HIGH SCHOOL NOTEBOOK

Things have not gone according to plan for the Poly girls’ basketball team, which is 0-6.

Youssra Marjoua, the Parrots’ top returning rebounder, decided not to play because it conflicted with her club volleyball team.

Jennifer Alfaro, a 5-9 junior who also plays on a club volleyball team, and Loretta Bolongaita, a 5-5 sophomore who was the Parrots’ starting point guard and led the team in assists and steals last season, also have quit, according fourth-year Coach Lou Goodman.

In addition, Lisa Conner, a 5-6 junior who might have helped fill the void, is academically ineligible.

“We’ve just been decimated,” Goodman said.

Goodman has promoted three players from the junior varsity team, and he anticipates another being brought up soon.

“But when you move a JV player up to the varsity before they’re ready, they’re basically still a JV player,” he said. “But as long as you see them learning, what can you do?”

*

The Sylmar girls’ team also has struggled without some key players.

Karisha Island, a 5-11 junior, has been sidelined for two weeks because of a sprained ankle.

Junior forward Krystal Mejia has been absent because of personal reasons, and junior point guard Shani Harris has been playing with a broken finger for two weeks.

“We’ve been sort of anemic,” Coach Cody Carter said. “We’ve been playing real strong defense, but we haven’t been able to score.”

Despite the problems, Carter has seen some bright spots.

Lucki Davis, a 5-6 senior in her first year of basketball, has been a pleasant surprise off the bench, and 5-9 sophomore Lila Stucki is much improved and starting at forward for Sylmar.