Fillmore Seems to Be Running on Empty

Tri-Valley League girls’ basketball, recently an orderly procession led by Fillmore High, has fallen into disarray.

The Flashes, who won consecutive outright championships during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons, shared last year’s title with La Reina.

Fillmore complied a 64-14 record during that time and was the circuit’s premier team.

The Flashes return only one starter and appear to have fallen back into the pack of what looks to be an extremely balanced league.

Bishop Diego has been impressive under Coach Bruce Nelson, who took the Dos Pueblos boys’ team to a 1995 Southern Section title game.

St. Bonaventure has been rejuvenated by its rookie leader, Nick Pardue, and 5-foot-10 forward Stacey Howard, a junior transfer from Buena.

Carpinteria, 0-22 last season, has risen to respectability. Oak Park is in for a season-long struggle.

At Fillmore, the graduation of April Kozar and Christie Rosenblad meant the loss of nearly 40 points per game. Sophomore guard Cali Venegas is the lone returning starter.

“The kids are playing hard but we’re not as talented,” said fourth-year Fillmore Coach Jeff Fauver, the league’s only coach not in his or her first year. “We can’t fast-break or press like we used to do.”

Bishop Diego is led by senior swing player Bettina Lomeli, who averages 15.3 points. Center Jennifer Haake, a junior transfer from Dos Pueblos, is imposing at 6-1.

St. Bonaventure’s one returning starter and only senior is guard Amy Rosario, who averages 7.4 points. Howard, whose arrival at first caused tension, averages 15.5 points.

La Reina, which has senior guard Susanna Murley, has been inconsistent as Coach Jeff Sanderson implements a new system.

“[Last season] they were a laid-back team that relied on their highly-skilled players to dominate and we’re not at that point now,” Sanderson said.

Carpinteria returns one starter, junior forward Sylvia Martinez, who averages seven points and eight rebounds.

Oak Park Coach Cathy Cameron isn’t kidding when says she’s starting over. The Eagles were 6-4 in league play last season but Coach Keith Case bolted to Notre Dame days before this season began.

Cameron inherited no returning starters and three seniors quit the team after disagreements with their new coach, who has five freshmen on the roster.

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AT A GLANCE

* THE PROVEN: St. Bonaventure guard Amy Rosario is the team’s lone senior and its only returning starter. . . . Fillmore’s lone starting holdover is sophomore guard Cali Venegas, who averages 12.1 points and 8.6 rebounds. . . . Another solo returning starter is Carpinteria’s Sylvia Martinez, a junior forward averaging seven points and eight rebounds. . . . Bishop Diego senior swing player Bettina Lomeli is one of the league’s premier players, averaging 15.3 points. . . . Inexperienced La Reina counts on senior point guard Susanna Murley, who averaged 1.8 assists and 2.6 steals last season.

* THE PROMISING: Carpinteria has a prospect in 6 foot freshman center Sarah Grive, who is still growing and playing only her third year of basketball. . . . Because of injuries, Carpinteria sophomore Jennifer Ortiz has moved from shooting guard to the point. She averages eight points, three assists and six steals. . . . Fillmore starts one of the region’s shortest centers, 5-7 junior Brenda Felix, who averages 8.2 rebounds. . . . St. Bonaventure forward Stacey Howard is a junior transfer from Buena, where she played on the Bulldog junior varsity. She averages 15.5 points. . . . St. Bonaventure also has sophomore point guard Shannon Fink, who averages 6.8 points.

* FAST FACT: Jeff Sanderson is in his first season as coach at La Reina, an all-girls’ school in Thousand Oaks. Previously, he was a varsity assistant at Crespi, an all-boys’ school in Encino.

* 1996-97 STANDINGS: 1. (tie) Fillmore 21-6 overall, 9-1 in league play; La Reina 15-5, 9-1; 3. Oak Park 11-12, 6-4; 4. Bishop Diego 10-16, 4-6; 5. St. Bonaventure 6-17, 2-8; 6. Carpinteria 0-22, 0-10.