Brea Completes Drive for No. 5, and Place in Record Book

Brea-Olinda completed the “Drive for Five” Saturday and took its place in the State CIF record book.

The Ladycats won a record fifth consecutive Southern California regional championship with a 45-39 victory in the Division II championship game against San Diego University City, becoming only the second school team to advance to five State championship games.

Brea previously won Division III titles in 1989 and 1990, and continued winning as it moved up to Division II in 1991, returned to Division III in 1992 and repeated this season.

Two prominent Southern California programs had previously won four regionals in a row. San Diego Point Loma, featuring center Terri Mann, won a Division II title in 1984 and three consecutive Division I titles from 1985 to 1987.

Inglewood Morningside, featuring current USC center Lisa Leslie, won four consecutive Division I titles from 1988-91. Fresno Woodlake also won four Division III titles in a row from 1984-87.

“What’s impressive is that we’ve won the regionals with three different groups of people,” Brea-Olinda Coach Mark Trakh said. “Winning five is a credit to how hard our kids work.

“There really is a tradition behind Ladycat basketball. We were leaving school this morning to come to the arena, and all the youth leagues were playing in the gym. It was neat to see Brea’s future players sending off Brea’s present players.”

The tradition figures to continue. Brea is a good bet to make it six consecutive titles next season. Trakh doesn’t have a senior among his top nine players.

“We’ll have everybody back, so we’ll probably be a big favorite next year,” he said. “This is the youngest team I’ve ever had, so it’s especially gratifying to win the title this year. This has been a very gratifying season.”

Losing Coach Steve Vukojevich of University City concurred that Brea’s girls’ basketball is a unique high school program.

“Their program is an institution, and their players are legends in high school sports,” Vukojevich said.

And after Saturday’s victory, they have their place in the record book.