San Clemente (Calif.) Girls Coach Wins No. 500

It was a milestone night for San Clemente girls basketball coach Mary Mulligan-Crapo, and a big evening for her team.

Mulligan-Crapo collected her 500th coaching victory as Brogan Griffin came off the bench for a game-high 13 points to help the Tritons defeat Mission Viejo, 52-33, on Monday in a key South Coast League game at San Clemente High.

The victory keeps the Tritons (13-11, 3-5) in the hunt for a CIF-SS berth as they trail third-place Dana Hills by one game with one game remaining. But postseason hopes aside, the evening belonged to Mulligan-Crapo.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the sold-out crowd chanted "500." She was hugged by her players, assistant coaches, former players and ex-classmates at and after the final buzzer.

The game could be her last at home as she announced earlier this week that she will not be back for a 26th coaching season. That realization was not lost by Mulligan-Crapo.

"This was a great night, but it's even more meaningful to me that it was done here at home," she said. "This place has been so good to me for so long. I'm going to miss it."

Billed as Senior Night, the school honored its seven seniors before the game. But senior Sierra Blankenbecler said the night belonged to the coach.

"We wanted to win our (possibly) last home game, but we knew how important it was for her. We were really pumped tonight," she said.

In her 25 seasons at San Clemente, the Tritons won 13 league championships and five CIF titles, and made eight trips to the CIF State Championship playoffs.

Lauren Pluimer and Blankenbecler each scored nine points for the Tritons. Katie Greene led Mission Viejo with 10 points.