Del Oro punches title game ticket on Parry's game-winner

It's been quite the senior season for Del Oro's Madison Parry. The four-year varsity Golden Eagles player broke the school's all-time scoring and rebounding records earlier this season. She surpassed the 1,000-rebound milestone during Sierra Foothill League play. Monday, Parry helped send the Golden Eagles somewhere they haven't been in nearly a decade. Despite fighting foul trouble for most of Monday's Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinal at Laguna Creek High, Parry came through when her team needed her most. In a tied game with just 28 seconds left, Del Oro came out of a timeout with a poised, patient possession that ended with a Parry layup in the lane with three seconds left on the clock to give the Lady Eagles a two-point lead. Del Oro came up with the defensive stop in the final seconds to hold on for the 53-51 win, advancing the Golden Eagles to their first Sac-Joaquin Section championship game since 2011. "This is what we've been working for all year long," said Del Oro head coach Shawn Huckaby. "Madison's been talking about this for four years. It doesn't even seem real right now. But the girls are excited." With an electric crowd backing the second-seeded Lady Cardinals, Monday's seesaw battle never saw a lead by either team grow bigger than five points. And with Laguna Creek's Ahrray Young dropping 27 points, it came down to Del Oro getting defensive stops in the fourth quarter. "It was intense, but we knew that if we stopped them and played good defense, we'd have a good chance to win," said Parry, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. Del Oro would not have been in a position to win without the efforts of those who stepped up while Parry was benched with early foul trouble. "When I was out, I knew I could help the team by cheering," Parry said. "So, I cheered my butt off. So, I made sure to help them when I wasn't on the court." Sophomore Madison Butcher had a career-high 19 points with a relentless pursuit of the offensive glass and timely 3-point baskets. Sophomore Livi Wood had 12 points while Maya Strautman and Gabby Kime platooned for stout interior defense, combining for 14 rebounds and four blocks. Despite going scoreless, point guard Natalie Moulos set teammates up for easy buckets with eight assists, and Emerson Taylor showed a confident 3-point stroke. Madison Smith also collected three boards in limited minutes. Thursday, No. 3 Del Oro (22-9) will take on No. 1 Antelope (28-3) for the Division II championship at Golden 1 Center at 6 p.m. Del Oro owns two Sac-Joaquin Section banners with the most recent one coming in 1999 – before any current Golden Eagles player was born. Lady Falcons fly into D-V championship game The top-seeded Colfax girls utterly dominated No. 5 Ben Holt 72-11 in the Division V semifinals to punch their ticket to Friday's 10 a.m. title game at Golden 1 Center. Colfax (26-4), which had a first-quarter lead of 35-2 and a halftime lead of 53-4, reaches its second section final in the last three seasons. The Lady Falcons own 10 total banners, which is tied for third-most all-time in the SJS, and will play No. 2 Golden Sierra (14-10). VCA, Forest Lake set up finals rematch The Division VI final will be a rematch of last season's championship game between No. 1 Valley Christian Academy and No. 2 Forest Lake Christian. VCA fended off No. 4 Ripon Christian Monday with a 56-53 win behind the Williams sisters, Christelle (21 points) and Gracie (16). Forest Lake, meanwhile, defeated No. 3 Sacramento Adventist 57-35 with a balanced effort from Amber Jackson (18 points, 8 rebounds), Ali McDaniel (11 points, 9 rebounds, 7 steals, 6 assists), Sadie Whaley (15 points, 3 steals), Ellie Wood (7 points, 8 steals) and Jessi Dreschler (4 points, 10 rebounds). VCA defeated Forest Lake last season in the finals 56-50, but the Lady Lions and Lady Falcons split two meetings this season. VCA looks for its fifth section crown while Forest Lake, which has been the runner-up in each of the past two seasons, pursues its fourth. Granite Bay goes tit for tat with top-ranked St. Mary's Granite Bay hung tight with nationally ranked St. Mary's in Stockton Monday, but ultimately succumbed to the Lady Rams in the Division I semifinals 68-59. The Lady Grizzlies were within two points late in the first half against the program that has won 12 straight section titles entering this season. "People all year keep doubting us and my girls play hard not to get some respect," said Granite Bay head coach Paul Shafto. Granite Bay (20-9) still has games to play, however. For reaching the D-I semis, the Lady Grizzlies qualify for the NorCal Tournament, which begins March 3.