Sonoma girls out-buzz Hornets

The last time the Sonoma Valley High School varsity basketball girls battled nonleague foe Novato was in last year’s postseason, when they lost and were eliminated from the North Coast Section Division-3 playoffs by their Marin County neighbor.

Though both team rosters have changed with the new school year, the Lady Dragons still got a touch of payback on Novato Tuesday night in Pfeiffer Gym.

Powered by junior Jenny Eggers’ double-double, that began with three straight treys to open the game, Sonoma surged out of the gate with a 16-0 run and applied a stifling defense that left the staggered visiting Hornet girls staring at an 18-2 first-quarter deficit.

After a low-scoring second quarter yielded a 23-9 halftime advantage, which then stood at 33-18 with an evenly played third period, the Lady Dragons broke the game open with a 12-2 run to start the fourth quarter and cruised to a 47-24 victory.

Leading Sonoma were Eggers’ game-high 21 points and 14 rebounds; junior Emma Stanfield’s seven points and seven rebounds; sophomore Kayla Field’s seven points, three rebounds and two assists; junior Sami Von Gober’s four points and three rebounds; senior Sierra Lilly’s three points and three rebounds; senior Alexa Hall’s three points; junior Renee O’Donnell’s two points, four rebounds and one blocked shot; junior Bella Bollman’s six rebounds and two assists; and senior Shelby Camilleri’s four rebounds and two steals.

Rounding out Sonoma’s varsity girls’ roster – directed by head coach Sil Coccia and assistant coaches Dino Minatta and Sheila Brady – are juniors Rocky Darnell, Annie Greenslade and Heidi Landeros; and sophomore Grace Cutting.

The Lady Dragons are currently on their yearly holiday season trek into the Arizona desert, where they’re competing in the annual, and challenging, Cactus Jam, which starts today and runs through Tuesday, Dec. 30.