Girls basketball: Marin Catholic advances to final after upset of San Marin

To say that the Marin Catholic High girls basketball team was hungry for a rematch with San Marin can’t be emphasized enough.

The third-seeded Wildcats opened the MCAL season with a narrow loss to the second-seeded Mustangs a month ago and have been drooling for another shot ever since.

Meeting in the MCAL semifinals on Wednesday night at San Marin, Marin Catholic feasted inside late in the first half and then worked the baseline early in the third quarter en route to a 47-37 victory.

“We have been preparing for this game since our first game of MCALs,” said Marin Catholic senior forward Cecelia Biernat. “We’ve wanted it since then and we’ve worked harder than ever. I think we came in prepared and we got the job done.”

The Wildcats (11-13) will continue their revenge tour on Saturday at 7:30 at Terra Linda High, facing Redwood in the MCAL final. Top-seeded and defending champ Redwood defeated Branson 66-18 in the other semifinal.

Marin Catholic turned a close game into a dominating performance with arguably its best seven minutes of basketball this season. It started with a 5-0 run to close the half and continued in the opening six minutes of the third quarter for a whopping 36-22 lead.

“Biggest game yet, biggest win yet and definitely the one that meant the most to us,” said Marin Catholic first-year coach Rachel Yarnold. “I could not ask for them to play a better game all the way around. Our defense was the best I’ve seen all season. Our offense — we’re finding the right person.”

The right person to get the Wildcats going was Krystal Rose Huff, a 6-foot-2 senior center who came off the bench to dominate the interior late in the first half. Huff scored nine of her 11 points before intermission as the Wildcats jumped ahead 25-20 at the break.

It was Biernat’s turn in the third quarter, repeatedly driving inside with power and determination. Brooke Spagnuolo added two long jumpers during the Wildcats’ 16-2 run that proved insurmountable for the Mustangs.

Biernat led all scorers with 14 points. Lauren Bailey, Simone Claxton and Ella Hyman sparked the Wildcats’ aggressive defense along with Huff.

The Mustangs (18-9) were led by junior guard Eleanna Schram with 13 points. Addy Timmel, Delaney Butler and Abigail Bartholo had six points apiece.

When Marin Catholic and San Marin played back on Jan. 13, the Wildcats lost 46-43. Yarnold knew the second round would be a different story.

“I told them that if we get another chance they’re not going to know the team that played them the first time,” said Yarnold. “It’s a totally different team. I thought everybody followed the game plan. They’ve been practicing so well, they’ve been bonding, they have team meals. They’re just coming together at the right time.”

By virtue of its second-place finish in the MCAL regular season, San Marin received a first-round bye in the playoffs. Mustangs coach Tony Butler said the five-day layoff certainly didn’t help his team, which must now wait nearly another week before opening play in the North Coast Section tournament.

The Mustangs were also hampered by foul trouble, which limited their pressure on the Wildcats’ ball handlers. Both Timmel and Butler fouled out.

“They kind of got into us and we didn’t respond well,” said Butler. “They put us on our heels from the start. They beat us up in the effort category.”

Redwood 66, Branson 18

Kitty White led five Giants in double digits scoring with 15 points to lead No. 1 Redwood to victory in the MCAL semifinals.

Brooke Denler scored 13 points, Jaden Vangorder added 12, plus Phoebe Saibel and Drew Schultz both scored 11 for the Giants (21-6), who will face MC in Saturday’s final at Terra Linda.

Redwood led 20-9 after the first quarter then put the game away in the second with a 21-2 run to take a 40-11 lead into the half.

Ava Gordon led the No. 4 Bulls (16-12) with five points.