Friday night, the Mater Dei-Brea Olinda rivalry writes another
chapter.
There won't be much of a difference in the setting than when the two last met. For
the second consecutive season, they meet in the CIF Southern Section Division
1AA Championship at the Anaheim Convention Center. The game will be streamed live
here on FOXSportsWest.com
at 8:45 p.m. The Monarchs (28-3) are the top team in the state and ranked
eighth in the nation. They're in search of their fourth consecutive sectional
title. It just wouldn't be right if they didn't have an old nemesis, Brea
Olinda (24-5), in their way. The LadyCats are ranked fourth in the state and
13th nationally. This is the fifth meeting in the last three years between
the two schools. The previous four all had tremendous ramifications. Friday
night won't be any different.
Here's how the previous four battles went leading up to tonight:
minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">March 14, 2009 CIF State Division II Regional
Final — Brea Olinda 44, Mater Dei 38:
Brea Olinda was ranked 30th in the nation; Mater Dei was No. 2, but was young. Furthermore,
the LadyCats had a stranglehold on Orange County and were determined not to be
undermined by the up-and-coming Monarchs. Then-future Cal Poly Mustang Jonae
Ervin had 18 points for Brea Olinda to lead all scorers. The LadyCats forced
the Monarchs into 29 turnovers. Gatorade State Player of the Year, Kaleena
Mosqueda-Lewis, who was only a sophomore at the time, was held to just 10
points. Brea Olinda went on to defeat Carondelet to win its ninth state title
in school history.
minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Jan. 18, 2010 Tony Matson Memorial Classic —
Brea Olinda 47, Mater Dei 43:
The two teams got together for former Orange Lutheran coach Tony Matson,
who passed away nearly a year earlier. It was the first time the two teams met
since Brea defeated Mater Dei in the previous season's regional finals. Facing
a team that lost eight seniors, the Monarchs were recharged and a year older
but still couldn't overcome the mighty LadyCats, who were led by then-sophomore
Jeanier Olukemi's 16 points. Mosqueda-Lewis scored 24 points for Mater Dei but
it wasn't enough. The Monarchs started the game with a 9-0 run but that
evaporated shortly before the first quarter ended. They had to make a late push
after trailing by 10 to start the fourth quarter but Brea was able to hold on. At
the time, the LadyCats were eighth in the nation. Mater Dei was No. 1.
March 20, 2010 CIF State Division II Regional
Final minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">—minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"> Mater Dei 51, Brea Olinda 46:
The two met in the Southern California Division II Regional Championship for
the second consecutive season. Mater Dei's only two losses over the last two
seasons had been to the LadyCats. On this Saturday afternoon, it got over the
hump avenging its only loss of the 2009-10 season. Jessica Duarte had 17 points
and nine rebounds to pace the Monarchs. Mosqueda-Lewis chipped in 16 as the
Monarchs advanced to and won the state championship for the first time since
1996. The LadyCats were without UCLA-bound point guard Alexis Perry, who tore
her ACL earlier in the state tournament. Still, Brea Olinda had its chances,
leading by six at one point in the second half. Mater Dei left the door open by
missing 16 free throws, but Brea Olinda didn't help its own cause by turning
the ball over three times in the final 2:30. There was also some controversy
with Brea Olinda coach Jeff Sink receiving a technical foul with 30 seconds
left. Iowa State-bound Kelsey Harris was fouled and made 1-of-2 free throws,
cutting the deficit to four points. Sink thought she was fouled while taking a 3-pointer
and was upset she didn't get three free throws, prompting the technical. Mater
Dei was awarded two free throws — but missed both — and the ball, as a result
of the Sink’s T. After the win, Mater Dei players held up a No. 10 jersey in
honor of Bri Matthews, the Mater Dei softball player who committed suicide
earlier that year.
March 4, 2011 CIF Southern Section Division 1AA
Championship minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">—minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"> Mater Dei 63, Brea Olinda 54:
It was a matchup of the top two teams in the nation for the CIF Southern
Section Division 1AA Championship. Mater Dei entered No. 2, Brea Olinda was No.
1 and undefeated. Each team was vying for their third consecutive sectional
crown, but Mater Dei prevailed, in part to unveiling a 1-3-1 zone for the first
time all season. The LadyCats made it interesting. They fought back from
numerous double-digit deficits, including a 15-point margin in the fourth
quarter to get to within five points. Three Monarchs scored in double figures –
then future UConn Husky Mosqueda-Lewis (16 points), future Cal State Northridge
Matador Duarte (12), and future USC Trojan Alexyz Vaioletama (11). The Monarchs
went on to win the state title in an epic performance by Mosqueda-Lewis. The
senior scored 33 points in her final game in a Mater Dei uniform to lead the
Monarchs to a win over Berkeley claiming back-to-back state and national
championships.
