Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake Girls Excat Revenge on Way to Championship Games
Jack Pollon
March 4, 2009
It's hard to beat a team three times in one season.
That statement couldn't have been more true for two girls basketball teams from the region last Saturday and fortunately they picked up the victories.
Harvard-Westlake of Studio City finally beat Windward of Los Angeles in a Div. IV-A semifinal at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and Notre Dame had a bigger task against Bishop Montgomery of Torrance but came through in the final seconds in a Div. IV-AA semifinal game at Redondo Union.
Both teams will now play in championship games. Notre Dame faces Orange Lutheran tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Mater Dei of Santa Ana and Harvard-Westlake will try and knock off its second Olympic League opponent, Pacific Hills of West Hollywood, on Friday at Mater Dei at 4:30 p.m.
Harvard-Westlake lost to Windward by 20 points in the Beverly Hills tournament back in mid-December and lost in a close non-league game at home in January.
Notre Dame suffered two big setbacks to Bishop Montgomery in the Inglewood tournament and on New Years Eve, got smoked in the Ayala of Chino Hills tournament.
"The biggest difference has been focus and intensity,"
Harvard-Westlake coach Melissa Hearlihy said. "The girls are trying to win a championship. It has started since game one of the playoffs.
Intensity and the defense has been much better."
"We have to match the intensity level again on Friday. Pacific Hills presents a different challenge because they are non-conventional and try and make you take shots early and crash the boards."
As for Notre Dame, the Knights are doing it with defense, junior Kody Burke, great play from the role players and the return of Mel Madriaga.
Madriaga has been injured for nearly two years but seems to finally be healthy and assisted on the winning lay-up Saturday.
How about that Mission League? For boys and girls.
Five teams will be competing for championships between the two genders.
Harvard-Westlake and Notre Dame on the girls side and Harvard-Westlake, Loyola and Chaminade on the boys side.
"Its a great league," Chaminade boys coach Todd Wolfson said said.
"Every game
is tough and prepares you for the playoffs."