CIF basketball roundup: Vanden repeats; VCA girls, Ripon Christian boys add to trophy case
This isn’t just a husband-wife relationship. It’s a coach-coach operation that has cruised to a championship pace in recent years in Solano County, and it’s Team J all the way with Allison and Jake Johnson leading the charge.
Seeded first in the Division III field, Vanden High School found its familiar gear in the second half with crisp passing, hot shooting and relentless defense, racing past No. 2 Lincoln 62-42 to repeat as CIF Sac-Joaquin Section champions at Golden 1 Center. It’s the third championship for the Vikings since 2015 and fifth overall.
Afterward, the coaches were equal parts giddy, proud and emotional. This is their school, their gig, their time. They have coached together for 23 seasons, Jake an alum of the school and Allison a product of Justin-Siena High in Napa. They split the duties and work seamlessly together, all with the shared intent of player improvement, commitment and fun.
It’s so much of a family feel that their son, Jake, is an assistant coach and daughter, Taytum, is a member of the team.
“Over the years, we’ve perfected a really good balance,” Jake Johnson said. “I mainly do practice and she does the games.”
Said Allison, “He’s the nice parent and I’m the mean mom.”
Mean Mom let her team have it in the first half, urging rebounds and effort. Once the Vikings settled down after missing their first 15 3-point shots, it was their game. They outscored the Zebras of Placer County 25-11 to leave no doubt in extending their winning streak to 17 and their record to 25-7.
Star guard leader Alyssa Jackson scored 15 points and had six steals, Gabby Wright had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Calonni Holloway had 10 points for Vanden. The coaches know how to coach with an iron fist, and they can bark just as much as they love up players. They also have humor.
When Jake said he was a 1989 graduate of Vanden, Allison reminded, “He’s the old one!”
Of the San Diego State-bound Jackson, one of the very best players in program history, Allison said, “she is by far the best captain we’ve had. She gets it. She has a 3.8 GPA. She doesn’t deal with fluff. I’ve watched her grow. She’s the ultimate captain, the ultimate teammate.”
Steady guard Maya Hodge led Lincoln with 13 points and eight rebounds. Isa Keidel had 10 points and five rebounds. Post player Katie Leeth had 10 points. The Zebras (27-4) were undone by 23 turnovers and 33% shooting. Both teams will advance to the CIF Northern California Regional tournament, which starts on Tuesday.
Ripon Christian 58, Fortune 54: Eli Terpsma scored 19 points, Thys Van Der Hoek had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Jace Beidleman had 15 rebounds to power the taller Knights in D-V, the program’s 12th section championship.
Fortune, in just its fourth year in basketball on the 150-person Sacramento campus, was led by Christian Barrett (18 points) and brothers Tyree Rose (13) and Tyrece Rose (11). Fortune is coached by Derek Swafford, who coached Sacramento High to six section championships.
Valley Christian 71, Bret Harte 65: She didn’t even want the job initially, some 17 years ago, but Kim Contreras answered the plea to at least work a season to give the students an enjoyable experience and to keep the program afloat.
Now, they’re running out of space in the trophy case on the small Roseville campus, enrollment 115. The No. 2-seeded Lions held off top-seeded Bret Harte to win their sixth section banner since 2014 and first in D-V. And there was the coach post game, beaming about her players, their poise, and talking up her glitter boots because they were something she just had to have for this playoff run. A longtime math and science teacher on campus, Contreras laughed about how she didn’t want this gig and now is sure to dress the part.
“I never used to like basketball,” the coach said. “Now, I love it.”
Speedy guard Christelle Williams had 22 points and nine rebounds. Gabby Jackson-Brown had six points and 12 rebounds. Larson has been the inspirational charge for the program, having recovered from ACL surgery to return this season.
“She never missed a beat,” Contreras said.
Contreras said her team has become “family” — and that goes beyond her assistant coach/daughter Angelina, and current team member Mariah Conteras, who had six points. Angelina won three section championships while playing for her mother.
The coach with the glitter boots and radiant smile joked that more championship rings are in the works.
“I don’t mind ordering jewelry,” she said.