Local roundup: TW edges Monache boys

Despite losing to the Tulare Western 46-43 on Thursday at the Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational at Mt. Whitney, it was still an encouraging effort for the Monache boys basketball team.

Monache was able to go down to the wire against a Western team who has already beaten Tulare Union this season despite playing without three players who missed the team bus.

The Marauders and Western were tied 38-38 in the fourth quarter when the Mustangs went on a 6-0 run to take a 44-38 lead. Monache’s Mark Pascual hit a three-pointer to bring the Marauders to within 45-43.

After Monache fouled Western, the Mustangs hit 1-of-2 free throws to take a 46-43 lead, leaving the Marauders a chance to tie the game with 5.1 seconds left. But Monache missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Monache took a 4-0 lead to begin the game before Western came back to tie the score 8-8 after one quarter. Monache went on to take a 24-19 halftime lead as Daniel Hernandez hit a three at the buzzer. The Marauders led 29-24 when Western went on a 7-0 run to take a 31-29 lead later in the third quarter.

Pascual scored 13 points, Geo Escalante had 10 points, Adam Kittrell had eight points and Hernandez added seven points for Monache. The Marauders will conclude play in the tournament at 12:45 p.m. today at Mt. Whitney.

MONACHE GIRLS

Monache lost its last two games of the Stockdale Tournament, falling to Ridgeview 51-39 in the semifinals and Independence 59-55 in the third place game. Monache almost pulled off a huge comeback against Independence as it trailed by 14 points with three minutes left, but cut the deficit to two points with 30 seconds left before falling short. Jenae Alcantar scored 19 points, Emily Hardin had 14 points and Dominique Pilkinton added seven points for Monache. The Marauders had to play the game without top post player Ale Tobie.

Against Ridgeview 51-39. Alcantar scored 17 points and Tobie added six points for Monache.

WASHINGTON UNION 61, PHS BOYS 46

Porterville led 19-13 early in the second quarter, but Washington outscored PHS 18-4 through the rest of the quarter to take a 31-23 halftime lead and continued to pull away in the second half. Porterville jumped out to a 9-3 lead before Washington went on an 8-0 run to take an 11-9 lead.

Isaiah Moreno scored the last five points of the first quarter for PHS, including converting a three-point play after he was fouled to end the quarter to give Porterville a 14-11 lead. PHS took a 19-13 lead on Anthony Flores’ three-pointer. Flores scored seven of Porterville’s nine points in the third quarter.

Washington went on to lead by as much as 44-27 before Zach Hill hit a three to bring PHS to within 44-30 after three quarters. That began a personal stretch of eight straight points by Hill for PHS, which concluded with another three that brought Porterville to within 48-35.

Hill scored 18 points while Flores and Moreno each added 11 points for PHS. But one of Porterville’s top offensive threats, Courtland Duckworth, scored only five points.

PHS also continued to struggle from the foul line. After hitting just 10-of-31 from the line in a 54-51 win over Delano on Wednesday, Porterville hit 7-of-20 from the line on Thursday. Porterville will conclude play in the Wilhelmsen Tournament at 11 a.m. today at Mt. Whitney.

MERCED 85, PC WOMEN 56

Central Valley Conference power Merced took 23 more shots than Porterville College on its way to beating PC at the DeAnza Tournament. Regine Mecenario had 17 points and eight rebounds, Ra-Ra Gomez scored eight points, Danielle Carrillo and Eva Gutierrez each had six points, Jackie Prado had sevn points and six rebounds and Katrina Goulbourne and Maribel Bravo each added two assists for PC.

FRESNO CHRISTIAN 74, STRATHMORE BOYS 52

Jorge Ibarra posted a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, Eddie Lurz scored 12 points and Leonard Massey added eight points for Strathmore in the semifinals at the Laton Tournament. SHS will play in the third place game at 5:30 p.m. today.

WRESTLING

WEST HILLS BASH

Monache had a strong showing on the first day at the tournament featuring 44 teams from across the state as at one point earlier in the day, it was in fifth place. Nine of Monache’s 11 wrestlers are still alive to place as high as third and Matt Gamble went 3-0 at 106 pounds to reach the semifinals and still has a chance to win a title. Six Monache wrestlers made it to the quarterfinals.

“We’ve had a pretty good tournament so far,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said.

Granite Hills coach Marty Kouyoumtjian was also pleased with his team’s showing as four of his six wrestlers are still alive to place as high as third when the tournament concludes today.

Seth Hood (113), Ryan Poe (120), Josh Sibayan (128), Kevin Vaughn (132) and Skylar Shrine (182) all made the quarterfinals for Monache. Granite Hills’ Jose Gonzalez (120) also reached the quarterfinals where he lost to the No. 3 seed from Southern California’s Montclair.

Sibayan beat Granite’s Basilio Arroyo in their first match on his way to the quarterfinals. “That was a real good match,” Demerath said. Arroyo came back to win his next two matches to stay alive for today’s competition.

Also still alive are Monache’s Joey Ryan (3-1, 138), Brian Leypon (145, 3-1) and Justin Fornier (3-1, 152) and Granite’s Martin Ayala (145), who improved to 14-2 by winning three matches by pin after losing his opener and Jairo Madrigal (3-1).

Monache’s other two wrestlers also performer well as Daniel Cruz went 3-2 at 171 and Richie Galindo went 1-1 at 160 before having to withdraw due to an injury. Danny Jaquinde also went 1-2 at 171 for Granite.

