VILLA PARK — There were several reasons to get excited about the girls basketball game between Villa Park and Orange Lutheran on Friday at Villa Park High School.
The Spartans and Lancers came into the game – a pool play contest of the Villa Park-Brea Olinda Winter Shootout – ranked No. 5 and No. 7, respectively, in Orange County.
Both teams came into the game undefeated and the schools are only two miles apart.
The game itself, however, wound up being anticlimactic.
Villa Park jumped out to a quick double-digit lead and continued to build on the lead throughout the game, ultimately coming away with a 58-34 victory.
The Spartans (7-0) will take on a second Trinity League team in as many days when they play No. 12 Santa Margarita in the tournament championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles defeated No. 14 Esperanza, 66-54, in in pool play Friday.
Villa Park led by 13 points after the first quarter and held the young Lancers (8-1), who started three sophomores and two freshmen, to under 10 points in the first, second and fourth quarters.
“I think the first quarter determined the outcome of the game,” Villa Park coach Brad Willis said. “We just started with a lot of energy. We were able to get up and use a lot of pressure defense to manipulate the game. I mean, we really, really pride ourselves on playing tough defense. We’re not going to win games by not playing defense.”
Senior guard Madelyn Martinez helped the Spartans to open up a big early lead by scoring 10 of her game-high 18 points in the first quarter.
Martinez added eight in the third quarter.
“I woke up and I was already ready,” Martinez said. “I was already thinking about the game especially because they’re down the street and they’re at a private school so I was definitely prepared and excited for the game.”
Senior Bailey Roczey scored 12 points for Villa Park, including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and sophomore Lauren Wolfe scored 11 points and had seven rebounds.
Despite their proximity the Lancers and Spartans haven’t played in at least a decade.
“We’ve been anticipating this game, honestly, since I was a freshman,” Roczey said. “I’ve been wanting to play them. My brother used to go there too.”
Sophomore Kayla Watanabe scored 10 points to lead the Lancers.
Orange Lutheran went on a 6-0 run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 14. But Villa Park responded with an 8-2 run to take a 20-point lead into the fourth quarter.