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Ripon Christian stifles Mariposa to win D-V opener
Mariposa-Ripon Christian girls basketball
Ripon Christian’s Haley Kootstra (5) looks to get the ball past Mariposa’s Fallon Butler (4). - photo by Wayne Thallander

Ripon Christian opened the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V girls basketball playoffs in convincing fashion Tuesday, limiting visiting Mariposa to fewer points than turnovers in a 46-12 win.

The defense was suffocating for the fourth-seeded Knights (15-11), holding the Grizzlies (11-12) to one

Mariposa-Ripon Christian girls basketball
Ripon Christian’s Maddie Yonker (15) puts up a left-handed shot over Mariposa’s Eva Smerber (3).
point in the second quarter and two in the fourth while forcing 17 turnovers overall.

Ripon Christian coach Mike Vander Molen did not have a lot of material with which to prepare for the No. 13 Grizzles.

“There is a lot of history between Mariposa and RC,” Vander Molen said. “I was really uptight about this one. We didn’t have a lot of film on them. We tried a couple of things in the first half and then we went back to man-to-man (defense) and dug in. I was really happy with the second half.

“And obviously, get the ball to Maddie (Yonker). The other girls played their roles very well, making the extra pass and handling the press very well. I am very pleased with how we handled the press. Obviously, we have Maddie on the press break and we were in good spots to finish when she broke it. I am pleased with how we handled the zone defense. We struggled a little bit against that in league, as Hughson ran the same defense.”

Yonker (22 points, six rebounds, two assists) directed the Knights offense, at times going coast to coast after grabbing a rebound for a layup.

“This is a great feeling,” Yonker said. “In my sophomore year we didn’t even make playoffs, so any chance that I get to play in the playoffs is just a blessing and to play at home is amazing.

“I’m feeling really good and that it was good prep for us in our next game.”

Mariposa-Ripon Christian girls basketball
Ripon Christian’s Cailyn Mouw (3) brings the ball up court against Mariposa’s Demi Camorlinga (13).

Reagan Van Der Hoek and Allison Copland each added six points for Ripon Christian with Van Der Hoek grabbing 13 rebounds. Cailyn Mouw dished out four assists.

“Most of the games I have a height advantage, which is really nice,” Van Der Hoek said. “I try my best to jump as high as I can, grab the ball and look to find the outlet.

“We played a little bit of a shorter team today so I was at an advantage there for sure.”

Fallon Butler, Mia Hanson and Celina Heard scored three points apiece for Mariposa.

The Knights will host No. 5 Bret Harte on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. as part of a double header with the top-seeded Ripon Christian boys to follow playing No. 8 Big Valley Christian at 7.