One season after finishing with just six wins, Marina High School girl's basketball seeking state title

Just one season removed from yet another disappointing campaign in which they earned just six wins, the Marina High School girl's basketball team is seeking their first ever state title. 

Having already captured the CIF SoCal Division V title earlier this week, the Vikings are set to travel to Sacramento this weekend where they'll face off against Bret Harte Union High School out of Calaveras County in Northern California. They'll meet up at Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA's Sacramento Kings on Saturday. 

It's the girl's basketball team's first appearance in a state title game, an unexpected run coming at the heels of three seasons that saw them compile just 17 wins and 59 losses. 

"After what we call bad, we issued a challenge to the girls at the end of last season to improve, to get better," said Head Coach Danny Roussel, currently in his fifth year with the team. "We spent a lot of time in the weight room. We spent a lot of time in the gym."

The extra effort paid off, with the girls storming to a 21-15 record, including a stellar run at the end of the season in which they won 10 of their last 11 games, 

"We showed that we aren't just the losing team from Marina," said Mia Grasse, the team's captain. "We showed that we can win and that we can work harder than everyone else."

In their most recent matchup, the SoCal Division V title game against San Pedro High School, the Vikings outscored their opponents in every quarter on their way to a 51-43 victory. 

"You know, our school spirit for girl's sports is not the best, so bringing all the wins here, it's really big," said Tiana To, a senior guard on the team. 

She's hoping that she can help lead the team's final charge to a "front and center" banner hanging in the Viking's gym in Huntington Beach. 

"Win or lose, no one can take it away from us that we got that far," Grasse said. "Win or lose, it's a happy memory for me."

The team leaves Friday via bus, heading towards Sacramento where they'll play their last game of the season at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

"Should it not happen, we will hold our heads high and walk out of there with class knowing that we did our best," Coach Roussel said.