Girls from Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Academy cruising to North Coast Section playoffs

Sonoma Valley High's girls basketball team is closing in on a North Coast Section Division III tournament with two games remaining in the Sonoma County League season.

The Lady Dragons must enter the section D-III tournament as an at-large entry, but have the necessary numbers to meet two of the section criteria for playoff participation. Sonoma Valley is 6-4 in the Sonoma County League and 14-8 overall. Even if they were to lose their final two games of the regular season, they would have the winning overall record needed to earn a D-III playoff spot.

It's unlikely that the Lady Dragons will lose their last two. They take on last-place Healdsburg (0-10 SCL), then finish with Petaluma (1-4 SCL).

Sonoma Valley relies on a a tough defense, but has gotten sterling play from Ellie Ceja. She averages 10.5 poionts and 11.4 rebounds for the Lady Dragons.

Annie Studdert is acoring 9.8 points and grabbed 5.1 rebound per game. Studdert is converting 33 percent of hier attempts from behind the 3-point line.

Krysta Young is another key around the basket, grabbing 5.1 rebounds. She averages 3.3 points. Brittney Rauchy leads the team with 2.1 assists per game.

Sonoma Valley is ranked eighth in the Maxpreps.com North Coast Section Division III rankings.

Sonoma Valley's boys must finish the SCL with a winning record in order to meet one of the North Coast Section playoff qualification criteria. The Dragons are 5-5 with two games remaining this week in league play. They are 9-15 overall.

Sonoma Valley has a must-win game Wednesday at Healdsburg. The Greyhounds also need a sweep of their final two games to assure themselves of a Division IV playoff berth. Struggling Petaluma hosts the Dragons on Friday.

Six-foot-5 Dylan Severson leads the Dragons with 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Guard Giani Romano is averaging 10.5 points.

The seeding meeting to choose the at-learge teams in all six section divisions is set for Feb. 20.

The Sonoma Academy girls have a lock on the Division V playoffs. They are 9-1, alone atop the North Central League South II standings. Sonoma Academy is 20-3 overall.

Rincon Valley is still in position to capture the league title with an 8-1 mark entering the final week of play. The team that doesn't win the NCL South II will receive an at-large tournament berth.

Sonoma Academy will visit Rincon Valley on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. with the league title on the line. Sonoma has won seven in a row, dating back to a loss to Rincon Valley in January.

Sonoma Academy's boys appear to have clinched a Division V playoff berth. They are 7-3 in the SCL South II with two games remaining and 11-13 overall.