Many conference titles decided as State Women's Basketball Top 25 finishes regular season this week
In the final week of the regular season, it's business as usual in the Feb. 17 CCCWBCA State Top 25 rankings as College of the Sequoias motors along in an undefeated run at 27-0 in sweeping all 19 first-place coaches votes (475 points).
At #2 is SoCal leader Mt. San Antonio (447), #3 Orange Coast (424), #4 Moorpark (412.5), #T5 Glendale (379), #6 Laney (359.5), #7 Folsom Lake (353), #8 Delta (321), #9 Sierra (315) and new #10 San Jose City (276).
As we all celebrate Black History Month, Laney head coach Ramaundo Vaughn picked up milestone win #300. Back in January, East Los Angeles HC Bruce Turner also reached his 300th career win.
This week, we recognize defense with the teams' steal leaders.
1. SEQUOIAS, Central Valley, 27-0: The Giants clinched the CVC title (11-0) with one game remaining. It's COS' third conference championship in the last four seasons. Campbell Vieg and Jocelyn Medina each average 2.7 steals. Last Ranking: #1
2. MT. SAN ANTONIO, South Coast North, 23-4: The Mounties have a 32-game conference win streak as they collect their fifth straight SCC North title. Daisia Mitchell averages 2.5 steals. Last Ranking: #2
3. ORANGE COAST, Orange Empire, 22-4: The Pirates clinched at least a tie for their third consecutive OEC title. One win in the last two games this week make it an outright championship. Melaiah Joseph and Kayla Borgelt average 1.7 steals. Last Ranking: #3
4. MOORPARK, Western State North, 22-4: The Raiders claimed at least a share of their sixth WSC North title in a row. On a 15-game win streak, they expect to seal the outright title on Wednesday v. Oxnard. Alyssa Saldana averages 2.5 takeaways. Last Ranking: #4
5. GLENDALE, Western State South, 22-3: Winners of 17 straight, the Vaqueros also clinched a tie for their sixth consecutive WSC South crown. Sammy Velasquez averages 1.3 steals. Last Ranking: #T5
6. LANEY, Bay Valley, 24-3: The Eagles are the undefeated BVC champs (16-0). Leniyah Fulsome is third in the state at 4.4 steals per game. Laney drops a spot. Last Ranking: #T5
7. FOLSOM LAKE, Big 8, 22-4: The Falcons are on a potential collision course to decide the Big 8 title on Friday when they face Delta as both are tied for the conference lead at 12-2. First, FLC must beat American River tonight (Feb. 18). Lexi Peters averages 2.1 steals. Last Ranking: #7
8. SAN JOAQUIN DELTA, Big 8, 18-8: The Mustangs saw a 9-game win streak snapped by Sierra, 66-57, on Feb. 13 but still can grab at least a share of the Big 8 crown if they beat Diablo Valley and then co-leader Folsom Lake. Kiara Council averages 2.7 steals. Last Ranking: #8
9. SIERRA, Big 8, 21-4: The Wolverines avenged both of their first-round losses to Folsom Lake and Delta with wins v. the Big 8 leaders in the second half of conference play. On a 6-game win streak, they will likely finish in a tie for second, but first they have to get by both Sacramento and Cosumnes River (lost first encounter). Ivy Samilton average 3 steals. Sierra picks up a rating point. Last Ranking: #9
10. SAN JOSE CC, Coast South, 24-2: On a 21-game win string, the Jaguars clinched at least a tie for the Coast South title. Tatiana Collazo averages 2.2 takeaways. SJCC climbs a slot. Last Ranking: #11
11. CYPRESS, Orange Empire, 18-8: The Chargers remain in second in the OEC. Chelsea Caldera averages 2.7 steals. Cypress charges ahead two spaces. Last Ranking: #13
T12. MT. SAN JACINTO, Inland Empire Athletic, 22-4: The Eagles had an 18-game win streak broken in a 32-point loss to Cerro Coso, a team it beat by eight in the first encounter. Still MSJC will likely clinch at least a share of the IEAC crown with a win over Palo Verde on Wednesday. Drasoni Kyles averages 2.6 steals. MSJC slips two rungs. Last Ranking: #10
T12. PALOMAR, Pacific Coast Athletic, 21-6: Winners of 13 in a row, the Comets clinched their fourth straight PCAC championship. Kylie Trujillo averages 2.1 takeaways. Last Ranking: #12
