Stratton adds highlights

When it comes to preparing for college, Kassie Stratton has the proper mentality.

The talented Estancia High junior is working with a recruiting company that will help get her name publicized, producing special highlight-reel videos of her best basketball moments.

There’s one game that will certainly call for plenty of footage. It took place Dec. 16, 2009 at Bolsa Grande High. There in the Matadors’ gym, Stratton caught fire.

She scored a career-high 48 points. That’s one of many reasons she has been named Daily Pilot Dream Team Player of the Year in girls’ basketball.

“It was just amazing,” Estancia Co-Coach Xavier Castellano said of Stratton’s star performance that led to a 73-61 nonleague win. “I have never seen a girl score like that and score 48 points. She was doing everything to get the win. We probably should’ve gotten blown out that game, but she came out on fire. She played her heart and soul in that game.”

Castellano says he finds Estancia fortunate to have a player as special as Stratton. He says she’s truly a team-first player.

He felt that she should’ve been the Orange Coast League MVP, but the Eagles finished second to Laguna Beach and Breakers’ senior Bridget Madrigal took top-player honors.

The scenario only provided more motivation for Stratton, who has seen Estancia improve each of her three varsity seasons. She expects more improvement to come, and that starts with her, she says.

Much of her desire comes from wanting to play on the next level. Yet, as many would probably be surprised to learn, it doesn’t necessarily involve playing for a NCAA Division I program.

Her preference is to play for a Division III program.

“It just seems too high of a level for me, and I don’t think I would be 100% committed to it,” Stratton said of NCAA Division I basketball. “It would be fun because I love basketball, but I want to do my thing in college and have fun in college. If you do Division I, you pretty much get owned and you don’t exactly have a lot of freedom.”

Castellano believes Stratton has the ability to play on the NCAA Division I level, but stresses that it is up to her.

“Her potential is limitless,” Castellano says. “The only person that can stop Kassie is herself.

“She just knows how to put the ball in the basket. God gave her a gift … I think we’re lucky to have her at Estancia. I don’t say that just because of her basketball skills. She’s just a very good kid.”

Stratton was certainly good for Estancia, earning first-team all-league honors, as she averaged 19 points a game, which led the Newport-Mesa area.

She helped Estancia (14-13) to a second-place finish in league at 6-2, and she was named to the Orange County High School All-Star Girls’ Elite Underclass South team, which played Saturday night.

Stratton also had a stellar game Feb. 10 against rival Costa Mesa. She scored 12 of her game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter to help the Eagles win, 55-41, at the Mustangs’ gym.

Here are the rest of the players on the Dream Team:

Alex Morton

Newport Harbor junior

The 6-foot-1 center was one of the top rebounders in Orange County, averaging 15 boards per game. The Sailors (9-18) finished last in the Sunset League at 1-9, but she was still named to the All-Sunset League first team. She led Newport Harbor in scoring with 16 points per game.

Morton was named to the Orange County High School All-Star Girls’ Elite Underclass South team that played Saturday night.

Olivia Scheidt

Costa Mesa senior

The Mustangs’ 5-8 point guard averaged 16.5 points per game, performing as one of the better players in the Orange Coast League. For the second straight season, she earned first-team all-league honors. She led Costa Mesa (14-13, 4-4 in league) to a third-place finish in league.

Scheidt was named to the Orange County High School All-Star Girls’ Senior South team.

Katie Bergsma

Corona del Mar senior

The 5-11 forward was a versatile player for the Sea Kings, able to excel at point guard, center or wing. She contributed in many ways, helping CdM finish 14-13, 4-6 in the Pacific Coast League for fourth place. She averaged 10 points, 12 rebounds, 2.5 steals and two blocked shots per game, earning first-team all-league honors.

Caroline van der Velde

Corona del Mar junior

The 6-1 center, who was a foreign-exchange student from Germany, was one of the best defenders in the Pacific Coast League. She improved throughout the season, playing her best basketball toward the end of the campaign, CdM Coach Mark Decker said.

A second-team all-league selection, van der Velde averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots per game. Perhaps fittingly, one of her best performances came in CdM’s final game. She recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the Sea Kings’ 43-33 loss to La Canada in the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA first round.

Decker is hoping van der Velde returns next year, but she is expected to go back to Germany.

Hannah Jeffrey

Sage Hill senior

The Lightning’s forward ranks No. 3 in school history for career rebounds and blocks, Coach Lou Silverman said. She averaged 13 rebounds and nine points per game on her way to earning second-team All-Academy League honors. She was posted double figures in rebounding in 16 of 20 games. She led the Academy League in rebounds and was second in the league in blocks, as Sage finish 10-10, 5-5 in league.