Prep girls’ basketball: Oak Ridge hands top-ranked Folsom first local loss of the season
When the final buzzer sounded in El Dorado Hills on Friday night, a sense of relief overwhelmed the Oak Ridge High School girls’ basketball team.
The second-ranked Trojans had finally defeated their biggest rival after losing the previous two matchups. In the process, Oak Ridge (20-5) delivered one of the biggest wins in program history.
With the 44-37 win over top-ranked Folsom, Oak Ridge clinched a share of the Sierra Foothill League title and handed Folsom (23-2) its first local loss of the season. Both teams finished 9-1 in SFL play.
They couldn’t have done it without senior Teagan Brown, who played the part of a superstar. One of the all-time area greats delivered a 26-point performance to and added 15 rebounds and five steals in her final regular-season home game.
“The moment (we beat Folsom) it was absolutely unreal,” Brown said. “We wanted to win and we got it. Coach White has made (this) a great atmosphere and we’re just feeding off of it.”
She added, “We got the co-league banner and that’s all we wanted. I can’t do it without my other teammates.”
No one was happier than long-time coach Steve White, who is also the Oak Ridge athletic director. White gave high fives and hugs to anyone within radius.
“It’s special,” White said on the win. “I wanted this for these guys. They have been through so much because of COVID and missing opportunities. We had opportunities the first two times (we played them) and they finally ceased that moment. I am super elated moving forward.”
He added, “It’s right up there for one of the best league wins we have had. It’s such a good rivalry.”
The hype of the Folsom-Oak Ridge rivalry was matched with enthusiasm from the crowd. Oak Ridge only allowed 500 fans at the game due to California Department of Public Health restrictions, but it felt like more. You could feel the vibration of the crowd every possession in the fourth quarter.
“The environment was great,” White said. “I thought it was unfortunate we couldn’t allow more than 500 people. If it was normal, this place would’ve been rocking and it would’ve been packed. You are talking about one of the best atmospheres in high school basketball. It’s still great, but it could’ve been so much better.”
Because both Oak Ridge and Folsom are filled with youth, most hadn’t experienced an environment like this one because of the COVID-19 pandemic that wiped out a normal season last year. Oak Ridge senior Ella Ray is one of the veteran leaders on the team. Her experience showed and mattered as she had six points, 10 rebounds, six blocks and five steals.
“Ella was huge in controlling the middle,” White said. “These are big moments for our younger players. Without having summer basketball and with all the COVID-19 stuff (going on) this is their first real experience with this stuff.”
The joy Oak Ridge felt was matched with sadness on the Folsom side. The Bulldogs were looking to complete an undefeated season in league play. Folsom was also seeking to become the first team since St. Mary’s of Stockton in 2016 to enter the playoffs with only one loss.
“Our team is broken-hearted because it’s Oak Ridge,” Folsom coach Lynn Wolking said. “Years ago, this used to be the end of our season (because we didn’t make the playoffs). Now you have a whole new season ahead of it.”
Folsom and Oak Ridge are both expected to draw high seeds in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division l playoffs that start next week. It’s possible these two teams could face for the fourth time in a couple of weeks.
“I would love to see them again at Golden 1,” White said.
This story was originally published February 12, 2022 at 5:13 AM.