The Presentation girls basketball team opened the West Catholic Athletic League playoffs with a 58-43 win over Notre Dame­Belmont, but the Panthers lost a game later 50-47 to Sacred Heart Cathedral in the league semifinals.

The Panthers, now 21-7 for the year, will advance to the CCS playoffs this week.

Senior center Nicole Yarwasky tossed in nine buckets, including a three-pointer, to lead the Panthers with 19 points in the win over Notre Dame.

Katie Mello had a pair of threes among her four field goals to finish in double digits with 10 points. Hayley Farb had two threes to finish with six points, and Kelly Bertoldo also had six points. Kirian Ishizaki added five points, Nina Hasbany four and Laura Jordan, Francesca Farinacci, Arianna Corona and Jackie Murray two each.

The Panthers took a 38-34 lead into the final period against Sacred Heart, but Presentation lost by three.

Yarwasky topped the Panthers with 23 points. She had a three among her 10 field goals, and she added two points at the free-throw line.

The Panthers (20-6, number one seed) will open the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs at home on Feb. 26, 7 p.m., against Mountain View (12-14, number 16 seed). The winner plays at Gunn on March 1, 1 p.m.


Brandt leads Panthers

Junior midfielder Amanda Brandt knocked in a second-half goal off an assist from senior co-captain Aubrey Ellzey to break a scoreless tie and lift the Presentation girls soccer team to a 1-0 win over Soquel in the CCS Division II playoffs.

The Panthers (13-4-4), the number four seed in the division, were to face number one-seeded Palo Alto (17-0-4) in the semifinals on Feb. 25, 4:30 p.m., at Wilcox. The winner will meet the Mitty (16-4-4)-Notre Dame­Belmont (17-2-5) winner in the CCS championship game on March 1, 10 a.m., at Valley Christian in San Jose.


Scholarship

The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame is now accepting entries from high school juniors and seniors in the annual Art Rosenbaum Sports Writing Scholarship program.

Young journalists can enter sports-related articles published in their high school publications for the chance to win scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 or $1,000.

Articles must have been published between April 15, 2002, and April 15, 2003. The entry deadline is April 15. For more information, call 415.352.8827 or visit www.bashof.org.