first half of league play by routing visiting Esperanza, 58-39. Four Oilers hit double figures in scoring, led by 15 from Noe Viloria. Laura Boggeln and Jasmine Erving each scored 11 and Rita Sitivi 10.

Ocean View used a big second half to pull away from host Westminster, 55-34. D.J. Butler scored 24 points and Erica Congelliere 11 for the Seahawks.

Boys’ basketball

Last year, Edison and Los Alamitos shared the Sunset League boys’ championship. Through the first-half of the 2006 league competition, the Chargers and Griffins again share the top spot.

Each went 4-1 in the first round of league play, Edison winning four straight after losing at Esperanza. The streak included a stirring comeback overtime win over Los Alamitos.

In CIF-SS rankings, Edison is No. 5 in Division II-AA; Ocean View, which is in second place in the Golden West League, is No. 8 in Division III-AA.

On Friday, Edison will attempt to even the score against Esperanza when it hosts the Aztecs (4-1). Also, Marina (1-4) is at Fountain Valley (2-3) and Huntington (0-5) hosts Los Alamitos (4-1).

In recent play, Ocean View bolted to a 17-point halftime lead over visiting Westminster Monday and went on to rout the Lions, 62-37. Brad Sweezy scored 15 points and Diego Delgado 10 for the Seahawks, who concluded the first half of Golden West League play with a 5-1 record.

Edison had three players score in double figures in a 66-45 win over visiting Marina.

A second-half rally by Huntington fell just short as the Oilers lost on the road to Esperanza, 58-57. 20060126itmguqncMARK DUSTIN / INDEPENDENT(LA)Marina’s Rachael Maulit, right, splits the defense of Edison’s Wahine Kepilino, left, and Kelly Peterson while driving to the basket in a Jan. 19 game.