Proud Alemany Falls to Woodbridge, 46-41 : Girls’ basketball: Indians, who overcame obstacles throughout the season, falter in State regional final.

Alemany High Coach Melissa Hearlihy stood beside her crying players and spoke calmly about the end of Destiny’s Season.

After 31 games over three months, her Indians had finally been stopped.

The distraction of Hearlihy giving birth to her first child during the season couldn’t do it. A school-closing earthquake couldn’t do it. Losing guard Kathy Brown to a knee injury couldn’t do it.

But Irvine Woodbridge--and Alemany foul trouble--did what fate couldn’t. The Warriors beat the Indians, 46-41, in the Division II Southern Regional State final.

“Normally, I’m very emotional and I cry over the least little thing,” Hearlihy said in the Anaheim Arena pressroom. “Now I’m not.”

She paused, perhaps considering the season in which she and her players had endured so much. Her starters sat beside her, staring at the floor.

Tears welled in Hearlihy’s eyes.

“I take that back,” she said. And she smiled.

“The kids have accomplished so much it’s hard to be upset. They’ve always gave everything they had. When you’re coaching, that’s all you want.”

Alemany (30-1), which won the Southern Section Division II-A championship, also badly wanted to win the Southern Regional final and advance to the Division II state championship game Friday in Oakland.

A week ago, Hearlihy said, “If we lose one game between here and the state final, it’s like we’ve fallen short.”

They came tantalizingly close to their goal, but after taking a 41-39 lead with 2 minutes 40 seconds remaining, the Indians could do nothing right.

Center Carly Funicello, saddled with four fouls, could only watch as Woodbridge center Angela Burgess tied the score with 2:24 left on a rebound layup.

Indian guard Kelly McKay fouled out less than 30 seconds later, and with its steadiest player gone, the Alemany offense faltered.

“I think the biggest deflation was Kelly’s fifth foul,” Hearlihy said. “She does so many quiet things for our team.”

Alemany turned the ball over on two ensuing possessions, but still trailed only 44-41 with 18.8 seconds left. Senior guard Lori Shigematsu had been fouled and stood at the free-throw line.

But Shigematsu, a reserve who scored nine points and played a solid game, missed both free throws.

That was Alemany’s last gasp. Woodbridge (32-0), the Southern Section II-AA champion, soon stood celebrating at midcourt, thinking of its matchup with Sacramento El Camino.

The Indians sat glumly on their bench, clutching congratulatory roses and second-place medals before trudging to the interview room.

“Coach told us that no team was going to beat us, that only we could beat ourselves,” said junior forward Samantha Rigley, who was held to six points. “And that’s what happened.”

Funicello, a sophomore, sat glumly next to the team’s lone senior starter, Zevette Mitchell.

The two of them were Alemany’s only true baseline players. They warmed up together before every game, usually clowning around during a routine passing drill, throwing the ball behind their backs, through their legs, around their heads.

They would laugh until a coach scolded them to do the drill correctly. Then they would exchange mischievous smiles.

Saturday they wore frowns.

“I think we all had an excellent season,” Funicello said. “And everyone is telling me it’s OK, that I have two more years left.”

She took a deep breath.

“But it’s not myself that I’m thinking of. I’m thinking of the seniors.

“I feel really bad for them,” she said, her voice quivering as she looked at Mitchell.

She began to cry.

“I wish I had tried harder.”

Her voice broke off, and she and Mitchell hugged each other and sobbed.

There was silence for a few moments until a reporter said, “Congratulations on a great season.”