Charger girls win two CIF playoff games in hoops

The Agoura girls’ basketball team won its first two California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) playoff games, beating Garden Grove, 57-35, last Thursday and defeating South Torrance, 58-53, Saturday. Both games were played at AHS.

Agoura (18-10) got 16 points from junior center Shannon Kelly, eight coming in the fourth quarter, and 13 points from junior guard Jamie Kogler, five in the fourth quarter, as the Chargers pulled away from Garden Grove (13-13) by outscoring their opponent, 21-6.

"It’s one of the neatest things to happen for the kids," said Agoura head coach Gene Hatton after the win over Garden Grove. "With as much youth as I have, it really adds to what’s going to take place next year as well."

Hatton said playing in the Marmonte League, where Agoura was a second-place finisher at 8-4, helped his team.

"We went through a tough Marmonte League," he said. "We’ve got the capability. Everybody had a chance to work hard and that hard work is paying off now."

In the win two days later vs. South Torrance, junior guard Nicole Cardona led with 18 points and six steals, and Kelly added 14 points, including 10 of 11 free throws. Jasmine Jenkins, a sophomore center, scored 8 points in both wins.

"We have good chemistry on and off the court," Cardona said after the win over Garden Grove. "We’re best friends and we still have all of next year."

Only forwards Jana Sobel and Lauren Windle, and guard Terri Tseng (4 points in both playoff wins), will graduate and not return next year for the Chargers.

"People look at Agoura and think, ‘Small town,’" said Sobel, who scored two vs. Garden Grove and five vs. South Torrance. "They underestimate us. But we’re getting our respect back. We played Newbury Park close, we beat Royal twice and we’re showing what we can do, letting ourselves shine."

How big was it to win that first playoff game?

"It feels so awesome," Kogler said. "I can’t even describe it. No one thought we were going to be good this year, so we’re kind of the underdog, but we got second place (in league) and I’m so proud of all of us. We’ve worked so hard and it’s gotten us far."

Hatton credited senior, Tseng, and other Chargers teammates for lighting a fire for Agoura.

"It’s one after another," Hatton said of his players’ clutch performances. "It’s Terri (Tseng) or its somebody else stepping up and doing the things that have to get done."

After the Garden Grove win, Sobel expressed sentiments that others taking part in the CIF playoffs also feel at many schools in many sports in the Southland.

"I want to carry this as far as we can," she said. "I don’t want the next game to be our last."