Coronado Girls Rally, Reach Division IV Final

Coronado advanced to the final of the section Division IV girls’ basketball playoffs with a 39-38 victory over Christian Friday at Granite Hills High School.

Coronado will play the winner of tonight’s Mountain Empire-Holtville game for the title.

Christian (11-11) led, 26-13, at halftime.

“It’s exciting going to the finals,” Coronado Coach Ernie Dickerson said. “I wasn’t especially pleased with our play. We fought back at the end and made it.”

The only time Coronado (13-12) led was with 7 seconds left, after a basket by Ijnanya Roberts. Julie Lochte scored 20 points for Coronado.

“Our press worked well the first half but they beat us on the boards. It was the second shot off of their rebounding that beat us tonight,” Christian Coach Rod Bell said.

Erika Jonte scored 18 points for Christian and Stacy Patsko had 11 rebounds.

Division I quarterfinals

Poway 65, Bonita Vista 45--Poway (19-9) jumped to 17-4 first-quarter lead en route to a 65-45 victory over Bonita Vista (21-6). The key to Poway’s victory, Coach Jay Trousdale said, was the man-to-man pressure defense that forced 27 turnovers. Laura Nugent led Poway with nine rebounds and seven blocked shots.

The Titans shot 54% from the field, led by Christy Fortney (19 points) and Dawn Gigstad (15). Torril Purvis scored 16 points and Colleen Gannon added 15 for Bonita Vista.

Division II quarterfinals

Mission Bay 53, Torrey Pines 48--Trailing, 14-8, after the first quarter, Mission Bay rallied to outscore visiting Torrey Pines, 16-2, in the second and then held on for the victory. Cristina Willis scored 23 points, and Bonnie Martin added 15 for Mission Bay (20-7). Torrey Pines (16-10) tied the game with 3 minutes remaining, but Mission Bay again pulled away. Tiffany Booth led Torrey Pines with 19 points.

Oceanside 49, Castle Park 42--Castle Park led by seven with just over 3 minutes to play, but multiple turnovers down the stretch held the Trojans to just one more point, while Oceanside rallied for 14 points to advance.

In the fourth quarter, Tonya Lee scored six of her 17 points, and Keche Fowlkes six of her 10 for Oceanside (20-8). Mildred Conston added 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Christina Murguia had 21 points and 26 rebounds.