Sonoma’s Lady Dragons impress with pair of thrilling victories

After an up-and-down nonleague preseason, the defending champion Sonoma Valley High School varsity basketball girls finally found their team groove, and are making a strong push to realize their goal of winning a second straight SCL title.

Since they won their league opener against Elsie Allen, the Lady Dragons had been upended only by Analy in Sebastopol in capturing five straight SCL victories leading up to last Thursday’s crucial rematch in Pfeiffer Gym with their longtime rival.

Facing the must-win showdown against the visiting Tiger girls, who were all alone atop the SCL with an unbeaten league record, Sonoma stepped up with heightened defensive pressure and a offense fueled by reigning SCL most valuable player Jenny Eggers. After a seesaw first half, which saw the lead change hands several times, the Lady Dragons used a 25-17 second-half run to secure the 44-35 triumph.

“Our defensive intensity and rebounding were significant factors,” said Sonoma head coach Sil Coccia. “This win puts us squarely back in the (SCL title) hunt and provides positive momentum going into our final four league games.”

Leading Sonoma were senior Eggers’ 13 points and 12 rebounds; senior Renee O’Donnell’s eight points, nine rebounds and one blocked shot; junior Grace Cutting’s eight points and seven rebounds; sophomore Amy Stanfield’s seven points, six rebounds and four assists; junior Kayla Field’s five points and three rebounds; and senior Sami Von Gober’s three points, four rebounds and a block.

Just two days after their clutch SCL win over Analy, on Saturday Jan. 30 at Pfeiffer Gym, the Sonoma girl cagers hosted a nonleague game against a Tamalpais team that came into town with a 19-2 overall record, tied for first place in the Marin County Athletic League and ranked fourth in North Coast Section Division-3.

Buoyed by another hard-playing defensive effort, the Lady Dragons grabbed a seven-point halftime lead, but the tough Tam team battled back to take a six-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

As the quarter wore on the Lady Dragons wore down their opponents and drew even as the final bell neared. Finally senior Emma Stanfield netted a free throw with no time remaining, and the team claimed a thrilling 43-42 win.

“This was a tremendous win coming off an emotional game against Analy, and against a really good Tamalpais team that we’ve never beaten in more than 15 years,” said Coccia. “Just a great high school basketball game in which our girls proved we can play with the better teams in the area.”

Leading Sonoma past the visiting Tam girls were Eggers’ second straight double-double, including 20 points and 10 rebounds; Cutting’s 11 points with three treys; O’Donnell’s eight points, nine rebounds and three assists; Emma Stanfield’s four points; and Amy Stanfield’s three rebounds and two assists.

Now riding a seven-game winning streak and back on top of the SCL standings, the Lady Dragons (7-1 SCL record, 14-8 overall) hit the road for three straight league games starting, tonight in Forestville against El Molino