2018-19 Week 13: San Diego Section Powers Face Expected Early Exits
Seedings for the Southern California Regional playoffs that begin Tuesday reflected the San Diego Section’s strength in the lower divisions.
But the big boys got no respect, as usual.
San Diego teams are favored seeds in only two of nine Open, D-I or D-II contests. They are the choice in five of seven games in D-III through D-V.
Montgomery is the number one seed in Division III and San Diego Southwest is second in D-V.
FALCONS’ FEET PUT TO FIRE
Torrey Pines is the eighth and lowest seed in the Open Division and Foothills Christian, Mission Bay, and St. Augustine, which generally alternated as the top teams in The San Diego Union‘s weekly, regular-season poll, were ranked fifth, 13th, and 16th. respectively, in Division I. Vista is a 14th.
Torrey Pines defeated Foothills, 51-47, for the San Diego Section Open Division title and will make the 140-mile jaunt to Chatsworth to take on the No. 1 seed Sierra Canyon Trailblazers, also considered the No. 1 team in the country in some quarters.
Getting to Chatsworth should be a two-and-a-half-hour ride for Torrey, if it is lucky and eludes the often brutal Los Angeles-area traffic that could make the trip 3 or 4 hours, or more..
Falcons coach John Olive, one of the best, is up for the assignment.
“They’re one of the best teams in the country, but my team likes challenges,” Oliver told John Maffei of the Union. “We’re going to go up there and give it our best shot.”
UPSETS HAVE HAPPENED
Torrey Pines has conquered a daunting playoff challenge before. The Falcons were behind, 43-40, at the end of three quarters on the road at favored Long Beach Poly but pulled out a 54-49 victory in 2015 as a number 6 seed.
There’s other precedent. Seventh-seeded Cathedral knocked off No. 2 Sierra Canyon, 83-80, on the road in 2016, and No. 6 St. Augustine scrapped out an 88-81 win over the No. 3 Trailblazers in 2017.
BOYS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
OPPONENT
RECORD
OPEN
8 Torrey Pines
25-6
@1 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon
28-3
I
16 St Augustine
22-7
@1 Etiwanda
25-5
5 Foothills Christian
23-6
12 Woodland Hills El Camino Real
18-10
13 Mission Bay
18-12
@4 Rancho Santa Margarita
23-10
14 Vista
21-9
@3 Bellflower St. John Bosco
21-9
II
8 Poway
22-7
9 Santa Clarita Christian
10-22
12 Cathedral
23-9
@5 La Canada
27-6
14 Francis Parker
20-10
@3 Ontario Colony
27-5
11 San Marcos
17-10
@6 Palos Verdes Rolling Hills Prep
25-6
III
1 Montgomery
27-4
16 L.A. University
19-10
8 La Jolla Country Day
18-13
9 Carlsbad
25-6
10 Rancho Buena Vista
27-5
@7 Capistrano Valley Christian
26-7
IV
8 Valhalla
28-4
9 Visalia Central Valley Christian
19-8
6 San Diego
22-8
11 San Luis Obispo
21-11
V
13 San Pasqual
13-18
@4 Oxnard Santa Clara
27-6
2 San Diego Southwest
25-7
15 Santa Monica New Roads 15-16
There are no girls’ teams in the Open Division, but D-I Cathedral and D-5 Madison are top seeds, and San Diego Section clubs are favored in 10 of the 14 opening-round games.
San Marcos, despite a 15-17 record, is a second seed in D-III and favored over Ventura St. Bonaventure, which is 26-3.
The seeming anomaly in won-loss records is because San Marcos played a consistently tougher schedule than the Seraphs. That also is reflected in other contests up and down the schedule of 30 first-round games involving area squads.
As in football, who you play is just as important as who you beat.
