Top Teams Falter in Girls’ Poll

With the Sunset League starting to cannibalize itself, coupled with Mater Dei’s stunning victory over Brea Olinda, the girls’ top 10 poll is a shadow of its former self. Four teams dropped positions this week.

Brea Olinda (13-2), which still has the county’s best record while playing the toughest schedule, dropped to No. 2. Fourth-ranked Marina, No. 7 Capistrano Valley and No. 9 Edison also dropped.

With Brea Olinda’s 64-61 overtime loss to Mater Dei (11-4), which moved to No. 4, every county team has lost to another.

Mary Hauser, who orchestrated Mater Dei’s third consecutive victory over Brea in the last three years, said this one meant more than the previous two.

“Everybody had us as an underdog--nobody expected us to win,” Hauser said. “We’re a team that starts off slow and builds confidence in January and February. This is one of those steppingstones in building for the final season, which is the playoffs.”

Brea Olinda was ranked No. 8 in USA Today’s national poll, and the Monarchs’ victory provided the first hint they might have a realistic chance at returning to the state finals; they are ranked fourth in Southern Section Division I-A after a slow start.

“Sometimes, as a team, I think we’ve played to the level of our competition,” said Lori Hurlbut, who scored 25 points on her 18th birthday against Brea. “We were the only ones who believed in ourselves.”

Mater Dei’s defense didn’t allow Brea to get comfortable in its half-court offense and forced 24 turnovers.

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Fountain Valley upset Edison, 77-71, in an overtime girls’ basketball game on the strength of a impressive 10-for-15 night from the three-point line.

“I’ve never had a team shoot that well in one night,” Coach Carol Strausburg said.

The culprits: Jennifer Nakano (4 for 6), Jocelyn Tu (3-4), Lindsay King (2-3) and Krissy Tashiro (1-2).

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Capistrano Valley boys’ Coach Brian Mulligan couldn’t contain his joy as he led a visitor to his team’s locker room Friday after the Cougars’ 64-58 South Coast League victory over San Clemente.

Since opening with three losses, the Cougars have won 13 of their last 15. They play Wednesday at Mission Viejo.

“I knew we were going to be good,” Mulligan said.

Injuries, illness and the football team’s success got the Cougars off on the wrong foot. Quarterback Austin Moherman, a 6-foot-6 forward who has signed to play football at Ohio State, missed all of preseason basketball practice. Guard Dan Galvanoni is playing despite a broken finger and has been battling illness, and leading scorer Ryan Thurlow is playing despite a badly sprained ankle. Sophomore guard Jermaine McDaniel is also hobbled with a bad ankle.

Still, Mulligan has been pleased with the team’s progress. In a league where Mater Dei usually waltzes to the title, a sound Capistrano Valley hopes to make the race interesting, Mulligan said.

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Among football rule changes adopted by the National Federation of State High School Assns. this month are:

* The kicking team can catch or touch a punt while the ball is in the air if the receiving team is not in position to do so; previously, the kicking team had to wait until the ball hit the ground.

* On roughing-the-passer penalties, a 15-yard penalty will be tacked on to any completion; previously, the offense had to take the play or the penalty.

* Penalties after unsportsmanlike, dead ball or nonplayer fouls will be marked before first and 10 is established, meaning first and 20 or 25 yards for a first down will occur less often.

* Players are prohibited from wearing dark eye shields on their helmets.

Times staff writer Paul McLeod also contributed to this report.