EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
SDS CIF DIVISION I PLAYOFFS
EL CAPITAN 72, FALLBROOK 54
EastCountySports.com
LAKESIDE – In a Division 1 first-round matchup Tuesday night, No. 6 seed El Capitan High School shook off an early deficit and surged past No. 11 Fallbrook, 72-54, to advance convincingly.
The Vaqueros trailed 16-10 after the opening quarter as Fallbrook controlled the tempo early behind Morgan Hegel and Grace Nordeen. But that six-point edge quickly evaporated.
El Capitan flipped the game in the second quarter and never looked back, outscoring the Warriors by 23 points over the final three periods to turn a tight contest into a runaway.
Madison Zarzan led a balanced offensive attack with 21 points, knocking down perimeter shots and providing timely scoring during the momentum shift.
Keira Heinricy, who recently committed to Hawaii Pacific, added 18 points with strong interior finishes and free-throw efficiency, while Kennedy O’Neil contributed 16, attacking downhill and sparking the decisive third-quarter run. Elena Seeno chipped in 10, including key fourth-quarter buckets, and Sasha Parker added eight.
After taking a narrow one-point lead into halftime, El Capitan delivered the knockout blow in the third quarter, stretching the margin to double digits behind defensive pressure and efficient half-court execution.
The Vaqueros then closed with a 24-point fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
With the win, El Capitan moves on in a Division 1 bracket that saw higher seeds largely hold serve, including No. 1 Imperial and No. 2 Rancho Bernardo advancing comfortably.
The Vaqueros now carry momentum into the next round after turning an early test into a strong statement victory.
