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The Yosemite High girls basketball team opened its campaign for its 10th straight league championship with the 44-39 win against Sierra Jan. 18. It was Sierra that ended the Badgers 72 league win streak last year on the Badger's home court.
The Badgers nine league crowns include eight outright and one shared after Sierra went on after that upset victory over the Badgers to win the 2011 CIF Division-4 title.
Sierra had high hopes this season of knocking Yosemite out in the first league game of the season by returning to the site of that momentous upset.
Coming into the game, the Chieftains were ranked No. 2 in D-4 while the Lady Badgers were unranked in the Section Top Ten for the first time in eight seasons.
Yosemite did not do much in the first quarter to give an indication that Sierra's hopes were unfounded. The Badgers missed all eight of their free throws and numerous inside shots and fell behind13-3 after the first quarter. The team fought back to get within six points at halftime, 20-14.
With 2:38 left in the third quarter, a driving lay-up by Julia Walsh tied the game at 22 each.
The Badgers, led by Rylie McConnell's 8 points in the third period, were only two points behind going into the fourth period, 32-30.
Finally, after making some free throws and playing its signature zone defense, Yosemite was able to pull ahead and take a 44-39 victory.
The difference in the game was Yosemite holding Sierra to seven points in the second and fourth quarters.
McConnell finished with 13 points and fellow sophomore Kaley Mumm added 10. Sophomore Sierra Dominici had five points while Jensen Eames, Mattaya Brown, Walsh and Dahlia Lopez all contributed four points to the winning cause. Eames pulled down 12 rebounds in a stellar defensive performance.
Sierra was led by Amanda Bewick's 10 points while Claire Henkle added 9 and Casey Stark 7.
Second league win
The Badgers followed the midweek victory with a Friday win at Liberty 50-24. The only player in double figures was Dominici with 12 points while McConnell had 9, Lopez 8, Mumm 7 and Walsh 6.
Yosemite sits atop the league standings with Chowchilla, a team it plays tomorrow night at home. JV game 4 p.m., varsity game 6:30 p.m.
League scores - Jan. 18
Yosemite 44, Sierra 39
Chowchilla 53, Liberty 17
Washington Union 42, Kerman 27.
League scores - Jan. 20
Yosemite (9-9, 2-0) 50, Liberty (3-13, 0-2) 24
Chowchilla (11-4, 2-0) 37, Washington (5-6, 1-1) 34
Sierra (9-7, 1-1) 52, Kerman (1-11, 0-2) 20
