Corona del Mar girls' basketball takes over second place in Surf League with win at Edison

Corona del Mar's Trasara Alexander drives in for a layup during a Surf League game at Edison on Thursday.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Jan. 30, 2020 10:57 PM PT

The Corona del Mar High girls’ basketball team took a winning record into its final game last season with a chance to win the Surf League championship.

A loss in that game to Huntington Beach not only denied the Sea Kings the league crown, but they also did not receive an at-large berth into the CIF Southern Section Division 3A playoffs.

Lesson learned. Nothing is guaranteed beyond the two automatic bids in a four-team league.

CdM took control of its own destiny on Thursday night with a 54-45 win at Edison.

The Sea Kings (20-7, 3-2 in league) jumped into sole possession of second place in the Surf League with the result against the Chargers (15-12, 2-3).

Huntington Beach repeated as the league champion with a 68-32 win over Los Alamitos on Thursday. The Oilers (20-5, 5-0) wrap up league play with a home game against Edison on Tuesday.

Edison's Adelina Fredrick dives for a loose ball as Corona del Mar's Dorothy Schwenck, left, and Makena Tomlinson try to go for the steal during a Surf League game on Thursday.

Makena Tomlinson had 14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists to lead CdM in Thursday’s contest.

“Tonight’s win was huge,” Tomlinson said. “We knew coming into it that we had to win this game to make sure that we stayed on a good track for playoffs.

“The next game is just as important because it’s our senior night [on Tuesday against Los Alamitos]. We want to make sure that we give our two seniors a chance to keep going.”

Trasara Alexander added 14 points, 10 rebounds and two steals for the Sea Kings. Dorothy Schwenck scored 10 points, and Haley Esquino had nine points.

Others made their primary contributions outside of scoring. Tori Gyselaar provided three points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Nia Halafuka chipped in with four points, four rebounds and three steals.

A fast start saw CdM get out to a 19-11 lead after the first quarter. Schwenck made both of her three-pointers in the quarter.

Recent tragic events have brought to the forefront the importance of sports beyond the scoreboard. Teams so often become extended families, and the Chargers honored part of theirs before the game.

A moment of silence was held for the victims of Sunday’s helicopter crash that killed former Edison two-sport athlete Christina Mauser, Lakers great Kobe Bryant and six others in Calabasas. The Chargers players held up signage that said, “We love you Christina.”

Mauser, who played basketball and volleyball before graduating from Edison in 1999, was the top assistant coach with Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy girls’ club basketball team.

“I think this whole week has just put everything in perspective about what is really important,” Chargers coach Mark Decker said. “We’ve talked about that with the girls, and at the end of the day, family is what is really important.”

Edison’s Lainey Johnson (14) drives to the basket as CdM’s Trasara Alexander (23) defends during a Surf League game on Thursday.

Decker said that Madison Copeland suffered a knee injury in the first game against CdM on Jan. 21. On senior night for the Chargers, the Sea Kings agreed to let Copeland score Edison’s opening basket of the game.

It was reminiscent of the season finale for CdM last season, when an injured Malia Halafuka stepped onto the court to score the only basket of her senior year at the end of a game at home against Huntington Beach.

“Thanks to [Sea Kings coach] Brason [Alexander] and CdM for [letting Copeland score] because it meant a lot to her,” Decker said. “She’s kind of been the heart and soul of our team, and I think it meant a lot for her and her family for her to be able to do that.”

Lainey Johnson led Edison with 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots. Taylor Fullbright added nine points and 10 rebounds. Noelle Duffey and Gwen Ontiveros each finished with seven points.

Trasara Alexander is currently enrolled in Decker’s AP Psychology class at CdM, where Decker said he has been teaching for the past 14 years. Decker also used to be the head coach at CdM for 10 years before stepping down after the 2015-16 season.

“He is my teacher,” Alexander chuckled when asked about Decker coaching against the school where he teaches classes. “There is no beef or anything. We just joke around and have a good time. We know it’s competition, and competition brings all of us together.”