YUBA CITY, CA (YSBC) - The Faith Christian Lions girls basketball team clinched a NorCal regional championship appearance for the second-straight year after they beat the Liberty Ranch Hawks 79-75 on Saturday, March 7.

Faith Christian won their first two CIF State Division IV matchups against Rancho Cotate and Miramonte and set up a Sac-Joaquin Section matchup versus Liberty Ranch.

The Lions Den at the Faith Christian campus was packed and loud as the Lions faithful continued to make it a hard place to play for opponents.

The Hawks led 26-20 at the end of the first after both teams played with a quick pace.

Faith Christian senior Hannah Hessong (15) battles for a rebound during the Lions’ victory over Liberty Ranch on Saturday, March 7. Photo by Steven Bryla

The matchup on Saturday featured a pair of trio of senior athletes who have made headlines and led both programs to success over the last four years.

Liberty Ranch senior Haley Smith led the Hawks to four-consecutive 22-win seasons, including the 2025 SJS Division IV Championship and averaged at least 17.8 points per game in her career.

Smith finished with 23 points in the loss.

Faith Christian’s senior duo of Lauren Harris and Presley Berry have made it to four-straight section titles, including three Section rings and added the 2025 NorCal Division VI title.

In Division VI, there is no current state title game against a Southern California team.

The Faith Christian and Liberty Ranch coaching staffs meet postgame on Saturday, March 7. Photo by Steven Bryla

Harris and Berry have combined for more than 5,600 points, 2500 rebounds and 1000 assists in their time together in a Lions uniform.

Smith had 12 in the first and knocked down shots all-around the floor.

Berry and Harris added nine each in the first quarter and kept the Lions tempo up to not let Liberty Ranch get fully comfortable Lenin the Den.

Berry finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in the victory on Saturday.

Faith Christian built some separation as Harris exploded for 17 points in the second and got her rhythm behind the three-point line as she knocked down five triples in the quarter.

Faith Christian senior Lauren Harris (5) shoots a three on Saturday, March 7 during the Lions’ win over Liberty Ranch. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Junior Mia Bryan received multiple passes around the basket and scored eight points in the quarter. Bryan finished with 14 in the win.

Harris ended with a game-high 46 points and added nine-total threes to her all-time three point record as the most-made three’s in a four-year high school career.

Harris also had a team-high in rebounds with 15 and nine assists.

The Lions took a 49-41 lead into the half, but the Hawks kept fighting.

Liberty Ranch opened the third with an 8-0 run over the first couple minutes of the second half. Faith Christian quickly answered with a 9-2 run over the next three minutes of game play.

The Lions went to the final quarter with a 10-point lead in hopes of going to their second-straight NorCal final.

The Hawks left it all on the floor in the fourth as sophomore Cruz Gregorio drove to the basket and scored a few baskets to cut the Faith Christian lead to a couple of possessions.

Harris hit five clutch-free throws in the final couple of minutes to keep the Lions ahead and when the clock hit triple zeroes, Faith Christian accomplished something rare.

Faith Christian senior Presley Berry (21) shoots from deep during the Lions’ victory over Liberty Ranch on Saturday, March 7. Photo by Steven Bryla

All 12 of the girls on the basketball team for the Lions all made the Division VI NorCal final in volleyball back in November 2025 and had dual practices with basketball as the two seasons mixed.

Faith Christian head coach Geoff Harris told Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports it’s been an amazing ride throughout his time at the helm of both programs.

He told YSBC the game on Saturday was the perfect example of what a great playoff basketball game looked like as it was never out of either team's hands.

“It was like a piece of art,” Geoff said. “This is how these types of games should be.”

The Lions will host their final game of the 2025-26 season in the Den on Tuesday, March 10 with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. against Lathrop for the chance to go back to the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento to play for a state title.

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