Hernandez named ALL-ESL girls basketball MVP
Strathmore High School’s Mariah Hernandez defended her title and was once again named the East Sequoia League’s Most Valuable Player for girls basketball.
The senior had an outstanding season and led her team to the CIF Central Section Division IV championship game. The second-seeded Spartans (28-6, 9-1 ESL) fell short in the Valley title game, losing 60-46 to topseeded Sierra Pacific (29-5, 9-1 ESL). The Golden Bears and Spartans were also COESL champions this year.
Hernandez averaged 17 points a game and was nearly unstoppable when driving to the basket and drawing fouls for three-point plays. She also averaged six rebounds, five steals and five assists a game.
A key to the Spartans’ game plan under the basket was Kathy Rodriguez who was named to the ALLESL first team. Rodriguez averaged 11 points, six rebounds, two steals and one block a game in league.
Named to the ALL-ESL second team as well as the league’s co-defensive Player of the Year was Strathmore senior Sammy Oliveira. Oliveira was a force on the defense, challenging her competitors with her aggressive play as well as picking their pockets. She averaged six points, four steals, four assists and two rebounds a game.
Strathmore head coach Richard Miranda was named Coach of the Year and took the team to the CIF State DIV-IV Championship tournament where they were seeded 14th in the southern bracket. The Spartans lost 58-42 to third-seeded Village Christian (31-4) in the first round.
From Lindsay, Maddie Cesar was named to the ALL-ESL first team after averaging 13.1 rebounds and 9.4 points a game in league. Cesar had nine doublesdoubles this season, four of them in ESL play. One of her biggest games was against Sierra Pacific when she scored 20 points and pulled down 14 rebounds in the Cardinals 60-45 loss to the Golden Bears.
Senior Raquel Gonzalez and junior Marlene Gutierrez, both from Lindsay, were named to the ALL-ESL second team. In league, Gonzalez averaged 13.7 points a game while Gutierrez averaged 9.1 rebounds and 7.7 points a game.
The Cardinals finished the season second in league with a 6-4 record and were 14-13 overall.
Granite Hills’ Shauntell Edmonds had a great season in her final year, leading the league in scoring, assists and steals. She averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 assists and 6.4 steals a game. Edmonds also averaged 9.4 rebounds a game, scored 405 points this season and made the wall of fame at Granite Hills.
“Shauntell is the greatest all-around player I have ever coached,” said Randy Rippee, Granite Hills head coach. “She can do it all. She attacks every opponent and never backs down, I love that.”
After winning only two games last year, the Grizzlies finished third in league with a 4-6 record and 10-11 on the overall season.