Keira Kamida (23), Maile Tamaki (3) and the girls of Mark Keppel were riding high after a win in last season’s CIF-SS playoffs, but did not reach the finals. A history of coming up short was pushed aside Feb. 28, when the Lady Aztecs captured their first Div. 3AA title.
Fresh off winning the first CIF Southern Section title in school history, the Lady Aztecs advanced in the State playoffs.
Some 20 years ago, a transformation began at Mark Keppel that would soon produce some of the best girls’ basketball teams in Southern California.
Stars came and went – Krista Arase, Lauren Saiki, Kelli Kamida, Sophia Song and more – but none had a chance to raise the CIF Southern Section trophy.
For 15 straight years, the Lady Aztecs have been the class of the Almont League, finishing in first place every season since 2010. The glory didn’t get much further; Keppel was stymied each postseason, getting as far as the semis but never reaching the CIF-SS finals.
History was flipped onto its ear Feb. 28, as Keppel finally reached the promised land, topping Cerritos, 49-39, to capture the Div. 3AA title in Ontario. It is the first girls’ CIF-SS championship in school history.
Senior guard Keira Kamida led Keppel with a game-high 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Kamida said after the win. “I feel like we always made it to the semifinals and I never realized how close we were to a banner and winning everything, so it doesn’t feel real. But I’m so happy to be here.”
Frosh star Alyssa Canizal added 11 points, seven rebounds and five steals.
The Lady Aztecs had a weekend to celebrate, then were back to work on Tuesday, as the CIF State Div. II tournament got under way.
The high they were riding continued, as they traveled all the way to El Cajon and took care of Grossmmont, 51-46.
There was no rest for the road-weary, however, as Keppel’s girls (25-9) had to go right back to San Diego County for their second-round match against 22-5 Rancho Bernardo on Thursday.