Rebuilding Tustin on Way Up
Heather Wall remembered the minutes leading up to Tustin’s tipoff against Dana Hills the first week of the season. Rather than going through their drills, practicing layups and jump shots, the Tillers were practicing their offense right in front of the opposing team’s bench, in some instances being moved individually to their positions by their coach.
“That was so embarrassing,” said Wall, a senior forward.
But such individual attention was part of the reconstruction job of Steve Dunmeyer, who returned as coach just five days before the season began.
Dunmeyer is Tustin’s third coach since he resigned following the 1998-99 season, his third coaching the Tillers.
He follows Sara Davis, who coached last season, her first as a varsity head coach. She resigned to concentrate on studies at Long Beach State.
Todd Hodgins, a walk-on coach who was an Army recruiter for central Orange County, was hired to replace Davis, but he was transferred to San Clemente. He quit the week before practice began Nov. 11.
That left Dunmeyer, a computer teacher on campus who had guided the Tillers to a share of the Golden West League title three seasons ago.
“I haven’t had a phone call from any parent at all,” said Doug Mirich, the athletic director. “They all liked Todd. Everyone is working hard and has hung in there. It’s one of those times when everything was really bad, and it worked out good.”
The Tillers, comprised of senior Jasmine Hooper, Wall and six juniors, are a success story even if they don’t reach .500. They have improved daily, and at 7-11 overall are significantly better than last season’s 3-20 team. They won their first two Golden West League games this season.
“I begged Dunmeyer to come back,” Wall said. “He said if we gave 100% and dedicated ourselves completely, he would coach.”
Dunmeyer went 48-31 during his previous three seasons. In 1997-98, the Tillers were 22-5 and made an appearance in the Orange County top 10.
When Westminster Coach Dick Katz showed up at the Tustin-Dana Hills game to scout, he took immediate notice of Dunmeyer’s presence. “He’ll get those girls to play,” Katz said. “I better pay attention. They’ve got some athletes.”
They’ve also got something else.
“We’re quicker now, we click, we have more court savvy, we’re playing hard,” Wall said. “We have hope.”
Dunmeyer resigned in 1999 because, he said, he was never on the same page as that senior-dominated team, which finished 14-12. He said coaching was also tough on his family. “My wife and daughter were burned out by me coaching,” Dunmeyer said.
So if he and assistant Eric Jensen were going to coach, Dunmeyer insisted on players dedicating themselves 100%. It had to be worth his time, and theirs.
“Even beyond basketball, I want them to learn that commitment and hard work can actually achieve goals, whether it’s related to basketball or not,” Dunmeyer said.
THE DOW JONZ
Whose stock is up or down this week.
* Foothill. Down. A 22-game league winning streak was ended by Santa Ana Valley. The margin of the Falcons’ victory? 22 points, 58-36.
* Santa Ana Valley. Up. The Falcons took down the league’s king behind Crystal Davis and Monique Cruz.
* Capistrano Valley. Down. The Cougars (8-7), a preseason top-10 team, have failed to score 50 points in 11 of their 15 games. They have scored less than 30 in three of their last four games.
THREE-POINTERS
Trabuco Hills’ 50-36 victory over Dana Hills on Thursday ended a 21-game league losing streak by the Mustangs. Meghan McGovern led the way with 19 points and eight assists.
The bus carrying Woodbridge to its game at Laguna Hills broke down en route. The team arrived on time because assistant Tracy Roberts borrowed the van of a junior varsity parent, and parent Steve Riley used his van, to shuttle the players. Roberts lives in South County, and so he wasn’t on the bus. “[Coach Eric Bangs] called me,” Roberts said. “Lucky I had a pager and cell phone.” They walked in 35 minutes before tipoff.
The most remarkable thing about Woodbridge’s 56-41 victory over Laguna Hills? At halftime, with Woodbridge leading, 25-20, the top three players in the game had combined for only nine points. Megan Aaker (averaging 18.2 points) had scored only five for Laguna Hills, Lara Gray (11.5) had scored only four and Kelsi Sousa (18.3) had none for Woodbridge. They finished with 18, 16 and eight, respectively.
Kelsey Ball, out this season with an ankle injury, began working out with Huntington Beach on Saturday.
LOOKING AHEAD
El Dorado is the favorite, but Century has won three of the last four Empire League titles and the two meet tonight at Century. Santa Ana Valley tries to sustain its momentum, hosting another team that should challenge for the Century League title, Villa Park. Estancia is at Corona del Mar in a pivotal Pacific Coast League game, and Huntington Beach plays at Esperanza in the Sunset League.
Rosary will try to avoid the upset at home on Thursday when it plays Santa Margarita, a game that will have an impact on the four-team Serra league race. Santa Margarita has done a terrific job against teams that with one primary scorer, such as Laguna Hills’ Megan Aaker and Foothill’s Kristen Mann, but Rosary has a more diverse and balanced offense.
Two favorites from the Academy League meet on Friday when Bethany Thom and Capistrano Valley Christian go on the road to play Monique Kettler and St. Margaret’s.
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If you have an item or idea for the girls’ basketball report, you can fax us at (714)966-5663 or e-mail us at martin.henderson@latimes.com
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GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TOP 10
Orange County Sportswriters’ Poll
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Pos. School (League) Rec 1. Esperanza (Sunset) 14-4 2. San Clemente (South Coast) 15-2 3. Brea Olinda (Orange) 9-4 4. Irvine (Sea View) 14-4 5. Troy (Freeway) 12-4 6. Woodbridge (Sea View) 17-0 7. Edison (Sunset) 14-4 7. Huntington Beach (Sunset) 9-7 8. Rosary (Serra) 15-5 10. Westminster (Golden West) 13-4
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Others: El Dorado (14-4), Foothill (11-7), Laguna Hills (12-7), Santa Ana Valley (13-5)