Originally posted Dec. 18, 2017.

Unlikely season, unlikely conclusion.

—A rare playoff run by San Diego teams in the Southern California playoffs.

—San Diego High marched through four rounds to win its only CIF Southern Section championship, along the way setting a school single-game scoring record…maybe.

—Hoover’s  Class B team blitzed opponents in an attempted sequel to championships in 1931-32, 1933-34, and 1934-35,  but there was no championship hardware and no satisfaction.

FAST START

San Diego entered the season with four lettermen starters, Ernie Mallory, Melvin Hendry, Vance Randolph, and Lowell Lee, and picked up a fifth, Bill Patterson, who transferred in from Frankford, Indiana.

Alhambra and Long Beach Poly were favored to fight it out for Coast League laurels.  The Hilltoppers were 6-8 overall the previous year, 3-7 in league play, and 0-4 against the Moors and Jackrabbits.

San Diego showed early  that it was vastly improved, sweeping Class A (a more preferred nomenclature than “varsity”) competition on the Hilltoppers’ home floor in the 13th annual San Diego County Interscholastic Tournament that opened the season in December.

With Mallory leading, Coach Mike Morrow’s squad whipped through Grossmont, 48-13, Point Loma, 36-14, and Ramona, 54-15.

Alhambra was the visitor in the league opener and went home a stunned, 31-28 loser after trailing, 15-9, at halftime.  Mallory led the winners with 13 points.

The San Diego-Alhambra contest was played on a Friday afternoon at 3:30 instead of at the usual 7:30 p.m. because the Moors didn’t want to be headed home at night with the threat of fog on the Coast Highway .

Travel and its various inconveniences always were a nemesis for the far-flung Coast League squads.

 

COAST IS CLEAR

The visiting Hilltoppers led Long Beach Poly, 18-17, at the end of three quarters in their next game but couldn’t hold on and dropped a 21-19 decision.  It was the Jackrabbits’ 17^th victory in the 19 games between the teams since they first met in the 1920-21 season but also San Diego’s last loss in the 15-1 season.

A 40-18 victory at Santa Ana was followed by a 29-23 win at Alhambra, setting up another big game with Poly at San Diego.  The Hillers prevailed, 29-25, as Vance Randolph, who would be lost to the team at midterm graduation, scored 11 points.

Randolph and acting captain Eddie Preisler were scheduled to participate in cap-and-gown ceremonies but opted to stay with the team and make their final appearances at Santa Ana.  A 37-29 victory over the Saints clinched the Hilltoppers’ first outright league championship.  They had tied for first with Poly in 1932-33.

With time before the beginning of the playoffs, the Hillers took on the touring Knapps Grocery Stores squad from Oakland.  The 51-25 rout was part of a doubleheader in which Coach Ed Ruffa’s B team, playing an independent schedule, defeated the Markel-Johnson Poultry House, 31-28.

BEERKLE LOOKING FOR EDGE IN PLAYOFF?

Point Loma, 7-0 and Metropolitan League champion after a 24-16 victory over 6-1 Escondido, was the Hillers’ first playoff opponent.

The Pointers did not have a gymnasium (one newspaper reported the Pointers defeated their alumni, 38-28, “on an outdoor court made soggy by the rains”) and even used the Hillers’ gym in preparation for the game.

Pointers coach Joe Beerkle also bemoaned the fact that he had players who were “on call” to the tuna industry.

Beerkle said that if a fishing boat came in, starters Gil Gonsalves and Joaquin Qualin would have to forego the playoff encounter and help off-load a vessel.

There apparently were no arrivals at the Embarcadero, but the Pointers still were outmanned and lost, 32-18.  San Diego the next night took on barnstorming Phoenix Union and beat the Coyotes, 45-35.

WHAT’S THE SCORE?

Morrow’s club met visiting Huntington Beach in the quarterfinals and scored a 73-45 victory.  Or was it 82-45?

The San Diego Union noted the upcoming game early in the week but then ignored the usual day-of-game advance and did not report on the Saturday night contest.

The rival Evening Tribune printed a very short Monday afternoon story that San Diego had won, 73-45. That score also was corroborated by Don King’s Caver Conquest, with attribution to The Russ, San Diego High’s newspaper.

Ernie Mallory’s 18 points represented the only individual total in the Tribune.

The account seemed all well and good until the Los Angeles Times’ result showed a Huntington Beach dateline and a different score.

The Times’ story presented an editorial slant toward the losing team and essentially was a wrap on the Oilers’ Orange League championship season, but the text was accompanied by a comprehensive box score, which showed that San Diego exploded for 53 points in the second half and won, 82-45.

Mallory was credited with 18 points, followed by 15 each from Bill Patterson and Melvin Hendry, 2 by Lowell Lee, and 9 by the fifth starter Roy Cleator.  Substitutes included Billy Cesena (2), Herman Gatewood (6), Mike Shea (4),  and Bob Barth (2).

A player named “Peder” also was credited with 9 points. There was no record of such human, but there was a Homer “Peabody” on the squad.