GIRLS
DIVISION
TEAM
RECORD
OPPONENT
RECORD
I
1 Cathedral
25-6
16 Woodland Hills El Camino Real
17-11
5 La Jolla Country Day
19-11
12 L.A. Westchester
17-9
9 Christian
21-9
@8 Riverside King
29-2
II
3 The Bishop’s
18-11
14 L.A. Eagle Rock
16-8
11 La Costa Canyon
20-10
@6 Palos Verdes Rolling Hills Prep
23-4
10 Bonita Vista
18-10
@7 Eastvale Eleanor Roosevelt
27-5
III
5 Serra
14-10
Cathedral City
24-3
3 Poway
23-8
Lakewood Mayfair
21-5
7 Carlsbad
20-12
10 Santa Monica Crossroads
17-12
2 San Marcos
15-17
15 Ventura St. Bonaventure
26-3
IV
5 Grossmont
22-7
12 Temecula Linfield Christian
24-3
14 San Dieguito
22-7
@3 L.A. Carson
14-8
6 Mission Vista
21-2
11 Irvine Crean Lutheran
25-6
V
1 Madison
27-3
16 Santa Ana Saddleback
18-12
JUMP SHOTS
San Diego High (22-8) won its second consecutive boys division championship, 75-56 over 28-4 Valhalla in the D-III finale at Mira Mesa…the Cavers won the D-IV title in 2017-18 before losing to Santa Clarita Christian, 67-48, in the Southern California D-V regional semifinals …the Cavers are 46-16 in last two seasons under Basil Fontenot after going 7-20 and 13-15 in prior two years…the Cavers have won 12 in row…San Pasqual (13-18) under Erik Meek, who led Eagles to a 1990-91 title, won their 4th in row after losing previous 6, 49-41 over 15-17 Clairemont…Mission Vista coach Jerry Garrett quarterbacked Oceanside to a 9-4 season in 1980, including a 36-34 upset in Santa Ana over Santa Ana Mater Dei….
2018-19 Week 13: No. 1’s Go For No. 1 Finish
Four No. 1 seeds in six divisions, will be on the floor as finals take place beginning tonight in the San Diego Section.
That Foothills Christian, Cathedral, Rancho Buena Vista, and San Diego Southwest made their way through the rounds is testimony to the ratings system created by Max Preps, the entity favored by section coaches and bosses.
Other than Division V, which will match 8 seed San Pasqual and 6 seed Clairemont, there will be two 2 seeds, three 3 seeds, and one 4 seed in the finals.
D-V San Pasqual (8) and Clairemont (6) may have been underrated. Each school has considerably larger enrollment and a pool from which to chose players but apparently competed against similarly ranked opposition as other D-V squads.
Enrollment figures no longer count in seedings or division placement.
All teams in the original, eight-team Open bracket will move on to the Southern California regionals next week. The four semifinal teams in D-I will also advance.
FINALS PAIRINGS
OPEN (8 p.m. Saturday, UC-San Diego RIMAC Arena) 1 Foothills Christian (23-5) vs. 3 Torrey Pines (23-6).
DIVISION I (8 p.m. Friday, UC-San Diego RIMAC Arena)
3 Francis Parker (21-9) vs. 1 Cathedral (22-9).
DIVISION II (1 p.m. Saturday, UC-San Diego RIMAC Arena) 1 Rancho Buena Vista (27-4). vs. 3 Carlsbad (25-6).
DIVISION III (7:30 p.m. Thursday, Mira Mesa High) 4 San Diego (21-8) vs. 2 Valhalla (27-3).
DIVISION IV (7:30 p.m. Thursday, Serra High) 1 San Diego Southwest (24-7). vs. 2 Mt. Carmel (15-14).
DIVISION V (7:30 p.m. Thursday, Montgomery High) 8 San Pasqual (12-18) vs. 6 Clairemont (15-15).
FINALS
OPEN 3 Torrey Pines 51,1 Foothills Christian 47.
DIVISION I 1 Cathedral 47, 3 Francis Parker 46.
DIVISION II 3 Carlsbad 72, 1 Rancho Buena Vista 54.
DIVISION III 4 San Diego 75, 2 Valhalla 56
DIVISION IV 1 San Diego Southwest 63, 2 Mt. Carmel 46.
