Esperanza Stands Tall Over Edison

Esperanza, the top-ranked team in the county, dominated No. 7 Edison, 58-29, in Tuesday’s Sunset League showdown.

The Aztecs (17-4, 5-0) used their superior size to get the ball inside to center Bethany Blair, who finished with 18 points, and forward Laura Jacobsen, who scored 14.

Esperanza also used its size to stifle the Charger offense, taking away most of Edison’s inside game and forcing several perimeter shots.

“We knew coming in that our size was our biggest advantage and I think we really capitalized on that,” Esperanza Coach Marc Hill said. “We played solid defense and did a great job on the boards.”

The Aztecs set the tone in the first quarter by going down low to Blair for several early baskets. Edison (16-5, 4-1) made a bit of a surge in the second quarter on perimeter shots by Bianca and Rachael Ziemann, but Esperanza was able to take a 29-22 advantage into the half.

The Aztecs began the second half with an 8-2 run, scoring several baskets in transition, to put the game out of reach. Their defense was relentless, holding the Chargers to seven points in the second half.

“This was a big win for us going against our league’s other undefeated team,” Hill said. “I never expected us to win by almost 30 points, but I’m sure they’ll be ready for us next time.”