Sowers opens season, takes two from rival Dwyer

The Sowers Middle School girls’ basketball teams opened up the 2003

season with a pair of come-from-behind victories over Surf City rival

Dwyer before a boisterous crowd at the City Gym.

“You would have never known it was the first game of the season

the way the gym rocked,” said coach Kyle Morita, whose eighth-grade

squad overcame a six-point halftime deficit to squeak past Dwyer,

21-20. “The kids and parents really came out to support them. It felt

more like a championship game.”

Bree Williston, last year’s MVP at the seventh-grade level, had 10

rebounds to go along with six points and four steals, to pace the

Lady Vikings.

Melissa Boyer also was tough inside the paint and matched

Williston with 10 boards and six points.

Natalie Ball hit two free throws in the final minute to put the

game out of reach.

In the late afternoon game, Sowers’ seventh-grade team overcame a

tenacious Dwyer squad to pull out a 32-21 victory.

Dwyer limited the Lady Vikings to just six first half points, but

Sowers returning starter Kelly Peterson led a second half charge as

she matched 10 points with 10 rebounds.

Post player Mary Madden, despite playing much of the game in foul

trouble, finished with eight points and six rebounds. Michelle

Yamasaki, a returning starter off Sowers’ championship team from a

year ago, scored six points.

Newcomer Jordi Booher came off the bench to score four points with

an assist and sixth-grader Danielle Miller scored two points with

four rebounds in her first start.

Sowers next travels to Newport Beach to take on Harbor Day in its

season opener.

Dwyer also will travel to Newport Beach to meet a 1-0 Ensign team.

In National Junior Basketball news:

Registration for NJB Huntington Beach East will be taken from 9

a.m. to noon Sunday the Ocean View High gymnasium.

For more information on the registration, call (714) 842-4662.