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Mater Dei’s girls basketball team will tip off its season Friday buoyed by a slogan that it plans to follow amid the uncertainty ahead.
“All hustle, all Dei,” junior guard Harmony Golightly said.
Daily effort will be the focus for a squad that is facing an injury to All-County forward Kaeli Wynn and adjusting to the graduation of four seniors now playing for Division I colleges.
The challenges for Mater Dei look formidable but the path forward, the players said, begins with an united effort.
The Monarchs, No. 1 in the O.C. preseason rankings, open against Pacifica Christian at Vanguard on Friday at 5:30 p.m. It’s the Tritons’ annual Bring the Rain (toilet paper toss) game.
“(We’re) young, different,” said Jody Wynn, the Monarchs’ second-year coach and Kaeli’s mother. “Early on, it might be tough and might be ugly but ultimately I’m here to prepare them to become the best they can be and have a future collegiately.”
“Other people can count us out but we work really, really hard,” the coach added.
Kaeli Wynn, who signed with South Carolina last week, is recovering from a dislocated knee cap. The 6-foot-1 senior suffered the injury late last season and re-injured it in April.
When the senior committed to South Carolina on Nov. 10, her mother said her daughter’s playing status for this season remains unclear.
“Whenever I’m ready, I’m ready,” Kaeli Wynn said last month.
Mater Dei returns one starter from its final game last season in junior forward Stella Hoss.
The 6-foot-2 Hoss and the 5-foot-7 Golightly offer the Monarchs experience and scoring. They’ll also be counted on for leadership.
“My role is make sure that we stay together,” Hoss said. “I want to be like the glue for the team.”
Senior guard Amiah Lewis will help Golightly at the guard spot.
“I need to have a bigger court presence, talk a whole lot and be aggressive,” said Lewis, who mostly came off the bench last season.
There are several newcomers to watch for Mater Dei, which reached the Open Division playoffs last season in the CIF-SS and CIF SoCal Regional.
Forward Noelle Mulvanny, a 6-foot forward who transferred from Arizona, is a UC San Diego commit.
“I’m more in the paint but I can also extend it out to the 3,” she said of her game. “I want to be that person to keep everyone up even if we’re down.”
The roster also features Ontario Christian transfer Marissa Bishop and freshmen Legend Tyler, Alanah Camacho, Kelsey Godby and Nelly Strong. Bishop and Tyler play forward while the other three are guards.
Coach Wynn said of the 5-foot-10 Tyler, “She’s going to be high-major (conference player in college) when it’s all said and done.”
Kaeli Wynn likes how the Monarchs are retooling.
“We’re always going to play the hardest, put our all into every single game,” she said. “That’s always the standard … Instilling culture early is really, really important.”
Coach Wynn agreed: “We got some pieces. Everybody has to step up a little bit.”
SHORT SHOTS
Kaeli Wynn was named to the watchlist for the Naismith Trophy Girls High School Player of the Year award. …
Mater Dei’s nonleague schedule features several notable matchups. One of the first arrives Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. against visiting West of Utah and Oregon-bound guard La’u Pele Falatea. On Jan. 16, the Monarchs face Christ the King of New York and UConn signed center Olivia Vukosa at the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. …
Sage Hill opens at St. Joseph at the Childress Invitational on Saturday at 6 p.m. The event includes three-time defending state champion Etiwanda and Ontario Christian. …
El Toro’s Thanksgiving Classic begins Monday, Nov. 24 with the host Chargers, Orange Lutheran, San Juan Hills, Canyon and Pacifica Christian among others. …
Fairmont Prep will play Sierra Canyon at the third Pacifica Christian showcase on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The game will air on ESPN+. The host Tritons play Orange Lutheran at 4 p.m. in a game that will stream on League Ready. …
The Troy Hoops Classic runs Dec. 1-6 with Ontario Christian, Sierra Canyon, Sage Hill, Fairmont Prep, San Clemente and JSerra among others. Fountain Valley has joined the tournament as a co-host. …
Myron Jacobs is the new coach at Beckman. He guided Whitney to the CIF State Division IV championship last season. Jacobs replaces Jason Edgmond, now an assistant at Saddleback College. Beckman shifts to the South Coast League from the Sea View. …
Anaheim has named Gus Martinez as its interim coach, athletic director Lanny Booher said. Martinez replaces Vince Gomez, a former Orange County coach of the year who recently resigned after nine seasons. Gomez led Anaheim to six 20-win seasons and seven league titles. …
Canyon post Kyara Vargas signed with Utah Tech. “The strength of my game is my ability to pass and score and be a non-selfish player,” the 6-foot-2 senior said at an O.C. girls basketball media day hosted by Crean Lutheran.
O.C. PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Mater Dei: The Monarchs haven’t lost to an Orange County team the past three seasons but face some questions. Not only did they graduate four college players, including two-time O.C. player of the year Addison Deal (Iowa), the return of Kaeli Wynn (South Carolina) from a knee cap injury remain unknown. The Monarchs remain strong with returners Harmony Golightly and Stella Hoss, transfer Noelle Mulvanny (UC San Diego commit) and some strong freshmen.
