By Pete Borello
 Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier |
Prep girls preview
irls basketball continues to be one of the area’s strongest sports. Four of the six local teams qualified for the Central Coast Section playoffs last year, with both Homestead and Pinewood claiming section titles. St. Francis reached the finals and Gunn lost in the quarterfinals.
This year, it’s conceivable all six teams could get in. Pinewood is thinking state championship and St. Francis figures to be one of the better teams in the section. Homestead and Gunn should finish near the top of a tough De Anza Division, while Mountain View and Los Altos could challenge for the El Camino Division crown.
Los Altos High
League: SCVAL El Camino Division.
Coach: Dieu Vuong, second year.
Last season: Tied for fifth in division and 12-13 overall.
Key returners: C Alex Brown; PFs Madellyn Hill and Lindsey Stephens; PG Kelsey Yamaoka; SGs Kristin Herrera and Jennifer Herrera.
Top newcomers: PF Alyce Jorgensen; Gs Erin Plank, Janae Hearron and Lisa Battle.
Outlook: The Eagles got some good news last week when 6-footer Brown decided to play basketball over club volleyball. Vuong expects Brown, one of the top volleyball players in the CCS, to grab 60 percent of the team’s rebounds. Hill, Stephens and freshman Jorgensen also provide rebounding and inside scoring. The backcourt is solid with improving Kristin Herrera and shooter Yamaoka, a second team all-leaguer last year. Jennifer Herrera and freshman Plank add more perimeter scoring and Battle is a defensive stopper. Los Altos is young, but Vuong is aiming for the playoffs.
Coach’s Quote: “We definitely can surprise some people. The girls are working hard and working better together this year.”
Mountain View High
League: El Camino Division.
Coach: Karl Hawkins, fourth year.
Last season: Tied for fifth in division and 9-17 overall.
Key returners: Fs Ashlie Cresci, Julie Lea and Jaclyn Brode; G Marisa Serapio.
Top newcomers: PG Linda Ansa; SG Emily Stetler.
Outlook: Ansa, a transfer from Finland, is “the key to everything,” according to Hawkins. The coach said the senior can shoot from the perimeter, drive to the hoop and make those around her better. But she can’t win games on her own. Hawkins also needs strong post play from Cresci and Lea and consistent outside shooting from Serapio and Stetler. Brode, a solid all-around player, will be counted on to score and play tough defense. Blessed with good team speed, look for the Spartans to use a full-court press when possible to create turnovers and trigger the fastbreak.
Coach’s Quote: “I’d like to compete for the league title and I don’t see why we can’t do it. The league is wide open.”
St. Francis High
League: SCVAL De Anza Division.
Coach: Mike DeCarlo, seventh year.
Last season: Division champion and 26-6 overall; lost in CCS Div. II final, then lost in NorCal semifinals.
Key returners: PGs Christine Capuyan and Jennifer Bow; SGs Betsy Butterick and Jamie Val; Fs Alyssa Sobolik and Meg Knudtsen; C Kari Cosbie.
Top newcomers: G/F Nicole Evangelho; C Colleen Harnett; Gs Holly Cann and Kelly Thede.
Outlook: With seven returning players, including three all-leaguers, the Lancers seem to be in good position to defend their De Anza Division title and contend for the CCS championship. Reigning De Anza Division MVP Capuyan is even a better shooter and ball handler this year, according to DeCarlo. Butterick is the team’s top outside shooter, while Sobolik and 6-1 Cosbie are solid post players. Bow is recovering from shoulder surgery but should be back by January. Evangelho, division MVP at the junior varsity level, and the versatile Knudtsen will contribute at guard and forward.
Coach’s Quote: “We pride ourselves on playing good pressure defense and we have the athletes to do that again this year.”
Pinewood School
League: Private Schools Athletic League.
Coach: Doc Scheppler, sixth year.
Last season: League champion and 27-2 overall; won CCS Div. V title, then lost in NorCal final.
Key returners: G/F Sebnem Kimyacioglu; PG Sarah Feely; SG Yasemin Kimyacioglu; C Katie Collins; PFs Katy Digovich, Darcy Nelson, Erynn Wilson and Blair Murphy-Chutorian.
Top newcomers: SG Stacie Roshon; PG Kiely Schork.
Outlook: There’s no shortage of talent at Pinewood. Stanford-bound Sebnem Kimyacioglu is the top player in the CCS, according to Scheppler, and junior Feely is No. 2. Sebnem’s younger sister, Yasemin, is a relentless defender. The Panthers have plenty of post players as well, led by strong sophomore Digovich. The improved Nelson and solid 6-footer Collins are also capable inside players and Murphy-Chutorian will join the mix once she recovers from a knee injury. Despite moving from Division V to II, Scheppler expects Pinewood to win the state title.
Coach’s Quote: “This team is a joy to coach. They work so hard and come to practice every day to improve. They make two hours feel like two minutes.”
Homestead High
League: De Anza Division.
Coach: Wade Nakamura, third year.
Last season: Second in division and 23-8 overall; won CCS Div. II title, then lost in NorCal semifinals.
Key returners: F/Cs Tanya Green and Julia Randall; G/F Charlene Jarrett.
Top newcomers: F/G Mandy Wald; PG Janelle Kitasoe; SG Sabrina Gauthier.
Outlook: A few months ago, Nakamura was confident his team could defend its CCS title. Now, the coach said this will be his most challenging year of coaching. That’s because four of the eight players he expected back aren’t playing this season and Malcom is out until January with a broken wrist. At least Homestead still has all-league post players Randall and Green, who has signed with University of Pacific. The Mustangs will also rely on talented freshmen Wald and Kitasoe, along with Gauthier, an all-league player on the junior varsity level last year.
Coach’s Quote: “We’ll take our lumps, but at the end we’ll be competitive. I still expect a lot of great things out of this team.”
Gunn High
League: De Anza Division.
Coach: Nancy Curtis, first year.
Last season: Fourth in division and 19-7 overall; lost in CCS Div. III quarterfinals.
Key returners: PG Katherine Wang, G Elizabeth Evans; G/Fs Gretchen Mueller and Kristi Merilo.
Top newcomers: PFs Megan Cole and Ninji Martin; PGs Tiffany Wang and Natasha Gude.
Outlook: The Titans are very athletic, according to Curtis, but all of them are basically guards. Gunn’s tallest player is 5-9 Merilo, who can play inside and out. Post players Cole and Martin, both juniors, will try to use their strength to compensate for their lack of height. The bulk of the scoring will likely come from a backcourt featuring all-leaguer Wang and sharp-shooting sophomore Evans, who’s coming off a knee injury. The speedy Titans will rely on tenacious defense to set the tempo for their offense. With seven returning players, Curtis expects to make the CCS.
Coach’s Quote: “I think any team that comes up against us will be impressed with our athleticism.”
