Dream season derailed by Etiwanda
The Sierra Canyon girls basketball team was going for the best season in school history and an undefeated year.
Everything was going great. For the first 31 games. The Trailblazers beat every team in their way. Sierra Canyon traveled across the country and knocked down every challenge in its way.
Sierra Canyon won its first ever Southern Section Open Division championship with a victory against Etiwanda at Honda Center in Anaheim on February 25th.
However, as Sierra Canyon did to Etiwanda last year, Etiwanda returned the favor. Etiwanda came away with a 55-54 regional championship game victory on March 7th to deny Sierra Canyon a trip to Sacrmaento for a second consecutive Open Division state championship and gave the Trailblazers its only loss of the season.
Sierra Canyon finished 31-1, won the section championship and went through the Mission League unblemished.
JuJu Watkins averaged nearly 30 points per game and 15 rebounds. Mckinley Randolph averaged a double-double and Izela Arenas averaged close to 15 points per game. Arenas was superb in the playoffs.
Northwestern-bound Crystal Wang wasa force down low, Sofia Ruelas was a knock-down 3-point shooter and freshman Emilia Krstevski showed the future is bright.
Leia Edwards was another key contributor to a program that won 30 or more games for the second time.
Sierra Canyon coach Alicia Komaki is excited about next year.
Randolph, Arenas and Krstevski will form quite a trio.