Marmonte League girls' basketball race entering final phase
Newbury Park remains undefeated in league play, but Moorpark is right on the Panthers' tail
By Stephen Dorman sdorman@theacorn.com

ADAM DAVIS/Acorn Newspapers FLYIN' HIGH- Alison Turley of Newbury Park converts a layup during last Friday's game against Thousand Oaks. The Panthers have won 25 consecutive Marmonte League contests.

It might not be a date that jumps off the calendar, but Feb. 4, 2005, is an important landmark in the recent history of Marmonte League girls' basketball.

On that day nearly two years ago, Newbury Park High went on the road and was defeated by Westlake 57-49. Since then, the Panthers have been perfect in league play, reeling off 25 consecutive victories.

As this year's Marmonte schedule heads down the backstretch, Newbury Park (15-5, 8-0) currently holds a one-game lead over Moorpark (18-2, 7-1) in the race for a league championship.

Nipping at the heels of the top two teams are Royal (15-5, 6-2) and Agoura (10-10, 4-4).

What's been most impressive about Newbury Park's run this season, perhaps, is that the Panthers have continued to win despite losing their leading scorer, Arlene Harris, to a severe knee injury just days before Christmas.

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers CHALLENGE EVERY SHOT- Westlake's Taryn Sherman, left, lofts a jump shot over the outstretched arm of Moorpark's Megan Natelson during a Marmonte League contest last week.

"Arlene was the nucleus- this is her fourth year on varsity and she plays all the positions," said NPHS head coach Nori Parvin, who's seeking her eighth league title in 33 years at the helm.

"But the chemistry on this team is unbelievable. When Arlene went down everybody knew their roles were going to change. They've been a great group of girls to work with."

Although she's now relegated to the sidelines, Harris, who continues to attend the team's practice sessions and games, remains a vital part of the Panthers' success.

"No matter if I'm playing or not, I'm still one of the captains," Harris said. "I'm going to be here supporting them all the way."

In Harris' absence, many NPHS players have stepped up, notably Doris Park-Sherman, Nikki Graham, Sidney Dobner, Alison Turley and Torri Galaviz.

"Every game it's somebody different or a combination of two or three girls," Parvin said.

If there's a team that's best equipped to challenge Newbury Park's grip on the Marmonte title it's probably Moorpark. The Musketeers have lost only two games this season- one defeat was at NPHS- by a combined 10 points.

Moorpark is led by a trio of talented players who all average double figures in points per game- seniors Tiffany Hurd (18.1 ppg.) and Laura Barker (17.5 ppg.), and junior Lauren Carter (12.3 ppg.).

"This is the third year that six of them have been together on this team," Moorpark head coach Adam Wohlstattar said. "We bring a lot of experience, and that experience has paid off this season. They work hard and play well together."

Carter has pulled off the rare feat of averaging a double-double. In addition to her 12.3 points, Carter's also pulling down 10.1 rebounds per game.

The Musketeers recently welcomed back 6-foot-4 junior center Jessica Kidder. An injury had sidelined Kidder for much of the season.

Despite not having a home court because of renovations at Royal High, the Highlanders have been road warriors this season while playing most of their home games at Moorpark High.

Junior guard Erika Ward has been outstanding for Royal. She leads RHS in points, assists, steals and 3-point shots. Furthermore, Ward ranks second on the team with 14 blocks.

Shana Moore, Kris King, Valery Cunningham, Jen Mosier and Rose Lioy have helped fuel a Highlander offense that's scoring a league-high 65 points per game.

Aside from Royal, Agoura might be the feel-good story of the year.

The Chargers went 1-13 in league play last season and 2-12 the year before that. This year, however, they've made a dramatic turnaround, winning four of their first eight Marmonte contests.

Senior center Taylor Lord has been unstoppable at times for Agoura. She's averaging 16.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.

AHS, who won last year's junior varsity league title, has also received major contributions from Lauren Wells, Sasha Borenstein and Taryn Kurcz.

"They all assumed the challenge of stepping up and playing at the varsity level," Agoura head coach Kenny Golub said. "We certainly have a long way to go, because there are some very talented teams and great coaches out there. But we're on our way to competing with every team in the league."

Westlake (6-14, 3-5) started slow after losing star center Lindsey Williams during the offseason. Since Dec. 20, though, the Warriors are 6-5 overall and find themselves in position to make a run at the league's No. 4 seed and a guaranteed playoff spot.

Four consecutive Marmonte losses have hurt Calabasas' chances of qualifying for the postseason. The Coyotes (812, 26) have received solid contributions from Tori Cusick, Danielle Ploussard and Daniella Turenshine, but the team's lack of a big-time scoring threat could prove costly as the season winds down.

Thousand Oaks (6-14, 2-6) and Simi Valley (4-16, 0-8) are probably still a year away. Kathleen Luft has been a bright spot for the Lancers. She's averaging a team-high 10.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.

All eight Marmonte teams will be in action this weekend. The regular season concludes Feb. 9.

"I expect there to be some intense basketball these next few weeks," Wohlstattar said.