CIF Southern Section playoff results for the season also honored the 82-45 score.

The Times’ box score still begged the question.  Why no definitive story and complete box score in the San Diego publications?

We’ll have to go with the locals’ 73-45 count until hearing otherwise and with their subsequent 34-32 win over Santa Barbara and 47-35 championship game victory over Bonita.  Semifinals and finals were played at La Verne College.

RARE OUTBURST

What makes the San Diego-Huntington Beach score enticing is that San Diego’s point total, 73 or 82, was 40 to 50 points above normal for the era. Basketball was a slow-moving, low-scoring, and slowly evolving game offensively, although San Diego somehow scored 76 points in the 1916-17 season against Escondido, which scored 23.

If 82 was correct in San Diego’s progression of high-point totals, the 80 against Grossmont in 1952-53 would be invalid.  The issue became moot in 1957-58, when San Diego outscored La Jolla, 86-40.

RIVALRY ON HIATUS

The lede (first paragraph) on an article in The San Diego Union on Jan. 15, 1936:

“Though coaches and principals of both schools are anxious for the series to continue, it now appears that students of San Diego and Hoover Highs will be without their annual Hilltop-Cardinal cage titanic, yearly the high spot of the basketball programs of the rival city schools.”

Hoover had become a member of the Bay League and played league games on Friday.  San Diego played Coast League games on Tuesdays and Fridays.  Coaches Mike Morrow of San Diego and Bruce Maxwell of Hoover looked for loopholes in their schedules.

The series could be played on Wednesday or Thursday, but this would have put Morrow’s players at the disadvantage of two league and one bragging rights game in one week.

The Cardinals and Hillers, who first played in 1933-34, would resume their rivalry in 1936-37 and played at least once a season until 1976-77.

SWARM OF BEES

Hoover’s powerful Class B team, won the County tournament by defeating Grossmont, 37-4, San Diego, 30-26, and Sweetwater, 37-7, and, led  by future San Diego State legend Milton (Milky) Phelps, left their new Bay League rivals reeling.

The Cardinals won league games by scores of 61-24, 49-7, 43-25, 59-27, and 51-14.  Santa Monica came closest but still was a well-beaten 35-19.  The Cardinals rolled in the playoffs, running Carpinteria off the court, 60-12, and swarming San Luis Obispo, 66-30.

The B playoff semifinals and final rounds were at El Monte High.

Hoover’s opponent in the finals was well regarded South Pasadena, a 32-31 winner over El Monte and the team the Cardinals defeated at San Diego State, 36-22, in the 1934-35 championship.

The venue essentially represented a home game for the Tigers. The distance of about 14 ½ miles from South Pas to El Monte was in contrast to the 120 miles that Hoover had traveled to get to the final four site.

OH, OH!

The dispatch from El Monte following the semifinals was curious:  “Some doubt remains as to where the final game will be played, although Coach Bruce Maxwell has been advised to report to the El Monte gym here tomorrow afternoon with his Hoover team for the finale.”

Maxwell and his team arrived on time and the team was on the court and waited more than an hour, but South Pasadena didn’t show, announcing that it would play only on its home court, apparently because the Tigers were the visiting team at Hoover in the 1934-35 title game.

No forfeit.

The CIF bulletin of April, 1936, announced that the executive committee unanimously voted that no champion be declared since “a disagreement had developed over the place of playing the final game in Class B basketball.”

The committee also passed a resolution ending existing playoff arrangements in Classes B, C, and D and allowing league champions to host at least one interleague championship game.

HILLTOP BEES ALSO STUNG

Competing as an independent team and holding wins over Long Beach Poly and Santa Ana, Coach Ed Ruffa’s San Diego High B team was rebuffed in its attempt to gain a playoff berth.

CIF boss Seth Van Patten suggested that the Hillers’ B squad take on Hoover’s super team in a best, two-of-three series, with the winners being admitted to the postseason.  Since Hoover already had won its league and was in the playoffs, the idea died a quiet death.

FAVORED FLOOR

The San Diego High gymnasium, when not used for practice by the Hilltoppers’ teams, was in play virtually every day of the week.

Point Loma and Sweetwater moved their Metropolitan League opener up one day in order to play on the San Diego court.  The teams didn’t want to use Sweetwater’s outdoor court.

San Diego’s playoff with Point Loma was rescheduled for the afternoon.  Hoover earlier had requested and was granted use of the San Diego gym for that night.

Metropolitan League teams came from long distances to play games at San Diego High.  Army-Navy, Coronado, and Escondido were the only other schools to have gyms.  Oceanside’s building was almost complete.

SET SHOTS

Ernie Mallory, one  of the  top players of the first half-century in the County, and Vance Randolph of San Diego were on the all-Southern California first team…a second-team guard was Pasadena Muir Technical’s  Jackie Robinson…Point Loma coach Joe Beerkle, short of players, moved varsity standout Joaquin Qualin to Class B and Qualin scored 12 points in a 40-12 win over Army-Navy…Ramona won the Southern Prep League championship by defeating runner-up Julian, 43-8…Hoover fielded five teams, Varsity, Class B and C, junior varsity and junior varsity B…Hoover’s Class C squad nosed out Memorial Junior High,15-13…after players had dressed and departed for home it was discovered that Memorial had scored an additional two points…the teams agreed to play another game the next week…Dickie Tazlear scored 16 as Hoover prevailed, 30-24….

