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MORAGA — The team picture after the St. Joseph Notre Dame girls basketball team beat Cardinal Newman 67-58 Friday night for the inaugural North Coast Section Open Division title was definitely worth 1,000 words.
Make that a million words.
The top-seeded Pilots held a fan photo of former coach Shawn Hipol, who stepped away in January after a school administrator not in the athletic department advised him to do a better job of holding down the score against inferior opposition.
Days later, Hipol turned in his resignation. The players were furious. They’ve won 17 of 20 since then. Next step for the Pilots (23-7) will be the California Interscholastic Federation Northern Regional. The seeding meeting is Sunday.
“We did this for Coach Hip,” senior co-captain Malia Mastora said. “He means everything to us. We honestly wouldn’t be here without him.”
Hipol wasn’t in attendance at Saint. Mary’s College Friday night. Only his photo was at the game.
Interim coach Brian Sato said he wasn’t surprised that Hipol chose not to attend. “He dedicates so much to basketball and these girls, I think it would be too hard.”
Mastora said the team keeps in close touch with Hipol.
“He’s always sending out texts to us, we always reach out to him,” Mastora said. “He’s like a second dad to us. He is our leader.”
On the eve of Friday’s game, in a text to this news organization, Hipol said, “I am so proud of my kids for their focus, leadership, team spirit in this difficult time. The ability to fight, prepare, and execute is truly amazing to see from this group of young ladies.”
After Hipol resigned, the one-sided scores continued for SJND. It won eight games by 60 or more points. But Hipol was called on the carpet after an 87-point win. The biggest margin of victory after Hipol departed was a mere 84 points.
The game against Cardinal Newman (28-2) was a nail-biter for three-and-a-half quarters, with the lead changing hands 10 times.
But with 5:30 left and Cardinal Newman leading 49-43, St. Joe’s went on a 22-3 run. The Pilots scored 16 in a row at one point.
Makena Mastora began the onslaught with a three-point play, then sophomore Randi Harding nailed a 3-pointer to make it 49-49. Hardi led all scorers with 18 points.
Mariah Harris sank a 3-pointer that gave Cardinal Newman a 52-49 advantage, then Harding scored the next seven points as SJND took back a lead it would never relinquish.
The final minutes might have been different if Cardinal Newman star Anya Choice hadn’t fouled out with 3:23 to go. The UC Santa Barbara-bound guard was in foul trouble for the entire game and was on the floor for less than half of it. Two days earlier in the Cardinals’ 64-59 victory over Salesian in the NCS semifinals, Choice scored 43 points.
“Our goal was to shut down number 10,” Makena Mastora said.of Choice. “We did not want her to take over the game. We wanted to be physical with her. I think we frustrated her.”
A couple of the fouls called against Choice might have been just as frustrating. They certainly angered Cardinal Newman coach Monica Mertle.
Senior Christina Bacci was the leading scorer for Cardinal Newman with 13 points. Mariah Harris had 12 and tri-captain Emma Nordby tossed in 10.
For St. Joseph Notre Dame, Talana Mastoro scored 14 points and Makena Mastora had 12 to go along with Harding’s 18. All three return next season.
Not Hipol.
“He is not coming back,” Sato said.
And Sato?
“I’m a full-time teacher, I’m an (athletic director) at a middle school and I have three children at home under 12,” he said.
“Next year?” Makena Mastora said. “We’ll just have to see how things go.”
