Centennial girls make it eight in a row with title win over Coronado

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 | 5:10 p.m.

The Centennial girls’ basketball team clinched its eighth consecutive state championship on Saturday with a 59-20 victory over Coronado that felt as perfunctory as the final score indicates.

And yet, for head coach Karen Weitz, it may as well have been title No. 1.

When the final buzzer sounded and the trophy presentation concluded, Weitz reflected on what keeps her motivated to add championship after championship.

“It’s about the kids all the time,” Weitz said. “We have several kids who just won their first state title and that’s exciting for them. That first one. That’s why I keep doing it.”

While the title experience may have been new to some of the Centennial roster, the method was familiar to anyone who has followed the program for the past decade, as the Bulldogs used stifling pressure defense to control the game.

Weitz pointed to that maniacal defense — and the depth required to execute it — as the biggest factor in the lopsided score.

Centennial forced more than 20 turnovers on the day and a used 20-4 run that spanned halftime to put the game on ice. Fittingly, the production was spread out as seven different players scored during the deciding stretch.

Junior guard Danae Powell led the way for the Bulldogs with 13 points, while Ayla Williams chipped in eight.

Coronado was held to just four points in the second quarter, and again in the third quarter. Powered by that defensive effort, Centennial won the two periods by a score of 34-8.

“All the hard work paid off,” Powell said. “[Weitz] preaches hard work and defense. Every day we come in and work, and clearly it pays off.”

Gabrielle De La Cruz led Coronado with five points. Ashtyn Wick contributed four points and an assist.

If the joy of winning has waned at all during Centennial’s dynastic run, it wasn’t evident when Weitz spoke after the game.

Weitz choked up while talking about the support structure that has developed during her time at Centennial.

“We have so many past players here today,” Weitz said, stopping for a moment to compose herself. “They text me, they text the kids, and that means a lot, when it’s players from the past who were here when we won the very first one back in 2002 and they’re sending texts to the kids today telling them they’ll be at the game.”

Powell said she and her teammates leaned on that support system while racking up a 25-1 record this year.

“We have amazing women alumni to look up to, and they always come back and support us,” Powell said. “They want to keep that winning tradition among the program. It’s great people to look up to.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.