The Viking five plus Coach Darice Carnaje (R):
from left, Kat Kurtchi, Petra Eaton, Sina Anae,
Skyla Loux (face hidden), and Katie Nguyen.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
It was five against the world, as La Jolla's girls basketball team continued its play in the Grossmont High summer league Thurs., July 6, on another toasty day.
Imperial, driving a long way from the heat in their valley, had players to spare on the bench--at least four extra. Coach Darice Carnaje, on the other hand, had only four Vikings warming up until close to the 3 p.m. game time in the Foothillers' so-called "Old Gym", a sweaty place if there ever was one. A fifth, Sina Anae, walked in with time to spare.
La Jolla's quintet jumped out to an early lead, 6-2, then 10-6, on aggressive play by veterans Katrina "Kat" Kurtchi and Petra Eaton. But the Vikings' last lead was 10-8 as the Tigers, led by players who were obviously more experienced and more disciplined, finally regained their balance after the long commute and went into the lead, 14-11, at the end of the initial half.
It was a lead Imperial never gave up, despite a battling comeback by La Jolla midway through the second half. The Tigers prevailed on the day, 30-24.
The encounter pitted two stellar coaches in the county against each other. Carnaje stabilized and built up the girls basketball program at Our Lady of Peace, her previous coaching stop. Rich Ponchione, going into his 15th year at the helm at Imperial, has posted a 181-79 record with the Tigers. The last two seasons have seen him compile a phenomenal 55-6 win-loss record.
You could tell by the skills of his lead players, and by the specific conversations Ponchione held with individuals from the sidelines during the game, that these girls are working at a high level. "Go ahead and shoot the ball if you're open," he scolded two players after they passed up or hesitated to shoot from distance.
No comments:
Post a Comment