Girls basketball: Calling on the spirit of Edgar Cayce

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

I hate making predictions. I really do. You pick against someone, and you’re ‘disrespecting’ them. No, you just think the other team is going to win. But Dan Arritt unloaded his prognostications about the boys’ state championship games this weekend at Arco Arena in Sacramento, and then put down the gauntlet for me. Doggone you, Dan.

So I took a nap and dreamed of Edgar Cayce (pictured).

I hate making predictions ...

Division I, Saturday, 6 p.m.: Long Beach Poly may be the best team in the land right now. Yes, the Jackrabbits lost to San Francisco Sacred Heart Cathedral, but to quote Carl Buggs after the second game against Millikan, ‘That was then, this is now.’ Sure, there was the overtime game against Narbonne last week, but Jasmine Dixon missed 12 minutes. Arena games lend themselves to interior play. That’s Poly’s strength. I have a gut feeling about Berkeley, and that this game will be closer than most expect. Still, if I had something riding on the outcome, I’d take the Jackrabbits to make it three titles in a row. Poly 52, Berkeley 48.

Division II, Friday, 5:30 pm.: Mira Costa seems like a team of destiny. The Mustangs lost their starting point guard, freshman Kylie Nakamine stepped in and they haven’t lost a beat. They don’t lose in overtime, either, having won three in a row, including last week’s triple-OT game against Ayala. Mikah Maly-Karros gives them a strong inside presence, Megan Richardson a strong outside presence. But after last year, when officials turned on Brea Olinda in the second half and essentially gave the victory to San Jose Mitty, how can I choose against it. Will the same thing happen again if the three-time champ is in trouble? Since nothing is riding on it, I’m going local, fully expecting something weird to happen to deny the Mustangs an end their fairytale. Mira Costa 57, Mitty 56, overtime.

Division III, Saturday, 1 p.m.: If Magnolia can keep the score low, it actually has a chance against the No. 1 team in the nation, Sacred Heart Cathedral. Magnolia does play defense well, but can it outscore Sacred Heart? Probably not. Not after all Sacred Heart has been through. Tierra Rogers’ father was shot and killed at halftime outside one of her games earlier this season. This is a team on a mission. Win or lose, it will be the story of the weekend, and Magnolia just happens to be the footnote. I’m expecting a great effort, though. Sacred Heart Cathedral 48, Magnolia 40.

Division IV, Friday, 3:30 p.m.: I have the greatest respect for La Jolla Country Day, a San Diego Section team that can compete on the same level as the best Southern Section teams. That should be enough to win, right? Even though its opponent has four starters back from last year’s state runner-up, I’m going with Arizona State-bound Janae Fulcher. LJCD 57, Vallejo St. Patrick/St. Vincent 44.

Division V, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: San Luis Obispo Mission Prep has lost five times in state title games and is looking to win its first championship as the South representative. I don’t think it’s going to happen. Ross Branson 48, Mission Prep 36.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.edgarcayce.org