The winter high school basketball season has been thrown into a cloud of uncertainty this week as the number of COVID infections sweeps the county, forcing the postponement of dozens of games throughout the North Bay League.
Healdsburg teams managed just one of two scheduled games last week, with the boys dropping a 65-64 heartbreaker to Cardinal Newman while the Lady Hounds turned back Piner, 56-42.
At press time, both teams were not expected to play any games for at least seven days, with school athletic directors scheduled to meet on Jan. 12 (after press time) to consider contingency plans for the remainder of the season.
“I think we’re just on a pause right now,” HHS basketball coach Kevin Leffew said. “I believe we’ll get back to playing soon, but given the past few years, I wouldn’t bet on anything one way or the other. Omicron is very contagious, but it seems to have been going through a handful or more of the basketball programs throughout Sonoma County over the past couple weeks, so I’m hopeful we’re through the worst of it.”
The HHS girls program has been hit particularly hard this month, with several players on the varsity squad currently in COVID protocol.
“I’m very concerned for the rest of the season,” varsity girls coach Steve Zichichi reported. “They have suspended our season at least for this week and the public schools are having bigger problems with it, as they have not played a league game.”
Boys fall to Newman in opener
The NBL Oak Division opener at Cardinal Newman did not disappoint, as the Greyhounds came up just short of shocking the Cardinals on their home court. The Hounds got off to a slow start, getting into early foul trouble as Newman raced to a 15-6 first quarter lead. Healdsburg regrouped in the second quarter, playing the Cardinals on even terms to trail 31-22 at the half.
“I think for most of our guys, this was a game they’d been looking forward to for a very long time, but we came out a little nervous,” Leffew said. “Once we realized we could play with them, we played well.”
The Hounds continued to chip away at the deficit throughout the third period, but still trailed by eight going into the final period. Healdsburg rode the hot hand of junior guard Sam Vanden Heuvel to pull even in the final minute of the game, but the Cardinals would knock down one of two free throws with one second remaining to escape with a 65-64 win.
Healdsburg fell to 0-1 in league and 7-6 overall, while Newman improved to 1-0 and 9-7.
“Our guys battled back and played so hard,” Leffew said later. “I’m not going to lie, to lose like that after such a tough comeback, hurt.”
Vanden Heuvel led the way with a team-high 22 points, while other top scorers included Graham MacDonald (15 points), Rolando Sanchez (16 points) and Sebby Leffew (8 points).
Ladies run past Piner
The Lady Greyhounds (1-0, 11-5) logged their best game of the season in the NBL opener with visiting Piner on Jan. 5, easily dispatching one of the early league favorites, 56-42.
“All of our hard work during the Christmas break paid off as the girls practiced very hard and had 10 days to prepare for Piner,” Zichichi noted. “They’re seeded very high in NCS Division 3 and have the presumptive player of the year in Sara Tait.”
Things started well enough for the Prospectors, as Tait poured in all 12 of her team’s points for a 12-11 Piner lead after one. The Healdsburg defense came alive in the second period, holding Tait to just one point and the Prospectors to seven as the Hounds surged ahead, 25-19 at the half.
The trio of junior Itzel Ortiz, sophomore Hailey Webb and senior Katy Conrad continued to fuel the Healdsburg offensive attack in the third period, as Ortiz drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to extend the lead to 40-29 after three. The Hounds kept their foot on the gas in the final eight minutes en route to a 56-42 rout.
Ortiz led the way with 26 points, while Webb chipped in 16. Other scorers were Conrad (6 points) and freshman Allie Espinoza (2 points). Tait led the Prospectors with 28 points.
