By Bill Dickens
MaxPreps.com
It’s no secret that Inga Orekhova, a 6-foot-3 guard from Austria, is one of the most sought after high school girls basketball recruits in the nation. A pair of knee surgeries has impeded her progress more than any opponent’s defensive strategy.
But now Orekhova has a clean bill of health and is anxious to make up for lost time.
A senior at The Bishop’s School of San Diego, Orekhova has accepted a basketball scholarship to Northwestern University. She made the selection out of a field of high rollers including North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Louisville, San Diego State and USD.
“I guess you could say she had her choice of colleges,” said a San Diego County coach and close friend of Marlon Wells, head coach at Bishop’s.
Wells agreed, “It’s a nice fit for Inga.”
No question it’s a major step for Orekhova, who overcame a series of major obstacles just to get playing time last season as a junior. The surgeries – the first one on her right knee four years ago and a second on her left knee that caused her to miss the CIF-San Diego playoffs last March – were challenging enough.
Orekhova’s woes weren’t all medical, however.
It seems there was a question as to whether she would be eligible to play at the start of her junior season, considering she was an international student. What made it so dicey is Orekhova lives with a long-time family friend and caretaker who is an assistant coach at UC Irvine. That raised a red flag for the CIF San Diego Section office.
Orekhova missed more than half of her junior season while the off-court bickering went on. Finally all the facts were accounted for and Orekhova was granted eligibility. She participated in 11 games at Bishop’s, averaging 15.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.2 blocks before the latest knee injury curtailed her season and led to surgery in March.
Finally, after conquering all the medical work and eligibility challenges, Orekhova earned a No. 40 ranking in the class of 2009 by ESPN’s HoopGurlz.com.
Swing Shift
San Marcos of San Diego’s North County Football Conference took its lumps a year ago, finishing 2-7 while scoring just 117 points. The Knights charged out of the chute this season with a 69-12 rout of San Ysidro. Senior Ryan Cochrane led the onslaught with 32 points, including five touchdowns. He also rushed for 118 yards on 12 carries, caught a pass for 18 yards and intercepted a San Ysidro aerial.
A Different Look
Known of late for its high-scoring offense the past three years, Lakeside’s El Capitan found itself in a 0-0 deadlock with Morse after one half in Saturday’s (Sept. 6) season opener. This was an El Capitan team that averaged 37.9 points a year ago and gave up 33 on the defensive side. The Vaqueros eventually found their offense and tamed the Tigers 24-0. Anthony Solis set the defensive pace with three interceptions.
No Titanic at Poway:
Defending San Diego CIF Division I Poway powered to a 22-0 lead and held on for a 54-41 conquest of Scripps Ranch. It was the 13th consecutive football win for Poway, which was miffed that it had been omitted from local preseason Top 10 rankings.
Needy Change
While those who follow the various statistical leaders columns believed Santana’s James Needy to be a premier passer in the San Diego Section this season, the senior right-hander made it clear that baseball is his game. He has accepted a scholarship to the University of San Diego as a pitcher. The Sultans found a nifty replacement in sophomore Zach Breidt, who threw four TD passes in a 42-12 romp over Kearny.
Top Performances
– Trelan Taylor (Helix football): The double threat senior intercepted two passes in a 41-7 rout of Rancho Buena Vista. He returned his second theft, a school record 95 yards for a touchdown. He also reeled in a 37-yard scoring pass.
– Sallie Privett (Coronado cross country): The Islanders junior won the Division II race of the El Capitan Vaquero Stampede at Lindo Lakes Park in Lakeside.
– Bashiri Washington (Oceanside football): The defensive end recorded a sack and scored on a 7-yard fumble recovery in a 26-23 win over Eastlake.
Looking Ahead
– The prestigious 32-team Poway Water Polo Invitational starts Thursday (Sept. 11) and runs through Saturday. Among the top teams are Granite Hills and the host Titans.
– One of the San Diego Section’s longest running football rivalries will be renewed Saturday when Sweetwater hosts Chula Vista at 7 p.m. in South Bay. Sweetwater played its first game in 1910. Chula Vista kicked its program off in 1947.
Dickens Dealings
Cathedral Catholic senior Tyler Gaffney has proven himself to be a blue chip high school running back. College football coaches have taken note of his speed and size (6-foot, 215) as well as his ability to pile up rushing yardage. Gaffney was responsible for six of Cathedral’s touchdowns while rushing for 108 yards despite sitting out much of the second half of a season-opening 48-7 stomp of host Steele Canyon.
Yet, as slick as he is in football, Gaffney may have a brighter future in baseball. His speed is a major asset, and his instincts allow him to be labeled a golden glove center fielder. On top of that he is a solid hitter with a career batting average well above .450.
It should be interesting when the baseball draft is conducted next June.