Sea Kings stay hot

CORONA DEL MAR — A year ago, a 14-point loss hurt the Corona del Mar High girls’ basketball team. Mired in a rough-and-tumble season, the Sea Kings found few positives after losing at Sage Hill School. There was only regret as they felt they could have beaten the Lightning.

But this 2008-09 season is a different story for CdM. The Sea Kings are already one win away from matching last year’s total and they’re off to a perfect start.

As for that loss to Sage Hill last year? CdM certainly atoned for that. This time it was the Sea Kings who won by 14 points.

Their defense kept Sage Hill off balance in their 51-37 nonleague win that improved their record to 6-0.

Last year, CdM finished 7-19 and lost its final nine games. But this year, the Sea Kings have a different streak and it’s coming from their all-out effort on the court.

“Our determination,” CdM Coach Mark Decker said of what impressed him the most Friday. “The girls are playing so hard. They’re all over the court. Their intensity is great. That’s what carried us through. You get in those rough spots, we just keep going. We don’t give the other team a break.

“Most of them have been looking forward to this game because they handled us pretty well last year.”

Junior Katie Bergsma seemed plenty determined against the Lightning (2-1). She scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and played tough defense on Sage Hill’s senior standout Tierney Danner, who finished with five points.

CdM sophomore Kayla Marolt also scored in double digits, adding 13 points. She hit seven of 10 from the free-throw line. The Sea Kings received a spark from sophomore Ellie Nadal, who scored 11 points. She hit two three-pointers, the latter helping the Sea Kings regain control midway through the fourth period.

Senior Morgan Hembarsky, who led Sage Hill with 13 points, knocked down a three-pointer to complete a 7-2 run that drew the Lightning to within, 39-32. But Nadal’s three-pointer was a big part of a 10-0 run that kept CdM out in front.

Sage Hill could not recover.

“We are just playing harder than last year,” Nadal said. “We want to go to [the playoffs]. That’s our goal. We want it more this year than we did last year.”

The Sea Kings showed their passion on defense, forcing the Lightning into several turnovers. CdM’s full-court pressure defense caused 13 turnovers.

Marolt had four steals, while Bergsma, Nadal, senior Brittany Rhyme (seven points) and freshman Ally Brahs had two each.

“We didn’t do our usual good job of taking care of the ball,” Sage Hill Coach Lou Silverman said. “Some of the credit goes to CdM and some credit for that goes to us. We turned it over way too much. When we didn’t turn it over we played tough basketball, but the turnovers hurt us.”

While Hembarsky’s shooting kept Sage Hill in the game, it was also junior Hannah Jeffrey that gave the Lightning a chance. Jeffrey, who scored four points, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and blocked four shots. She also had two steals. Senior Stephanie Garrison scored five points and recorded four steals.

Sage Hill used a 6-0 run to trail, 17-14, at the half. But CdM opened the third period with a 9-2 run in the first two minutes. Nadal’s first three-pointer came during the spurt.

“I think our defense has picked up and we are playing more as a team,” Marolt said. “Last year we didn’t really play as a team. There was just a different vibe. We really wanted to win this game. Last season they beat us pretty good.”

Nonleague

Corona del Mar 51, Sage Hill 37

SCORE BY QUARTERS

SH – Hembarsky 13, Danner 5, Garrison 5, Jeffrey 4, Soleimany 4, Hunt 4, Carpenter 2.

3-pt. goals – Hembarsky 1.

Fouled out – None.

Technicals – None.

CdM – Bergsma 14, Marolt 13, Nadal 11, Rhyme 7, Stern 2, Brahs 2, Sharp 2.

3-pt. goals – Nadal 2.

Fouled out – None.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at [email protected].