Highlander girls' hoops team off to a red-hot start
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

The Royal High girls' basketball team had many items on its holiday wish list, but the one that was at the top is a Marmonte League title.

After finishing in a threeway tie for the league championship with Newbury Park and Moorpark last year, the Highlanders have burst out of the gate on a roll this season. RHS, which has an overall record of 11-3, started out strong in league play with a 2-0 record, including a 60-51 road win against Moorpark.

"This team has a little bit of magic in them," Royal head coach Mike Kohl said. "They've only stumbled periodically, and they're a very tight-knit group. There's a lot of depth on this team, and we have a good mixture of seniors and freshmen."

Leading the way for the Highlanders are seniors Erika Ward and Kris King, the thirdand fourthleading scorers in the Marmonte League. King is averaging 13.3 points per game, while Ward is just behind her at 13.2 points per contest. Ward also leads the team in assists (85), steals (37) and blocked shots (18).

"Erika is very intense, and she's extremely competitive," Kohl said. "She's got a fast motor and a great 3-point shot.

"What I've been really impressed with this year is her defense. She's very tenacious, and she even blocked Moorpark's tall center, Jessica Kidder, in a game. She's not just good on defense- she's Kobe good," the coach said in reference to the Los Angeles Lakers star.

According to Kohl, King is the Highlanders' best scoring option inside. Other teams have figured this out, however, and have been sending many double teams her way. When this occurs, Kohl said the team will often give the ball to senior center Shana Moore.

Moore, the team's leading rebounder (84) and thirdleading scorer (8.6 ppg), is the first four-year starter in the program's history. Kohl said he decided to put Moore in the lineup her first year thanks to advice from his assistant coach, Tom Strassberger.

"In summer ball three years ago, (Strassberger) told me that the first thing I would have to do is start Shana Moore," Kohl said. "It turned out to be great advice."

Moore said she's honored to be the first Royal girls' player to be a four-year starter.

"It's actually pretty cool," Moore said. "I didn't expect it to happen my freshman year, but the other players were telling me that I could start on the varsity squad by the way I was practicing.

"I was real nervous in my first league game, but my teammates calmed me down and told me that I would be fine."

Rose Lioy is another senior who is contributing. The guard/forward is fourth on the team in scoring (6.4 ppg) and second in steals (27).

"Lioy is a very intelligent player," Kohl said. "She's not tall enough and she's not fast enough, but she is skillful enough."

Although Royal has many prominent seniors, the team should be competitive for a while, as RHS features three freshmen already making a huge impact. The newcomers are Kaity Lykins, Chelsea Jacoby and King's younger sister, Gabbi. The three freshmen had their coming-out party against Pacific Hills High earlier this month.

"In regulation against Pacific Hills, Jacoby hit a 3pointer at the buzzer to tie the game. Then (Lykins) hit two free throws to tie the game with a minute left in overtime.

"After we held them on defense, we decided to put in Gabbi King, who had been sitting on the bench for the majority of the game. She was real nervous, but she drove the lane with two seconds left and made a lay-up that rimmed out and then back in for the gamewinning score. She immediately went to the garbage can and threw up."

Ward said she has been impressed with the freshmen, too.

"It's a nice relief for us to have so many scoring options," Ward said. "It makes it hard for teams to doubleteam us. Our freshmen are already really good. We had one of our seniors hurt for a while, and Lykins really stepped up in her place."

Kohl believes the team has the talent to win a tough Marmonte League. Now the squad just has to go out and perform.

"We need to stay focused all the time and continue to practice well," Kohl said. "My players understand that in this league you have to be at your very best every night or you'll be defeated."

The Highlanders' next game is Jan. 3 at home against Thousand Oaks.