Despite losing to the Tulare Western 46-43 on Thursday at the Polly Wilhelmsen Invitational at Mt. Whitney, it was still an encouraging effort for the Monache boys basketball team.

Monache was able to go down to the wire against a Western team who has already beaten Tulare Union this season despite playing without three players who missed the team bus.

The Marauders and Western were tied 38-38 in the fourth quarter when the Mustangs went on a 6-0 run to take a 44-38 lead. Monache’s Mark Pascual hit a three-pointer to bring the Marauders to within 45-43.

After Monache fouled Western, the Mustangs hit 1-of-2 free throws to take a 46-43 lead, leaving the Marauders a chance to tie the game with 5.1 seconds left. But Monache missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Monache took a 4-0 lead to begin the game before Western came back to tie the score 8-8 after one quarter. Monache went on to take a 24-19 halftime lead as Daniel Hernandez hit a three at the buzzer. The Marauders led 29-24 when Western went on a 7-0 run to take a 31-29 lead later in the third quarter.

Pascual scored 13 points, Geo Escalante had 10 points, Adam Kittrell had eight points and Hernandez added seven points for Monache. The Marauders will conclude play in the tournament at 12:45 p.m. today at Mt. Whitney.

MONACHE GIRLS

Monache lost its last two games of the Stockdale Tournament, falling to Ridgeview 51-39 in the semifinals and Independence 59-55 in the third place game. Monache almost pulled off a huge comeback against Independence as it trailed by 14 points with three minutes left, but cut the deficit to two points with 30 seconds left before falling short. Jenae Alcantar scored 19 points, Emily Hardin had 14 points and Dominique Pilkinton added seven points for Monache. The Marauders had to play the game without top post player Ale Tobie.

Against Ridgeview 51-39. Alcantar scored 17 points and Tobie added six points for Monache.

WASHINGTON UNION 61, PHS BOYS 46

Porterville led 19-13 early in the second quarter, but Washington outscored PHS 18-4 through the rest of the quarter to take a 31-23 halftime lead and continued to pull away in the second half. Porterville jumped out to a 9-3 lead before Washington went on an 8-0 run to take an 11-9 lead.

Isaiah Moreno scored the last five points of the first quarter for PHS, including converting a three-point play after he was fouled to end the quarter to give Porterville a 14-11 lead. PHS took a 19-13 lead on Anthony Flores’ three-pointer. Flores scored seven of Porterville’s nine points in the third quarter.

Washington went on to lead by as much as 44-27 before Zach Hill hit a three to bring PHS to within 44-30 after three quarters. That began a personal stretch of eight straight points by Hill for PHS, which concluded with another three that brought Porterville to within 48-35.

Hill scored 18 points while Flores and Moreno each added 11 points for PHS. But one of Porterville’s top offensive threats, Courtland Duckworth, scored only five points.

PHS also continued to struggle from the foul line. After hitting just 10-of-31 from the line in a 54-51 win over Delano on Wednesday, Porterville hit 7-of-20 from the line on Thursday. Porterville will conclude play in the Wilhelmsen Tournament at 11 a.m. today at Mt. Whitney.

MERCED 85, PC WOMEN 56

Central Valley Conference power Merced took 23 more shots than Porterville College on its way to beating PC at the DeAnza Tournament. Regine Mecenario had 17 points and eight rebounds, Ra-Ra Gomez scored eight points, Danielle Carrillo and Eva Gutierrez each had six points, Jackie Prado had sevn points and six rebounds and Katrina Goulbourne and Maribel Bravo each added two assists for PC.

FRESNO CHRISTIAN 74, STRATHMORE BOYS 52

Jorge Ibarra posted a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, Eddie Lurz scored 12 points and Leonard Massey added eight points for Strathmore in the semifinals at the Laton Tournament. SHS will play in the third place game at 5:30 p.m. today.

WRESTLING

WEST HILLS BASH

Monache had a strong showing on the first day at the tournament featuring 44 teams from across the state as at one point earlier in the day, it was in fifth place. Nine of Monache’s 11 wrestlers are still alive to place as high as third and Matt Gamble went 3-0 at 106 pounds to reach the semifinals and still has a chance to win a title. Six Monache wrestlers made it to the quarterfinals.

“We’ve had a pretty good tournament so far,” Monache coach Arthur Demerath said.

Granite Hills coach Marty Kouyoumtjian was also pleased with his team’s showing as four of his six wrestlers are still alive to place as high as third when the tournament concludes today.

Seth Hood (113), Ryan Poe (120), Josh Sibayan (128), Kevin Vaughn (132) and Skylar Shrine (182) all made the quarterfinals for Monache. Granite Hills’ Jose Gonzalez (120) also reached the quarterfinals where he lost to the No. 3 seed from Southern California’s Montclair.

Sibayan beat Granite’s Basilio Arroyo in their first match on his way to the quarterfinals. “That was a real good match,” Demerath said. Arroyo came back to win his next two matches to stay alive for today’s competition.

Also still alive are Monache’s Joey Ryan (3-1, 138), Brian Leypon (145, 3-1) and Justin Fornier (3-1, 152) and Granite’s Martin Ayala (145), who improved to 14-2 by winning three matches by pin after losing his opener and Jairo Madrigal (3-1).

Monache’s other two wrestlers also performer well as Daniel Cruz went 3-2 at 171 and Richie Galindo went 1-1 at 160 before having to withdraw due to an injury. Danny Jaquinde also went 1-2 at 171 for Granite.