Woodland Christian wins first California (CIF) state girls basketball high school championship

In the first of 12 California (CIF) state championship games at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, the Cardinals hold off a game Rosamond team from the Central Section.

Woodland Christian point guard Keziah Maldonado-Lemus drives to the basket against Rosemond in the California (CIF) Division 5 basketball title game at Golden 1 Center. / Photo by Dennis Lee

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Woodland Christian, a school 225 students in Yolo County, won the first of 12 California (CIF) championship games Friday morning at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings.

Teagan Hayes, a Division 1 softball recruit, had 18 points, eight rebounds and six steals and feisty 5-foot-2 point guard Keziah Maldonado-Lemus added 12 points, five steals and five rebounds as the the Cardinals (31-6) won their first state title in their first state-finals appearance with a 47-41 Division 5 championship over Rosamond.

Ariel Cain of Rosamond takes a shot around a Woodland Christian defender in California (CIF) State Division 5 championship game at the Golden 1 Center / Photo by Dennis Lee

A pair of three-pointers by Elena Ganyo gave the Sac-Joaquin Section representative its biggest lead 37-27 lead late in the third in the fourth quarter before Rosamond made a run led by Ariel Cain (14 points, nine rebounds).

The Roadrunners (29-8) closed to 44-41 with 1:28 left, but Ganyo hit one free throw and Hayes, a Division 1 softball prospect, swished two down the stretch.

The Cardinals, who had never even qualified for the Northern California regional before this season, won the game on the boards, with a 50-28 rebounding edge led by Siena Sorbello (17 rebounds) and Bailee Broward (12 rebounds).

Coach Shiloh Sobello, father of Siena, said his team always plays with a chip on their shoulder because, especially in the playoffs, plays team with much larger enrollments.

"We're the little engine that could," coach Sobello said.

That chip and mighty motor showed on the boards and general hustle plays. He also played up the team's recent Sac-Joaquin Section finals loss 45-42 to Bret Harte of Angels Camp that helped with Friday's stellar performance.

"We didn't play our best in the section championship, the lights were a little too bright for us and our eyes a little too wide," said coach Sorbello, a district attorney in Yuba County sporting a nifty 'lucky' suit and bright red bow tie. "“We were on a 23-game heater (a winning streak), and we hadn’t lost in so long. Once we lost, the girls buckled down. It’s quite a feat for our girls. They really came together.”

This is the 20th year of Woodland Christian, which has emerged to a small school football program, winning a state title in 2023. Perhaps now the girls basketball program is taking the same path.

Coach Sorbello, who never envisioned coaching girls basketball, is now hooked.

“We have 225 kids in our high school,” coach Sorbello said. “Some years, we have a JV team, some years we don’t. Every team we play in the playoffs is bigger in enrollment. We go in with a chip on our shoulder. We’re small, but mighty, and let’s get after it.”

Woodland Christian coach Shiloh Sorbello proudly holds the championship trophy following his team's victory in California (CIF) Division 5 title game. / Photo by Dennis Lee

The Woodland Christian girls team poses following their victory in the California (CIF) State Division 5 title game at the Golden 1 Center. / Photo by Dennis Lee

Final box score, Woodland Christian 47, Rosamond 41 / Screenshot: CIF Championships

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