For four years, Horizon's Jeff Withey and La Jolla Country Day's Janae Fulcher have dominated basketball in this state.
Now they hope to do the same at the next level – in Arizona. Withey will continue his career at the University of Arizona and Fulcher is headed to Arizona State University.
The two standouts are the
Union-Tribune Players of the Year after guiding their schools to four straight section titles and into the Southern California Regionals.
“It's the next chapter. I'm excited for a new beginning while at the same time it's sad that I'll no longer be with this team,” said the 6-foot-3 Fulcher, who averaged 17.9 points and 9.9 rebounds a game in leading the Torreys to the state Division IV championship game.
Making it to Sacramento proved to be the highlight for Fulcher after frustrating losses the previous three years in the Southern California Regional championships.
She hesitated when asked which accomplishment – winning four section titles or reaching the state final – meant the most.
“Winning a fourth straight section title, beating the best of the best (Bishop's) was our goal from the start, but getting over the hump of the regional championship was the ultimate goal,” said Fulcher.
“Getting to the state championship game is what you strive for. We played well until the last few minutes.
“I guess the way to look at it is we had to win both the section and the regional to get the ticket to the state championship.”
Fulcher led the way all four years as the Torreys made it eight straight section titles. She was a dominant force inside, averaging almost 10 rebounds and at least two blocked shots per game.
Ditto for Withey.
The 7-foot center has one accolade many others can't claim – a state title after leading Horizon past San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral two years ago.
Withey, who averaged 21.3 points this season, ends his high school career with his name in the section record book. He collected 241 blocked shots this season, surpassing the 234 by St. Augustine's Jelani McCoy in 1994. Withey finished with 713 career blocks. One more game and he might have eclipsed McCoy's all-time mark of 718.
“It's all about heart with Jeff,” Horizon coach Waheed Mitchell said. “All of these accolades and he's still the same selfless Jeff. He's humble. He gave 100 percent all of the time, the same on campus as in the gym.”
Withey went out impressively, scoring 36 points and collecting 17 rebounds in his last game, a regional semifinal setback against San Joaquin Memorial.
Now the two look ahead to life in Arizona.
Coaches of the Year
It didn't take opponents long to realize that beating Hoover's boys, directed by Ollie Goulston, and Cathedral Catholic's girls, coached by Melissa Padgett, wasn't going to be easy this year.
When the Cardinals won the section Division II title two years ago, many felt Hoover's talent carried the team to the championship. This time, Goulston started the season with a freshman at center and without a pair of four-year lettermen who had moved on to college.
The Cardinals struggled at times, but the team bonded under Goulston's patient leadership and went on to capture the Division II title.
After a 22-3 regular season, Padgett's girls stormed by three playoff opponents before facing top-seeded Mount Miguel for the Division III title. The former USD player kept the Dons focused throughout and captured her first section title as a head coach with a 56-50 victory over the Matadors.
