James Lambert scored a game-high 15 points and Gene Grant, Tim
Hoffmann, and Adam Dedeaux each contributed key second half baskets to
lead the St. Bonaventure Saints of Huntington Beach past St. Mary's
(Aliso Viejo), 34-32, in the Parochial Athletic League county
championship game held at St. Jeanne's in Tustin.
Strong rebounding by Danny Falkenstein and Tommy Ursano, and the defense
of Grant and Hoffmann, helped contain St. Mary's guard-driven offense.
St. Bonaventure went 20-5 during the regular season, and brought an
11-game win streak into the championship tournament. The Saints followed
up a 46-16 quarterfinal rout of Our Lady of Guadalupe (La Habra) with an
impressive 44-43 win over perennial parochial school power, St. John
Episcopal (Santa Margarita), which came into the semifinal showdown
unbeaten at 22-0.
A few of the current Saints were also on the St. Bonaventure squad that
last year defeated St. John Episcopal in the championship game, and many
played on the Saints football team that won the PAL county championship
in football last fall.
"I have never coached a team with more desire to win, or with such
willpower to never quit," Saints Coach Pat Grant said. "They truly
represent their school and city well with their sportsmanship and drive."
Members of the Saints also include eighth-graders Raymond Sweller, Nick
Cardona, Brent Hurley, Kyle Suryan, Adam McCall, Brian Nicalek, and Eric
Esparza, seventh-graders Kevin Brake, David Grantham, Tommy Erwin, Danny
Lehane, and assistant coach Ed Lambert.