DIVISION V 8 San Pasqual 49, 6 Clairemont 42.
2018-19 Week 11A: Most Favored Seeds Escape Untouched
Thirty-one of the 36 first-round, San Diego Section playoff games in divisions I-V last night were won by team’s with the lower number (better) seeds and the upsets were won by teams on the road.
The stunner was 15 seed Bonita Vista (11-17) kayoing 2 seed host Westview (21-8), 66-52.
Other home team jolts were experienced by No. 6 Ramona (16-13), eliminated by No.11 San Dieguito (11-18), 50-40; No. 6 Pacific Ridge (17-12), knocked off by No. 11 San Diego High Tech (14-13), 62-60, and No. 7 La Costa Canyon (14-14), ousted by No. 10 Helix (17-11), 61-55.
Things should get a little more difficult for the favorites Saturday night in quarterfinals that also will include Open Division teams playing for the first time.
OPEN
8 San Marcos (17-9) vs. 1 Foothills Christian (21-5) at Cuyamaca College.
5 Vista (20-8) at 4 Santa Fe Christian (20-7).
6 Poway (21-6) at 3 Torrey Pines (22-6).
7 Mission Bay (17-11) at 2 St. Augustine (22-6).
DIVISION I
5 El Camino (18-11) at 4 La Jolla Country Day (17-12).
6 Mater Dei (17-11) at 3 Francis Parker (18-9).
10 Helix at 2 Montgomery (26-3).
8 Christian (16-13) at 1 Cathedral (20-9).
DIVISION II
8 Scripps Ranch (17-9) 1 Rancho Buena Vista (25-4).
5 Olympian (19-9) at 4 The Bishop’s 19-10).
6 Mount Miguel (22-7) at 3 Carlsbad (23-6).
15 Bonita Vista at 2 Escondido (19-10).
DIVISION III
9 San Ysidro (20-9) at 1 Sweetwater (23-6).
5 University City (19-10) at 4 San Diego (19-8).
11 San Dieguito at 3 Del Norte (18-10).
7 Sage Creek (11-17) at 2 Valhalla (26-3).
DIVISION IV
8 El Capitan (15-13) at 1 San Diego Southwest (23-6).
5 Imperial (18-9) at Mabel O’Farrell (24-4).
11 San Diego High Tech at 2 Mission Vista (17-11).
7 Calexico (16-9) at 2 Mt. Carmel (13-14).
DIVISION V
8 San Pasqual (10-18) at 1 San Diego Academy (21-4).
5 The Cambridge (13-8) at 4 Del Lago (17-11).
6 Clairemont (13-15) at Southern California Yeshiva (14-5).
7 Liberty (14-11) at 2 North County High Tech (14-6).
SCORE IT
There were nine games this regular season in which the winner totaled at least 100 points, San Ysidro, leading with 5 (not all teams reported indivdual or team scoring totals):
San Ysidro 114, Castle Park 26.
San Ysidro 113, Maranatha 49.
San Ysidro 107, Castle Park 22.
Foothills Christian 106, Steele Canyon 46.
Sweetwater 102, Castle Park 10.
San Ysidro 101, Preuss 45.
Montgomery 101, Calexico Vincent Memorial 44.
San Diego Academy 101, Ocean View 41.
San Ysidro 100, Mar Vista 43.
JUMP SHOTS
San Ysidro was the section’s highest scoring team in the regular season with a 78.1 game average. Foothills Christian averaged 77.8, Montgomery 73.0, Torrey Pines, 71.2, and St. Augustine, 70.9…Escondido has won 12 in a row…Fallbrook (1-25) claimed its only victory, 60-49, over San Pasqual, coached by star alumnus Erik Meek and looking to move beyond the quarterfinals…Tyrone Shelley, who holds the San Diego Section with 76 points in one game, was listed as coach at San Pasqual Academy this season…Shelley, playing for Crawford, lit up the scoreboard against Burlington Central of Ontario, Canada, in the 2005-06 season….
