BALANCED ATTACK BOOSTS DEL NORTE

With 3:57 to play in regulation, Del Norte had a ninepoint lead over El Capitan.

Despite missing four of their last five free throws down the stretch, the fifthseeded Nighthawks held on for a 55-53 win over the No. 12 Vaqueros in the opening round of the San Diego Section Division I playoffs Wednesday at Del Norte High.

“This feels fantastic,” said Nighthawks senior India Starr, who along with teammate Niki Madgedi led Del Norte with 10 points. “This is one of the best feelings ever.

“Now it gets even more serious, but I’m excited to be in the position we’re in.”

Now 20-9 with a fifth straight win, the Nighthawks advance to Saturday’s quarterfinals at No. 4 Mount Miguel.

But getting the win was not easy at all.

Trailing 25-22 at halftime, Del Norte gained the

Del Norte 55, El Capitan 53

upper hand with a 22-12 surge in the third quarter thanks to a 10-0 start to the period.

El Capitan (18-11) got an 11-point final quarter from junior Mackenzie Curtis en route to a game-high 28 points and 14 rebounds.

The Nighthawks’ balanced scoring — nine points from Simran Randhawa, eight from Calissa Tyrrell and seven from Mya Westbrook — was enough to improve to 13-5 at home.

Tyrrell collected eight rebounds while Westbrook topped the rebounders with 10.

“We play as a team,” Starr said. “We don’t have a 20point scorer, we feed whoever is hot.

“It’s just team ball all the way.

“At halftime, coach just said to keep playing the way we play and we did.”

Monahan is a freelance writer.