HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Shadian Leads the Way as Poway Avenges Loss to Mt. Carmel

The San Diego Section playoffs are open to all teams this year, but any team with a questionable record might want to consider the consequences of drawing a game at Poway.

The No. 1-ranked Titans (20-3, 11-1) were in control Thursday night, scoring a 59-39 victory over fourth-ranked Mt. Carmel (15-4, 10-2) that all but decided the Palomar League championship with two games to play. It was a 20-point game that avenged an earlier loss, but it wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated. The lead was 33 at one point.

It was quite a contrast from the last meeting between the teams that met for last year’s Division I championship. In that game, Poway led by 10 in the third quarter but lost, 60-57, its only loss in San Diego this season.

“That woke us up,” Poway Coach Jay Trousdale said. “You never like to lose a game, but maybe that loss helped.”

Poway was paced by junior Jamie Shadian, who scored 24 points. When she left the game with 6 minutes 1 second remaining, she had outscored the entire Mt. Carmel team, which trailed 53-23.

“(Shadian) doesn’t get the credit she deserves,” Mt. Carmel Coach Tracey Johnson said. “I think she wrapped up the league MVP. Tonight was the big game and she showed up; I knew she was talented, but she surprised even me.”

Shadian scored driving to the basket and she scored from long range, nailing three three-point baskets. She, along with Stephanie Guerena and Julie Lunardi, harassed the Sundevils into 31 turnovers.

“Jamie can create (scoring opportunities),” Trousdale said. “Most high school players don’t have that ability yet. And that goes with her outside shot.”

“I think we proved tonight we were the better team,” Shadian said. “Since the buzzer went off (to end the earlier loss to Mt. Carmel), we’ve wanted to show we were the better team.”

Trousdale said two factors contributed to the one-sided outcome, defense and rebounding, a 32-21 Poway edge.

The defense was obvious, as Poway forced 11 turnovers in the first quarter to take 14-2 lead. Guerena had four steals, Lunardi--who missed the last meeting between the teams--had three steals. Shadian had another. By halftime, the score was 34-14.

“They looked like they had six people on the court,” Johnson said, “and they all looked like they were six-footers.”

Allison Brady (12 points), who had a team-high 10 rebounds for Poway. Mt. Carmel was led by Jennifer Alley’s 10 points and Kris Grazzini’s nine. Grazzini had 14 rebounds.