2018-19 Week 11: Foothills Christian’s Hot Stretch Run Earns Rank
Ten consecutive wins since Jan. 11 propelled Foothills Christian into the No. 1 position in the final regular-season The San Diego Union-Tribune poll and earned coach Brad Leaf’s Knights the Open Division top seed in this week’s beginning of the San Diego Section playoffs.
Play in divisions I through V convenes Wednesday evening. Open Division teams are off until Saturday, Feb. 16.
Fooothills (21-5) took over the No. 1 spot after leader St. Augustine (22-6) lost two of its last four games, the latest a 62-52 upset by rival Cathedral.
Foothills will play 8 seed San Marcos (16-9) and the Saints will take on defending champion and 7 seed Mission Bay (17-11).
St. Augustine holds two Western League victories over the Buccaneers, but history does not favor three wins over the same team in the same season. This is by far the matchup of the week.
CAVERS WIN ANOTHER
San Diego’s 62-56 win over University City allowed the Cavers (18-8), winners of their last eight, to claim the City League title and the D-III 4 seed Hilltoppers will meet Granite Hills (10-15) in their opening postseason test at home.
The basketball gonfalon, combined with San Diego’s football championship, marked the first time since 1974 that the Cavers had won football and basketball titles in one school year, although the football crown was shared with Clairemont and Kearny.
RATINGS
Foothills Christian is ranked 10th in the state by Max Preps and 17th by Cal-Hi Sports. St. Augustine was 17th but fell out of the top 20. The Saints and Torrey Pines sit on the Cal-Hi bubble and are 18th and 27th, respectively, according toMax Preps.
Union-Tribune Week 10 poll as of Monday, Feb 11:
Rank
Team
Record
Points
Last Week
1
Foothills Christian (10)
21-5
135
2
2.
St. Augustine (3)
22-6
121
1
3
Torrey Pines (1)
22-6
120
3
4
Santa Fe Christian
19-7
85
4
5
Mission Bay
17-11
83
6
6
Poway
21-6
55
5
7
Cathedral Catholic
19-9
53
7
8
Vista
20-8
34
NR
9
Montgomery
25-3
27
10
10
San Marcos
17-9
21
NR
NR–Not ranked.
Others receiving votes:Rancho Buena Vista (24-4, 14 points), Sweetwater (22-6, 8) La Jolla Country Day (16-12, 3), Valhalla (26-4. 3), Francis Parker (17-9, 2).
Voters: John Maffei, The San Diego Union-Tribune; Terry Monahan, Freelance; Steve Brand, San Diego Sports Association; Carlton Hoggard (CIF San Diego Section), Adam Paul, Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com; John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3 FM, The Fan; Rick Smith, partletonsports.com; Bodie DeSilva, sandiegopreps.com; Steve Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM; Christian Pedersen, S.D. Preps Insider; Aaron Burgin, Fulltime Hoops; Brad Enright, L.A. Court Report.
2018-19 Week 10: League Champions Step Up to Playoffs
Twenty-one San Diego Section league champions were crowned this week, although such a feat means nothing when it comes to the playoffs, pairings of which were announced today.
But league championships represent a lot more than a playoff seeding,or divisional placement. Just ask the Mira Mesa Marauders and San Diego Cavers, who clinched Eastern and City loop titles, respectively, on the last night of the regular season.
Visiting Mira Mesa nipped Scripps Ranch, 52-51, and San Diego defeated host University City, 62-56. The winners celebrated on their opponents’ floors. It doesn’t get much better than that.
DONS TAKE IT TO SAINTS
There was no league title at stake but a standing room only crowd of more than 2,000 persons jammed the St. Augustine gym, where the Saints were hoping to close out a 12-0 league season against 8-3 rival Cathedral.
There were almost 150 banners signaling league championships since 1960 hanging in the high reaches of the beautiful, almost-new St. Augustine arena, but the night belong to the Dons.
Cathedral won the junior varsity game on a basket in the final 20 seconds, 48-46, and the Dons’ varsity outscored the Saints in every quarter, pulling away to a 62-52 victory.
