The Sedona Red Rock High School boys and girls basketball teams continue their march to a Section I title and top 10 ranking in Division IV after double-digit home wins Monday, Jan. 18, over Northland Preparatory Academy.
While the girls used turnovers and three-point shots to run away from the Spartans, 51-15, the boys used balanced scoring and consistent attacks on the rim from junior forward Dawson Stevenson to pull away in the second half, 48-36.
The two-loss Scorpion teams have both won their last two games heading into late-week battles with sectional contenders Alchesay and Round Valley high schools.
Head coach Dave Moncibaez’s sophomore guard Liza Westervelt has been the primary beneficiary offensively, leading the Scorpions in scoring with points off turnovers as well as a hot early hand from three-point range. In the first quarter alone Saturday, Jan. 16, she hit five threes to fuel a 62-18 dismantling of Joy Christian School.
A second-quarter three-point-shot by the Eagles was their only scoring the entire first half. Westervelt and the rest of the Scorpions defense, even in the absence of Hannah Ringel and fellow starting junior forward Sophia Perry, held the Eagles to two points in the fourth quarter.
Perry and Ringel, who were on a class trip and unavailable, were not needed, as sophomore Joanne Toscano had 16 points, including three second-half three-pointers. Her scoring, along with senior point guard Annie Parrella’s 12, would be more than enough the rest of the way.
SRRHS has held three of its past four opponents to less than 10 points in the first half of each game. The Scorpions have capitalized so thoroughly off their press that they ultimately outscored those same opponents, 175-52.
Head coach C.J. Sells has had to wring wins out of much slower starts for the boys. Although SRRHS came back to edge Joy Christian, 43-39, on Jan. 16, they only had 15 points at halftime — most of them from Stevenson, the Scorpions only legit scoring threat down low so far this season at 6 feet, 2 inches tall.
Stevenson had more help Jan. 18, as the Scorpions beat Northland Prep, 68-56. SRRHS should improve on a No. 11 power ranking in Division IV by the Arizona Interscholastic Association, one seed higher than the girls.
The next home game for both teams will be Friday, Jan. 22, at 5:30 p.m. against Round Valley High School.
