A touch of Tupou

Any question as to why Heilani Tupou is deserving of being named the Appeal-Democrat girls basketball All-Area Most Valuable Player can be answered by what she did on Jan. 22 against Los Molinos High — 18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 10 steals.

And what makes that quadruple-double all the more noteworthy? She didn't even know it happened.

To Tupou and her coach, it seemed like just another game. Just another time the 5-foot-7 senior hustled, included her teammates and led East Nicolaus to a victory.

"It was great," said Tupou. "I was actually surprised because I had no clue about it until the next day."

While her statistically stellar night was a surprise, what she did over the course of the season was hardly as startling. Tupou entered her last high school season as leader with a plethora of basketball acumen and skill, which she proved time and time again. She averaged 15.6 points per game, 11.3 rebounds and more than five assists per game. Not bad considering she usually didn't play in the fourth quarter as her team was firmly ahead.

On the court she was the Spartan's Swiss Army knife, capable of completing any task the team needed. From battling forwards and centers for rebounds, slicing the lane for a layup or setting up a teammate for a wide open shot, Tupou got it done.

"I think I am just an all-around player," she said. "I like to work all around the court; I don't like to pinpoint on one specific thing."

As for the basics of being a point guard? She's got that nailed, too.

"It was a joy to never have to worry about the ball getting from point A to point B," Wolcott said. "It was like having two years of vacation time with her running point."

But there is one way Tupou sets herself apart. Tupou cares about her teammates. She quickly tosses aside attaining personal glory for the opportunity to let the younger, more inexperienced Spartans get a chance to learn the game.

"That's just how I play," Tupou said. "It's just the way I look at it, to have the underclassmen get an opportunity to play the game."

If there was one criticism to Tupou's game, it's that she can be too nice to her teammates. "Unselfish — perhaps to a fault," as Wolcott put it.

"If you can say that about a player, that should show a sports fan just how good she was," Wolcott said.

Though he was lucky to have players like Tupou and Kylie Watson, who actually led the Spartans with 17.7 points a game, Wolcott still had quite the challenge this year. For the majority of the season — before the return of 6-foot-2 Juliet Conant — Wolcott was forced to formulate a game plan with his tallest player measuring 5-9.

So he adapted, teaching the Spartans to press hard, run even harder and execute the fast break to great effect.

"We pressed and half-court trapped and moved the tempo because we didn't have the size to play a tradition half-court game," Wolcott said. "It was fun to have athletes that play that type of style."

The result — an 18-9 record and a trip to the postseason, not to mention an almost continual presence as the No. 1 small school team in the A-D's weekly power rankings. It is why Wolcott was named Coach of the Year, regardless of the fact the Spartans were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, something he readily admits bothers him. While Wolcott has a friendly, papa bear-like personality, he loathes not winning.

"Some people don't know because I mask it with humor or put a positive focus on the kids, but I hate losing," he said.

FIRST TEAM

• Allie Koualczuk, Williams,

senior

Sometimes the sports staff's All-Area decisions are easy. It wasn't the case in this situation. Koualczuk put up MVP-caliber numbers all season for the Yellowjackets while dominating whoever had the misfortune of guarding her. She led the Mid-Valley League in scoring with 18.5 points a game and blocks (3.8 per game) not to mention pulling down 8.8 boards a contest to establish herself as one of the best all-around players in the area.

• Alexandria Rainey,

River Valley, senior

Rainey averaged a heathy 11 points a game for the Falcons, but her statistics don't tell the entire story of why the senior guard cracked our first team. Rainey is River Valley's rock.

She's been there since the program fielded a team three years ago. She's was there there through the one win innagural sesaon and the two win second season. This year she established herself as the on and off the court leader for an improving Falcons squad that surpassed everyone's expectations to finish with eight wins, including the first four league victories in school history.

• Hayley Thompson,

River Valley, Junior

While Rainey was the emotional leader of the Falcons, Thompson was their tall post presense who scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds while playing in the most difficult league in the area — the Sac-Joaquin Section's Tri-County Conference.

• Brenna Gates, Lindhurst, Sophomore

At a towering 6-foot-2, Gates can score inside with ease and seeminly pulls down every missed shot from Olivehurst to central Sacramento. Gates averaged a stout 12 points a game and pulled down an gasp-enducing 17.8 rebounds per game. Impressive considereing this young talent is still learning the fundamentals.

• Jessica Moore, Sutter, senior

Another All-Area team, another honor for Moore, who made our first team in Volleyball and is one of the best softball players this area has ever seen. This season, she averaged 13 points per game, 14 rebounds a game and four assists, three blocks and three steals a contest to earn All Butte View League honors. Which is astounding considereing basketball is her No. 3 sport.

SECOND TEAM

• Alexandra Peiffer, Yuba City, Senior (8.4 ppg)

Peiffer complied a solid, consistent season and even though the Honkers struggled, her play was enough to earn a spot on the Tri-County Conference team.

• Ashley Robinson, Pierce, Senior (15.8 ppg)

In a down year for the Bears, Robinson provided some silver lining by leading the SVL in scoring.

• Lily Struble, Gridley, Junior (13.1 ppg, 9 rpg)

Struble was a force inside for the Bulldogs, earned Butte View League honors for her efforts and grew more and more dominant as the season progressed.

• Ashanti Sweezer, Lindhurst, Sophomore (10 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2 bpg)

Sweezer has the potential to be a MVP-type player by her senior season if she continuities to polish her game.

• Kylie Watson, East Nicolaus, Senior (17.7 ppg)

Watson led the Spartans in scoring and with a penchant for jacking up 3-pointers, had the ability to ignite runs and take over a game.

THIRD TEAM

• Kacy Blenn, Gridley, Junior (9.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

A first-team BVL member, Blenn was an imposing threat inside and should be an even bigger impact player next season.

• Meghan Foster, Colusa, Junior (10.6 ppg)

Foster earned first-team Sacramento Valley League honors and will be a nice senior leader for a Redskins squad looking to make a playoff run next season.

• MacKenzi Frost, Marysville, Senior (6 ppg, 7.5 rpg)

Despite suffering a pair of blown knees in her varsity career, Frost never stopped hustling and established herself as the Indians top player.

• Bridget McClarrinon, Wheatland, Senior (9.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg)

McClarrinon played solidly for the Pirates all year and could come up with a key play when her team needed it the most.

• Kayla Woods, Wheatland, Junior (9.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.2 bpg)

Woods, a member of the BVL first team, led the Pirates in scoring and into the playoffs.