Orange Empire Races Could Have Surprises, or Status Quo : Women: Perennial powerhouse Golden West is team to beat. But Cypress has the best player in Sara Works.

The question in the Orange Empire Conference women’s basketball race is simple: Can Golden West be stopped?

The Rustlers have won five consecutive conference titles and seven of the last eight.

Golden West also has advanced to the State tournament the last eight seasons, winning it all in 1990 and ’91.

The Rustlers lost to Los Angeles Harbor, 83-70, in the State title game last season.

Cypress (14-6): The Chargers have the best player in the conference in Sara Works, a 6-foot-2 center, who is averaging 28 points and 13 rebounds. She accounts for about 40% of her team’s offense. Works, from Savanna High, was the co-most valuable player of the conference last season. Guards Judy Caruso and Stephanie Werdel also are back after starting last season. Coach Kevin Kiernan got Jackie Boxley and Chris Bazzel to return to the program. Both played for the 1990-91 Cypress team.

Fullerton (10-9): Debbie Wagner is in her first year as coach for the Hornets. She took over for Colleen Riley, who retired as the winningest community college women’s basketball coach in the nation. Wagner’s job didn’t become any easier when Nicole Kubota, a sophomore guard and team leader, sustained a knee injury this season. Christa McDonald (6-4) and Norah Marier (6-0) give the Hornets height and Vanessa Trujillo (five assists per game) is the playmaking guard.

Golden West (15-5): Forward Julie Murdent gets less attention than Cypress’ Works but is as strong a player. She’s averaging 20 points and nine rebounds. Deanna Itow, a returning guard, averages 17 points, nine assists and four steals. Forwards Nicole Quinn and Katie Miner and center April Van Sweden also are back. Farrah Magee, a forward from Ocean View High, leads a strong freshman class. She is averaging 10 rebounds.

Orange Coast (14-6): Forward America Robledo returns and is leading the Pirates in scoring with an 18-point average. Freshman forward Jamie Shine of El Modena is close behind at 16. Shine also is getting a team-high 13 rebounds. OCC has a strong backcourt thanks to sophomore point guard Flo Luppani (nine assists per game) and freshman Tina Afan. The only trouble for OCC has been consistency.

Rancho Santiago (8-6): The Dons won only four games overall last season and haven’t won a conference game in the last two seasons. But things seem much improved this season. Sophomore guards Tanja Tilli (13 points) and Griselda Cervantes (12 points) lead the offense. Freshman forwards Lisa Petronis and Cari Remmel are each averaging 10 rebounds and helping the Dons control the boards.

Riverside (5-8): The Tigers, which finished second in conference last season, are led by freshman Alicia Rubio, a transfer from UC Riverside. Rubio, a 6-foot center, is averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Crystal Buck, a sprinter on Riverside’s track team that won the State title last fall, is averaging 12.

Saddleback (9-5): Saddleback has a talented team but lost all-conference forward Bonnie Trejo to a leg injury suffered in a scrimmage a week before the season started. Maureen Skehan, a freshman guard from Villa Park High, has had no trouble moving up a level. She’s averaging 14 points and five rebounds. Shannon Nelson, a sophomore forward, is averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Ja’Keena Backon is averaging 11 points and four assists.