High School Girls’ Basketball : No. 1 First Lutheran Takes Ranking to Heart in Easy Win

For the first time in school history, First Lutheran High was ranked No. 1 in the Small Schools Division of the Southern Section in a poll released this week.

Tuesday night, First Lutheran showed that the ranking was deserved, trouncing Simi Lutheran, 58-30, in a Heritage League game at First Lutheran.

Senior center Suzanne Stark scored a game-high 18 points for First Lutheran (7-1, 2-0 in league play).

Teammate Jennifer Melson, a senior forward, added 10 points.

In other games:

Cleveland 53, Taft 47--Cheryl Aschembach made a jump shot with 6 seconds left to thwart Taft’s fourth-quarter comeback in a Northwest Valley Conference game.

Taft trailed, 37-26, after 3 quarters but pulled to within 48-47 with 1:38 to play.

Kunoor Chopra scored 25 points and Aschembach had 15 to lead Cleveland.

Julie Koppekin had 18 for Taft (0-6, 0-2).

Simi Valley 55, Royal 35--Senior Shannon Solway recorded game highs with 19 points and 17 rebounds as Simi Valley won a Marmonte League game and intracity rivalry at Royal.

Solway made 9 of 13 free throws. Josie Kosanke added 8 points and 10 rebounds for Simi Valley (11-6, 2-2). Angie Cole led Royal (3-8, 0-4) with 13 points.

Burroughs 59, Alhambra 41--Wendy Bruse led Burroughs with a game-high 17 points in the Foothill League game.

Bruse scored 5 points in the third quarter as Burroughs outscored Alhambra, 20-9.

La Reina 39, Bishop Diego 34--Junior Forward Heather Freeman scored 10 of her game-high 16 points in a 14-4 third quarter to push La Reina ahead for good and extend its Tri-Valley League mark to 4-0.

La Reina outrebounded Bishop Diego, 34-20. Sasha Scardino and Freeman combined for 22 rebounds.

L.A. Baptist 55, Village Christian 21--Sophomore forward Karleen Cox scored a game-high 20 points to lead L. A. Baptist to an Alpha League victory.

Junior forward Kristin Heerema had 12 points and 9 rebounds for L. A. Baptist (10-4, 2-0), which won its fourth game in a row.

Campbell Hall 48, Providence 27--Campbell Hall (6-4, 2-0) funneled the offense inside to Kirsten Williams (14 points) and Margaret Archer (15) as Campbell Hall easily defeated Providence in a Delphic League game.

Williams made only 5 of 21 shots, but pulled down 14 rebounds.

Marshall Fundamental 44, Montclair Prep 38--Despite 17 points and 25 rebounds by junior forward Nikki Smith, Montclair Prep lost its second Alpha League game, at Pasadena High.

Charis Kubrin had 14 points for Montclair Prep (5-5, 0-2).