 

Looking Back:  The narrative originally was posted on Nov. 25, 2018. 

Walton’s and Helix’ historic season, game by game, with quotes and attributions by and to Bill Center of The San Diego Union:

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 1969.

HELIX 74, MADISON 60.

Mike Dupree scored 28 and Walton 24, off-setting a 30-point performance by Dave Smith, whose Warhawks were down, 57-36, in the third quarter.

Thursday, Dec 4, 1969

HELIX 78, MORSE 49

Leading only 32-25 at halftime, the Highlanders unleashed a withering, 27-6 third quarter.  Walton scored 30, Dupree 22.

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1969.

HELIX 78, LINCOLN 56

The well-regarded, Eastern League Hornets were in the game, trailing at halftime, 33-27, but fell behind, 54-37, and never got closer.

One blowout and near blowout, and a cruise against three of the city’s best s

Friday, Dec. 12, 1969

HELIX 90, HILLTOP 53.

Walton still was growing, now listed in local newspapers as 6 feet, 10 ½ inches.  He was 10×12 from the field, retrieved 20 missed shots, and scored 24 points.  Dupree was 11×15 from the field and scored 25.

Saturday, Dec. 13, 1969

HELIX 92, CASTLE PARK 60.

“That was the first time we haven’t seen a zone (defense),” Helix coach Gordon Nash said after Walton had torched Castle Park with 46 points (18×21 from the field) and pulled down 28 rebounds.  “They used a man-to-man defense and we worked the ball into Bill.  He got a lot of points off the offensive boards but was doing well from anywhere.”

Nash added that he didn’t think the Highlanders would “see many more man-to-mans.”

Walton broke the school scoring record of 44 points, set by Jim (Bones) Bowers in the 1959-60 season.

Wednesday, Dec. 16, 1969

HELIX 78, CHULA VISTA 43

Another good team taken apart.   The Scots led, 72-28, when Walton, Dupree and the other starters departed early in the fourth quarter.

“We were so concerned with what Walton could do that we forgot what we could do,” said Spartans coach Bob Korzep.

“I can’t say whether or not they will be undefeated this year, but I do know that as long as the big kid’s in the middle I’m not betting against them,” said Korzep.

Chula Vista would get closer later but still fall short.

KIWANIS TOURNAMENT

Thursday, Dec. 18, 1969

HELIX 76, PATRICK HENRY 43

The score was 43-18 at the half and 59-26 after three quarters.  Walton scored 36 points and eight others made the box score.

Friday, Dec. 19, 1969

HELIX 89, EL CAJON VALLEY 56

Ten players scored, led by Walton’s 30 and Dupree’s 17. John Singer, who came off the bench for six points, would become a legendary Helix basketball coach.

Saturday, Dec. 20, 1969

HELIX 87, MADISON 65

Walton’s 35 gave him 101 in three games, threatening the Kiwanis record of 120 in four games by Granite Hills’ Bob Lundgren in 1962 and equaled by El Capitan’s Blaine Bundy in 1966.

The Scots led, 39-34, at the half and 61-42 after three quarters, and essentially traded hoops with the Warhawks in a 26-23 last quarter.

The win was Helix’ 25^th in a row over two seasons, leaving them 10 behind Mount Miguel’s County record.

Monday, Dec. 22, 1969

HELIX 89, SAN DIEGO 45

“We will try a couple new things,” said San Diego High coach Pete Colonelli, who replaced Bill Standly and whose Cavemen carried a 9-2 record into the Unlimited Division final in Peterson Gym.  Tipoff was late, 9:15 p.m. after late-running consolation bracket games.

Helix savaged the Cavers with a 19-0 run after a 16-16 first quarter.  Walton took a seat with 3:08 remaining in the game after scoring 31 points and hauling in 31 rebounds.

Bill Center’s game story pointed out that “when Helix was running wild (in the second quarter), Walton had 6 points and 11 rebounds in four minutes.”  Dupree was the usual target for Walton’s outlet passes and scored 25.

Walton finished the tournament with 132 points, which would have been the record but Madison’s Dave Smith had 149.

COVINA TOURNAMENT

Friday, Dec. 26, 1969

HELIX 90, RANCHO CUCAMONGA ALTA LOMA 35

Back in the eras of Bob Divine and Bob Speidel, Helix coaches often filled the post-Christmas week by taking the team to the Fillmore Tournament in Ventura County.  Gordon Nash this year opted for Covina, one of the nation’s leading events and requiring the champion to win 5 games.

A 22-0 run in the third quarter was just part of the wreckage of Alta Loma. Helix led the Braves, 26-5, 50-11, and 77-14, at various junctures. Walton scored 24, Dupree 16, and Mike Honz and Race (Butch) Paddock, 10 each.

