Harbour sets Camarillo Sailing

Coach John Harbour of Camarillo High is about as subtle as a stampede.

His booming voice can usually be heard from every corner of a gymnasium, if not every corner of the region.

For two seasons, Harbour has brought that sideline thunder to a girls’ basketball program that has had little to shout about.

But the Scorpions, one of the region’s least successful programs as recently as 1998, is making some noise in the Southern Section playoffs.

While more than 100 girls’ teams from the region have concluded their seasons, Camarillo (18-9) is alive and plays at No. 2-seeded Lynwood (24-3) tonight in a Division I-AA quarterfinal.

“(Harbour) has been telling us for two years that he has seen our potential as a team,” said leading scorer Lauren Ferreira, a senior forward. “Now we’re starting to believe it and it’s exciting.”

Last season, Harbour took over a program that had gone 13-53 and finished last in the Marmonte League three consecutive seasons.

“I told them I thought they were a lot better than their record indicated, that there was some talent there,” said Harbour, who coached Camarillo’s boys’ team for nine seasons.

His messages usually have been delivered at high decibels.

“That took some getting used to,” said guard Tanya Wismann. “Now, we expect it. When he isn’t yelling, we think something’s wrong.”

Not much has gone wrong.

Camarillo tied Oxnard and Channel Islands for the Pacific View League title last season and finished second to Oxnard this season.

Ferreira, Wismann, LeShelle Sargent and Heather Stangeby, all holdovers from the pre-Harbour era, have played key roles, as has junior guard Gillian Lillich.

Camarillo has defeated Santa Maria Righetti, Yucaipa and Murrieta Valley to reach this round. The winner of the quarterfinal tonight will faces either No. 3 El Toro or A.B. Miller on Tuesday.

“A lot of people thought we’d lose two games ago,” Wismann said. “But our defense has stepped up a bunch and, when that happens, you always have a chance.”

With a coach who is equal parts drill sergeant, tactician and motivator, there’s little chance the Scorpions will revert to old habits.

“I’m just being my usual, lovable self,” Harbour said. “My goal has been to stay on them until they played the way they could. I think they feel pretty good about themselves at this point.”