Three-Pillar Candidate: Alexa Romano is winning on and off the court

Ben Rohrbach, usatodayhss.com, January 21, 2015

Each season, Gatorade recognizes one student-athlete from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. who embodies its Player of the Year program’s three pillars: athletic production, academic achievement and exemplary character.

Each week during its Gatorade State Player of the Year selection process, USA TODAY surfaces one candidate who meets those criteria and deserves recognition as a serious Gatorade State Player of the Year contender.

Name: Alexa Romano
School: La Cueva (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Sport: Girls Basketball
Class: Senior

Athletic Production: Romano knows the feeling of winning a state championship, just not on a basketball court, so the 5-foot-9 senior guard is doing everything within her power to change that this season.

As a member of La Cueva’s track team, Romano captured the 2012 Class 5A individual state title in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.89 seconds as a freshman and the 2014 long jump crown with an effort of 17 feet, 10.5 inches as a junior this past spring.

That athleticism has translated wonderfully to the basketball court, where the Stanford-bound Romano earned New Mexico High School Coaches Assocation Class 5A Player of the Year honors last season and Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore in 2013.

She came within two victories of a state title on the hardcourt as a sophomore and led the Bears to the state quarterfinals last season.

As a senior, she has averaged 20 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists per game, leading La Cueva (10-4) to another solid start. With only a month remaining in the final year of a remarkable prep career, she sure would like to add a hoop trophy alongside her track medals before competing for national titles with the Cardinal.

Academic Achievement: Romano has maintained an A average.

Exemplary Character: An accomplished pianist, she has volunteered locally on behalf of her church, multiple homeless shelters, the Special Olympics and the Spanish National Honor Society.

La Cueva senior Romano trying to win state championship before heading on to Stanford/Update

Andy Morgan, kob.com, January 13, 2015

Alexa Romano is a 5'9" senior for the La Cueva Lady Bears, and she can do it all.

"She doesn't really have a chink in her armor," said La Cueva head coach Robert Perea. "She's the best defender on the team, she's the best passer, best ball handler and she's the best shooter."

"I have different aspects of my game, so I think being a combo guard is what sets me apart," Romano said.

She has the skills to take over a game with her elite ability to score the basketball, and her coach wouldn't mind seeing her be a little less unselfish.

"Sometimes she's got that pass-first mentality, and when the clock starts to become four minutes or less, I just want her to shoot the ball" Perea said.

For Romano, it's all about flipping a switch.

"It flips on during close games. When it's tied [in the] 4th quarter, I just get competitive. I feel alive. Those games make you intense," she said.

Romano will play her college ball at Stanford University next season. And while her focus is on winning a state championship at La Cueva this year, she's excited about the opportunity to play for one of the top college coaches in the nation.

"Playing for Tara VanDerVeer, a hall of famer…I just love to challenge myself, and playing under her is going to be a really big challenge."

Romano's next challenge will come on Wednesday against Albuquerque High.

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Mark Rudi, csun-news.com, January 16, 2015

The Las Cruces girls lost to La Cueva 46-39 on Friday night at Las Cruces High School.

Stanford signee Alexa Romano had 11 points for the Bears.

Marta Update

washingtonpost.com, January 12, 2015

Marta Sniezek pitched in 27 points in a 73-26 win for the Eagles.

Shannon Update

daytondailynews.com, January 13, 2015

Centerville 58, Princeton 50: Shannon Coffee had 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Elks (9-3) in win.

Alexa helps second-seeded La Cueva advance to semifinals of the Albuquerque Metro Championships

Mark Smith abqjournal.com, January 10, 2015
LA CUEVA 50, VOLCANO VISTA 39
La Cueva senior star Alexa Romano had all six of her team’s points on three field goals in the first quarter, but went scoreless from midway through the opening period until the middle of the third quarter and didn’t make another shot from the floor until the game’s final three minutes.
La Cueva led 36-33 before Romano hit a 3-pointer with 2:40 left. After a pair of Volcano Vista free throws, Romano broke the Hawks’ full-court press with a layup to seal it.

“We survived a really bad shooting half in the first half,” said La Cueva coach Robert Perea. “We were getting the shots we liked, but we weren’t making them. We started feeding it inside more, then Alexa finally shook loose and hit that big 3.”

Romano had a game-high 14 points.

Shannon Provides a Large Cup of Coffee in OT Win

Scott Halasz, xeniagazette.com, January 8, 2015
Centerville wins 43-39 in overtime in Greater Western Ohio Conference Central Division play over Beavercreek.
Centerville’s Shannon Coffee — who will play at national power Stanford next season — led all scorers with 26 points, four in the decisive overtime.
The 6-foot-5 Coffee also had 13 rebounds, half a dozen blocks and made 10 of 12 tries from the free throw line. Her emergence in the second half was a key difference, in addition to excessive turnovers by the Beavers.
“They get her the ball, we’re going to foul,” a diplomatic Beavercreek coach Ed Zink said after discovering Centerville was 17 of 27 from the free throw line while Beavercreek was 12 of 17. “Were there some questionable calls? Maybe. (But) Coffee’s a heck of a player. First half we did a real nice job on her.”
When Centerville coach Adam Preifer ordered a large Coffee. Centerville (7-3, 2-0 GWOC Central) pounded the ball inside regularly and Coffee responded with eight of Centerville’s 12 points.
Coffee scored her 1,000th career point during the game.

Marta Update

washingtonpost.com, Janauary 5, 2015
Marta Sniezek scored 26 points in a 61-46 National Cathedral win over Flint Hill on last Saturday.