Vaqueros win, no matter what, what

By David Dickens
Updated: January 20, 2018

El Capitan sophomore ODESIA MENDEZ and Steele Canyon's Mya Cross in a Grossmont Valley League game on Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL

EL CAPITAN 53, STEELE CANYON 40

By Dave Dickens

EastCountySports.com

SPRING VALLEY (01-19- 2018) – How does that rap song of this generation go?

“All they do is win, win, win!”

There might be something to that song, an anthem if you will, for the youthful El Capitan Lady Vaqueros, who are hungry and playing like winners, and they’ve been at this level for several years.

Both the El Cap Lady Vaqueros and the host Steele Canyon Lady Cougars have been playing with a high-level of confidence and heart.

The Lady Cougars established the first quarter that their defense was not going to allow the Lady Vaqueros to score at will, as they had to earn every one of those 6 points, and the Cougars would end the first quarter up 7-6.

NO-LOOK MAC: El Capitan freshman Mackenzie Curtis (with ball) is defended by Steele Canyon’s Mya Cross during the Vaqueros’ 53-40 win over the host Cougars Friday night. pic.twitter.com/Z2ioCjzHbB

— Ramon Scott (@RamonScottPoker) January 20, 2018

The second quarter was a complete turn of events, and whether the glass was half-empty or half-full depended on if you were the host Cougars or the visiting Lady Vaqueros.

Lady Vaquero JORDAN GRANDY became the Lady Cougars’ worst nightmare as she put up 18 points out of 25 total scored by El Cap in the second quarter.

Grandy was simply on fire and there was no answer with the score 31-13 Lady Vaqueros at intermission.

Steele Canyon scored the first four points of the second half.

“We couldn’t make our free throws, plus the fact that our defense gave up 25 points in the second quarter,” said Cougars Head coach PETER RUIZ JR.

El Capitan’s JORDAN GRANDY goes up with a shot Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott

The Lady Cougars did outscore the Lady Vaqueros, 27-22, in the second half.

But El Cap got the win, 53-40.

Steele did almost dig themselves out of the hole and fought hard in the second half with a mild comeback.

Eventually the Cougars whittled the lead to single digits at 49-40.

However, the wrath of El Cap’s stellar defense won the contest, their sixth victory in a row.

El Capitan hit a three-pointer in the fourth quarter as the shot clock expired for a 47-32 lead midway through the period.

The Vaqueros are now 9-11, but 2-0 in the Grossmont Valley League, while dropping the Lady Cougars to 7-6, 0-1 in league.

“We have to play four full quarters to win games,” Ruiz said.

“On the bright side we have another match against El Cap, but first things first, we have to lick our wounds, regroup, and prepare for El Cajon Valley.”

COUGARS: BOTT 4 rebounds, 2 steals; WADLEY 13 points, two three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 2 steals; CLINE 11 rebounds 3 asst, 3 steals; JORDAN 8 rebounds; CROSS 11 rebounds; ROCHFORD 3 rebounds; BRANDY 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist. RHODES 1 rebound, 1 steal.

VAQUEROS: GRANDY 25 points, 4 3-pointers, 5-for-5 FTs, CURTIS 13 points, 7-for-7 FTs.

The Lady Vaqueros’ next game is at Escondido Adventist Academy (14-1) on Wednesday, January 24 at 7 pm.

The Lady Cougars will face The Lady Braves (7-9, 1- 0 GVL) on Tuesday the 23rd at El Cajon Valley at 6 pm.