Peninsula Girls Keep on Rolling : Basketball: Despite loss of guard Raquel Alotis, who is ill, the nation’s No. 1 team routs Paramount, 94-50.

Although starting guard Raquel Alotis had contracted mononucleosis, the Peninsula High girls’ basketball team simply picked up the slack.

And how.

The Lady Panthers scored early and often Wednesday night in a 94-50 second-round victory over Paramount in a Southern Section I-AA Division playoff game at Paramount. The victory lifts Peninsula (26-0) to a third-round matchup Saturday night with Palmdale.

Starting center Jeffra Gausepohl scored 24 points, sophomore forward Mimi McKinney added 23 and Monique Morehouse and Kristen Mulligan had 16 each for top-seeded Peninsula, ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today.

Using a full-court press to create fast-break opportunities, the Lady Panthers sprinted to a 29-12 first-quarter advantage, and led, 50-21, at halftime.

McKinney led the early charge with 15 first-half points. Gausepohl dominated the third quarter with 12. Mulligan contributed eight steals and seven assists, and Morehouse pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

“They always play hard, and when you do that you’re going to be successful,” Peninsula Coach Wendell Yoshida said of his starters. “I said we had to have the points from them tonight and we got them. Now we need that kind of production from them every night from here on out.”

Earlier this week, Yoshida learned that Alotis had contracted mononucleosis. Yoshida said Alotis could have played if needed Wednesday. A determination on her status will be made today.

Starting in her place was junior Jill Kennedy, who finished with five points, three steals and four rebounds.

“If there was every any question about our bench, it was answered tonight,” Yoshida said. “I never had any doubts about it, just questions. And they came through tonight.

“All year, we have been beating teams pretty good and that’s forced us to take our starters out early a lot of times. Playing 10 kids all year is paying off for us now. We’re getting output from everybody and that’s very pleasing to me.”

With nine points from McKinney, Peninsula charged to an 11-0 lead and was not challenged thereafter. The Lady Panthers led by 36 after three quarters and extended their lead to 40 early in the fourth quarter.

San Gabriel League representative Paramount (15-9) was led by Shanika Porter, who scored a game-high 25 points.