Stovall Lifts Woodbridge to Victory

IRVINE —  With starting forward Melanie Pearson on the bench in foul trouble most of the game, top-seeded Woodbridge needed a lift.

Erin Stovall rose to the occasion, scoring 28 points to lead the Warriors past Cerritos Gahr, 70-63, in a Southern Section Division II-AA semifinal game Saturday at Concordia University.

Stovall scored 14 points in the fourth quarter as Woodbridge held off the Gladiators, who had trailed by as many as 15, but cut the lead to three with two minutes remaining.

Gahr (16-13) had an opportunity to make it a one-point game after Arnesha Patterson stole the ball at mid-court and passed to Monique Whitfield, who missed an uncontested layup.

After Woodbridge increased the lead to 66-60, the Gladiators moved back to as close as three on Kathy Abell’s three-pointer with 1:26 remaining. Stovall then went the length of the court and her off-balance shot in the lane fell through for a 68-63 lead.

Stovall, who overcame early foul trouble, then sealed the victory when she stole the ball after missing two free throws and scored on a layup with 15 seconds left.

“Stovall is going to make sure we get something, whether it’s free throws or a layup, when she goes to the basket,” Woodbridge Coach Pat Quinn said.

Stovall made 10 consecutive free throws at one point in the fourth quarter.

Woodbridge (27-2), which will play Riverside North in the final, also got a boost from freshman Cathy Joens, who had nine points and seven rebounds.

Pearson, who scored 30 points in the Warriors’ quarterfinal victory over San Clemente, and Erin Conley each had nine points.

Nichole Lewis scored 19 points, 14 in the second half, and Whitfield had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Gahr.