Fast start carries Caruthers girls past Coalinga for Central Section championship
Preparation paid off for the Caruthers High girls basketball team Friday afternoon at Selland Arena.
The Blue Raiders took a 21-0 lead in the Central Section Division V championshiop game and cruised past Coalinga 56-44.
It’s the third section title for Caruthers – first since 2016, according to section historian Bob Barnett.
Caruthers (27-4) prepped for this one with a New Year’s trip to a tournament in Henderson, Nevada (the Blue Raiders went 2-2) and also played defending state champion Sierra Pacific in an MLK Showcase game. Caruthers’ average winning margin in four section playoff games was 27 points.
Felicia Ramirez, who was a freshman on the 2016 team, led the Blue Raiders with 18 points.
Coalinga (25-4) didn’t go away quietly, going on a 9-2 run late in the third quarter and later cuttinig the lead to single digits when Serena Ybarra made a basket to trail 48-40 with 2:52 remaining. Ybarra finished with a game-high 25 points.
