Estancia’s climb begins at the top

Barry Faulkner

The Estancia High girls basketball team, which returned its top

three players from last year’s Pacific Coast League co-champion,

won’t have to wait long to see how it stacks up against Golden West

League competition.

First-year coach Tami Rappa’s Eagles (5-8) tip off their first

season in the Golden West League tonight at 7 at home against

five-time defending league champion Westminster.

“We open with the highest competition,” said Rappa, whose team

comes in with a seven-game losing streak and plenty to prove. “I

think this game will set the tone for our league performance. We’ve

been on a losing streak, but, hopefully, we’ll come ready to play.”

The Eagles, who went 9-1 in the PCL last season to earn a share of

the program’s first league title in 11 seasons, are led by seniors

Xochitl Byfield and Tisha Gray, as well as junior Trisha Wase.

Byfield, a 5-foot-8 forward, is averaging 12.5 points this season

and leads the team with 14 three-pointers. She was a first-team

All-PCL performer last season, after earning second-team all-league

laurels as a sophomore.

Gray, a 5-9 post player, is averaging 9.5 points, but appears to

be rounding back into form after being hampered by an ankle injury

that sidelined her for two games early in the season. She scored 22

points in the season opener, then sat out the next two contests. She

scored 15 points in each of the Eagles’ final two games before the

team had a one-week break to prepare for league. Gray was also a

first-team all-league selection last season, after earning

second-team all-league recognition as a sophomore.

Wase, who missed the Eagles’ last two games while on vacation, is

averaging 12.4 points this season with 10 three-pointers. The 5-4

point guard shared Player of the Year laurels in the PCL last season

and has scored in double figures seven of her last eight contests.

Junior Nancy Castro (6.5 points per game), sophomore Imelda Pena

(3.6 ppg) and junior Krystal Mino (3.5 ppg) have also contributed for

the Eagles, who follow Tuesday’s league opener with a 7 p.m. league

game Thursday at Saddleback.

Estancia averaged 56.3 points while opening with a 5-1 record this

season, but has averaged just 39.4 during the seven-game losing

skein.

Westminster, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division I-A,

won all eight league games each of the last two seasons and the Lions

advanced to the CIF Division I-A semifinals last season, when they

finished 23-5.

Coach Dick Katz’s squad lost a 48-42 decision to Woodbridge,

ranked No. 10 in Orange County and No. 3 in CIF Division II-AA, on

Dec. 30 at the Costa Mesa Winter Classic. Biava Arganda scored 20

points for the Lions in that game, while Rochelle Estrada added 14.

Costa Mesa (7-6) opens its first Golden West campaign tonight at 7

at Ocean View, before receiving a bye in the seven-team schedule

Thursday.

Coach Jim Weeks’ Mustangs are led by 6-0 senior Rhondi Naff, who

is averaging around 17 points per game after earning first-team

All-PCL recognition as a junior.

Senior Stacee Sanchez is averaging around eight points and led the

team with 14 three-pointers in the 10 games in which statistics were

reported.

Rickell Reeves, another senior, is averaging close to seven points

for the Mustangs, who have won three of their last five.