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Dragons split Foundation Games

Sonoma girls upend Newman, boys fall at Casa, host opener Saturday

In Tuesday evening’s unofficial opening of the 2012-13 winter sports seasons for Sonoma Valley High School’s boys and girls’ varsity basketball teams, which played in the annual Foundation Games, the coaching staffs for both Dragon squads got a good preview of where they stand heading into the official season-openers.

While the annual Foundation Games – which raise money for the student-athlete scholarship fund – don’t officially count in teams’ overall records, they do provide coaches an early competitive atmosphere to hone their squads.

The varsity Lady Dragons hosted a good Cardinal Newman team in Pfeiffer Gym and rallied from a five-point third-quarter deficit with a 19-point fourth-quarter for a confidence-building 53-49 Foundation Game win.

Comprising Sonoma’s 2012-13 varsity basketball girls – directed by head coach Sil Coccia and his assistant coaches Steve Semenero and Dino Minatta – are seniors Kendall Ashe, Ali Romano and Ashley Vail; juniors Madi Burningham, Amanda Lacy, Gianna Monterosso and Megan Neely; and sophomores Mackenzie Albrecht, Alexa Hall and Delaney Swanson.

Leading the Lady Dragons past the Newman girls were Albrecht’s double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds; Romano’s 13 points, including four treys; Swanson’s 12 points and eight rebounds; Ashe’s 10 points, six rebounds and five assists; and Hall’s five points and Burningham’s two.

The Sonoma varsity hoops girls will open the nonleague portion of their official regular season at Novato tomorrow night, Saturday, Nov. 24, before hosting their 17th annual Dragon Classic Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, in Pfeiffer Gym.

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In their Foundation Game in Petaluma, the Dragon varsity basketball boys, competing without their two big post players, faced Casa Grande and dropped a 78-48 decision.

Sonoma’s 2012-13 varsity basketball boys, directed by head coach Dennis Housman, consist of senior Vince Bruton; juniors Vincent Albano, Dario Minatta, Jack Murphy, Matt Robinson and Jesse Summers; and sophomores Cyle Gusse, Alex Gustafson, Tristan Mertens, Trevor Welch and Ryan Wilbanks.

Pacing the Dragons against Casa were Summers’ 19 points, Wilbanks’ eight, Gustafson and Murphy’s seven each, Albano’s four, Welch’s two and Gusse’s one.

The Dragon boys will open the nonleague portion of their official regular season when they host Ukiah in Pfeiffer Gym tomorrow night, Saturday, Nov. 24, with the freshmen beginning at 4:30, the junior varsity playing at 6, and the varsity tipping off at 7:30 p.m.

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Sonoma’s wrestling program continues its workout sessions in the refurbished campus wrestling room in preparation for an early December start, with the annual parents meeting slated for 6 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 29, at the SVHS Library.