Following the Leader : Pearson Wants to Bring Woodbridge a Second Straight State Title

The red and yellow M & M’s, same as the school colors, came in a 3-inch by 2-inch plastic box. The accompanying note read: “Seventy-seven days until the big one--eat one a day until we are state champions again.”

That prescription for success was handed out by Woodbridge forward Melanie Pearson to each of her teammates.

Certainly, Pearson, a senior, is as important as any candy to Woodbridge’s drive for a second consecutive state title.

Her versatility makes her one of the county’s most valuable players. Her unselfishness makes her more unheralded than she should be.

But it’s that versatility, and the confidence she gives other players, that set her apart from most.

“She brings a little bit of everything to the table,” Woodbridge Coach Pat Quinn said. “She’s a good overall athlete and her presence on the court makes everyone feel real confident--they know if they move, they’ll get the ball. She’s trying to bring everyone else up to another level and putting her personal stats aside.

“She can shoot, pass, is a very good team player and is a good thinker on the floor.”

Woodbridge’s quest for a third consecutive Southern Section title continues at 7:30 tonight with a Division II-AA quarterfinal game at San Clemente (17-11).

Woodbridge (25-2) finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in Orange County and are No. 7 in the nation. The Warriors have been as high as No. 3.

M & Ms notwithstanding, Pearson is the reluctant leader in a season that has not always been easy.

“The senior leadership role has been difficult because I’m more of a follower--I’m not the kind of person who speaks up,” Pearson said. “But I like it. I like the challenge of being a leader because I know it will help me in the future [at UCLA].”

She prefers to lead by example. Although most stars like their points, Pearson is almost unselfish to a fault. Sometimes Quinn has to call plays for her to take a shot.

“She really has a hard time with that,” he said. “She thinks she’s a ball hog.”

But Pearson’s attitude, he said, is to get everyone else involved in the offense, then she’ll take her turn. Unless haste is required.

“She knows what it takes to win a ballgame,” Quinn said. “When teams come back on us, she’ll take control, just to say, ‘Melanie Pearson’s here if you really need me.’

“It’s like she’s saying to her teammates, ‘Relax, play your game. If we need some shots, I’ll hit some shots. If we need some rebounds, I’ll get some rebounds. But don’t rely on me--do it yourself.’

“She gives everyone that inner confidence. You can’t put a stat on that.”

The stats themselves are almost modest by star standards: 15.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists; she’s shooting 51% from the field.

But when Woodbridge needed her most--during Erin Stovall’s seven-game absence because of a bruised knee--Pearson stepped up her game.

“That’s when Melanie made the other girls look good,” Quinn said. “She upped her total in points--not anything fantastic [from about 12 to 18 per game]--but her rebounding really improved because that’s what we needed at the time.”

Pearson, a Times all-county first-team selection last year, also brought out the rebounding of sophomore guard Carly Moss (3.8) and freshman forward Cathy Joens (8.0) during that period. And when teams double- and triple-teamed Pearson, Quinn said, “she would come down with a rebound, pump fake and then dish to Joens.”

But the most difficult thing this season, Pearson said, was the coaching change. After going to the state finals twice under Eric Bangs’ direction, Quinn came in with an entirely different style. Instead of being more controlling, Quinn wanted his players to be more spontaneous on offense. They weren’t used to that.

But both styles have been successful, and Pearson said she has learned some new twists this season.

Quinn, meanwhile, says he can tell that Pearson has taken her game to another level, even if she’s not scoring 25 nightly like she might if she played elsewhere.

“I’ve asked her to do a lot more--she’s had to go inside, which I wasn’t sure she could do,” Quinn explained. “She always played on the perimeter--noncontact situations almost. She had really great moves, but hadn’t had to power up. But this year she’s had to get knocked around and looks like she really enjoys it.

“She’s had such a good experience with [the inside game], I don’t think she’ll be afraid to do it next year. She’ll be able to go inside, outside, rebound, shoot. I don’t see a weakness in her game right now.”