Aurora Central Catholic’s Sofia Orozco was prepared to play a big role Friday against Byron.
The 6-foot-1 sophomore center was relied up more than expected, however. And she delivered.
“I was a little nervous in the beginning, but I had to do it for the team,” Orozco said. “I knew I was taller than most of their players. I had to do what I had to do.”
With senior stars Sofia Corral and Riley Cwinski battling foul trouble, Orozco kept the host Chargers within striking distance most of the night, scoring a team-high 18 points off the bench.
Ultimately, Byron pulled away in the second half for an 82-59 decision in the Class 2A Aurora Central Catholic Regional championship game.
Cwinski scored 17 points in defeat for ACC (27-5). Corral added 11 points.
Held to one point in the first quarter, Malia Morton led all scorers with 35 points for Byron (31-2). Macy Groharing added 25 points and Brynn Green had 10.
Corral departed with foul trouble in the second quarter and Orozco scored 10 points in relief. When Cwinski picked up her third early in the third, Orozco scored six points in her place.
“We were practicing against their 1-3-1 (zone) and I was telling her, ‘I don’t think they have an answer for you,’” ACC coach LeVada Smith said. “She’s tall. She’s lanky. She’s shifty around the basket, stuff like that. They really didn’t have an answer.
“For somebody playing in her second playoff game and not feeling nervous or anything, just did her thing, that’s huge. She’s always relaxed.”
Orozco said that she has long looked up to Corral and Cwinski and they did their best to bring her along in her first varsity season. The results showed Friday.
“We talked about her role in practice,” Corral said. “We knew she would be a big help because she had height and the other team didn’t. We told her she was going to have to step up.
“We were expecting her to step up, and she did. She came through for us. She has so much more to grow, and I’m really excited to see where she takes her next two years here.”
The Chargers cut the deficit to 37-35 early in the third quarter and then the avalanche started.
Byron’s lead grew to 58-48 entering the fourth. Then, the Tigers started the quarter on an 18-0 run and led by as many as 28.
“I think we came out with expectations and I don’t think we met those expectations at every level,” Corral said. “I think our defense wasn’t where we wanted it to be for sure.
“I’m still super proud of this team and what we accomplished this year.”
Corral and Cwinski will go down as two of the most accomplished players in program history. Cwinski is the program’s all-time leading scorer. Their impact will be felt for a long time at ACC.
“I expect them to be in the Hall of Fame here whenever they’re eligible,” Smith said. “Without those two, we don’t win as many games as we have the past four years.
“They won two regional titles. That’s not what you see in the history of ACC. Going to four straight regional championships is nothing to sneeze at. It’s a heck of a legacy to leave behind.”
The nature of high school sports, however, is to find the next thing.
With a performance like she had Friday, Orozco knows that the work begins for her to be that player. Smith expects her to start and potentially be the team’s leading scorer next season.
“I think if she continues to get stronger and work on her positioning, I think she can be right up there and be in the Hall of Fame next,” Corral said.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
