The Lady Jaguars survived an early litmus test in preseason varsity basketball action last weekend, winning one of three games played in a tournament hosted by Dublin High School.
The Jags (2-3) opened the tourney on Nov. 29 against Livermore, riding the wake of freshman guard Grace Boyle to post a 58-37 rout. Boyle flashed her perimeter shooting skills in knocking down four shots from beyond the three-point arc for a team-leading 18 points. Other strong performances were had by senior guard Tori Russotti (16 points, 4 threes) and freshman forward Meredith Gilbertson (11 points, 12 rebounds).
Windsor squared off with Division 1 power Heritage on Nov. 30, never recovering from a slow start to fall 75-26. Maddie West led the team with seven points.
“We got beat up pretty good,” Jag’s coach Joe Passalacqua said. “Starting three freshmen against a top 10 team in Northern California is an eye opener for them and a learning experience for the whole team.”
Windsor took on Castro Valley on Dec. 1 in the battle for third place, playing on even terms until late in the third quarter. The Trojans gained separation late in the period en route to a 69-42 Castro Valley victory. Top scorers were Russotti (16) and Boyle (9).
“We struggled shooting the ball in this game and simply committed too many turnovers,” Passalacqua noted. “All in all, I think we’ll be better in the long run from playing against tough competition. The girls will continue to grow and by the time we hit league, I’m expecting a big improvement from our young squad.”
Windsor tourney on tap
At press time the Lady Jags were preparing for a Dec. 3 clash with Healdsburg, and will host the annual holiday tournament this weekend (Dec. 6-8) in the main gymnasium. Participating teams include Windsor, Vanden, Montgomery, Amador Valley, Del Norte, St. Bernard’s Napa and Rincon Valley Christian.
