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Costa once bitten, but not twice shy
Earlier this month, the Mira Costa girls' basketball team suffered a one-point loss at Leuzinger. On Monday, the Mustangs got the equalizer, knocking off the Olympians 48-42 in a sloppy game with a violent ending the crowd will be talking about for years.
Leuzinger led most of the game as Costa's top two players, Tara Whiteside and Hilary Stromath, languished on the bench in foul trouble. Six points by Megan Whiteside in the second quarter helped Costa, which trailed 22-19 at halftime, stay in the game.
The Olympians extended their lead to as many as eight points in the third quarter, before Megan Whiteside, Stromath and Jacquie Corvan brought Costa back. Megan Whiteside tossed in a three-pointer with less than a minute and assisted on a lay-up by Courtney Rankin to close the deficit to 29-27 after three quarters.
Costa continued its run in the opening moments of the fourth quarter, getting a three-point play from Corvan and a deuce after an offensive rebound and free throws from Stromath to build a five-point lead.
The lead was still five, 45-40, with 52 seconds remaining, when Tara Whiteside dove onto the ground for a loose ball. She emerged from the pile angry after suffering a bite to the back of her neck. Both teams ran from their benches yelling at each other when, suddenly, Tara's mother ran onto the court, kicking at the suspected biter. The suspected biter then threw a punch at Tara's mother before order was restored.
After conferring for 15 minutes, the referees could not determine who bit Tara Whiteside and allowed the game to continue. Leuzinger's coach, however, voluntarily held out the suspected biter, finishing the game with just four players on the court.
"I've been here 30 years and this is the first time I've ever seen this happen," said Costa head coach Sylvia Holly.
Tara Whiteside led Costa with 14 points. Stromath added 11, while Megan Whiteside chipped in with 10. ER