2009 GIRLS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW:
The girls are back in town
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and Glendale Adventist Academy were the other two area playoff teams from last season, in Divisions IV-A and VI-AA, respectively.“We’re looking pretty good,” said Tologs Coach Gino Pacella, who returns a solid core led by guard Vanessa Romero and forward Ivy Fitzgerald. “We had a good bounce-back season last year and we’ve had a lot of positives this summer and fall.”
Pacella is optimistic his team can hold its own, even in the tough Mission League
GLENDALE — After advancing farther in the playoffs than any other local programs following area-best finishes in their respective leagues, the girls’ basketball teams from Flintridge Prep and Crescenta Valley High set the standard for success last season.
With rosters loaded with talented returning players, the Rebels and Falcons appear primed to repeat the positives of last year and they certainly hope to build on them.
Former assistant Todd Frost takes over for longtime Rebels Coach Kenny Fisher on an interim basis beginning this season, but has the luxury of inheriting a group of players almost identical to that which Fisher piloted to the CIF Southern Section Division V-AA quarterfinals last year. Prep’s third-place finish in the Prep League — and even its run to the quarters — were a downturn of sorts for a program that had won seven straight league titles and made recent trips to the CIF semifinals and finals.
This year, the senior-laden Rebels, led by four-year varsity standout Megan Musashi, are looking to reassert themselves as a dominant force in and out of league.
“We definitely want to get back to the top of league and make a deep run in the playoffs,” said Frost, whose team boasts six prominent senior returners, led by Deanna Watson, Kelsey Merchant and Courtney Takeda. “We want to get back to some of the traditions we’ve established throughout most of this decade.”
Crescenta Valley, which enjoyed a solid second-place finish in the Pacific League and lost to the No. 2 seed in the second round of the Division I-A playoffs last year, comes back strong behind its own fourth-year senior star, Cassie Pappas.
The lineup around her is experienced and, most importantly, getting healthy after a summer beset by injuries.
Melanie Minas is back from an anterior-cruciate ligament surgery and “100%,” according to Coach Jason Perez, and Melanie Samvalian is expected to be back close to top form from her own ACL injury by the onset of the league season.
“Our goal is definitely to compete for a league title,” Perez said.
Pappas can score with the best of them and the Falcons will have plenty of secondary options, but defense promises to be a big strength of this team, as well.
“Our defense is really based on helping each other and rotating, fronting the low post and having help from behind,” Perez said. “We want to put as much pressure on the basketball as possible.”
Still on the fringe of the Pacific League title hunt coming off a fifth-place finish last season, Glendale will look to get back to the Division II-AA playoffs, either by a top-four league finish or at-large bid, as was the case last year.
The loss of Anna Shahinian, Lidia Rivas and Marlow Tomasian to graduation won’t make that any easier, but with many juniors coming back with varsity experience, the Nitros could still be dangerous.
“I’ve got quite a few returners, so it’s not too bad,” said Adary, who will count mainly on senior Cynthia Garcia and juniors Stella Ghahzarian and Serah Mirzaeian. “Of course filling the void of Anna, Marlow and Lidia is gonna be a little difficult, but we’re slowly trying to adjust to that.”
Hoover Coach Martik Ghookasian, on the other hand, lost eight seniors to graduation and cut three juniors during the summer, essentially rebuilding around the only remaining varsity returner, junior Lauraine Barakat.
“I don’t know how we’re going to fare in league,” said Ghookasian, whose team was seventh in the Pacific League last year. “We’re a very young team. We just need to keep working to get better.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and Glendale Adventist Academy were the other two area playoff teams from last season, in Divisions IV-A and VI-AA, respectively.
“We’re looking pretty good,” said Tologs Coach Gino Pacella, who returns a solid core led by guard Vanessa Romero and forward Ivy Fitzgerald. “We had a good bounce-back season last year and we’ve had a lot of positives this summer and fall.”
Pacella is optimistic his team can hold its own, even in the tough Mission League, but Cougars Coach Chris Linstadt is tempering expectations for his own team’s Westside League prospects.
“We’re really young this year,” Lindstadt said. “I was optimistic we would be able to finish in the top half of our league, but after having a couple practices, I’m not too sure.”
