ESCONDIDO ---- Trailing by five points at the halftime, San Pasqual High girls basketball coach Beck Flanagan challenged senior Erica Windham to "step up and play like a senior."

"I told her this might be her last game," he said, "and we were going to put the game on her shoulders."

Windham responded by scoring 18 of her 21 points in the second half as the Eagles rallied to beat Vista 44-39 Wednesday night in the first round of the CIF San Diego Section Division I playoffs.

The Eagles (21-7) advance to Saturday's quarterfinals, travelling to play No. 1-seeded Poway (25-3).

Vista sees it season end at 15-11.

"Erica was certainly the difference," Flanagan said. "But Kelsey Harbin had two big baskets and a couple of steals in the fourth quarter. And Jessica Birchall was a forced on the offensive boards."

Harbin finished with nine points ---- six in the second half --- while Birchall had eight points and 12 rebounds.

Vista and San Pasqual met earlier this season with Vista winning 52-34, but Windham didn't play.

Vista's Dominique Parram had 17 points and 17 rebounds in that game. Parram, who was in foul trouble most of Wednesday and fouled out with 3 minutes, 10 seconds to play, had three points and six rebounds.

"That was a big key," Flanagan said. "She killed us the first time. But she got in foul trouble, had to sit out quite a bit and finally fouled out. Keeping her off the glass was huge."

Vista's turnover total was also huge. The Panthers finished with 31 turnovers.

"We had this game, but you can't expect to win when you turn the ball over that many times," said Vista coach Jennie Dillon. "We played such good defense in the first half, then we collapsed.

"We didn't take care of the ball. Our help defense broke down. We didn't make adjustments.

"Defense is our ticket, so it's disappoint it let us down."

Vista led by 10 ---- 22-10 ---- in the second quarter after a 12-2 run.

But San Pasqual had the deficit down to five at the half, two in the third quarter and finally took the lead with 5:55 to play on a Windham basket.

Windham scored seven points in a 14-2 San Pasqual run as the Eagles built a nine-point lead.

"That second half is the way Eric is capable of playing," Flanagan said. "Give Vista some credit. Their halfcourt defense was stifling in the first half.

"In the second half, we played great team defense and we pushed the tempo. That swung the momentum.

"We gave them some different defensive looks, and we were able to capitalize on their mistakes in the second half."

Tanisha Johnson led Vista with 12 points, but the Panthers scored just 17 second-half points ---- seven in the fourth quarter.

Contact staff writer John Maffei at 760-740-3547.