Eagles grab share of first Grossmont title in nine years
- Updated: February 17, 2016
2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (2-17-16) — DARIEN COSSIO erupted for 16 points as the host Eagles flew to a 30-11 first quarter lead and continued on to mash Madison Avenue rival El Cajon Valley 84-56 in Tuesday’s (Feb. 16) Grossmont Valley League contest.
Cossio finished with 23 points, including 6 treys and hitting 7 of 11 from the floor and 3 of 4 from the free throw line.
The victory clinched the GVL championship for Granite Hills for the first time since 2006.
DAVID SETTERBERG also hit 7 of 11 from the field including a pair of treys for 19 points to help the Eagles (8-1) blow off the Braves (2-7).
MARIO MEZO punched in 12 points – all coming from long distance – as Granite Hills finished with 15 three-pointers.
The Eagles also registered 15 assists. RYAN KELLY led the Eagles on the boards by collecting 11 caroms, while JAKE BURTON picked 10 ricochets off the glass.
“This was a pretty important game for us,” said Granite Hills coach RANDY ANDERSON. “We’ve been playing extremely well of late, so to come away with a league championship is special.”
Granite Hills: Darien Cossio 23 (1 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), David Setterberg 19 (6 reb, 5 ast), Mario Mezo 12 (2 reb, 1 ast), Erin Swinson 9 (2 reb, 1 ast), Jake Burton 8 (10 reb, 1 ast), Ryan Kelly 5 (11 reb, 4 ast, 1 blk), Wyatt Mason 5 (8 reb), Cameron Spitzer 2 (2 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl), Dylan Garcia 1 (5 reb), Aaron Cobb (1 reb).
El Cajon Valley: No report.
MONTE VISTA 66, EL CAPITAN 55 – Although it was a time for celebration in the Monte Vista huddle, Monarchs’ coach MIKE TULLY is not fond of the extracurricular activities of Senior Night, which took place in Tuesday’s (Feb. 16) encounter against El Capitan.
“It’s so distracting,” Tully said. “We have players trying to do things out of their realm just to impress the fans. That takes us out of our game, and has been known for years to cost us games.”
Not this time.
The Monarchs, led by the double-double of 22 points and a dozen rebounds by DEONDRE McHAYLE, defeated the Vaqueros in Tuesday’s (Feb. 16) contest and kept their slim Grossmont Valley League chances alive.
If Monte Vista can end the regular season with a victory over El Cajon Valley, and Granite Hills stumbles against Mount Miguel in Friday’s (Feb. 19) finale, the two teams will share the league laurels.
Not likely.
Mr. BO RANKINS scored a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, while SHAI STEVENSON scooped in 12 points and wrestled down 14 rebounds, dished 5 assists and made 4 steals for the Monarchs, and TERRY BONE pitched in 10 points.
In a losing effort for El Capitan KADE KYGAR hammered in 29 points including 5 treys and 8 of 10 free throw shooting. DOMINIC IUDICIANI added 13.
Monte Vista: Deondre McHayle 22 (12 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl), Bo Rankins 14 (10 reb, 2 ast), Shai Stevenson 12 (14 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl), Terry Bone 10 (5 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Tre Owens 7 (7 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl), Derrick Wiley 1 (3 stl).
El Capitan: Kade Kygar 29, Dominic Iudiciani 13, Devin Dulay 7, Brendon Head 4, Donald Irvin 2.
SANTANA 58, MOUNT MIGUEL 50 – The Sultans used a balanced scoring attack to knock Mount Miguel out of the league title chase with a 58-50 nod in Tuesday’s (Feb. 16) Grossmont Valley League game.
Nine Sultans scored in the siege of the Matadors, who didn’t come to life until the final quarter when they upended Santana 26-13. For Mount Miguel it was too little, too late.
The Matadors staggered for 9 points in the middle two quarters. Mount Miguel scored 4 points in the second quarter and 5 in the third.
The Matadors scrambled back to trail by just six points with four minutes to play.
“We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Rowlett said.
FRANKIE GUTIERREZ paced the Sultans with 14 points, SAGE HICKS added 11, and MITCHELL MILLER and ANTHONY ROMERO contributed 10 points apiece.
Mount Miguel was led by DARIAN NORWOOD who registered a game-high 19 points and 16 rebounds. JAMES ALLEN added 13 points as did TAJ TUCKER.
Santana: Frankie Gutierrez 14 (7 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl), Sage Hicks 11 (2 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk), Mitchell Miller 10 (4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk), Anthony Romero 10 (2 reb), Trent Baugh 7 (5 reb, 1 ast), Taylor Rivers 2 (7 reb, 1 ast), Noah Nunez 2 (1 reb), Daulton Barry 2 (5 reb, 9 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk), Cooper Mendoza (1 stl).
Mount Miguel: Darian Norwood 19 (16 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), James Allen 13 (2 reb, 1 stl), Taj Tucker 13 (2 reb, 1 stl), Devon Brown 7 (7 reb, 1 ast), Trevon Allen 4, Chris Thompson 3 (1 reb, 1 stl), Marquis Neal 2 (4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl), Andres Cox (4 ast), Justice Chima (4 reb).
