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Sports

Hot Tigers Powered by Recruits Moe and CookTaylor

Hanson not surprised revamped Mills boys basketball team is in contention; Capuchino and Mills battling for PAL Ocean title in girls soccer.

The steep winding roads leading to Terra Nova High’s coastal campus haven’t been traveled much by women’s college basketball recruiters for years.

These days, college coaches and scouts are practically tripping over themselves on their way to the Tigers’ gym.

Terra Nova, which boasted one of the Peninsula’s most dominant programs from the 1970s until the mid 1990s, is in the midst of a girls basketball renaissance featuring two of the region’s most coveted prospects.

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Junior guards Terilyn Moe and Ivonne CookTaylor are being sought after by a who’s who of Division I schools.

Moe is being recruited by Oregon, UC Santa Barbara, Nevada and USF, among others.

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CookTaylor’s suitors include Kansas, Nevada, Washington and Santa Clara.

“It’s so many, I have a list, I just don’t have it on me,” Terra Nova coach Kareem Summerville said.

Not a bad problem to have for a program that’s seeking its first Central Coast Section title since winning back-to-back championships in 1996 and 1997.

The Tigers (18-4, 8-0 Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division) have already clinched at least a share of their fourth consecutive league title. Terra Nova, the No. 3 team in , can clinch the PAL Bay title outright today when it plays host to Mills at 6 p.m.

The Mills game could be a dual celebration for Terra Nova, with Moe on the brink of breaking the school’s career scoring record. She needs 28 to surpass Natalie Jones’ 1,638.

The dynamic Moe averages 22.3 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.8 steals. She’s a physical player with an excellent perimeter shot who likes to attack the basket and create plays for teammates.

CookTaylor, who averages 13.7 points and 14 rebounds, features off-the-charts athleticism. She’s 5-foot-9, and plays much bigger.

“It’s a very unique situation,” Summerville said of the Tigers’ duo. “They complement each other really well, and we have a lot of other talented players who can pick up the slack, too.”

The other players include junior guard Jayzyl Tauala (11 PPG), freshman guard

Mailiyah Alapati and freshman forward Kristina Smathers.

Summerville believes his team is capable of doing something special in the postseason. The Tigers lost to Notre Dame of Belmont early in the CCS Division III playoffs last year, but with a team that was at less than full strength. Tauala was out with a knee injury, and CookTaylor (broken wrist) and Moe (knee) played hurt.

“The difference is we’re healthy now,” Summerville said. “The girls have a year under their belt and right now we’re playing really well as a team.”

And with virtually the entire team returning intact and an impressive cast of up-comers, the Tigers don’t appear to be going away anytime soon.

“Once these girls walk out the door next year, I think we still have a bright future,” Summerville said.

 

NO COMPARISON

After graduating six players including all five starters, the Mills boys basketball team is having a surprisingly successful season in what was expected to be a rebuilding year.

The Vikings (14-8, 5-3 PAL Ocean), who last season were PAL Bay co-champions, remain in the hunt for a PAL Ocean title going into the last week. Mills is in third place, one game behind Carlmont (16-6, 6-2) and Jefferson (12-9, 6-2), who are tied for first.

Perhaps the only person who isn’t surprised is Mills coach Rick Hanson.

“I thought the materials were there for a very good team, maybe not as good as last year’s team, but I’m not going to compare them to last year’s team,” Hanson said. “I just want them to be the best they could be and they’re doing a good job.”

The Vikings are led by senior guard Marcus Chew and senior forward Arakel Aristakessian, who are both averaging 13 points.

Junior center Brandon Berkovatz averages 10 rebounds and five blocks.

Mills is coming off big league wins against Carlmont and Hillsdale.

“We had a really good week and I’m hoping we can continue to improve and make some noise in the PAL playoffs and the CCS playoffs,” Hanson said.

 

LIGHTS

The PAL Ocean girls soccer title is likely to come down to a Feb. 15 game between Capuchino and Mills at Mills in a rare 7 p.m. start.

Capuchino (9-1) leads Mills (7-0-3) by just three points.

“They’re bringing in lights,” Capuchino coach Rich Medina said. “They’re going to try to squeeze us.”

Medina laments a squandered opportunity when Capuchino lost to Mills 1-0 on Jan. 20.

“If we had at least tied that game this league (race) would be over,” Medina said. “If we’re going to win this league we’re going to have to fight for it.”

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