Brea Pushes Streak to 98, Sets Mark

There was little fanfare after the Brea Olinda girls’ basketball team broke the Southern Section’s record for consecutive league victories.

Marissa Bradley scored 25 points to help Brea Olinda defeat Western, 109-34, in an Orange League game Tuesday at Brea High and extend the Ladycats’ league winning streak to 98. Riverside Poly won 97 consecutive league games from 1978-85.

Although the Ladycats were part of a 10-year record-breaking run, they showed more jubilation after reserve guard Giana Sivertsen sank a 40-footer at the buzzer.

Setting a section record for consecutive league victories is just a by-product of winning eight consecutive section championships.

“Maybe from a historical point of view this is a big deal,” Brea Olinda’s third-year Coach Jeff Sink said. “It’s hard to do anything over 10 years.”

Brea Olinda’s last Orange League loss came Feb. 10, 1987, when Valencia beat the Ladycats, 58-53. Brea still won its fifth consecutive league title that season and the Ladycats are trying to extend their section record to 15 consecutive league championships this season.

“This is all a testimony to [former coach] Mark Trakh and what he built here,” Sink said. “I’m just the caretaker.”

Trakh, in his fourth season at Pepperdine, started at Brea Olinda in 1980. Brea Olinda won its first league title under Trakh in 1983 and the Ladycats won six section titles in 1986, and ‘89-93.

Although Trakh left for Pepperdine after winning three consecutive state titles from ‘91-93, his presence was still felt Tuesday.

Brea Olinda’s top senior, guard Jennifer Saari, orally committed to Pepperdine Tuesday. She scored 11 points Tuesday and teammates Rochelle Anthony and Erin Kelly each had 17 for the Ladycats.