Reseda Girls Turn Back North Hollywood Rally

History dictates that whenever the girls’ basketball teams from Reseda and North Hollywood highs meet, they must play a close, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat game. For the past 2 years, the teams have met twice for league titles and twice for City Section championships.

But for the first 7 minutes of Wednesday’s Mid-Valley League game--which Reseda won, 58-55, at North Hollywood--Reseda’s play dictated a much different kind of game. Reseda led, 19-4, with a minute left in the first quarter. Forget history. Had they wanted to, the Regents could have been excused for thinking about what to do after the game.

“When you play North Hollywood, you never think anything,” said forward Jennifer Marzahl, who led Reseda (11-3, 6-0) with 22 points. “We can never let up against North Hollywood.”

The Regents, who beat the Huskies in the past 2 City 3-A Division finals, may not have let up, but they did let the Huskies back in. North Hollywood closed to within 2 late in the second quarter and led briefly during the fourth quarter.

“I knew we’d get it together,” North Hollywood Coach Rich Allen said.

But the Huskies watched their efforts go for naught in the fourth quarter. With the score tied, 55-55, North Hollywood (11-4, 4-1) committed 4 consecutive turnovers in the last minute and was unable to control the rebound on 2 missed Reseda free throws.

“We have never had an opportunity where we could sit back and relax playing them,” Reseda Coach Andrea Francola said. “I would like to relax but . . .”

Michelle Cabaldon scored 17 points for North Hollywood; Denisha Jordan scored 12 for Reseda.