2. Sage Hill: The Lightning return their entire starting lineup from a squad that finished as the Division I runner-up at the CIF State championships last season. Texas signee Amalia Holguin again joins forces with senior Alyssa Cuff, junior Kamdyn Klamberg and sophomores Addison Uphoff and Eve Fowler.
3. Fairmont Prep: The Huskies will team All-County selections Adyra Rajan and Sarah Aldeguer with freshman Aaliyah Mack at the start of the season. Transfer Mathis Dritz of Westlake is expected to a big addition after the sit-out period.
4. San Clemente (2-0 entering Thursday): The Tritons return several starters from a team that won the South Coast League title last season and reached the Division 1 quarterfinals. The group features Cal commit Kiley Husbands (Cal) along with Izzy Sims, Ellie Anderson and Reese Tremper. The Tritons’ lineup took a hit with the loss of Santa Clara committed guard Quinsey Bryan to a knee injury, coach Kerri Husbands said.
5. JSerra (2-0): Former Crean Lutheran co-coach Rachael Ziemann takes the reins for an experienced squad that reached the Division 1 playoffs last season. Rosie Santos runs the point for a group featuring All-County forwards Vivian Grenald and Kayla Rice along with Shae Talleur and Addie Nolan.
6. Villa Park (2-0): The Spartans return all five of their starters from a squad that went 24-5 last season and reached the Division 1 playoffs. Captains Bailey Roczey and Olivia Sturdivant anchor a veteran group that includes Madelyn Martinez, Sabina Patel, Suriah Auerswald and Lauren Wolfe.
8. Esperanza: The Aztecs return twins Charlotte (16.6 ppg) and Alexa Muller (11.6 ppg) from a team that finished 20-11 last season and reached the Division 1 quarterfinals. The sisters form a senior trio with forward Ellie Frazier. Aztecs coach Jimmy Valverde said receiving contributions from his sophomore class, including guard Avery Kame, will be important.
8. Santa Margarita (1-1): The Eagles return the majority of their players from a squad that posted a 18-11 record last season and reached the Division 1 playoffs. Point guard Madi Lam and forwards Elle Palmer and Grace Anderson lead a squad that features depth and height. Janaya Williams is a transfer from power Archbishop Mitty in San Jose.
9. Portola (2-0): The Bulldogs return guards Madison Nguyen and Kara Niho from a team that reached the Division II regional semifinals last season. Amelia Booth also is back as one of the county’s top rebounds. If Portola can play pressure defense and knock down shots, it could be headed toward another strong season.
10. Troy (1-1): Kevin Kiernan returns as the Warriors’ coach after leading Mater Dei to two national titles and three state championships during a 17-year run. The Warriors feature one senior with experience from a squad that finished 12-17 last season. Troy will be bolstered by transfers Mei-Ling and Aoki Perry (La Jolla Country Day), Lexi Joko (Orange Lutheran), Riley Almendarez (Pioneer) and guard Kaidyn Kiernan (Mater Dei), the coach’s daughter. The latter three are observing the sit-out period, which ends Dec. 26, so look for Troy to be stronger later in the season.
Also considered (listed alphabetically): Beckman, Orange Lutheran, Rosary, San Juan Hills.
TOP PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sarah Aldeguer, Fairmont Prep, Sr., F
The Princeton commit averaged 15.1 points and 9.3 rebounds last season to help the Huskies reach the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs.
Mathis Dritz, Fairmont Prep, Sr., F
The 6-foot-2 Dritz averaged 22.2 points and 13.4 rebounds last season for a Westlake squad that lost to Esperanza in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs.
Harmony Golightly, Mater Dei, Jr., G
Golightly is a breakout candidate and could emerge as one of the Monarchs’ leading scorers.
Vivian Grenald, JSerra, Jr., F
The 6-foot-2 Grenald is a double-double threat after averaging 15.4 points and 9.0 rebounds last season.
Amalia Holguin, Sage Hill, Sr., G
The Texas signee and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP looks to finish strong after averaging 15.2 points, 4.2 assists and 2.4 steals last season for a state runner-up.
Kiley Husbands, San Clemente, Jr., F
The Cal commit is a smooth operator who doesn’t necessarily need to score to impact the outcome.
Noelle Mulvanny, Mater Dei, Sr., F
The UC San Diego commit brings energy and athleticism to the Monarchs, especially in the paint.
Mei-Ling Perry, Troy, Sr., G/F
The Princeton commit looks like the Warriors’ go-to player and leader after pacing La Jolla Country Day in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (6.0) last season.
Adyra Rajan, Fairmont Prep, Sr., G
The reigning San Joaquin League MVP set the Orange County single-season record for 3-pointers last season with 157. Rajan, who is uncommitted to a college, averaged 22.9 points.
Izzy Sims, San Clemente, Jr., F
Look for the first-team All-County post to build off her averages of 10.6 points and 10.0 rebounds last season.
Kaeli Wynn, Mater Dei, Sr., F
While the playing status of the South Carolina signee is uncertain due to injury, there’s no questioning her skills. She averaged 17 points and 7.1 rebounds last season.