Prep Basketball : Girls Roundup : Esperanza Improves Empire Record to 6-0, Defeats Loara, 35-29

The Esperanza High School girls basketball team extended its rule over Empire League opposition, beating Loara, 35-29, Thursday night at Loara.

The Aztecs, ranked seventh in Orange County, limited the Saxons’ leading scorers Liz Eldridge and Shana Beer to nine and eight points respectively in improving their record to 6-0 in league and 12-4 overall. Sixth-ranked Loara fell to 4-2 and 13-5.

Jennafer LaPaglia’s 12 points and Charisse Simon’s 10 led the Aztecs, who held off a late Saxon rally. Esperanza led by just two points with 30 seconds remaining, but Sharon Warmus made two free throws to seal the win.

In other Empire League action:

Kennedy 52, Pacifica 37--Ursula Lovely scored 17 points to lead the Irish past the Mariners at Pacifica. Teammates Janelle Freese and Jawanni Cousett added 10 points apiece for Kennedy (4-2, 10-5).

El Dorado 45, Los Alamitos 38--Guard Jill Matyuch had 23 points and 8 rebounds and Cathy Newvine added 12 points and 8 rebounds for the Golden Hawks in the game played at El Dorado. The Golden Hawks took a 27-11 halftime lead and never trailed after that, improving their record to 4-2 in league and 7-6 overall. The Griffins were led by freshman Diane Sands’ 14 points.

In Century League action:

Santa Ana Valley 34, Canyon 32--Rosaline Crain’s steal with two seconds left preserved the win for the Falcons. Junior guard Kathy Smith scored 14 points to lead Santa Ana Valley (3-2 in league). Becky Mason had 10 points to lead the Comanches.

Foothill 77, El Mondena 32--Jennifer Osur had a season-high 32 points and Stacy Barnes chipped in 16 points and 8 rebounds for the Knights. Osur also had 8 rebounds and sister Jill added eight points to lead Foothill (5-0 in league and 14-3 overall). El Modena’s Theresa Brown scored 12 points. El Modena is 2-3 and 2-5.

In Garden Grove League action:

Bolsa Grande 44, Los Amigos 30--The Matadors held the Lobos to just 1 for 24 shooting from the field while building a 17-3 halftime lead. Lori Weir and Mitzie Huff had 10 points each to pace the Matadors, who are 1-1 in league. Kelly Grande scored 10 for the Lobos. Los Amigos fell to 0-2 and 1-9 overall.

In Orange League action:

Western 82, Magnolia 47--Melanie Williams had 35 points and 15 assists to lead the Pioneers. Ana Marie Gill scored 14 points, 9 in the first quarter for Western. Gill also had 11 rebounds. Michelle Carter scored 32 points for the Sentinels. Western is 1-1 in league and 10-4 overall.

Brea-Olinda 78, Anaheim 19--The Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in the county, out-scored the Colonists, 33-7, in the first quarter and cruised to their 17th straight victory. Carrie Egan, Brea’s sophomore guard, led all scorers with 19 points, 17 in the first quarter.

In Angelus League action:

Mater Dei 49, St. Paul 41--Sophomore guard Gerri Gainey scored 14 points and her sister, Mary, added 12 for the third-ranked Monarchs (4-0, 16-3). St. Paul center Monica Tourville led all scorers with 17 points, and Dina Turrietta added 13.

In Freeway League action:

Fullerton, 69 Troy 34--Guards Sandra Williams and Pam Fritch and forward Alison Terrill scored 12 points each to lead the Indians. Fullerton (2-0, 9-4) led, 39-18, at halftime, as every Indian who played scored. Forward Jenny McCartney had 26 points for Troy.

In Sunset League action:

Edison 72, Huntington Beach 37--Michelle Hennessey had 17 points and 9 assists and Denise Ogburn added 14 points to lead the Chargers in the game at Edison. Martha Noffsinger scored 12 and Kris Herman 11 for Edison, which improved its mark to 2-1 in league and 10-7 overall. Junior forward Kristen Wilson had a game-high 18 rebounds for the Chargers. No Oiler scored in double figures. Huntington Beach is 2-1 and 9-8.

Ocean View 53, Marina 32--Three Seahawks scored in double figures, led by Michelle Chomicz, a 5-8 senior guard, who had 14 points. Laura Simek added 13 and Trina Vlachos 12 for second-ranked Ocean View (3-0, 13-4). Both had 17 rebounds for the Seahawks, who led just 39-30 with four minutes remaining in the game. But the Seahawks went on a 14-2 spurt to end the Vikings’ threat. Heather Kirkup and Dawn Charroin both had 10 points for Marina (0-3, 7-10).

In South Coast League action:

Irvine 65, Dana Hills 54--Irvine’s Dina Graham led all scorers with 23 points and was 13 of 14 from the free throw line. After trailing, 20-10, after the first quarter, the Dolphins came to within four with two minutes left in the game, but Irvine held on for the win.

In Sea View League action:

Woodbridge 90, University 36--Sharon Lyon scored 23 points as the Warriors (5-0, 14-3) breezed to a win over the Trojans (0-5) at University. Jean Mao led the Trojans with 15 points. The Warriors led, 22-7, at the end of the first quarter and cruised the rest of the way. Kelly Causey scored a season-high 21 points and had 6 assists for the Warriors, ranked No. 6 in Orange County.

Corona del Mar 52, Costa Mesa 37--Senior point guard Fran Wynn scored 18 points to lead the Sea Kings (4-1, 7-5). K.C. Jones added 13 points for Corona del Mar, which limited the Mustangs to 23% shooting from the field. Valerie Palmer led Costa Mesa (3-2, 5-8) with 10 points.

Newport Harbor 39, Laguna Beach 17--Suzanne Shriner led all scorers with 20 points, and Nolen Jorie Nolen had 8 points and 12 rebounds for the Sailors (4-1, 8-4) in the game at Laguna Beach. Tegan Powell led the Artists with six points.

Estancia 47, Saddleback 41--Lesile Self’s 16 points led the Eagles to the win at Estancia. Karen Rindone added 13 for the Eagles, who led, 24-20, at halftime and never trailed thereafter. Monica Walton scored 21 points for Saddleback, which fell to 1-4 in league.