California high school girls basketball: Freshman Jackie Polk powers Los Osos to 65-48 win over Colfax in Division III finals

SACRAMENTO — Youth was center stage on Friday as Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga) freshman Jackie Polk scored a game-high 30 to lead the Grizzlies to 65-48 CIF Division III girls basketball title over Colfax on Friday at Golden 1 Center.

Colfax, looking for its third CIF title — 40 years after its last crown — put up a game fight for a school of 640 students, but went cold at the wrong time, shooting 18 percent in the fourth quarter after trailing by eight heading into the final stanza.

Los Osos, in search of its first state title, meanwhile, got white hot in the final 10 minutes. Polk dropped 15 near the end of the third and until she was subbed out with just over 2 minutes left to turn a 41-33 lead into a 57-42 gap.

"Jackie is a special player. I didn't know her when she first showed up in the gym. She's become a team player, supports her teammates and is a competitor who doesn't want to lose," Los Osos coach Dawnesha Buckner said.

And while the play of ninth-grader Polk showed it might not be the last title for Los Osos, it was far from a one-woman show. Seniors Taylor Rosado and Hailey Estrada each poured in 14, Makayla Vazquez pulled down seven boards while sophomore Destinee Knight and freshman Tiyana Saunders did a bunch of the work that doesn't show up in a box score.

"I was just hype, adding points on the board," Polk said, whose 30 points tied a state record.

That balance is what led to Friday's title, Buckner said.

"It's why we're here. Hailey is a fireball. Taylor is a quiet leader. Makayla, is a Naval commit, and she's the mama of the group," the Los Osos coach said. "Leadership is the secret."

Entering the fourth quarter, trailing eight, Colfax coach Rexanne Simpton thought her squad was right in it.

"These girls are warriors. ... But they shot light's out — 66 percent — and today they were the better team and that happens," Simpton said. "We didn't know if we'd be in this situation (at the state finals), but we won our league and section and said 'Hey, let's make a run."

The teams see-sawed in the opening period as Polk showed why she's a highly regarded freshman, scoring seven of the Grizzlies first 10 points. But Colfax hung around and chipped away after trailing 10-5 midway through the period.

Kaia Diederichs found the basket in the paint, Maycee Heimann scored and Jade Biittner couldn't complete the and-one, but Juliette James grabbed the rebound and finished before Gabriella Biittner's two freebies knotted the score at 15 after eight minutes.

Los Osos created separation in the second quarter as Rosado scored twice down low, Hailey Estrada sank two from the charity stripe and Polk hit a pair of buckets. The Grizzlies led 28-21 at intermission and by eight after three periods.

Heimann and James each scored 15 for the Falcons.

Buckner said her team learned a lesson after its 68-52 loss to Flintridge Prep (La Canada) in the Southern Section 3AA finals.

"We expected it (to win state), but learned to take nothing for granted," she said. "We lost our CIF final and learned out lesson. We outworked them and broke it open in the second half."