Fast exit for Trojan boys, Casa girls

It was a short stay for the Petaluma High boys and the Casa Grande girls in the North Coast Section basketball playoffs.

Playing in Division 2, Petaluma was eliminated Tuesday by Moreau Catholic, 83-43, in a game played in Hayward.

The host Mariners dominated the game from the outset, building a 45-23 halftime lead.

Petaluma had no way to stop Moreau Catholic’s 6-2 senior guard Damari Milstead and 6-5 freshman Kyree Walker.

Milstead, who is headed to Cal next season, led the Mariners with 29 points and nine assists, while Walker, rated by one prep website as the best freshman in the country, scored 27 points and had six assists.

Petaluma was led by Colin Stremlau with 13 points, including three hits from behind the arc. Joey Potts scored 10 points and had two slams.

Petaluma assistant coach John Behrs noted especially the play of guard Benny Spaletta. “He never backed down. He hustled all over the court,” Behrs said.

Spaletta’s effort was needed because the Trojans lost starting guard Austin Paretti, perhaps their best outside shooter, to a knee injury in the first quarter, and he was never able to return to the court.

Behrs also noted the strong defensive work of Justin Wolbert, who came off the bench to give Petaluma a spark.

Petaluma was bothered by Moreau Catholic’s game-long pressing defense and hampered by the Mariners’ rebounding superiority, especially on their own offensive boards.

Petaluma finishes the season with a 16-13 record and an 8-4 Sonoma County League record, good for a second-place tie with Healdsburg.

Moreau Catholic is now 18-9 on the season and headed to a second-round game against Acalanes on Friday.

Casa’s girls slip

The Casa Grande girls lost their first-round Division 2 game at Concord, 67-53. Casa fell behind, 23-10, in the first quarter and never recovered.

Casa’s only senior, Cassidy McKinney, led the Lady Gauchos in her final high school game with 12 points. Hannah Sullivan scored eight. Jessica Solis led Concord with 17.

Casa finished its season with a 13-14 record.