Saturday, Dec. 27, 1969

HELIX 72, MONTEBELLO 48

Walton had 31 points and Dupree 15 for 12 wins in a row this season and 28 consecutive over the last two seasons.

Monday, Dec. 29, 1969

HELIX 92, EL MONTE ARROYO 57

Shock!  Helix trailed, 35-31, at the half.

Awe! The Scots’ full-court press drummed the Knights into submission. They outscored  their opponents, 61-22, in the second half.  Walton contributed 26 points and 22 rebounds. Dupree added 20 points and Mike Honz 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1969

HELIX 71, LONG BEACH MILLIKAN 49

This victory may have been the most significant of the Walton era.

The Millikan Rams compiled a 28-3 record and won the Southern Section major championship over Monrovia, 68-37, after knocking out 26-0 Santa Barbara, which featured Walton’s future UCLA teammate and NBA star Keith Wilkes, in the semifinals, 64-49.

Millikan’s other losses were to Inglewood Morningside, 69-63, and Long Beach Wilson, 70-61.

Wrote Ken Pivernetz of the Long Beach Press-Telegram:  “Millikan committed 20 turnovers, scored only twice off the fast break, and was without the full service of (6-5 ½) all-City player Dave Frost, who twisted a muscle in his back and played only half the game.”

Pivernetz gave Walton mild praise.

“The talented Walton, the best prep player in the Border City, intimidated the Rams at times, by blocking eight shots, grabbing 23 rebounds, and scoring a game high 22 points.

After an 11-11 first quarter, Helix led, 32-27, at the half and blew it open with a 20-6 third quarter.

Dupree had 19 points and Randy Madsen 10.

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1969

HELIX 110, PASADENA 68

Bill Center recounted from colleague Steve Bisheff an exchange between UCLA assistant coach Denny Crum and Crum’s boss, Bruins head coach John Wooden, after Crum returned from Helix’ tournament championship.

Crum:  “I just saw the greatest high school player I’ve ever seen.”

Wooden, looking over his spectacles:  “Better than Lewis (Alcindor)?”

Crum:  “Yeah.”

Wooden: “Keep your voice down and close the door.”

Comparisons to Alcindor, almost unthinkable, were spoken in private, in hushed tones.

Alcindor, who had changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, arguably was the greatest collegiate player of all-time and the leader of the Bruins’ three consecutive, recent national championship teams.

Walton, whose older brother Bruce was on campus and playing for the Bruins’ football team, had been on Wooden’s radar, but the coach wanted to hear more from Crum, who would carve his own, legendary coaching career at the University of Louisville.

Walton dismantled the 12-2 Pasadena Bulldogs with 50 points, 34 rebounds, and nine blocked shots. He made 18 of 24 shots from the floor and converted 14 of 16 free throw attempts. Dupree added 24 points.

It was 29-10 after one quarter, 51-28 at the half, 78-45 after three, followed by a 32-23 final eight minutes of garbage time.

The Highlanders did not press as they opened their 19-point lead in the first quarter. Coach Gordon Nash left Walton and the rest of the starting five in the game until the final 1:25.

Walton would “go national”, earning an item in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.”

I also “owed” the Helix senior $50, which was what Eleanor Milosovic, the magazine’s director of correspondents, paid me for nominating Walton as a candidate for the publication’s weekly feature.

Walton had scored 451 points and was averaging 30.1.  Helix had an 83.7 team average and was holding its opponents to 52.2.

Helix stood 15-0 and had won 31 in a row as the calendar turned to January.

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 1970

GROSSMONT LEAGUE

HELIX 67, MONTE VISTA 61

The visiting Monarchs, who, at 2-10, had stunned the Scots, 58-52, the previous season, came into the game with an 11-2 record and brought the game to Helix, double- and triple-teaming Walton as Helix struggled to put the game away.  The Highlanders finally broke it open in the fourth quarter, stretching a 51-44 lead to 67-55.

“They forced us into a lot of mistakes and we didn’t play very well,” said Nash, who was not enamored of the officiating around the basket.

“They (officials) watch what takes place in the air, but not what happens with the body,” said Nash. “Billy was manhandled out there pretty good.”

Despite the Monarchs’ physical approach, Walton scored 31 points and took down 22 rebounds.  Mike Dupree added 14 points and Mike Honz 11.

Friday, Jan. 10, 1970

HELIX 68, EL CAPITAN 44

Guards Steve and Wade Vickery kept the ball outside the key much of the game, inviting a Helix press which effectively nullified the Vaqueros, who trailed only 12-7 at the end of the first quarter.  Walton had 21 points, Dupree 17, and Randy Madsen 10.

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1970

HELIX 86. EL CAJON VALLEY 49

“We won’t hold the ball or slow the game down, but we’ve got a couple things up our sleeve that we’ll try to work,” said El Cajon Valley coach Jack Lasley.

The Braves worked hard to muscle Walton away from the basket and twice knocked him to the floor (Walton slightly turned his ankle the second time, bringing gasps from Helix partisans).

