The Reporter: Charging into playoffs
Young VCS thankful for senior Ekin
By Tim Roe/ /Sports Editor
Bailey Ekin, Vacaville Christian’s lone senior, is a team player but also knows how to take over a game. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter) “Big Sister” knows when to let the other siblings shine. She also knows when to take over.
Bailey Ekin commands plenty of respect with the Vacaville Christian High School girls basketball team. After all, she is one of the few Falcons who can drive a car.
More importantly this week, Ekin is one of the leaders on the court for VCS, which opens Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV playoffs tonight at Bret Harte.
In other games involving local teams, Vanden hosts Livingston, Will C. Wood is at Ponderosa and Dixon is at Placer.
All games tip off at 7 p.m. Boys playoffs begin on Wednesday.
Ekin is the lone senior on the VCS roster, and is one of the big reasons the Falcons are the No. 10 seeds, despite moving up to Division IV for the first time this season.
“She’s as good a captain as I can ever remember having ... along with maybe Cassie Palmer,” said VCS head coach Bob Fernandez, who coached Palmer at Vacaville before coming to VCS. “She plays her heart out every night. She’s truly a hard-nosed, tough, good player.”
Ekin has done a lot of the dirty work for a team that has plenty of good shooters in sophomores Lyndsey Elm and Kelsey Knitter and junior Alex Erb. But Ekin also can take over a game, as evidenced by her career-high, 30-point outburst last week against Foresthill.
Barring major upsets tonight, the performance came in Ekin’s last home game as a Falcon.
“I just remember walking out on the court, not wanting it to end,” Ekin said. “I remember wanting to play well, but (scoring 30 points) just happened. For the playoffs, we have to have the same attitude, only it’s going to be a lot harder.”
Ekin is averaging 9.7 points per game, second on the squad to Elm (14.5). Knitter is third (8.9).
But Ekin’s contribution is much greater than what shows up in a box score.
“She’s done countless hours of volunteer time for this program,” Fernandez said. “She’s basically down here whenever the gym’s open, helping out. She will be sorely missed.”
Ekin will miss her teammates as well, even though all of them are younger.
“It’s like I have a bunch of little sisters, but at the same time, we’re all equals,” she said. “We’re all a bunch of friends, and we’ve all improved so much. I just don’t want it to end.”
The Falcons enter the contest with a 20-7 record, while the No. 7 Bullfrogs are 20-6. The winner will play either No. 15 Argonaut or No. 2 Loretto on Thursday.
Wood brings a 16-10 record and the No. 9 seed in Division II into tonight’s opener. No. 8 Ponderosa is 16-11. The winner will play either No. 1 St. Francis of Sacramento or No. 16 Del Campo on Thursday.
Dixon (15-11) is seeded 13th in its first year at Division III. No. 4 Placer is (22-4).
Vanden is the only local girls team that will open at home. The Vikings (23-4) are seeded fifth in Division III, while Livingston (20-4) is No. 12. The winner will face either Placer or Dixon on Thursday.
Directions to Bret Harte - Take Highway 12 east through Lodi. Continue on Highway 12 east through Valley Springs. Merge south onto Highway 49 to Angel’s Camp. Turn left on Murphys Grade Road. The school is on the right.
Directions to Ponderosa - Take Interstate 80 east to West Sacramento. Take Highway 50 east through Folsom. Take the Ponderosa Road exit north and travel about one mile. The school is on the right.
Directions to Placer - Take I-80 east to Auburn. Take Highway 49 south. Turn left on Lincoln Way, right on High Street, left on Finley Street and right on Orange Street. The school is on the left.
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