McClatchy pulls off another upset in NorCal playoffs; Oak Ridge, Colfax, others advance
The song that popped up in practice on Wednesday was fitting for the McClatchy Lions and their quest to turn this Division I girls bracket upside down.
The tune was the Queen classic: “Another One Bites The Dust.”
The Lions will play it again during Friday’s drills after taking down another higher-seeded team and living to see another day in their season.
Still smarting from their curious No. 16 seed in the field despite a strong body of work, McClatchy moved to 2-0 in the CIF Northern California regional high school girls basketball championships with a 73-67 overtime victory at No. 8-seeded Whitney on Thursday night in Rocklin.
A large, boisterous crowd on both sides saw the Lions of the Sacramento City Unified School District nearly throw the game away down the stretch of regulation before finishing off the Wildcats in a thriller. Junior Nina Cain, a national recruit star, had 22 points and 16 rebounds in her showdown against Stanford-bound star Harper Peterson, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds in her final prep showing.
But down the stretch, Norret Lewis stole the show. The talented junior guard scored three consecutive buckets on drives down the lane, added two free throws and finished with 20 points. Senior guard Kaela Stancil-Williams had 16 points and a host of others contributed to extend McClatchy’s season to at least Saturday with a semifinal showdown at fourth-seeded Carondelet of Concord.
McClatchy (26-6) has been The Bee’s No. 2-ranked team behind Folsom all season. The Lions have been state-ranked in the top 20 by Cal-Hi Sports and could not comprehend their low seed. The Lions opened NorCal play with a spirited 66-64 road win over top-seeded Pinewood of Los Altos Hills on Tuesday.
“As the 16 seed, we had a chip on our shoulder,” McClatchy coach Jeff Ota said. “We’re going to play that song again.”
Famed former McClatchy girls/boys basketball coach Harvey Tahara made the trip to Placer County and congratulated Ota after the game. Tahara coached Ota in boys basketball championship success a generation ago and he was the girls coach for longtime Lions assistant coaches Jessica Kunisaki and Jackie Wada.
Cain is so hard on herself that she found fault with her game immediately after the game instead of appreciating her profound impact. But this is her nature. A 6-foot-2 junior forward, Cain can handle the ball, post up, shoot, run the floor, pass and defend. She also sports a 4.3 grade-point average.
“She’s probably going to go home and lift weights or take 100 shots tonight,” Ota said with a laugh. “Shes’ a perfectionist.”
Cain said: “I’m a competitor at heart. I strive to be the best. I’m still learning and growing.”
Of her rebounding, Cain said, simply: “I wanted the ball. Who wants it the most?”
McClatchy withstood a career game by Kendall Dykstra. The Whitney junior guard came in averaging 11.3 points but went for 31, including late 3-pointers to force overtime. Senior guard Sammy Schular, another program anchor, had 11 points for the Wildcats, who finished third in the Sierra Foothill League behind Bee No. 1 Folsom and Bee No. 3 Oak Ridge. Whitney has been Bee-ranked fourth the entire season.
In another D-I quarterfinal:
Oak Ridge 60, Riordan 51: The third-seeded Trojans eliminated the Crusaders of San Francisco and will visit second-seeded Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland on Saturday in a semifinal.
Junior guard Liv Yergensen had 21 points and senior guard Jessica Crannell had 14 for Oak Ridge (26-7). O’Dowd (22-6) beat St. Ignatius Prep of San Francisco 56-27 for its 12th victory in 13 outings
Division II
Colfax 46, Redwood 43: The No. 4 Falcons did not score from the field in the fourth quarter, but they did make 7 of 9 free throws in that stretch to hold off the 12th-seeded Giants of Larkspur in Marin County.
Colfax played on the road after asking the CIF to help accommodate its schedule as two key Falcons play on the school’s soccer team, which was playing in a NorCal playoff game in San Francisco on Thursday. The CIF allowed the venue switch from Colfax to Larkspur.
Junior guard Kaia Diederichs, Colfax’s all-time goal scorer in soccer, led the Falcons with 16 points. Junior guard Laurlyn Massic had 13 and sophomore post Juliette James had nine for Colfax (32-2), which will host No. 9 Maria Carrillo of Santa Rosa in a semifinal on Saturday at Pucci Pavilion.
Maria Carrillo upset top-seeded Branham of San Jose 52-49.