14. VICTOR VALLEY, Inland Empire Athletic, 21-5: With Cerro Coso's win over Mt. San Jacinto, the Rams could grab a share of the IEAC title if they can beat Desert and then first-place MSJC in the conference finale on Friday. Karoline Ellison averages 3.2 steals. VVC drops two spaces. Last Ranking: #12
15. SANTA BARBARA CC, Western State North, 21-5: The Vaqueros will place second in the WSC North, but are on a high with victories in nine of their last 10 contests. Kaylee Lawson averages 2.9 steals. Last Ranking: #15
16. LONG BEACH CC, South Coast South, 19-7: On Feb. 10, the Vikings had a 9-game win streak snapped by East Los Angeles, 76-73. LBCC though can complete a perfect 8-0 run to win their fifth consecutive SCC South title by defeating Cerritos and LA Harbor this week. Kimberly Cruz-Martinez averages 3.1 steals. Last Ranking: #16
17. SAN DIEGO MESA, Pacific Coast Athletic, 19-7: The Olympians have won four in a row and could take second place outright in the PCAC if they beat Grossmont and Imperial Valley--a tough challenge. Alivia Gillespie averages 2.7 steals. Mesa picks up a rank. Last Ranking: #18
18. FRESNO CC, Central Valley, 17-9: The Rams are in solid position to likely finish second in the CVC. Devin Miller averages 2.4 steals. FCC shuttles up a rank. Last Ranking: #19
T19. CERRO COSO, Inland Empire Athletic, 21-5: Winners of seven of their last eight, the Coyotes made huge noise with their rout over first-place Mt. San Jacinto but still will likely finish in third in the top-heavy powers of the IEAC. Savannah Rowland is eighth in the state at 3.5 steals. Cerro Coso takes the elevator up a floor. Last Ranking: #T20
T19. FULLERTON, Orange Empire, 18-8: The Hornets lost games last week v. both Orange Coast and Santa Ana. Xochitl Hood averages 2 steals. Fullerton gets set back two spaces. Last Ranking: #17
T21. CC SAN FRANCISCO, Coast North, 16-8: The Rams have won nine in a row and can clinch at least a tie for the division title if they defeat Chabot on Wednesday. Madison Thomas and Alessandra Nelson average 1.6 steals. CCSF leaps a rank. Last Ranking: #22
T21. SANTA ROSA JC, Big 8, 15-11: The Bear Cubs are reeling in a 4-game losing streak that dropped them to a tie for fifth in the difficult Big 8. Kaia Eubanks averages 1.5 steals. SRJC moves down one step. Last Ranking: #T20
23. GROSSMONT, Pacific Coast Athletic, 21-5: The Griffins have won seven of their last eight and hope to finish second in the PCAC if they can beat SD Mesa on Wednesday and San Diego CC in the conference finale. Anayla Anderson is seventh in takeaways at 3.7. Last Ranking: #23
24. SANTA ANA, Orange Empire, 19-8: The Dons' biggest victory to date was a 3-point win over Fullerton on Feb. 11. Mia Rivera averages 3 steals. Last Ranking: #24
25. ANTELOPE VALLEY, Western State South, 17-9: The Marauders have won six of the last seven contests and are on course to likely take second in the division. Zaniyah Wyatt averages 2.2 steals. Last Ranking: #25
DROPPED OUT OF RANKINGS: NONE
ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Butte (16-9, leads Golden Valley Conference at 5-0), Cabrillo (18-8), Chabot (17-10), Chaffey (17-10), Citrus (17-9), East Los Angeles (14-11), Hartnell (16-10), Imperial Valley (16-11), Irvine Valley (14-12), San Mateo (15-10), Shasta (15-10), West Los Angeles (16-10).
State Top Steals Leaders (minimum 18 games): 1. Carolina Sauceda, Imperial Valley, 5.0, 2. Giovanni Espinoza, Desert, 4.7, 3. Fulsome, Laney, 4.4, 4. Shania White, Cuyamaca, 3.9, 5. Simone Murray, San Mateo, 3.9, 6. Keytona Ross, Laney, 3.8, 7. Anderson, Grossmont, 3.7, 8. Rowland, Cerro Coso, 3.5, 9. Shade Satica, Butte. 3.4, 10. Aleksia Gadea, Chaffey, 3.4, 11. Tali F'ai, Laney, 3.4, 12. Aliyah Young, West LA, 3.3, 13. Shayla Love, MiraCosta, 3.3, 14. Giselle Rodriguez, Butte, 3.2, 15. LaKayla Hale, Cosumnes River, 3.2, 16. Tia Stevenson, Ohlone, 3.2, 17. Ellison, Victor Valley, 3.2, 18. Bree Luna, Allan Hancock, 3.2, 19. Monica Menzies, Pasadena CC, 3.2, 20. Cruz-Martinez, Long Beach CC, 3.1. 21. Isabel Acevez, Bakersfield, 3.0, 22. Samilton, Sierra, 3.0, 23. Rivera, Santa Ana, 3.0, 24. Jayla Marie, Merritt, 3.0.
Release by Robert Lewis, CCCWBCA Publicist/Rankings tabulated by Greg Murphy through coaches votes