11SportSFeb. 10, 2012

Iliad

BRENDA MARTINEZ-GONZALEZCopy Editor

RYAN SULLIVANStaff Writer

Dunked: The Titan boys’ varsity basketball team is nearing the end of their league season with a record of 5-2. Sophomore Tommy Erb shoots to score in efforts to beat Torrey Pines on Feb. 7. LEAH SARNOFF// The Iliad

get the play by play at www.powayiliad.com

With a record of 17-4, Poway High girls’ varsity basketball team has made it clear that they are aiming to win a CIF title this year.

After multiple consecutive wins under the direction of Jay Trousdale, Poway entered league season feeling confident.

The Titans came prepared to play longtime rival, Mt. Carmel, on Jan. 30.

After trailing in the first half by as many as 14 points, the Titans came back to win 47 to 39.

The Titans worked hard to hold Mt. Carmel to merely one point in the fourth quarter. This achievement was largely because of the defensive tenacity of both Tiffany Tate, who scored ten points, and Mandy Castro, who contributed 17 points the game.

“Mandy led the fourth quarter with crucial steals that led to baskets,” Trousdale said.

Much of the team’s success has stemmed from the leadership of coach Trousdale.

Trousdale, who has led the Poway girls basketball program for the past 24 seasons, is not an amateur.

With over 500 career wins, Trousdale is extremely experienced and has consistently coached Poway

basketball teams to the top of one of the hardest leagues in the nation.

As league continues and CIF approaches, the team is confident, yet aware of the touch competition that

lies ahead. “We are happy with our performance, but plan to keep working to win a CIF title,” senior Jessica Larsen said. “

[We] plan to keep working to win a CIF title.” //Jessica Larsen

MAURA DUGGANStaff Writer

One small step for girls’ basketball, one giant leap for TrousdaleWhile the varsity girls’ basketball team grabs another win as they approach CIF, coach Trousdale reaches landmark 500th win.

fly right by

The disappointing 63-50 loss at Torrey Pines on Tuesday night was technically to the Falcons, but it really was not a team effort. Boston College commit Joe Rahon led Torrey Pines with 33 points (more than half of the team’s total scoring), and seemingly could not miss a shot he took. His consistency and Poway’s inconsistency made it difficult to close the gap, resulting in a nine point Falcon lead at the conclusion of the 1st quarter.

A sudden offensive surge at the beginning of the 2nd quarter powered Poway to within three points, but then the Joe Rahon show took over. “Defensively, we couldn’t stop him. We let him do what he wanted and nobody stepped up,” guard H u n t e r R o g e r s said. Rahon scored all of Torrey’s 12 points in the 2nd quarter, leading the Falcons to 14 point advantage at the half — one the Titans unfortunately never recovered from.

The previous meeting with Torrey Pines back on Jan. 20 was a thrilling overtime 54-51 Titan victory. In both games, the Titans struggled to contain Rahon, but in the previous victory, the offense flowed well, leading to the first victory over the Falcons since 2006. Last night’s offense was a different story. A

plethora of costly turnovers hindered any effort to stage a comeback and led to a number of points on the opposing scoreboard. Furthermore, the offense lacked the spark and flow of the previous meeting and is best characterized as clustered confusion.

Attempts to move the ball inside and score in the paint were stifled by turnovers and missed lay-ups, while outside shooting was mediocre at best.

Since a frustrating loss to a shorthanded El Camino team on Jan. 13, the boys have been playing well, winning six of their last seven games prior to last night’s defeat. The defeat exposed a number of flaws in the offense, but more importantly, team chemistry. The team understands a number of improvements must be made,

s o m e t h i n g Rogers believes is because, “the group is kind of divided, and I don’t feel like we’re playing

all together.” Yet, the team is still confident

in their chances and maintained that having worked so hard and dreamed about the chance to get a ring, they are not going to let it just slip away.

A league championship is still within reach, and a CIF title is always on their minds.

Expect the Titans to bounce back with a convincing victory on Friday at Ramona.

Titans let Falcons

“The group is kind of

divided, and I don’t feel like we’ve been playing together. ” //Hunter Rogers