Sweetwater, Escondido, Southern California Yeshiva, Chula Vista Learning Community, and Calexico Vincent Memorial ran the table, completing undefeated seasons in their respective leagues, noted below.
Others receiving votes: Carlsbad (19-5, 16), Vista (18-8, 11), Francis Parker (15-8, 5), Vista Rancho Buena Vista (21-3, 15 points), Francis Parker (13-7, 15) San Marcos (15-9, 4), Sweetwater (20-6, 4), Valhalla (24-4, 4).
Voters: John Maffei, The San Diego Union-Tribune; Terry Monahan, Freelance; Steve Brand, San Diego Sports Association; Carlton Hoggard (CIF San Diego Section), Adam Paul, Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com; John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3 FM, The Fan; Rick Smith, partletonsports.com; Bodie DeSilva, sandiegopreps.com; Steve Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM; Christian Pedersen, S.D. Preps Insider; Aaron Burgin, Fulltime Hoops; Brad Enright, L.A. Court Report.
1971-72: Drollinger Leads Foothillers to Championship
No one could replace Bill Walton, so Ralph Drollinger just succeeded him.
The 7-foot Drollinger, an inch taller than the legendary Walton, played at Grossmont, arch rival of Walton’s Helix.
Drollinger posted San Diego County’s second highest, one-season scoring total, 878 points, to Walton’s 958.
Drollinger won a San Diego Section championship, to Walton’s two.
Drollinger attended UCLA and won two national collegiate championships, to Walton’s three.
Drollinger’s senior season at Grossmont concluded with a 29-3 record, to Walton’s 33-0 and 49-game winning streak in his last two seasons.
Walton is remembered as one of collegiate basketball’s all-time great players. Drollinger is remembered as a steady contributor, whose career ended with a strong, off-the-bench performance in the NCAA championship game at the San Diego International Sports Arena.
Drollinger, one of only six players employed in Bruins coach John Wooden’s last game, played defense and kept the Kentucky Wildcats off balance with a powerful, 13-rebound performance in a 87-82 UCLA victory.
HIGHLANDERS IN WAY
Post-Walton, Helix had a “down” year with a 21-9 record in 1970-71 but not surprisingly Bill Finley of the Evening Tribune declared the Highlanders No. 1 in his preseason poll, a tribute in part to coach Gordon Nash and his teams’ 109-21 (.846) record in Nash’s four years.
Helix also benefitted from the arrival of Crawford transfer Wilbert Olinde, a 6-foot-5 junior who averaged 18.3 points and whose 568 points would be fifth highest in the County.
The Scots posted a 24-7 record and made it to the finals again, but they came up short in three meetings with the Foothillers, who won the two Grossmont League matchups, 59-56 and 80-60, and the championship encounter, 58-56.
The Highlanders, who trailed by as much as 11 points, led the title game, 56-55, with 16 seconds remaining, but Helix’ 6-foot-9 Gary Ely fouled Drollinger.
“I had to make those foul shots,” understated Drollinger, who scored 34 points and had 12 rebounds. “We’d been working so hard. It really would have been a letdown if I hadn’t made ‘em.”
A basketball version of Honest Abe Lincoln, Drollinger questioned the official’s call on Ely, declaring, “I can’t remember him actually fouling me.”
Wilbert Olinde missed a short jump shot on the ensuing final possession and thought he was fouled by Tom Foulds. “I thought he hit me on the way up,” said Olinde. “I thought they’d called it. I thought I heard a whistle.”
It was a bitter loss for Helix, arguably having created the best athletic program in the area.
Drollinger loomed over all he surveyed.
Grossmont, however, became the first school in the 12 years of the San Diego Section to win a football and basketball championship in the same school year.
RIVALRY
Olinde was a welcome addition at Helix.
Helix led the all-time series with Grossmont, 27-16, entering this season and had never lost three in a row or been beaten so convincingly by the Foothillers as they were in the 20-point loss in the second round of Grossmont League play.
Drollinger had 34 points, 12 rebounds, blocked five shots, and altered the trajectory on several others.
