Super sophomores power upstart Laguna Creek past rival Elk Grove girls in playoffs
When she was a young girl, Ahrray Young played basketball with the sour expression of someone biting into a bitter piece of fruit.
“I hated it,” the Laguna Creek High School sophomore guard said with a laugh on Thursday night. “I wanted to be a gymnast.”
Now she’s a baller. Young grew to appreciate the game, her teammates, the joy and rewards. She now says, “basketball is my life.”
Leading the charge of a resurgent program with fellow sophomore guard Zoe Tillery, the second-seeded Cardinals looked the part of Sac-Joaquin Section championship contender in their 69-59 victory over No. 7 Elk Grove in Division II action in Elk Grove.
Young had 21 and Tillery 22. Lesieli Manupule, Alicia Enriquez and Eva Taylor combined for 22 points and a lot of effort for Laguna Creek. A festive crowd (and a rocking band) saw Laguna Creek share the ball, push the ball, defend the ball and improve to 27-2, a far cry from the team’s 3-24 crash-and-burn season just two years ago.
Cody Norman coached that three-win group. He welcomed an impressive crop of freshmen last season that spearheaded a 26-4 record, and the momentum rolls on. The school is in its 25th year and has a healthy culture on campus, including the football team going 7-3 last fall with large crowds.
Laguna Creek tied storied McClatchy for Metropolitan Conference basketball honors as the teams split two meetings that went to the wire. McClatchy is the No. 2 seed in the D-I bracket. Elk Grove came in a misleading 15-14. The Thundering Herd endured a rash of injuries during a 2-12 start to the season but went 13-2 down the stretch under coach Trisha Campbell.
Elk Grove was paced by talented senior point guard Rylie Hardin, who was slowed by a knee issue the first half of the season. She had 11 points Thursday.
“We knew Rylie didn’t want to lose and we had to match Elk Grove’s effort,” Norman said. “We’re so young. Sometimes that’s hard to do — match effort. The girls stepped up.”
Laguna Creek led 20-19 after the first quarter and 32-30 at the half and then surged in the third, storming to a 53-36 lead to blow it open. Young and Tillery were in the middle of all of it. At 5-foot-10, Young has a complete-game skill set, a fierce defender, crafty passer and effective shooter.
“She’s a five-tool player who can do it all,” Norman said. “We tell her to be a lion or gazelle. You can see her youth but she’s a lion.”
Norman said he bleeds Cardinals colors — red and black. He was part of the the first graduating class at Laguna Creek, and he was on the coaching staff of boys section championship basketball teams in 1999 and 2004. He teaches economic and sports psychology on campus.
“I love coaching the girls,” Norman said. “It’s been a blessing. They listen, they play hard, they have fun.”
Said Young of her team, “we’re all sisters. We love each other. We love to win.”
Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs
Girls
Division I
St. Mary’s 71, Edison 38
Granite Bay 59, Franklin 58
Oak Ridge 48, Woodcreek 20
McClatchy 61, Folsom 41
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Granite Bay at No. 1 St. Mary’s
No. 2 McClatchy at No. 3 Oak Ridge
Division II
Antelope 62, Modesto Christian 27
Vista del Lago 38, Lincoln 30
Del Oro 62, Sacramento 58
Laguna Creek 69, Elk Grove 59
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Vista del Lago at No. 1 Antelope
No. 3 Del Oro at No. 2 Laguna Creek
Division III
Placer 57, West Campus 47
Merced 54, East Union 51
Vanden 61, Kimball 40
Christian Brothers 55, Manteca 42
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Merced at No. 1 Placer
No. 3 Vanden at No. 2 Christian Brothers
Division IV
Argonaut 73, Dixon 66
Hughson 39, Livingston 38
Calaveras 57, Ripon 49
El Dorado 53, Highlands 36
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 12 Hughson at No. 1 Argonaut
No. 3 Calaveras at No. 2 El Dorado
Division V
Colfax 77, Leroy Green 19
Holt 47, Futures 44
Le Grand 45, Millennium 42
Golden Sierra 48, Rio Vista 39
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Holt at No. 1 Colfax
No. 6 Le Grand at No. 2 Golden Sierra
Division VI
Valley Christian 76, Stone Ridge 41
Ripon Christian 56, Faith Christian 40
Sacramento Adventist 40, Foresthill 35
Forest Lake Christian 71, Stockton Christian 30
Monday semifinals, 7 p.m.
No. 4 Ripon Christian at No. 1 Valley Christian
No. 3 Sacramento Adventist at No. 2 Forest Lake Christian