Stratton leads Estancia

COSTA MESA — Foul trouble, a knee injury, and a concussion forced Estancia High guard Kassie Stratton to sit most of the last three girls’ basketball games against rival Costa Mesa.

The last place the junior wanted to be was on the bench Tuesday night. In the final Orange Coast League game of this season, Stratton talked to Coach Xavier Castellano.

“She told me, ‘Coach, I don’t play in Mesa games and we’ve got to fix that,’” Castellano said.

Stratton went the distance for the Eagles and delivered the knockout blow late. She scored 12 of her game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter as Estancia beat the host Mustangs, 55-41, and clinched second place in league.

Stratton added five blocks and four steals to help Estancia (14-12, 6-2 in league) sweep the two-game Battle for the Bell series. The second game was vital, as the Mustangs (14-12, 4-4) needed a victory to force a two-way tie for second place.

Costa Mesa inched closer to its goal in a season in which it has turned things around in Nichole Maddox’s first season as coach after going winless in league last season. The Mustangs made it a game in the third quarter, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 35-33. They had no answers for Stratton in the final eight minutes.

Stratton opened the fourth by knocking down her third three-pointer. Guard Yessenia Maldonado kept finding Stratton in the right spots and she finished with eight assists.

“Their passes are what make me a better player and scorer,” said Stratton, who made 13 of 24 field goals.

“It felt really good to actually play Mesa the entire game.”

The Mustangs offense struggled in the fourth quarter. Stratton blocked their first shot in the quarter, and the Mustangs almost went three minutes without a basket.

Olivia Scheidt gave Costa Mesa its first points in the fourth. Scheidt, who led her team with 18 points, drained a three that made it a six-point game with 5:17 to go.

The Mustangs had opportunities to get closer, but their free-throw shooting, one for four, in the next minute set them back.

Stratton made Costa Mesa pay for not taking advantage.

Stratton drove toward the basket for a successful layup while being fouled. Stratton converted her second three-point play at the free-throw line, putting the Eagles ahead, 46-37.

When the Mustangs made it a two-possession game in the final three minutes, it was either Stratton answering with a layup or Kelsey Asher nailing a three to extend the Eagles’ lead.

Stratton scored the final four points. Castellano was proud of his Eagles, who will be without Erika Soto (knee injury) when they enter the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs next week. The Mustangs also qualified for the postseason in Division IV-A.

“They went through a lot of adversity,” said Castellano, whose team fell short of first place as Godinez won the league title for the second straight season. “Just [Soto] coming back and the girls seeing how hard she was playing and how hard she wanted it, made us go a little harder. Everyone stepped up.

“With all the things we went through this year, injuries, a tougher schedule, me being such a young coach [at 29], the one constant [was co-coach Judd Fryslie]. His calmness, his ability to communicate with the girls [helped]. He said, ‘Hey, it’s going to be all right.’ ”

For once against Costa Mesa, Stratton said she felt more than OK. Playing the whole game and getting to ring the bell helped.

Orange Coast League

Estancia 55, Costa Mesa 41

E – Stratton 35, B. Soto 7, Maldonado 7, Asher 3, Boldizar 3.

3-pt. goals – Stratton 3, Maldonado 1, Asher 1, B. Soto 1, Boldizar 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CM – Scheidt 18, Hunt 6, Flores 4, Wase 4, Armstrong 4, Castro 3, Andreas 2.

3-pt. goals – Scheidt 3, Castro 1, Wase 1.

Fouled out – None.