“I’ve never been so high for a game,” Drollinger told Jack Williams of the Evening Tribune. “I don’t think I played my best game, but if I say that people will probably think I’m really high on myself or something.”
Helix became frustrated and was assessed three technical fouls. “The Highlanders couldn’t play their game,” wrote Jack Williams, “and when that became apparent early their poise went out the window.”
SCORING
The trend to higher scores and higher averages topped 1970-71 performances but fell short of the Walton-paced 1969-70 season.
There was one player this season with more than 700 points, four over 600, and 14 over 500. Those numbers compared with five over 700, 11 over 600, and 15 over 500 in 1969-70 and one over 600 and seven over 500 in 1970-71.
Ten players averaged 20.1 points a game or better, compared to four in 1970-71, and 10 in 1969-70, when 10 averaged at least 23.0 and 20 averaged at least 20.0.
An all-time high of 31 players scored at least 400 points this season, compared to 28 in 1969-70 and 29 in 1970-71.
John Fairchild of San Dieguito scored 428 points and was the only player with at least 400 in 1960-61, the first year of the San Diego Section.
1971-72 leaders:
Ralph Drollinger
Grossmont
32
878
27.4 (1)
Marty Mayer
Clairemont
30
628
20.9 (7)
Steve Copp
Hilltop
28
625
22.3 (5)
Geoff Hinkle
Santana
24
616
25.7 (2)
Wilbert Olinde
Helix
31
568
18.3
Mark Dobransky
Mount Miguel
25
565
22.6 (4)
Dan Schmidt
El Capitan
27
564
20.9 (7)
Dana Blalock
San Dieguito
24
554
23.1 (3)
Mike Liedike
Chula Vista
27
549
20.3 (9)
Tom Lines
Bonita Vista
31
549
17.7
Steve Seidler
Point Loma
23
505
22.0 (6)
Zeke Sanchez
Morse
27
503
18.6
Geno Dente
Coronado
27
497
18.4
James Robinson
San Diego
30
493
16.4
Bob Russell
Mission Bay
25
483
19.3
Bob McIver
St. Augustine
24
482
20.1(10)
Rock Lee
Madison
31
481
15.5
Jim March
Bonita Vista
31
475
15.3
David Ross
El Capitan
25
474
19.0
John Hurlburt
El Cajon Valley
25
474
19.0
Stan Rosendahl
Bonita Vista
31
470
15.2
Pete Weichert
Mar Vista
28
468
16.7
Genero Hukins
Montgomery
27
462
17.1
Ron Coppess
Orange Glen
25
454
18.2
Sam Pecktol
Castle Park
25
449
18.0
Willard Scott
San Diego
28
448
16.0
Williams
Escondido
23
426
18.5
Mark Schenewerk
Mar Vista
28
420
15.0
Claudie Henry
Hoover
24
419
17.5
Lou Faust
University
29
414
14.3
Henry Arviso
Santana
26
402
15.5
Bruce Coldwell
Madison
29
401
13.8
Carl Zemlick
Monte Vista
26
400
15.4
John Oakes of Borrego Springs had a reported 23-point average but final averages and results for all games for small schools players, including Ramona’s John Schneider and Christian’s Dan Kirby, who reportedly averaged 19 points, were omitted by newspapers.
TRIPLE FIGURES
The 100-point game was becoming less of a rarity.
Teams passed the century mark nine times in 1968-69, including six by Helix. It happened twice in 1970-71, and 11 times this season:
El Capitan 105, Sweetwater 44.
Madison 102, El Cajon Valley 43.
Bonita Vista 114, Vista 50.
Ramona 104, Mountain Empire 43.
Christian 113, Borrego Springs 59.
Bonita Vista 102, Montgomery 57.
Hilltop 101, Coronado 68.
Hilltop 116, Castle Park 63.
Ramona 101, Borrego Springs 46.
Helix 115, Granite Hills 65.
Bonita Vista 113, Madison 56.
CLOSE, BUT NOT
Coached by Bill Foley, a star at Chula Vista in the late ‘fifties, the Bonita Vista Barons almost ran the table.
