Late Effort Lets Villa Park Claim Victory
Villa Park’s Mary Jo Pennington admitted her frustration at not being able to sink her shot. No, she said, she wasn’t able to really get into the game until the fourth quarter.
But the fourth quarter was all that ultimately mattered.
Pennington saved her best for last, and Villa Park escaped with a 53-47 Century League victory Thursday at Foothill, clearing the way for the Spartans to win their third league title in four years.
Villa Park (13-9, 7-1 in league) took over sole possession of first place. Foothill, which last won a league title in 1990, dropped to 15-7, 6-2. There are two games remaining.
Pennington finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, but had seven points and five rebounds in the final eight minutes, keeping the Spartans afloat while watching their seven-point halftime lead shrink and then become a two-point deficit.
An 8-2 run by Foothill gave the Knights a 47-45 lead with 2 minutes 50 seconds left. Michelle Miyake made the first of two free throws to make it a one-point game 39 seconds later, and Pennington was fouled on the rebound. Pennington scored under the basket off the inbounds pass from Miyake, then made a free throw to complete the three-point play that put the Spartans on top for good.
“That,” Foothill Coach Ty Watkins said, “was the play.”
It was the last of Pennington’s points. She scored Villa Park’s first four points of the final quarter to give the Spartans a 43-39 lead before Foothill made its run.
“I was frustrated because my shot wasn’t going in,” said Pennington, who was 0 for 4 from the field before making three straight in the fourth. “But instead of worrying about it, I concentrated on defense and rebounding. I was really nervous. This was an important game.”
Missy Bynon (15 points) and Meghan Reynolds (14 points, five steals) led Villa Park’s scorers.
Foothill was led by Gabrielle Kuehn (12 points) and Tara Lawrence (10).
In another league game:
Santa Ana Valley 43, Orange 19--Tanya Whitlock scored 18 points and had five steals for Santa Ana Valley (6-16, 2-6). Rhonda Bell had 11 rebounds and three points and Maria Sariaz had 10 points.
