Calipatria captures Division 5AA Girls Basketball title
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KYMA) - For the first time in more than 30 years, the Calipatria Hornets Girl's Basketball program are CIF champions, defeating San Diego Academy 38-32 to capture the CIF San Diego Section Division 5AA Girls Basketball title at MiraCosta College.
“This team had a lot of setbacks,” Head Coach Isaiah Spence said before the game. “But the setbacks really made them stronger. A lot of times you lose 30- or 40-point games, blowouts, and they still kept fighting. I think the fight is what keeps them going.”
That fight defined their season and it showed from the opening tip Thursday night.
Calipatria edged out to a 10-8 lead at the end of the first quarter in what quickly turned into a defensive battle. The Hornets carried a slim advantage into halftime, but the second half was a grind. San Diego Academy made repeated runs, cutting the deficit and forcing Calipatria to respond possession after possession.
“There was no panic,” senior Savannah Sadberry said. “The teams we played this season pushed us to play harder and be more of a team. We played through the rough and we played through the good. No matter what, we always tried keeping each other’s heads up.”
Midway through the fourth quarter, with the game hanging in the balance, the Hornets delivered the decisive moment. A key run stretched the lead to six points — their largest cushion of the night — and their defense took over from there.
“For defense, we just wanted it,” Spence said. “We’ve been wanting this since we couldn’t win league. We had to go try to win something bigger, and we stuck to that goal for the past six weeks. Defense came in clutch the past few games, and it did again tonight.”
Calipatria held San Diego Academy to just 32 points, closing out the 38-32 victory as the final seconds ticked away and the celebration began.
Sadberry and Janessa Valadez sparked the offense in a low-scoring championship showdown, coming through with timely baskets when the Hornets needed them most.
“Honestly, it feels amazing,” Sadberry said. “It’s been such a rough year, but we can always depend on one another. We have each other’s backs, and that’s how we got here.”
For senior captain Aubree Dueñas, the win carried extra meaning.
“It feels amazing to be able to do it for our coach,” Dueñas said. “He’s been wanting this for so long. We did it for him, and we did it for each other. It means everything.”
Spence said before tip-off he was most looking forward to seeing his seniors “play their last game together.” Instead of it being just an ending, it became a crowning moment.
The Hornets’ postseason run was dominant. After earning a first-round bye, they rolled past Bonsall 65-10 in the quarterfinals and overwhelmed Liberty Charter 54-12 in the semifinals before surviving the championship test against San Diego Academy.
“This team is different,” Spence said. “They had setbacks, but they never quit. That fight is why we’re here.”
With the Division 5AA bracket not advancing to state, the championship game marked the final chapter of the Hornets’ season and they made sure it ended on their terms.
A season that began with adversity ends with history.
A CIF banner is headed back to Calipatria, and this group of seniors leaves behind a legacy that won’t be forgotten.