An early-season, 77-74 loss to Madison was their only defeat and their 26-1 record was better than any of other three playoffs semifinalists. The Chula Vistans were averaging 84 points a game.
Hilltop’s Steve Copp, who scored 628 points, was considered second only to Drollinger. in the San Diego Section
Helix knocked out the Barons, 59-57, in a taut defensive struggle that went a playoff record two overtimes before Helix’ Jim Aunan hit an eight-foot runner six seconds before a third extra session.
“I can replay the game one hundred times and find a hundred different ways we could have won,” said Foley.
The Bonita coach picked Grossmont to win the next night. “Ralph Drollinger can control the tempo of the game and the boards by himself.”
DO WE HAVE TO?
John Hannon, coach of the 24-6 Warhawks, found himself coaching in the third place game for the fourth time in six years after the 74-63 loss to Grossmont in the semifinals. “It’s getting a little old,” said Hannon.
Hannon’s team did not seem interested. Foley was determined not to have his team lose twice before the big crowd at the Sports Arena.
“We were rated number one by some people and we’d look awfully bad if we turned out to be number four,” said Foley.
The Barons (29-2) got after it early and ran the Warhawks off the floor, 113-56.
Bonita Vista led, 45-3, with 6:15 remaining in the first half and at one point scored 34 consecutive points.
John Hannon said he let the team decide whether it wanted to play to win or whether it preferred letting every one play. “They voted to let everyone play,” said Hannon, who used various combinations of players and never included the five who had won 24 games including 77-74 over Bonita Vista in the Baron-Optimist Tournament.
NEW PLAYOFF FORMAT
CIF bosses loosened their rules on the playoffs, which still were one week in duration but allowed for a Wednesday day off for the four teams that would go to the semifinals.
The previous, four-games-in-four-days was under fire from coaches, some claiming it was nothing more than an endurance test. “We had to do something,” said CIF honcho Don Clarkson.
DREADED ADMINISTRATIVE GLITCH
In a long history of CIF and school administrative goofs, this was a whopper, circumstances of which are reprinted in part from the Evening Tribune Feb. 23, 1972:
“Last night’s second-round game between Hilltop and Madison was supposed to be played at Grossmont College.
“It wasn’t.
Even when it was not his fault, Clarkson usually received the blame.
“As several hundred prospective customers learned when they arrived at an empty gym, the site had been changed.
“Not Sunday or Monday…but roughly seven hours before the game.
“It seems county commissioner Don Clarkson, whose job it is to coordinate the playoffs, neglected to reserve the facility.
“He made a tentative reservation…but he never filed a facilities request,” said a Grossmont College spokesman.
“Clarkson said he didn’t know such a form was required.
“The Evening Tribune was told last night that Clarkson had been informed in writing of the procedure 14 months ago.
“Hilltop and Madison were not aware of the problem until midmorning yesterday.
“Hilltop vice principal William Darton drove to the college…and learned on arrival the gym was unavailable.
“…the two schools began searching for what Clarkson termed ‘a large, neutral gym.’”
“They settled on Castle Park High, one of the smaller gyms in the County and one eight blocks away from Hilltop.
Madison coach John Hannon was incensed and Hilltop, which rented booster buses for the trip to Grossmont, wasn’t delighted by the move…
“Clarkson blamed ‘a mix-up in communication’ for the problem.”
Madison won, 61-49.
KIWANIS TOURNAMENT
–Forty-four teams participated in the 25th annual event, oldest and largest in the state.
–El Capitan (15-12) broke the single-game scoring record of 104 by Newhall Hart in 1954-55 with a 105-44 win over Sweetwater (1-23).
–Helix won the Unlimited Division championship, 60-53, over San Diego (17-12), which led, 49-47, with 3:41 remaining.
–Poway (22-3) upset undefeated (7-0) Hilltop (23-5 overall), 76-71 for the Limited Division title. “I was over confident,” said Hilltop coach Paul Pruitt. “The kids were, too.”
–Bonita Vista topped Coronado (14-13), 88-63, for the Classified crown.
