Lady Mariners give IB school first CIF basketball championship in 71 years

The Mar Vista girls basketball team became the first hoops team to represent the school in 71 years to win a CIF championship in the sport. Photo by Scott Hopkins

The 2022-23 San Diego Section basketball playoffs were particularly exciting for local hoops fans as six South County teams advanced to the finals and four came home with covered CIF championship trophies.

Foremost in this year’s storyline is Mar Vista High School’s girls team winning the Division V championship in grand upset fashion. Seeded 10th in the bracket, the Lady Mariners upset the No. 7 seed Escondido Adventist (55-34 in the first round on Feb. 15), No. 2 seed High Tech High San Diego (38-36 in the quarterfinals on Feb. 18), No. 6 seed Mission Bay (50-33 in the semifinals on Feb. 21) and the top-seeded Valhalla Lady Norsemen (44-32 in the championship game on Feb. 23).

Not bad for a team that finished in second place in the Metro-South Bay League standings — and for a school that had never won a CIF girls basketball championship in its 71-year history,

“It’s all up to the girls,” Mar Vista coach Dwight Cousins said. “They did it. It’s been them from the beginning. The focus has been to get to know each other, how everyone plays, what each one can do, what each one can bring to the court to help others. It’s a family. Cohesion – it works.”

The Lady Mariners had everything working while taking an early 10-3 lead on the Lady Norsemen. Mar Vista led, 14-5, at the end of the opening period, which only seemed to wake up their opponent in the second quarter as the East County team narrowed the score to 16-14.

But Mar Vista (13-12) regained some momentum to lead. 25-14 at halftime. The Lady Mariners put on another extended scoring spurt to take an 18-point lead into the final quarter.

Mar Vista’s Kimberly Curran holds the San Diego Section Division V championship trophy as well as the sportsmanship award for her team. Photo by Scott Hopkins

Senior Kimberly Curran keyed the Division V champions with 26 points. She seemed everywhere on the court at once, zig-zagging around defenders as if she had radar.

She was a treat to watch. But everyone from the Imperial Beach school brought their A-game.

“I knew we could do it, “said Curran, who earned the sportsmanship award for her team. “We’ve been working hard in practice and in games. We didn’t give up.”

Senior Rae Reyes led Valhalla (15-17) with 12 points.

“The girls stood up to the challenge (of being the top seed),” VHS coach Dave Sledge Jr. said. “It’s all about the girls. They worked hard.”

Junior Alexa Amaya received the sportsmanship award for the Lady Norsemen, who finished 3-7 in Grossmont Valley League play during the regular season.

Valhalla defeated 12th-seeded Southwest El Centro, 55-31, in the semifinals as Reyes dropped in 17 pionts.

Valhalla winter sports teams made the finals in girls water polo (Division I) and girls basketball, the quarterfinals in boys basketball (Division III) while the boys wrestling team won its second consecutive Grossmont Valley League dual meet title and has won 10 consecutive league duals.

Photos by Scott Hopkins

Mar Vista’s Allyson Bell battles for the ball under the basket in the Division V championship game.
Mar Vista’s Kimberly Curran was all over the court, nearly unstoppable with 26 points in the title game victory.
Kimberly Curran lines up at the free throw line.

 

San Diego Section Winter Sports Champions Honor Roll

Boys Basketball

Open Division: (1) St. Augustine 85, (3) Montgomery 35

Division I: (3) La Jolla Country Day 65, (1) Mission Bay 56

Division II: (2) Lincoln 59, (1) Otay Ranch 54

Division III: (1) Victory Christian Academy 72, (3) Ramona 67

Division IV: (3) Imperial 68, (8) San Pasqual 56

Division V: (8) Classical Academy 83, (6) Santana 78

 

Girls Basketball

Open Division: (1) La Jolla Country Day 86, (7) Del Norte 27

Division I: (1) Mater Dei Catholic 58, (2) Imperial 43

Division II: (2) Torrey Pines 52, (9) Oceanside 41

Division III: (4) Montgomery 57, (2) Granite Hills 40

Division IV: (1) Palo Verde 47, (2) Central Union 43

Division V: (10) Mar Vista 44, (1) Valhalla 32

 

Boys Soccer

Open Division: (3) St. Augustine 1, (1) San Dieguito Academy 0

Division I: (5) Point Loma 3, (2) Sweetwater 0

Division II: (1) La Costa Canyon 1, (2) Steele Canyon 0

Division III: (3) Bishops 3, (5) Mt. Carmel 2

Division IV: (1) La Jolla Country Day 5, (2) Morse 0

Division V: (1) Preuss UCSD 3, (2) Palo Verde 1

 

Girls Soccer

Open Division: (1) Westview 1, (6) La Costa Canyon 0

Division I: (7) West Hills 2, (1) Carlsbad 1

Division II: (3) Patrick Henry 2, (4) Francis Parker 1

Division III: (6) Monte Vista 3, (8) San Diego 2

Division IV: (1) Clairemont 2, (6) High Tech High San Diego 2 (OT)

Division V: (1) Madison 1, (2) Southwest El Centro 0

 

Girls Water Polo

Open Division: (1) Bishop’s 19, (2) Helix 6

Division I: (1) Coronado 7, (2) Valhalla 4

Division II: (5) Torrey Pines 8, (3) Bonita Vista 5

Division III: (1) Mt. Carmel 16, (3) Our Lady of Peace 3

 

 

CIF BASKETBALL FINALS

Girls Division III: The fourth-seeded Montgomery Aztecs captured this year’s CIF title — the first-evert in school history — with a 57-40 victory over second-seeded Granite Hills on Feb. 23 at Mira Mesa High School.

Boys DIVISION II: In a matchup of top seeds, No. 2 Lincoln (30-2) prevailed, 59-54, over No. 1 Otay Ranch (21-12) last Friday.  Otay Ranch eliminated No. 9 Eastlake, 62-51, in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Scripps Ranch, 65-61, in the semifinals.

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