Jesuit girls open playoffs with a rout

The No. 4 Crusaders rip South Salem 71-37, aim for a trip to 6A tourney

By Miles Vance

The Beaverton Valley Times, Mar 5, 2010

TAKEOFF — Jesuit senior guard Shannen Taylor goes up for a layin during her team’s 71-37 win over South Salem in Tuesday’s first round of the Class 6A state basketball playoffs at Jesuit High School.

Miles Vance / Beaverton Valley Times

BEAVERTON – Hammer down.

Jesuit’s girls basketball team did just that in its Tuesday Class 6A state playoff opener — racing past South Salem 71-37 at Jesuit High School – and the Crusaders would love to repeat that feat again on Friday. The Crusaders (19-6), the Metro League runners-up, will play at Tualatin (20-4) — the Pacific Conference champion — at 7 p.m. Friday with a berth in the eight-team Class 6A state tournament on the line.

“We played them last year in the playoffs and it’s the same team,” said Jesuit coach Mike McNeal. Todd Jukkula is “a great coach and they’ve got some really, really good athletes.”

Regardless of what happens in that game, Jesuit was really, really good in its Tuesday opener against the Saxons (13-10), the third-place finishers from the Central Valley Conference. Jesuit, led by Elizabeth Brenner’s 17 points and 16 from Alyssa Martin, were up just 12-8 midway through the first quarter, but left South Salem in the dust quickly after that. The Crusaders outscored the Saxons 59-29 the rest of the way and moved within one game of their second straight state tournament appearance — the team was fourth at state in 2009.

“We wanted to go into this game and make a statement about how we think we are one of the top teams in the state,” said senior post Carly Wellington, who led her team in rebounding and scored nine points. “We know we have such a tenacious defense that a lot of teams are going to struggle against it.”

“Since it’s playoffs now, it’s like a whole new season, but we just made a pact as a team to stay really aggressive,” added senior guard Shannen Taylor, who knocked down two three-pointers and finished with 10 points in the win.

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