Walton had 20 points in 23 minutes and 30 seconds.  He also had 22 rebounds and nine blocked shots.  Dupree followed with 19 points, Madsen 17, and Honz 14, plus 18 rebounds, as Helix enjoyed a 61-24 advantage on the boards.

“No one I know is going to beat them,” said the El Cajon Valley coach, who added that “defensively he intimidated us to the extent we wouldn’t run anything.”

Friday, Jan. 16, 1970

HELIX 97, GROSSMONT 74.

The Highlanders tied Mount Miguel’s County record of 35 wins in a row with their 19^th straight this season behind Walton’s 37 points and 24 rebounds.  Mike Dupree, 12×22 from the floor, added 27 points as the Highlanders shot 58 per cent.

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1970

HELIX 89, GRANITE HILLS 32

Dupree scored 28 points while Walton had a season low 15 as Helix began with a 20-6, first-quarter, led, 71-23, after three, and set a County record with win No. 36 in a row.

Friday, Jan. 23, 1970

HELIX 93, MOUNT MIGUEL 61

The winning numbers now read 21 for the season and 37 overall. Walton scored 41 points and three others were in double figures.

John Slater, son of Kearny High football coach Birt Slater, led the Matadors with 21.  Mount Miguel was a shadow of its great team of 1967-68, 1-5 in league play and 2-14 overall.

Tuesday, Jan. 27, 1970

HELIX 81, SANTANA 47

Walton still was feeling the effects of an apparent week-long stretch of flu but hammered the 14-6 Sultans with 32 points on 13×15 shooting, 21 rebounds and eight blocked shots.   Mike Honz had 15 rebounds and Helix blocked 17 Sultans field-goal attempts.

“I thought if we could hit forty per cent today we’d beat ‘em,” said Santana coach Tom Curran.  The Sultans were 22×82 for 27 per cent.

Friday, Jan. 30, 1970

HELIX 94, MONTE VISTA 51

Perhaps aroused by its fairly close call in the league opener, the Scots knocked down 15 of their first 20 shots, creating a 33-11 first-quarter lead. Twenty-two points came on point-blank layups.  Four field goals were ignited by Walton’s outlet passes to either Mike Dupree, who matched Walton’s 26 points, or to Dan Coleman, who had a season high 14. Mike Honz added 14.

The Monarchs, another good Grossmont League squad, fell to 15-6.

Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1970

HELIX 93, EL CAPITAN 49.

Now listed at 6-feet-11 in most newspaper articles, Walton scored 30 and Helix eased to its 40^th win in a row.

Saturday, Feb. 6, 1970

HELIX 102, EL CAJON VALLEY 72

Imagine, scoring in the seventies, more than any other Highlanders opponent, and still losing by 30 points.  That was the fate of Jack Lasley’s Braves.  Walton led the way with 29, followed by Dupree’s 22, Honz’ 21, and Coleman’s 15.

Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1970

HELIX 104, GROSSMONT 48

Walton scored 31 points for a season total of 764, moving past Crawford’s Larry Blum (737 in 1962-63) into second place all-time, 10 points below the mark set by Kearny’s Wilburn Strong in 1968-69. Honz (19), Coleman (15), Dupree (13), and Madsen (12) also got into the action.

Thursday, Feb. 12, 1970

HELIX 107, GRANITE HILLS 44

Helix had 52 points at the half, enough to win.  Walton’s 34 points gave him 798, a County record.  Helix won its 43^rd in a row and 27^th this season.  Honz added 19 and Dupree 15.

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1970

HELIX 127, MOUNT MIGUEL 31

Nash’s starters stayed in long enough to score 119 points, led by Dupree’s career high 43. Walton had 24 and Coleman sniped for a career high 22.  Madsen contributed 16 and Honz 14.

The single-game scoring record for large schools had been Mount Miguel’s 121 against Santana in 1967-68.  Marian held the overall record with 124 against San Marcos in 1966-67.

Perhaps most illuminating was Mount Miguel’s sudden fall from the top.  It was the Matadors who doled out this kind of punishment two seasons before.

Transfers of convenience to favored teams were not common.  Coaches took the hand they were dealt.

Mount Miguel’s cupboard was bare.

Friday, Feb. 20, 1970

HELIX 94, SANTANA 58

Domination indeed…a 36-point win over a team that was 11-2 in league play and 19-8 overall. The scoring order:  Walton, 30, Dupree, 18, Honz, 16.

The Scots finished the regular season with a 29-0 record and with a winning streak of 45.   The 29 victories was a County record.  San Diego had set the standard when it posted a 28-6 record in 1946-47.

CIF PLAYOFFS

“This is a very good team and our record proves it,” Walton said.  “One player couldn’t account for the season we’ve had. If we’d made a lot of mistakes we’d lose, but I don’t think we will.  When one player is going bad someone else jumps in and we’re pretty deep.”

Walton described Dupree and Madsen as “two of the best guards around” and with Mike Honz and Butch Paddock “no one is stronger at forward.”

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1970

HELIX 109, EL CAJON VALLEY 47.

