Mater Dei Goes on Tear, Wins the Title

Although Mater Dei might be synonymous with boys’ basketball, the only state basketball banner added to the gymnasium wall this year will belong to the girls.

Mater Dei played its best game of the season in the state Division I girls’ championship, defeating San Jose Archbishop Mitty, 59-48, Saturday at Arco Arena.

It’s the girls’ first state title. The boys have won three titles and 11 section championships.

Mater Dei (29-3), ranked second in the state, is the third girls’ team from Orange County to win a state title, joining Brea Olinda and Woodbridge. The Monarchs were lost last year’s final to Atherton Sacred Heart, 52-50.

Although plagued by inconsistency all year--usually playing well enough to win but never winning impressively--the Monarchs saved their best for last.

They shot 41.5% from the field, made four for nine three-point shots and seized the game when they had a chance. Archbishop Mitty finishes 26-3.

Rhonda Gondringer scored a game-high 20 points, and Melody Peterson and Lori Hurlbut each had 13 points. Allison Luckey didn’t score, but had six steals.

How good were the Monarchs?

By the time Peterson scored her first basket, 70 seconds into the third quarter, Mater Dei had a 27-point lead, 45-18.

A layup by Peterson, who will attend Stanford, capped a 36-6 run that was sparked by Gondringer and complemented by Hurlbut’s three-point shooting.

Gondringer was six for six from the field during the run, but actually made nine consecutive baskets after missing her first four shots.

“The stature of the game really brought out the best in us,” said Margaret Hollis, who had four points and five rebounds. “It was just like the Buena game last week. We said, ‘Heck no if we were going to lose to them again.’ ”

Mater Dei trailed, 12-9, when Gondringer’s scoop shot began the run. She followed with an 18-footer on the baseline, and a basket underneath with two defenders on each side for a 15-12 lead after one quarter.

Gondringer followed with two free throws for a 17-12 lead, and then Archbishop Mitty’s leading scorer, Kerri Walsh (21.7 point average), picked up her fourth foul going over the back of Hurlbut for a rebound. Walsh, a 6-foot-3 center bound for Stanford and named national volleyball player of the year by several publications, went to the bench with 7:30 left.

Hurlbut hit two free throws and followed with a three-pointer from the baseline. Freshman B.J. Day, who entered 22 seconds earlier, scored underneath, Hurlbut hit a three-pointer, Gondringer drove the lane, Day hit a three-pointer and Hurlbut came back with another three-pointer.

Walsh, who had 11 points, 11 rebounds, came back into the game as a matter of desperation. In the 4:16 she was out, Mater Dei outscored Archbishop Mitty, 18-2, and took a 35-14 lead.

When asked if one player could make such a difference, Archbishop Mitty Coach Sue Phillips-Chargin said: “Sure, if you have a player like Kerri Walsh.”

Mater Dei Coach Mary Hauser didn’t dispute that assessment.

“That was a huge factor,” she said. “When she went out, you saw an intensity lapse. They lost confidence, and that set the team back, and gave us some confidence to move forward.”

And Mater Dei moved forward at an alarming pace, sparked by Hurlbut--who had five three-pointers in last week’s regional final against Ventura Buena. In fact, Hauser said Mater Dei’s last loss, to Buena in the section final, ultimately brought out the best in her team.

In that game, Mater Dei blew a 13-point lead. This time, Mater Dei’s killer instinct surfaced when it had a chance to put the game away.

“We lost and felt that loss, and we didn’t want to feel that again,” Hauser said. “This was our best performance of the year.”

Notes

During the first quarter of Woodbridge’s victory Friday evening in Sacramento, forward Melanie Pearson’s mother, Carol, collapsed while watching from the stands.

According to Warrior Coach Pat Quinn, Pearson’s blood pressure had “gone up significantly,” causing her to faint.

Pearson was taken to a nearby hospital at halftime, where she was treated and held overnight for observation.

“Just with all the excitement and anticipation of everything,” Quinn said, “they needed to get her to relax and calm down.”

Pearson was released from the hospital Saturday morning.

Melanie Pearson, a senior who has committed to UCLA, was not told about the incident until after the game. An aunt drove her to the hospital before the post-game news conference.