AVC NOTEBOOK: PASADENA ENDS AVC WIN STREAK.

Byline: Nathan Brown Staff Writer

The Antelope Valley women's basketball team started the 2004-05 season with 34 games on its schedule. All but three of those games were wins, led by Junior College State Coach of the Year John Taylor, who has made an art of winning.

The Marauders (31-3) were finally defeated 70-65 by Pasadena in the semifinals of the COA Women's Junior College State Championships Saturday at San Diego University.

The loss brought an end to a 22-game win streak, but brought forth sophomore guard Shalonie Hutchinson as a leader, which was reflected on a spot on the All-State Tournament Team.

Hutchinson, sometimes overlooked behind her taller counterparts RaChauna Randle and Mariqueta Starling (both All-State selections), scored a career-high 19 points against Lassen of Susanville en route to a 76-72 win in the quarterfinals.

Hutchinson would score just 11 points against Pasadena after getting into foul trouble - a situation that helped Pasadena's Junior College Player of the Year Dionne Pounds score 21 points in the loss.

Even so, Hutchinson continually gave AVC chances throughout the playoffs.

``She plays so hard,'' Taylor said. ``She plays the game the way it's supposed to be played. She was tremendous for us.''

Hutchinson, who was also named an All-Foothill Conference player, is considering the University of Seattle, Cal State Dominguez Hills and the N.Y. Institute of Technology.

In Taylor's third year as AVC's head coach after a seven-year stay at L.A. Valley, he has won the Foothill Conference in all three seasons and led the Marauders past the regionals for the first time in the program's history.

``It helps to have great assistants and great players,'' Taylor said.

Taylor will lose sophomores Hutchinson, Starling and Sheena Crenshaw, but will retain standouts Randle, Kelli Edwards-Valentine and Sasa Stojic. Randle averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds a game and Edwards-Valentine eight and six.

--Still rolling: The Antelope Valley women's softball team is enjoying success with a rejuvenated pitching staff and potent lineup.

From the mound, the Marauders (12-4, 2-0) have been led by Antelope Valley High graduate Justina Gallardo.

Although Gallardo did not pitch for Antelope Valley, she has compiled an impressive 8-1 record with a 1.48 ERA.

``She keeps batters off balance with her riseball,'' coach Cindy Vargas said. ``She's also got a great defense behind her.''

It also doesn't hurt that AVC has outscored its opponents 91-36.

AVC's power hitters thus far are Quartz Hill graduate Nicole Means (3 HRs, 16 RBI) and Paraclete graduate Amy Paradiso (.382 AVG., 13 RBI).

Nathan Brown, [phone]

nate.brown(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Antelope Valley's Shalonie Hutchinson shoots a free throw during the State semifinals in San Diego.

Sara Richardson/Special to the Daily News