Holy Family, which features the core of returners Jennifer Fisher, Gayle Lachica and Shabby Talab, will look to advance to the postseason out of the Horizon League after coming up just short of a playoff bid last season.
Back
With rosters loaded with talented returning players, the Rebels and Falcons appear primed to repeat the positives of last year and they certainly hope to build on them.
Former assistant Todd Frost takes over for longtime Rebels Coach Kenny Fisher on an interim basis beginning this season, but has the luxury of inheriting a group of players almost identical to that which Fisher piloted to the CIF Southern Section Division V-AA quarterfinals last year. Prep’s third-place finish in the Prep League — and even its run to the quarters — were a downturn of sorts for a program that had won seven straight league titles and made recent trips to the CIF semifinals and finals.
This year, the senior-laden Rebels, led by four-year varsity standout Megan Musashi, are looking to reassert themselves as a dominant force in and out of league.
“We definitely want to get back to the top of league and make a deep run in the playoffs,” said Frost, whose team boasts six prominent senior returners, led by Deanna Watson, Kelsey Merchant and Courtney Takeda. “We want to get back to some of the traditions we’ve established throughout most of this decade.”
Crescenta Valley, which enjoyed a solid second-place finish in the Pacific League and lost to the No. 2 seed in the second round of the Division I-A playoffs last year, comes back strong behind its own fourth-year senior star, Cassie Pappas.
The lineup around her is experienced and, most importantly, getting healthy after a summer beset by injuries.
Melanie Minas is back from an anterior-cruciate ligament surgery and “100%,” according to Coach Jason Perez, and Melanie Samvalian is expected to be back close to top form from her own ACL injury by the onset of the league season.
“Our goal is definitely to compete for a league title,” Perez said.
Pappas can score with the best of them and the Falcons will have plenty of secondary options, but defense promises to be a big strength of this team, as well.
“Our defense is really based on helping each other and rotating, fronting the low post and having help from behind,” Perez said. “We want to put as much pressure on the basketball as possible.”
Still on the fringe of the Pacific League title hunt coming off a fifth-place finish last season, Glendale will look to get back to the Division II-AA playoffs, either by a top-four league finish or at-large bid, as was the case last year.
The loss of Anna Shahinian, Lidia Rivas and Marlow Tomasian to graduation won’t make that any easier, but with many juniors coming back with varsity experience, the Nitros could still be dangerous.
“I’ve got quite a few returners, so it’s not too bad,” said Adary, who will count mainly on senior Cynthia Garcia and juniors Stella Ghahzarian and Serah Mirzaeian. “Of course filling the void of Anna, Marlow and Lidia is gonna be a little difficult, but we’re slowly trying to adjust to that.”
Hoover Coach Martik Ghookasian, on the other hand, lost eight seniors to graduation and cut three juniors during the summer, essentially rebuilding around the only remaining varsity returner, junior Lauraine Barakat.
“I don’t know how we’re going to fare in league,” said Ghookasian, whose team was seventh in the Pacific League last year. “We’re a very young team. We just need to keep working to get better.”
Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and Glendale Adventist Academy were the other two area playoff teams from last season, in Divisions IV-A and VI-AA, respectively.
“We’re looking pretty good,” said Tologs Coach Gino Pacella, who returns a solid core led by guard Vanessa Romero and forward Ivy Fitzgerald. “We had a good bounce-back season last year and we’ve had a lot of positives this summer and fall.”
Pacella is optimistic his team can hold its own, even in the tough Mission League, but Cougars Coach Chris Linstadt is tempering expectations for his own team’s Westside League prospects.
“We’re really young this year,” Lindstadt said. “I was optimistic we would be able to finish in the top half of our league, but after having a couple practices, I’m not too sure.”
Holy Family, which features the core of returners Jennifer Fisher, Gayle Lachica and Shabby Talab, will look to advance to the postseason out of the Horizon League after coming up just short of a playoff bid last season.
FLINTRIDGE SACRED HEART
440 St. Katherine Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
626-685-8300
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Flintridge Sacred Heart, a Catholic, Dominican, independent, college-preparatory, day and boarding high school, educates young women for a life of faith, integrity, and truth.
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
626-685-8300
Privacy Policy · Terms of Use
Flintridge Sacred Heart, a Catholic, Dominican, independent, college-preparatory, day and boarding high school, educates young women for a life of faith, integrity, and truth.
