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Homestead's Julia Randall goes up over Fremont's Kristin Kam for two of her game-high 15 points in last week's 50-35 CCS semifinal win. After beating Fremont, Homestead beat St. Francis in overtime to claim the CCS championship.
Photograph by Jeff Kearns
Homestead claims CCS title
Mustangs top Lancers in OT to clinch crown
By Dick Sparrer
The Homestead and St. Francis girls basketball had played twice already this year, each team winning one of the two games.
But when they met again last weekend, there was more on the line than just local bragging rights--they were playing for the Central Coast Section Division II championship.
The Lancers had beaten the Mustangs early in the season in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, then Homestead evened the series with a win later in the league campaign.
When they met again on Saturday, the Mustangs nailed a 49-44 overtime victory to break the tie in the mini-series between the two clubs. But, more importantly, the win gave the Mustangs the CCS championship.
Senior Vickie Chiang and juniors Julie Randall and Chris Strombel sparked the Mustangs to the crucial victory.
Chiang was the top scorer for Homestead in the title-clinching win. The 5-foot-9 guard pumped in a team-high 19 points, hitting a pair of three-pointers among her six field goals and adding five points at the free-throw line.
Randall, Homestead's 6-foot-1 center, joined Chiang in double digits with 10 points, three buckets and four free throws, and she led the Mustangs on the boards with 16 rebounds.
Junior guard Chris Strombel fired in six field goals and a couple of charity throws to wind up with 14 points for the winners. Tanya Green added four points and 12 boards, and Andrea Sandoval hit two points to round out the scoring for Homestead.
The Mustangs led by a bucket after a period, 11-9, and upped that lead to six by intermission, 26-20. But the Lancers dominated the third quarter 12-2 to take a 32-28 lead, and Homestead had to battle from behind to tie the game by the end of regulation.
Randall tossed in a jumper at the buzzer to knot the game at 42-42 and send it into overtime. Homestead topped St. Francis 7-2 in the extra period to clinch the win.
Both clubs will advance to the Northern California playoffs this week, but Homestead, by virtue of its win over St. Francis, will open the tournament at home. The Mustangs will put their 22-7 season record on the line March 7, but the opponent had yet to be determined by presstime.
It marks Homestead's second straight trip to the NorCal tournament and second straight CCS championship under second-year head coach Wade Nakamura.
The Mustangs won league and CCS titles last winter, then made it to the finals of the NorCal tourney before losing. Homestead finished the 1999 season with a 30-4 record.
Homestead earned its place in the CCS title game with a 50-35 win over Fremont in the Division II semifinals.
Randall had the hot hand for the Mustangs against the Firebirds. The junior center tossed in 15 points, figuring as the only Homestead player in double figures.
Strombel and Marie Levey supported with eight points apiece for the Mustangs and Chiang added six points. Green hit five, Sandoval four and Stephanie Malcolm and Charlene Jerrett two apiece.
Senior guard Shade Akanbi topped the Lady Birds with 10 points in the loss to Homestead. Josie Wells and Daynelle Parker chipped in with six points each, Kristen Kam hit five, Monique Gammon four, Katrina Ison three and Robin Glass.
The Mustangs outscored Fremont in every period on the road to victory, turning a tight 23-16 halftime lead into a 35-21 cushion by the end of the third period.
Fremont finished the year at 18-11, with senior co-captains Akanbi, Gammon and Wells and senior center Kam all playing their final game for the Lady Birds.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