Thirteen players scored and the Highlanders broke the single-game playoff record that Grossmont had set in a 93-36 win over Julian the previous season.  A 48-29 halftime lead was followed by a scalding, 30-5 third quarter.  Mike Dupree led with 23, followed by Walton (21), Dan Coleman (16), and Mike Honz (15).

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1970

HELIX 92, HILLTOP 60

The quarterfinals victory on the Metropolitan League team’s floor was Helix’ 31^st of the season and 47^th in a row.  Walton “settled” for 21 points, “missed several layups and once was called for goal tending.”  Honz, Dupree, and Madsen had 20, 15, and 12 respectively.

Friday, Feb. 27, 1970

HELIX 75, CASTLE PARK 54

The Midway district Sports Arena was host for the semifinals and finals and the Highlanders seemingly breezed, leading, 55-35, after three quarters, but the Trojans, led by husky Elias Delgadillo, who had 21 points, played the Helix starters almost evenly in a 20-19 fourth quarter.

Walton scored on seven consecutive possessions and blocked five shots in the last eight minutes.  He finished with 33 points and 23 rebounds as a crowd of 5,789 looked on.

Saturday, Feb. 28, 1970

HELIX 70, CHULA VISTA 56

Walton’s 31 points, despite converting only three of 11 free throws, and his 31 rebounds reaffirmed for the turnout of 6,451 persons that they were witnessing a player and team that might never be matched in the San Diego area.

“It’s been a long season, especially for the players,” said Coach Gordon Nash.  “Thirty-three games is an awful lot.  But there will never be another year like this one.  I don’t think there will be another player like Billy for some time.”

“For the time being I’m going to relax,” said Walton.  “I’m a little tired and I want to take it easy.”

Monday, March 2, 1970

“He proved a big man can make a team great if he sacrificed personal gains,” said Nash in Bill Center’s post mortem.  “Billy could have scored a lot more. Everyone knows that.  But he sacrificed and he did it without any second thought that I know of.”

“I’m going to miss playing for Helix,” said Walton.  “At the end of the year I started to realize totally how great it was.”

UCLA would welcome this player who set records of 29 points a game (957) and 22.4 rebounds (739) and the Bruins would continue ruling college basketball as had Helix this unforgettable season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIRLS

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

DIVISION II

SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2 P.M.

7 Rancho Bernardo 37 (26-8), vs. 1 Caruthers, Central, 56 (26-6), @Sacramento Golden 1 Center.

D-III

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2 P.M.

5 Mater Dei 38 (21-14), vs. 3 Kentfield Marin Catholic, North Coast, 48 (26-11), @Sacramento Golden 1 Center.

REGIONAL FINALS

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

D-II

7 Rancho Bernardo 35 (26-7), @1 Porterville Monache, Central, 25 (25-9).

D-III

5 Mater Dei (21-13) 51, @2 Woodland Hills El Camino Real, L.A. City, 38 (16-15).

Two San Diego Section girls teams are still standing: Number seven seed Rancho Bernardo and No. 5 Mater Dei.

The Bronchos and Crusaders will take underdog status on the road again in the State CIF Southern Regional Division II and III finals Tuesday, March 11.

R.B. (25-7), after a five-hour, 287-mile jaunt and 44-37 victory at D-II No. 6 Arroyo Grande, has a 272-mile trip to Porterville and home of the No. 1, 25-8 Monache Marauders of the Central Section.

Porterville is about 65 miles north of Bakersfield and 70 miles southeast of Fresno, located at the base of the Sierra-Nevada mountains on the eastern fringe of the San Joaquin Valley.

Monache is no hick school in the boondocks.  It has an enrollment of almost 2,000 students and Porterville is a city of more than 60,000 residents, according to Wikipedia.

The Broncos and Marauders have one common opponent.  Monache defeated Arroyo Grande, 57-46, in a home game in January.

ANOTHER HIGH SEED

Mater Dei’s travel itinerary is less daunting than Rancho Bernardo’s.  The Crusaders  went north 150 miles and defeated D-III top seed L.A. Palisades, 57-55, at Lake Balboa Birmingham in the San Fernando Valley and now take on No. 2 Woodland Hills El Camino Real, 155 miles away on U.S. 101.

The Crusaders (20-13) also defeated No 12 Bakersfield Liberty, 66-48, and No. 4 Carlsbad, 59-52, along the way.  The El Camino Real Royals (16-14) dispatched No. 15 Shafter, 54-50, No. 10 Culver City, 65-45, and No. 3 Los Angeles Garfield, 64-47.