UNIVERSITY
–All games in the 16-team event were played at the University of San Diego. Mission Bay (10-17) and Lincoln (22-7) squared off in the first game at 8 a.m. on Day I, the Buccaneers winning, 53-51, on John Vales’ basket at the buzzer.
Madison’s Mike Haworth affects pirouette in transplanted playoff game against Hilltop defender Dale Tussing at Castle Park.
–Ralph Drollinger scored 34 points, but University (20-8) edged Grossmont, 57-53, and followed with a 58-52 win over Clairemont (22-9) for the championship.
–Drollinger’ 130 points in 4 games bettered the record of 121 by Kearny’s Wilburn Strong in 1968-69.
EL CENTRO ELKS
–Las Vegas Rancho edged Morse (14-13), 61-59, in the Unlimited Division and Calipatria outscored Coronado, 55-51, for the Limited title.
CHINO
–After an 82-60 win over Duarte, San Dieguito (12-12) dropped a 79-53 decision to Covina South Hills and 58-56 to Claremont in the fifth place semifinals. Escondido (4-20) and Chula Vista (12-14) went out in the early rounds.
NEWPORT HARBOR
Oceanside (15-10) led, 19-8, after one quarter but then was ushered into the consolation bracket by Las Vegas Clark, 84-63. The Pirates recovered to win the consolation crown, 69-58 over Gardena and 65-62 over Las Vegas Western.
COVINA
Poway upset Los Angeles Fairfax, 67-56, in the first round, but lost to Pasadena Muir, 57-55, the following day.
BARON-OPTIMIST
–The host Barons opened with a 37-8 first quarter against Vista (4-19) and went on to set a team record in the 114-50 triumph. They had scored 98 in 1970-71 vs. Mar Vista.
–A Bonita Vista-Helix final was short circuited when San Diego upset Helix, 74-72. Madison then knocked off the 9-0 Barons, 77-74, for the championship.
FOULED
Ramona (17-8) defeated Christian (19-5), 71-66, for the Class A title at La Jolla High, where whistles could be heard all the way to Bird Rock.
There were 54 personal fouls called, with six players, three on each team, fouling out. A total of 73 free throws were attempted. Ramona converted 19×35 and Christian 18×38.
John Schneider led the winners with 27 points, Don Kirby with 23 for the losers.
Two up, two down, as Coronado’s Geno Dente (left) and Jim Skaalen try not to stumble over Mission Bay’s Pete Brady and Islanders’ Kip Locher.
LET’S STALL
San Diego (17-12) was scoreless in the third quarter and beat Crawford (2-19), 30-28. Crawford, which held the ball in the first half, outscored the Cavers, 2-0, in that quarter after San Diego did not shoot the last 6:39.
THEY’RE FREE
Geoff Hinkle of Santana (12-14) had games in which he scored 17, 15, 14, and 14 from the free throw line. “He’s so darned quick with his shot you’ve got to play him tight and then he drives by you and you’re grabbing for him,” said Grossmont coach Jack Shawcroft.
JUMP SHOTS
The 6,724 persons who attended the championship game at the Sports Arena bettered the record of 6,479 at the 1970-71 final…a crowd of 5,870 in the round of four semifinals on Friday night brought the two-night total to 12,594…Drollinger’s 41 points in a 70-51 win over La Jolla tied the school record, set by Bill Biggs in 1962-63…Grossmont took a 20-8, first-quarter lead in its 59-56 win over Helix that ended the Highlanders’ 40-game home streak, which stretched to 1968-69…Morse, 1 for 18 from the field in the second quarter, was 13×13 in free throws in the fourth quarter and upended Lincoln, 62-57…”If it hadn’t been for Mike Liedike we’d have blown ‘em out,” said Grossmont coach Jack Shawcroft of the Foothillers’ 61-55 win over Chula Vista (12-15)…Liedike’s 28 points, 8 rebounds, five blocks and 13×25 shooting from the field couldn’t overcome the 27 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 11×17 shooting by Drollinger….
