Girls basketball notebook: Ventura legend Ann Larson still shines at team building
Humble, well-rooted, self-deprecating Ann Larson can't help but poke fun at herself when she considers her historic achievement during this girls basketball season.
Ventura High defeated Newbury Park on Nov. 30, 57-27, to earn Larson a prodigious victory No. 500 in an illustrious coaching career.
"It means I'm old and haven't been fired," she says with a laugh.
Good one Ann, but here's the reality: In 23 sterling seasons — and still going strong — as Ventura High's guiding force, Larson has led a program built on family values, life's lessons, and lots and lots of success. There have been four appearances in CIF-Southern Section championship games, including section titles in 2002, 2014 and 2016.
The Cougars were CIF-State regional finalists in 2005, 2015 and 2017.
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Larson acknowledges the good times through two-plus decades.
"It's been a blessing for me to be surrounded by good people and do what I enjoy doing for 23 years," she said. "If you do the right things and put in the work, good things can happen."
The Cougars are perennial contenders for league championships, and they're at it again this season. A year after winning the Pacific View League title with five senior starters, Ventura is riding a veritable kiddie core lineup into a prime contending role in the revamped Channel League.
Five underclassmen — one junior, two sophomores and two freshmen — comprise the starting lineup and the Cougars are in the midst of a torrid streak. After starting the season 4-7, Ventura has won 12 of its last 13 games and is tied for first place in league.
Ventura is 16-8 overall and 8-3 in league, good for a first-place tie with rival Buena and a half-game ahead of Pacifica and Oxnard.
Larson has been too focused on the day-to-day teaching for her young group to even notice the big picture.
"I didn't even realize we had that kind of streak going," she said. "Really this is a remarkable group that just enjoys competing and playing basketball.
"It's so different from last year, when I had five seniors starters, most of whom had been with me for three seasons. These players are young, they're talented and they're eager to learn. Most of them have lots of experience playing club basketball, but high school basketball is different. It's something they're getting used to."
Larson said extra patience is required for a young team.
"You always have to be patient as a coach, but more so when you've got so many young players," she said. "Mistakes are made, and sometimes made again. It's like, 'I thought we went over that, but let's do it again.' "
There's no shortage of talent.
Skyler Knight, a junior guard, has emerged as the top scoring threat after missing last season with injuries. She's averaging 12.5 points per game, including 51 3-pointers. She also averages 5.0 rebounds.
The balance makes the Cougars tough to defend. Freshman guard Kailee Staniland — the daughter of renowned Oxnard boys basketball coach Jeff Staniland — averages 11.6 points, while racking up a team-best 106 assists and sophomore forward Sarah Beckman turns in 9.3 points and a team-best 8.0 rebounds per game.
Freshman Jessie Sebek contributes 6.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game and sophomore Emily Rea averages 7.7 points.
Clutch wins in the recent streak include a 53-42 victory over Oxnard and 50-33 win over Pacifica.
League offers up an escalated challenge this season with the merger of the former Pacific View and Channel leagues into an eight-team circuit.
"It's been fun," Larson said. "I'm happy to be competing against the Santa Barbara schools again. We climb on busses for road trips and it feels like the playoffs. It will make us a better team."
The goal, as usual, is a league championship. The Cougars will compete in the CIF-SS Division 2AA playoffs.
Larson, at age 57, says she's no where close to calling it a career. "I've got at least a good five more years left in me," she said.
Larson is buoyed by the presence of husband Dan as a full-time assistant. Dan retired as the Ventura boys coach after the 2021 season and is "all in" for the girls team at practices and games.
"It's so good to be able to go to him for opinions and advice," said Ann. "It's made this season that much more enjoyable."
SOARING EAGLES
The Oak Park girls basketball program seemed destined for a boost with the hiring of head coach Will Burr, who directed Viewpoint High to the CIF-SS Division 1 championship a season ago.
The wait hasn't been long.
The Eagles produced what is likely the most significant victory of the season thus far when they stopped Camarillo's 58-game league winning streak with a 56-47 victory on the Scorpions' home floor on Jan. 13.
Oak Park stands 11-11 overall and 5-0 in the Coastal Canyon League and clearly threatens Camarillo's league championship streak. The Scorpions have won 11 consecutive league titles.
Burr said this season is all about the players.
"I'm happiest for them," he said. "They've put in the work. They're growing in confidence. They've earned all the success they get. I've got my Division 1 title. This is all for the players."
Ironically, Viewpoint's 59-53 victory in last season's Division 1 championship game came against Camarillo and star Gabriela Jaquez.
Burr said that was then, this is now.
"I was attracted to Oak Park by its academics," he said. "It has a reputation as a high academics school, and it's good to be a part of that. It's a good place to be."
Oak Park has struggled in recent years, including 1-20 overall a season ago and 0-8 in league. Now they may be headed to a league crown.
"I came in trying to change the culture," he said. "We played a tough non-league schedule to get ready, and the girls have responded. They weren't used to playing those kinds of teams, but it's made us better."
The Eagles are young, too, with just two seniors on the roster. Team leaders are freshman point guard Delaney White, junior shooting guard Lindsay Gould and freshman Jaelah Brown.
"I've coached a lot of these girls in club ball and I know what they're capable of doing," said Burr. "I know what they can do."
The rematch with Camarillo is Tuesday at Oak Park.
HOT RACES
Here's how the league races stack up, with league records first:
Channel: Buena 8-3, 13-8; Ventura 8-3, 17-8; Pacifica 7-3, 14-7; Oxnard 7-3, 16-7; San Marcos 5-5, 10-9; Dos Pueblos 5-5, 10-13; Santa Barbara 1-8, 2-17; Rio Mesa 0-11, 8-17.
Marmonte: Oaks Christian 6-0, 15-5; Westlake 5-1, 17-6; Calabasas 4-2, 18-5; Agoura 2-4, 12-11; Newbury Park 1-5, 7-15; Thousand Oaks 0-6, 12-12.
Coastal Canyon: Oak Park 5-0, 11-11; Camarillo 3-1, 12-10; Simi Valley 2-2, 10-12; Moorpark 1-3, 3-15; Royal 0-5, 2-16.
Citrus Coast: Santa Paula 8-0, 11-8; Nordhoff 7-2, 12-8; Malibu 6-3, 13-3; Carpinteria 4-4, 10-10; Channel Islands 4-5, 5-9; Fillmore 1-7, 3-13; Hueneme 0-9, 1-20.
Tri-Valley: Foothill Tech 4-0, 13-5; Bishop Diego 3-1, 19-3; St. Bonaventure 2-3, 7-12; Santa Clara 0-5, 7-14.
Frontier: Cate 4-0, 6-5; Thacher 2-2, 2-5; Villanova Prep 2-3, 5-6; La Reina 0-3, 0-7; Providence and Dunn records unavailable.
THE STAR'S GIRLS BASKETBALL RANKINGS
Oaks Christian (15-5, 6-0 Marmonte League)
Westlake (17-6, 5-1 Marmonte League)
Buena (13-8, 8-3 Channel League)
Ventura (16-8, 8-3 Channel League)
Pacifica (14-7, 7-3 Channel League)
Oak Park (11-11, 5-0 Citrus Coast)
Oxnard (16-7, 7-3 Channel League)
Camarillo (12-10, 3-1 Coastal Canyon League)
Calabasas (18-5, 4-2 Marmonte League)
Santa Paula (11-8, 8-0 Citrus Coast League)
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Girls basketball notebook: Ventura's Ann Larson shines at team building