Upsets/surprises highlighted:

GIRLS

REGIONAL FINALS

TUESDAY, MARCH 11

DIVISION II

7 Rancho Bernardo (25-7), @1 Porterville Monache, Central, (25-8).

D-III

5 Mater Dei (20-13), @2 Woodland Hills El Camino Real, L.A. City, (16-14).

SEMIFINALS

SATURDAY, MARCH 8

D-II

7 Rancho Bernardo 44 (25-7), @6 Arroyo Grande, Southern, 37 (18-11).

D-III

5 Mater Dei 57 (20-13), 1 Palisades 55, L.A. City, (17-16), @Lake Balboa Birmingham.

QUARTERFINALS

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

D-I

14 Westview 34 (21-10), @6 L.A. Brentwood, Southern, 68 (27-8).

D-III

5 Irvine Portola, Southern, 57 (19-15), @4 El Capitan (24-7) 49.

6 Arroyo Grande, Southern, 68 (18-10), @3 Cathedral 54 (20-10).

10 Alhambra Mark Keppel, Southern, 37 (25-10), @7 Rancho Bernardo 41 (24-7).

5 Mater Dei 59 (19-13), @4 Carlsbad 52 (20-13).

11 Crawford 54 (19-15), @3 Riverside Hillcrest, Southern, 56 (23-6).

BOYS

SEMIFINALS

SATURDAY, MARCH 8.

D-III

7 Mira Mesa 57 (28-7), @6 Pasadena Maranatha, Southern, 77 (17-17).

QUARTERFINALS

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

D-I

5 Carlsbad 54 (26-7) @4 San Juan Capistrano JSerra, Southern, 79 (24-10).

15 Torrey Pines 39 (24-7), @7 Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, Southern, 44 (31-4).

D-II

5 Bakersfield Christian, Central, 61 (23-8), @4 Santa Fe Christian 53 (23-8).

6 Francis Parker 59 (19-12), @3 Chatsworth, L.A. City, 80 (24-8).

8 St. Augustine 67 (19-15), @1 Riverside Poly, Southern, 68 (24-10).

D-III

15 Lake Balboa Birmingham, L.A. City, 56 (16-14), @7 Mira Mesa 65 (28-6).

D-V

7 Math & Science College Prep, L.A. City, 73 (24-7), @2 Pacific Ridge 43 (29-3).

 

Highs and lows in the San Diego Section’s opening round foray into the state regional playoffs.

The highs:

Torrey Pines coach John Olive maintained a genial presence despite three straight losses in December to San Diego Section teams Mission Bay, San Marcos, and La Jolla Country Day.

A 14-1 finish for a 23-6 record, with a benign intersectional schedule, resulted in the Falcons taking a 15-seed punch in the nose into their first round game against 2 seed Orange County power Rancho Santa Margarita.

The Falcons responded with a 66-59 road victory. Torrey was behind, 23-14 after one quarter.  A strong mid-game and  19-9 fourth quarter pushed Olive’s club to the most surprising first-round win by any team in Division I.

St. Augustine coach Mike Haupt also did some maintaining.  The Saints got off to a 3-12 start as some personnel was injured or unavailable.

Haupt’s club rallied with a 15-2 January-February run and continued with a 60-40 win over visiting Canyon Country Canyon in a match between 9 and 8 seeds in D-II.

Westview’s girls were 14^th in a D-I matchup with the Hamilton Yankees of Los Angeles.  The Wolverines’ stout defense held Hamilton to a 23 per cent field goal percentage in a 45-42 win.

The Lows:

Fourteen seed Los Angeles Washington stunned host and third-ranked Eastlake, 46-45, in Boys Division III.

Number 13 Garden Grove Pacifica ousted 4 seed Maranatha, 55-50, in Boys D-IV.

Montgomery and Mission Hills  were blown out in boys’ and girls’ Open Division games and No. 2 Grossmont was stung by No. 15 Alhambra Mark Keppel in Girls’ D-II.

Overall, San Diego Section boys teams were 6-10 against opponents from the vast Southern Section and the L.A. City and Central sections.

Girls were 6-7 against the Southern and L.A. City.

Tougher opponents loom.

Upsets highlighted below.

