CdM continues hot start

HUNTINGTON BEACH — No one is quite sure if the Corona del Mar High girls’ basketball team is off to its best start in school history.

Coach Mark Decker has asked around campus. No one has given him a definite answer.

One thing was certain about the Sea Kings’ start Saturday. It was a rousing one.

CdM improved to 11-0 by dominating Woodland Christian, 62-13, to win the Liberty Christian Minutemen Madness Tournament.

The Sea Kings’ defense turned in a maddening effort.

Woodland Christian (4-6) struggled handling the ball.

The game tipped off at 11 a.m., maybe too early for the Cardinals. Dribbling the ball past halfcourt proved difficult.

The alarming stats of the day belonged to Woodland Christian. The Cardinals turned the ball over 36 times and attempted only 18 shots.

“Our girls aren’t used to playing quite as physical as they play down here,” said Woodland Christian Coach Teresa Perkins, whose players are from the Sacramento area.

“[CdM’s] a big school. We only have 97 kids in our school. Maybe it was a mismatch.”

Decker confirmed the obvious.

“[Friday] was really the championship game,” said Decker, whose team that day beat Rio Hondo Prep of Arcadia, 49-40, in a more competitive game.

Those are the type of contests Decker expects from now on. Still, he can’t help but marvel at the hot beginning.

Decker had never experienced this kind of early success until this season, his third at CdM.

“Not even in San Diego,” said Decker, referring to the time he coached the boys’ program at Escondido Orange Glen to the CIF San Diego Section Division II championship in 1999.

“We were 6-5 after 11 games. We ended up winning 18 in a row later.”

Decker may or may not have a championship-caliber team at CdM. Time will tell.

The last time the Sea Kings won a girls’ basketball section title was in 1983.

Decker isn’t looking too far ahead.

Keeping the streak alive is a challenge right now. Next month it will be competing in the Pacific Coast League after going winless in league last season.

The way the Sea Kings are playing, with everyone contributing, Decker believes the team can continue to win.

The day after Christmas, CdM participates in the Garden Grove Christmas Classic. The first game is against Segerstrom.

“It’s definitely going to be a step up in competition,” said Decker, comparing the teams in the upcoming tournament to the opponents CdM beat to win the Liberty Christian Minutemen Madness Tournament and the CdM-Estancia Tip-off Classic.

“I’m excited to see how we meet up to that challenge.”

Woodland Christian gave CdM no fight.

All 11 players received minutes against Woodland Christian. Only one missed out on recording a point.

Sophomore guard Kayla Marolt led the Sea Kings by scoring all of her 13 points in the first half. Marolt sat out the rest of the way with CdM up, 36-7, at halftime.

Marolt earned the tournament MVP award and forward Katie Bergsma made the all-tournament team after the junior finished with eight points against Woodland Christian.

With Marolt and Bergsma out, senior forward Brittany Rhyme picked up the scoring duty and senior forward Sami Stern the rebounding duty in the third quarter.

Rhyme produced seven of her nine points in the quarter and Stern never gave the Cardinals second-chance opportunities in the paint.

“[For] the rest of the season, we’re expecting a lot closer games and a lot harder competition,” said Stern, adding that she’s seen a change in Decker this season. “He’s learned how to work with girls better. He came from being a guys coach. He didn’t really [understand us], a lot of drama [ensued].

“He’s definitely making an effort to make it more fun, so that we work harder.”

Guiding CdM to possibly its best start has only bolstered Decker’s efforts to push players.

Liberty Christian Minutemen

Madness Tournament

Corona del Mar 62,

Woodland Christian 13

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CdM – Marolt 13, Brahs 10, Rhyme 9, Bergsma 8, Schroff 7, Nadal 7, Epton 2, Sharp 2, Stern 2, Rapp 2.

3-pt. goals – Nadal 1, Schroff 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

WC – Geer 5, Beatty 4, Boney 2, Lynch 2

3-pt. goals – None.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.