Saugus Has a Banner Day, 44-39

There are 18 white banners hanging at one end of the gymnasium at Saugus High, representing each varsity sport and listing their league championships.

The girls’ basketball banner is blank. The Centurions are 0 for 23 seasons.

That could change this season.

Saugus beat Valencia, 44-39, on Friday night in a Foothill League game to take a one-game lead over the Vikings (16-4, 3-1 in league play) and Hart (14-4, 3-1), which Saugus (17-2, 4-0) plays Tuesday.

“I guarantee you, if we win it, it will be on that [banner] right away,” Coach Eric Olsson said.

With sophomores Jessi Loring, Sheridan Arredondo, AnnMarie Summerhays and Julia Bradley in the starting lineup, this could be the start of a trend.

Loring, a 6-foot-2 post player, scored 19 points, including nine in the fourth quarter when Saugus, ranked No. 5 in the region by The Times, overcame a 34-30 deficit.

Arredondo, also 6-2, had eight points and 15 rebounds.

Stephanie Patterson of No. 8 Valencia had 10 points on five-for-21 shooting. Holly Feneht had seven points and leading scorer Marissa Meadows scored four points.

Against Loring, Arredondo and the 6-foot Bradley, the undersized Vikings were left to bomb from the outside, where they suffered a horrific shooting night.

Valencia, which won its first league title last season, committed only four turnovers, but made only 16 of 67 shots (23%).

“You’ve got to hit the shots to win,” Coach Jerry Mike of Valencia said.

Saugus, which won its ninth in a row and ended Valencia’s eight-game winning streak, didn’t shoot much better, making only 17 of 50.

“Our kids are gutty,” said Olsson, whose team committed 19 turnovers. “But we win all of our games ugly because we’re so young.”

The Centurions looked like veterans in a fourth quarter that included two ties and five lead changes.

“We’re young and we were nervous,” said Loring, whose layup with 1:26 left broke a 39-39 tie.

She added a layup the next time downcourt and a free throw with 24 seconds left.

“But this year we want that championship,” she said. “Saugus has never had anything before.”