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Monday, Apr. 12, 2010 | 09:00 PM
School: Clovis West
Season records: 10-0 Tri-River Athletic Conference, 27-5 overall
Central Section Division I championship: Defeated Stockdale 66-38
Final state ranking: No. 14 overall and No. 4 in D-I by Cal-Hi Sports
Career records: 124-30 with three section titles in five years at Clovis West; 364-125 with eight section titles and one state title overall (includes 11 years at Reno High)
For all his accomplishments in a five-year Clovis West High coaching career that counts 124 wins and three Central Section titles in girls basketball, one of Craig Campbells most significant feats came away from the court.
It occurred on March 7 in a California Interscholastic Federation office in Los Alamitos, where the Golden Eagles were seeded second in the Southern California Division I Regional.
This represented respect for Clovis West and the Central Section, which, historically, has received little of it in a tournament dominated by SoCal programs.
The Golden Eagles would not win the regional championship, but they got there, hanging tough for three quarters before losing 68-53 to a 30-2 Long Beach Poly team ranked fifth in the nation.
It was first time in 10 years a Central Section team reached the D-I final (Hanford lost in 2000), helping Campbell land The Bees girls basketball Coach of the Year award for the second time in four seasons.
While success appears to be routine for him, this season wasnt because of major health issues.
Senior forward Natalie Butler, whos going to UC Irvine, and senior guard Kyndel Kusch each missed the season with ACL tears. And starters Bri Orlich (ankle), Janae Coffee (knee, hand), Katie Ogdon (foot) and Senyce Parrish (shoulder) all experienced setbacks.
This year was very fulfilling for the kids and the staff, Campbell says. To see how much this group matured and came together it turned out to be a real tightknit bunch and I dont know 18 months ago that would have been said. It was real rewarding to see that sense of fulfillment in the locker room.
The reward, in the end, came in the form of the No. 2 regional seed. And the chances Clovis West would have advanced to the final against Poly without it were unlikely.
That seed allowed the Eagles to remain at home through the regional semifinals, and they went 3-0, including escapes against San Diego (65-59) and Santa Monica (61-57).
The Santa Monica game was Clovis Wests 31st of the season, but its first while playing a zone defense as Campbell pulled an 11th-hour switch because of anticipated matchup problems with the Vikings.
It takes a few tricks to survive in the SoCal Regional. Campbell an art teacher and professional artist on the side cant say the Eagles will ever win it. But hed like think hes painted a Central Valley picture of respect.
Drawing a college mens basketball analogy, he says: I feel weve built to the point were the Gonzaga of a couple years ago. We may not be \[North\] Carolina or Duke, but were the [regional] draw nobody wants to play. Thats where we are.
The reporter can be reached at aboogaard@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6336.
Also online: Videos / Fresno Beehive / CentralValleyMoms.com / Clovis Independent / Fresno Famous / Vida en el Valle / Sierra Star
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2010 Girls Basketball All-Star Team