In the 2021-2022 season, Oak Park High School’s girls basketball had a record of just 1-22. The losing stopped there. The team beat St. Monica Prep 73-29 in the Division 5A championship in 2023, Cerritos in 2024 by a score of 71-41 to win the Division 3AA championship and most recently, North Torrance, by a final score of 68-57 to win the CIF-SS Division 2A championship. OPHS’ girls basketball team is the first in Ventura County History to three-peat.
Sophomore guard Maya Deshautelle dominated the game from beginning to end, with a point total of 30 along with 11 rebounds. Junior guard Delaney White added six steals to force 14 turnovers on the North Torrance Saxons. However, the team never expected anything different.
“The team has felt confident in ourselves since the beginning of the season,” White said. “We knew no matter where we ended up in CIF we would do great.”
However, the season was not without challenges. The team lost senior Ella Broms early on in the season, leaving them with only five players. This forced the team to bump up a freshman from JV and play their players nearly the whole game.
“After losing someone like Broms who brought so much to the team on and off the court it definitely was not easy,” White said. “Losing her gave us more motivation than we ever had to win it for her.”
The team dominated from the beginning all the way to the end of their season. With a final overall record of 21-4, they rode a winning streak of 13 into their CIF finals matchup.
“This team has proven time and time again that we are fighters,” White said. “No matter how much adversity we faced, we got through it together.”
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The team lost 58-51 against Rancho Christian in the first round of the state playoffs. However, this does not take away from their stellar season whatsoever.
Although their year has come to an end, OPHS girls basketball made history by becoming the first team in Ventura County history to three-peat.