BOYS FIRST ROUND

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

D-I

9 Mission Bay 60 (21-10), @8 Santa Barbara, Southern, 72 (26-7).

12 Anaheim Fairmont Prep, Southern, 55 (22-10), @5 Carlsbad 59 (26-6).

13 San Marcos 56 (25-5), @4 San Juan Capistrano JSerra, Southern, 80 (23-10).

11 Cathedral 72 (20-11), @6 Los Alamitos, Southern, 84 (26-8).

15 Torrey Pines 66 (24-6), @2 Rancho Santa Margarita, Southern, 59 (23-9).

D-II

16 Sage Creek 52 (21-10), @1 Riverside Poly, Southern, 80 (23-10).

9 Canyon Country Canyon, Southern, 40 (24-10), @8 St. Augustine 60 (19-14).

13 Victory Christian 50 (18-15), @4 Santa Fe Christian 55 (23-7).

11 Irvine, Southern, 62 (29-4), @6 Francis Parker 63 (19-11).

15 La Jolla Country Day 47 (17-14), @2 Westchester, L.A. City, 70 (23-9).

D-III

14 Washington, L.A. City, 46 (18-9), @3 45 Olympian (26-7).

10 San Dimas, Southern, 57 (20-13), @7 Mira Mesa 60 (27-6).

D-IV

9 Riverside Ramona, Southern, 64 (27-7), @8 San Diego Southwest 62 (25-8).

13 Garden Grove Pacifica, Southern, 55 (23-11), @4 Maranatha 50 (17-16).

14 Tri-City 54 (20-10), @3 Sun Valley Poly, L.A. City, 60 (23-10).

D-V

15 Santa Ana Saddleback, Southern, 48 (14-15), @2 Pacific Ridge 65 (29-2).

OPEN DIVISION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

6 Montgomery 56 (29-3), @3 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Southern 76 (26-7).

QUARTERFINALS PAIRINGS

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

D-I

5 Carlsbad (26-6), @4 San Juan Capistrano JSerra, Southern (23-10).

15 Torrey Pines (24-6), @7 Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, Southern (30-4).

D-II

5 Bakersfield Christian, Central, (22-8), @4 Santa Fe Christian (23-7).

6 Francis Parker (19-11), @3 Chatsworth, L.A. City (23-8).

8 St. Augustine (19-14), @1 Riverside Poly, Southern (23-10).

D-III

15 Lake Balboa Birmingham, L.A. City (16-13), @7 Mira Mesa (27-6).

D-V

7 L.A. Math & Science College Prep, L.A. City (23-7), @2 Pacific Ridge (29-2).

GIRLS FIRST ROUND

TUESDAY, MARCH 4

D-I

9 Studio City Harvard-Westlake, Southern 60 (24-7), @8 Francis Parker (20-10) 57.

14 Westview 45 (21-9), @3 Hamilton, L.A. City 42 (26-3).

11 La Jolla Country Day 63 (17-12), @6 L.A. Brentwood (Southern) 74 (26-8).

D-II

12 Victory Christian 46 (18-14), @5 Irvine Portola, Southern 62 (18-15).

13 Rancho Buena Vista 54 (23-10), @4 El Capitan 62 (24-6).

14 Hesperia Oak Hills, Southern 52 (18-13), @3 Cathedral 53 (20-9).

10 Fullerton Rosary, Southern 35 (18-14), @7 Rancho Bernardo 38. (22-7).

15 Alhambra Mark Keppel 51 (25-9), Southern @ 2 Grossmont 46 (22-5).

D-III

12 Bakersfield Liberty 40 (17-13), Southern @5 Mater Dei 66 (18-13).

13 Escondido Charter 63 (23-10), @4 Carlsbad 73 (20-12).

9 Cerritos 58 (17-17), Southern @8 Christian 67 (25-4).

D-V
16 Santana 45 (25-7), @1 La Palma Kennedy (18-13), Southern 55.

11 Crawford 49 (18-14), @6 Ojai Nordhoff 36 (18-8), Southern.

OPEN DIVISION

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5

5 Mission Hills 26 (23-9), @4 Chatsworth Sierra Canyon 71 (28-2), Southern.

Coach Ed Martin thought he should get a home game for his San Diego Section champion Montgomery Aztecs (29-2) in the first round of the state regional Open Division playoffs Wednesday, March 5.

The No. 6 Aztecs got a decidedly less attractive assignment,  a road test at 3 seed and Cal-Hi Sports state second-ranked Sherman Oaks Notre Dame   Carlsbad, No. 2 in John Maffei’s final The San Diego Union poll below, will take a 5 seed into its home game against No. 12 Anaheim Fairmont Prep Tuesday, March 4.

Max Preps’ and Cal-Hi Sports’ previous rankings followed by slash.

	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS	MAXPREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
1	Montgomery	29-2 (18)	180	1	11/11	14/15
2	Carlsbad	25-6	158	4	24/31	24/25
3	St. Augustine	18-14	117	6	53/144	NR/NR
4	Cathedral	20-10	116	5	74/87	NR/On Bubble
5	Mission Bay	21-9	99	7	57/58	On Bubble/NR
6	San Marcos	25-4	96	2	48/31	On Bubble/Bubble
7	Torrey Pines	23-6	91	4	56/41	On Bubble/Bubble
8	Olympian	26-6	60	9	43/52	NR-NR
9	Santa Fe Christian	22-7	44	88	82/60	NR-NR
10	Victory Christian	18-14	18	NR	106	NR-NR

Others receiving votes
Francis Parker (18-11, 7 points), La Jolla Country Day (17-13), Sage Creek (21-9), Mira Mesa (26-6), San Diego (24-6), Maranatha (17-15), Pacific Ridge (28-2), 1 point each.

Voting panel: 18 sportswriters, sportscasters, and administrators who cover the San Diego Section, plus MaxPreps:

John Maffei (Union-Tribune).
Aaron Burgin (Full-time hoops).
Steve Brand,  Bodie DeSilva (Union-Tribune freelance correspondents).
Todd Cassen (CIF office).
Rick Smith (Partletonsports.com).
Joe Evangelist (Coaching Legends).
Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference).
Rex Johnson (CIF Advisory Committee).
Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
Braden Surprenant (97.3-FM The Fan).
John Kentera, Dennis Ackerman, Steve (Biff) Dolan, Eric Williams, Tom Ronco, Adam Paul (freelance contributors).