Division V
Woodland Christian 49, Mendota 41: The No. 9 Cardinals won a NorCal playoff game for just the second time in school history, stunning top-seeded Mendota in Fresno County, some three hours away. Now, the Cardinals will host a semifinal on Saturday when they welcome No. 13 Oakland, a 69-54 winner at No. 5 Valley Christian Academy of Roseville.
Junior forward Teagan Hayes scored 18 points to lead Woodland Christian, freshman post Siena Sorbello had 13 and freshman forward Bailee Broward 10. Woodland Christian (27-5) has won 19 of its last 20 games.
Boys
Division II
Del Oro 85, Menlo-Atherton 74: Senior guard Caden Pinnick scored 24 of his 34 points in the second half to help the No. 6 Golden Eagles eliminate the No. 14 Bears of the Bay Area, setting up a semifinal showdown at No. 2 Oakland Tech, which nipped No. 7 Jesuit 58-56.
Junior center Reid Brear had 10 points and senior center Jake Williams had 15 for Del Oro. The Golden Eagles (26-8) never trailed and sealed it with a 10-2 run after it was tied at 69. Pinnick scored eight of the 10 during that run, including two 3-pointers.
Division IV
Natomas 65, Christopher 58: Aeron Wallace made two free throws for a five-point lead in the final seconds to seal it for the No. 2 Nighthawks, celebrating their 30th year since the school opened by fielding one of the school’s greatest athletic teams.
Wallace, a freshman guard, led Natomas with 17 points. Brothers Dereon and Manno Jenkins each had 16 for the Nighthawks (25-9), who on Saturday will host No. 14 Monterey, which eliminated No. 6 Lincoln of San Francisco 58-34.
Union Mine 66, Foothill 45: Senior guard Nate Sweet has led the Diamondbacks of El Dorado in scoring this season and he came up big again, scoring 34 points to eliminate the Cougars of Palo Cedro.
Sophomore center Isaac Zmerzlikar had 14 points and 13 rebounds for Union Mine (30-3), which has won 14 of 15 games. Union Mine, which moved to 11-1 at home, will host No. 8 Palo Alto on Saturday. Palo Alto upset top-seeded Santa Teresa of San Jose 64-49.
For complete scores, brackets and ticket information, visit the CIF website.
Girls
Division I
McClatchy 73, Whitney 67 (OT)
Carondelet 62, Sacred Heart 58
Oak Ridge 60, Riordan 51
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 16 McClatchy at No. 4 Carondelet, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Oak Ridge at No. 2 Bishop O’Dowd, 7 p.m.
Division II
Colfax 46, Redwood 43
Maria Carrillo 52, Branham 49
Pleasant Valley 60, Antelope 45
Oakland Tech 58, Vanden 50
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 9 Maria Carrillo at No. 4 Colfax, 7 p.m.
No. 10 Oakland Tech at No. 3 Pleasant Valley, 7 p.m.
Division V
Woodland Christian 49, Mendota 41
Oakland 69, Valley Christian-Roseville 54
Trinity 65, Lowell 31
Crystal Springs 44, Lynbrook 41
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 13 Oakland at No. 9 Woodland Christian, 7 p.m.
No. 7 Crystal Springs at No. 6 Trinity, 7 p.m.
Boys
Division I
Clovis West 68, Serra 64
Granada 68, St. Ignatius 66
Mitty 48, Clayton Valley Charter 37
San Ramon Valley 85, Monterey Trail 66
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 4 Granada at No. 1 Clovis West, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Mitty at No. 2 San Ramon Valley, 7 p.m.
Division II
Oakland 58, Clovis East 51
Bellarmine 62, Bishop O’Dowd 60
Del Oro 85, Menlo-Atherton 74
Oakland Tech 58, Jesuit 56
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 9 Oakland at No. 5 Bellarmine, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Del Oro at No. 2 Oakland Tech, 7 p.m.
Division III
Santa Cruz 62, West Park-Roseville 44
Ygnacio Valley 77, Carmel 74
Bullard 68, Valley Christian 66
Justin-Siena 59, Memorial 56
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 4 Ygnacio Valley at No. 1 Santa Cruz, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Bullard at No. 2 Justin-Siena, 7 p.m.
Division IV
Palo Alto 64, Santa Teresa 49
Union Mine 66, Foothill 45
Monterey 58, Lincoln-San Francisco 34
Natomas 65, Christopher 58
Saturday’s semifinals
No. 8 Palo Alto at No. 4 Union Mine, 7 p.m.
No. 14 Monterey at No. 2 Natomas, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published March 1, 2024 at 5:00 AM.