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Lady Dragons top Analy, lose Ashe

Sonoma honors seniors Ashe, Vail, Romano; JVs split, frosh win finale

After being honored with their parents before Tuesday night’s regular-season home finale in Pfeiffer Gym, seniors Kendall Ashe, Ali Romano and Ashley Vail delivered inspiring efforts in sparking the Sonoma Valley High School varsity basketball girls to a dominant first-half over Sonoma County League foe Analy.

Still not at full strength with injured sophomore Mackenzie Albrecht, their leading rebounder and second top scorer, missing her fourth straight game, the Lady Dragons rode standout point-guard Ashe’s court leadership and Romano’s eventual record-setting evening to 14-2 first-quarter and 30-12 halftime leads.

Midway through the third quarter of the foul-filled game, Sonoma was holding a 15-point advantage when team captain, Ashe, was sidelined with a badly sprained ankle and the visiting Tiger girls capitalized on the misfortune with a 13-0 run to trail only 40-35 early in the fourth period.

Romano then buried a long three-pointer, which was her girls’ school-record seventh trey of the game, and after one more Analy push cut its deficit to only four points, the Lady Dragons got crucial back-to-back three-point plays by sophomore Alexa Hall and Vail and were able to prevail for a thrilling 54-46 SCL win.

Also contributing to Sonoma’s 10th SCL triumph were junior Giana Monterosso and sophomore Delaney Swanson, who picked up the inside slack after Vail fouled out by playing tough defense and controlling the boards down the stretch.

With the victory, the Lady Dragons played at first-place Petaluma in last night’s regular-season finale – results not available at presstime – with chance to avenge an earlier loss and earn a share of the SCL title.

Leading the Sonoma girl cagers past Analy were Romano’s game-high 24 points, including her record-setting seven treys, and three assists; Vail’s eight points, eight rebounds, three blocked shots, three assists and two steals; Ashe’s eight points, five assists and three rebounds; Swanson’s six points, 10 rebounds and two steals; Monterosso’s three points, a game-high 13 rebounds and two assists; Hall’s three points and three rebounds; and junior Megan Neely’s two points, three rebounds and one block.

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Sonoma’s junior varsity hoops girls split their last two SCL games, routing Healdsburg 57-24 on the road last Saturday, and dropping a 43-34 decision to visiting Analy, who they soundly defeated in their first meeting, on Tuesday.

The jayvee Lady Dragons were led past Healdsburg by Sierra Lilly’s game-high 16 points, Hanna Lemaire’s 12, Sami Von Gober’s nine, Laryssa Baker’s six, Rian Verdu’s four, Shelby Camilleri’s and Angela Fulkerson’s three each, and Ciara Smith’s and Bella Bollman’s two apiece.

Pacing the Sonoma jayvees against Analy were Von Gober’s nine points and nine rebounds; Bollman’s seven points; Camilleri’s six points; Lilly’s five points; Smith’s three points and seven rebounds; and Baker’s and Lemaire’s two points each.

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Sonoma’s freshman girl cagers ended their impressive season with a 17-7 record after their well-played 51-34 Tuesday night victory over visiting Analy.

The Sonoma frosh hoops girls – directed by head coach Mark Burningham and assistant coach Brittney Rachuy – consisted of Raquel Darnell, Jenny Eggers, Berenice Gonzalez, Annie Greenslade, Renee O’Donnell, Brittany Richards, Emma Stanfield, Tsering Sherpa and Nathalie Vega.

Leading the frosh Lady Dragons past Analy were Eggers’ 19 points and six rebounds; O’Donnell’s double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with four steals and two assists; Stanfield’s nine points, three rebounds, three steals, two blocked shots and two assists; Darnell’s four points, four steals and three rebounds; Greenslade’s two points, six rebounds and two steals; and Richards’ two points and four rebounds.