Senior Girls, Boys Basketball Stars Come Out to Shine for Last Hurrah

Ever wondered how a team including Point Loma’s Tyeast Brown, Tammy Tavares of Our Lady of Peace and Amy Seidlinger of USDHS would fare against the likes of Santana’s Rebecca Aase, Nikki Gannon of San Pasqual, Poway’s Christy Fortney and El Cajon Valley’s Debbie Duhaney?

Well, Saturday’s your chance to see the top seniors in San Diego play before they leave for college. The City-County Girls’ All-Star game is at 5:30 p.m. and the 3-A vs. 2-A Boys’ All-Star game follows at 7:30 at Serra High.

This is the second year that the 18th annual All-Star games will be played in March. Until last year the games were played in the summer so seniors involved with a spring sport wouldn’t lose their eligibility. Two years ago the state CIF passed a rule allowing seniors two All-Star games.

“This is the best time to have the game while basketball is still heavy,” game coordinator and Point Loma Coach Lee Trepanier said. “Both games will be very competitive.”

This will be the seventh game between 2-A and 3-A with the 2-A leading the series, 4-2. The rosters have not been completed. The boys used to compete in a City-County game like the girls but complaints forced the change to take place. Because the county included more schools than the city, county coaches complained that it was unfair competition between county players for a spot on the team, Trepanier said.

The county girls team will be coached by Poway’s Jay Trousdale and assisted by Gerry Port. The city team will be coached by Mira Mesa’s Gary Blevins and his assistant will be Larry Watson of Serra.

* The county team--Rebecca Aase (Santana); Malena Castano (Bonita Vista); Mildred Conston (Oceanside); Debbie Duhaney (El Cajon); Shawna Edge (Rancho Buena Vista); Christy Fortney (Poway); Nikki Gannon (San Pasqual); Stephanie Howells (RBV); Melody Hroch (Orange Glen); Laura Nugent (Poway); Torril Purvis (Bonita Vista); Tara Schwerin (Mt. Carmel); Monica Vargas (Montgomery).

* The city team--Tyeast Brown (Point Loma); Melanie Covey (San Diego); Erica Crittenden (Point Loma); Tamica Edwards (University City); Stacy Kasimatis (Mira Mesa); Claudine Neves (Point Loma); Robin Rabello (Point Loma); Pamm Ross (Serra); Danielle Samson (Mira Mesa); Amy Seidlinger (USDHS); Tammy Tavares (OLP); Lynn Thoms (Serra); April Velk (OLP).

Fans tend to go wild when their favorite player dunks the basketball. Spectators can get their fill of slam dunks at the fifth annual All-San Diego High School Slam Dunk Contest sponsored by Coca-Cola and Brooks shoes at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mt. Carmel High.

Get there early or not only will you not find a seat, you won’t make it past the door. Mt. Carmel’s gym holds approximately 2,000 people and Mt. Carmel Coach John Marincovich said fans should get there by 6:45.

“We always fill the gym and it fills up fast,” Marincovich said. “Last year there were about 200 people outside that couldn’t get in.”

The contest continues to attract the top players in the county. Players such as last year’s winner Jerome Price, of University City, Christian’s Tony Clark, Monte Vista’s Joe McNaull and Sweetwater’s Joe McDowell are among the 40 contestants.

Schools are limited to two players so as many schools as possible can be represented. This year players from 25 schools will participate.

Mt. Carmel will hold its own Slam Dunk contest Wednesday to determine which two players will represent the Sundevils.

“At our school we have a preliminary contest and eight will be vying for our two spots,” Marincovich said. “We’re having it at noon so the students can come watch. We will probably fill half the gym for that. With 3,500 students, we may fill it.”

Until this year Haime Escamilla had never pitched before.

But Escamilla, Mira Mesa’s starting center fielder, has comfortably made the transition to relief pitcher and has had 21 strikeouts in 10 innings and four saves.

Escamilla was named to the City Eastern all-league team the past two years and will continue to start at center field.

Mira Mesa Coach Mike Prosser said he wanted a left-hander and the only other choice was a sophomore. Prosser didn’t want to put so much pressure on the sophomore so he began working with Escamilla, a left-handed senior.

“He never seemed like he didn’t belong on the mound,” Prosser said. “There’s a lot of pressure being out there but he amazed me the first time in a game because he was so confident and poised. I don’t think anyone can tell he hasn’t been doing this for a long time.”

Mira Mesa has a very secure pitching staff with juniors Mike Bovee (3-0) and Marc Nielsen (3-0), both returning from last year, and Jason Payne (2-0), a sophomore transfer from Arizona.

“Last year they (Bovee and Nielsen) got their feet wet and are having no problems with their role this year,” Prosser said.

“Jason not only had to get used to being on varsity but he also was the new kid on the block and not one of the guys. He accomplished all that and really fits in. They (the team) know he’ll give it his best. He’s a quality pitcher.”

Mira Mesa (8-0) will play its league opener against Patrick Henry today. This is the best record Mira Mesa has ever started a season with, but Prosser has warned his team not to get to comfortable with winning.

“In baseball it’s tough to win every game,” Prosser said. “It just doesn’t happen. After the Warhawk Tournament I told the kids it will end sooner or later and I don’t want it to be a crushing blow to them when it ends.”