Jan 8, 2004

Leland coach sees need for girls league
Westmont lady wrestlers execute reversal on conventional wisdom

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

One at a time they came onto the mat to get their hand raised in triumph. The opponent was a lack of similarly adventurous young women at Leland High School, which does not have a girls wrestling team. So, each of the Westmont High School lady wrestlers were destined to win by a forfeit, as they will many times before the end of their season.

The Westmont lady wrestlers are rare birds indeed as the only girls team in the county.
But these Warriors are prepared to challenge the status quo to have their day as respected participants in one of the most daunting of athletic endeavors. Wrestling is a one-on-one test of strength, skill, balance and fortitude, a warrior in the most challenging and civil sense of the word.

Led by senior Amy Horowitz, who already has earned a No. 1 ranking in the state at 185 pounds, the Westmont distaff team has sacrificed much to be part of this ancient sport. They wrestle with the Westmont boys at virtually every practice, and go long stretches of time with no opponents at all. Horowitz, notes, however, that there are some 1,800 girls state-wide who compete in wrestling. She finished fourth in the league in boys junior varsity competition the last two years, has this season twice defeated the former top-ranked girl in the state, Vanessa Gutierrez of Gilroy. Horowitz hopes to confirm her No. 1 status at the Vintage Tournament in Napa on Jan. 17.
As for wrestling with the boys, Horowitz says she did experience some sexual harassment when she gave the sport a try as a middle school student. As for her mindset now, she says, “I suck it up and get on with it. They (the boys) are going to do their own thing. Most of them are serious wrestlers. I just try to beat them and get it over with.” She notes that she has written a senior project thesis on wrestling emphasizing that girls who wrestle with boys ultimately earn better results as wrestlers.

Leland High School Co-Coach Val Esquivel indicated that bringing girls into the wrestling program may be the only way to save the sport. He noted that Title IV, a provision that necessitates equality in numbers of male and female in interscholastic sports, has led to the demise of wrestling because many schools have dropped the sport to balance the numbers across the athletic program.

“That’s where we are headed (more women in wrestling),” said Esquivel. “We have to make the sport more popular. We have to incorporate a women’s wrestling league.”

Esquivel says he has no problem with boys wrestling girls, but noted “it can be a lose-lose situation for a boy who loses a match to a girl. I had a boy lose a match to a girl last year and he didn’t come out for wrestling this year.”
Westmont Coach Dennis Mamola says the young women on his wrestling team “are the most hard working group of athletes I’ve ever had. It’s a pleasure working with them.” As for Horowitz in particular, he says, “she’s very focused, and she gets focused, she stays focused.”

Despite her dedication to breaking through social barriers to participate in a bruising game, Horowitz doesn’t need wrestling for recognition. She placed fourth in the girls shot putt competition at the Central Coast Section track and field meet last spring, and holds the Westmont school record in the shot at 38 feet, 8 1/2 inches. She also is a versatile musician, playing saxophone, tuba and Sousaphone in the school jazz and marching bands and the ElCamino Youth Symphony. She hopes to major in architecture or music in college. She currently is hoping to acquire a track scholarship at Northridge State University. Northridge doesn’t have wrestling for either men or women, but what university wouldn’t want a young person with an uncommon brand of versatility and courage?
More women wrestlers, in fact, may be just what this country needs. A provision for the Patriot Act, perhaps?

Pioneer Sports Schedule

Thursday 1/8
Girls basketball @ Andrew Hill 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Wrestling vs. Leigh 6:30 p.m.
Girls soccer vs. Leland 3:15

Friday 1/9
Boys basketball @ Gunderson 6/7:30 (F/S, V)
Boys Soccer vs. Mt. Pleasant 3:15

Tuesday 1/13
Girls basketball vs. Silver Creek 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Wrestling @ Leland 6:30
Girls soccer vs. Independence 3:15

Wednesday 1/14
Boys basketball @ Santa Teresa 5:30/7 (F/S, V)
Boys soccer @ Andrew Hill 3:15

Leland Sports Schedule

Thursday 1/8
Girls soccer @ Pioneer 3:15 (JV & V)

Friday 1/9
Boys soccer @ Andrew Hill 3:15 (JV, V)
Boys basketball @ Overfelt 6/7:30 (JV, V)
Freshman boys basketball @ Piedmont Hills 7:30
Girls basketball @ Westmont 6/7:30 (JV, V)

Saturday 1/10
Wrestling vs. varsity @ West Valley

Tuesday 1/13
Boys basketball @ Independence 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Girls soccer vs. Piedmont Hills 3:15
Wrestling vs. Pioneer 6:30

Wednesday 1/14
Boys freshman basketball vs. Andrew Hill 3:30
Girls basketball vs. Leigh 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Boys soccer vs. Santa Teresa 3:15 @ Evergreen College
Boys F/S soccer vs. Santa Teresa 3:15

Leigh Sports Schedule

Thursday 1/8
Wrestling @ Pioneer 6:30

Friday 1/9
Boys basketball @ Andrew Hill 6/7:30 (JV, V)
Girls basketball vs. Del Mar 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Boys soccer @ Overfelt 3:15 (JV, V)

Tuesday 1/13
Wrestling vs. Westmont 6:30
Girls soccer @ Prospect 3:15 (JV, V)

Wednesday 1/14
Boys basketball vs. Gunderson 5:30/7 (JV, V)
Girls basketball @ Leland 5:30/7 (JV, V)

Pioneer’s JV Boys’ basketball team shoots for promising outlook

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

Pioneer High School JV boys’ basketball team is off to a great start this year, according to Head Coach Kevin Mack. The team, with a pre-season record of 9-3, will kick off its regular season games in the Mount Hamilton Division on Jan. 7 against Andrew Hill.

“This is the best start we’ve ever had, and definitely one of the most talented teams I’ve ever coached here,” says Mack. With nine sophomores, six freshmen, and seven of those sophomores returning, Mack says he is confident his team can win the league this year if they play to their full potential.

The Mustangs dominated in the Santa Clara Tournament on Dec. 19, winning three games and the tournament title to start off the season.

Freshman Gilbert Mendoza is the team’s top scorer, averaging 13 points and six rebounds a game. Other players to watch are sophomores Dan Radnich (8 pt/game average), Ryan LaCorte (7.5 pts/game and 6 rebounds/game) and point guard Kyle Wong (7 assists/game). Heating up on the outside are sophomore three-point shooters Kyle Fager and Nolan Maggipinto.

Pioneer, Leland scarce in wrestling rankings, clash Jan. 13 at Leland

It’s a new year, and, hopefully, wrestlers from Pioneer and Leland high schools have made some serious New Year’s resolutions. At the year-end Central Coast Section rankings, only Pioneer High School’s 160-pound Nick Esposito was ranked in the top 10, actually sharing the number-10 position with several others. A week later, Esposito slipped out of the top 10 and Pioneer’s 215-pound Jeff Terry, winner of the Jim Miltner Tournament in Livermore on Dec. 20, was promoted to the number-nine spot.

Others mentioned as “others” include Leland’s Mark Azzarello at 116 pounds, Greg Edwards at 171 pounds and Scott Glicksberg at 275 pounds. Pioneer’s Tuan Nguyen at 125 pounds, Armando Apolinar at 275 pounds, and Esposito, also received mention.

Neither school was ranked in the CCS top 20.
Leland sprung into action visiting James Lick High School on Wednesday while Pioneer is host to Leigh High School tonight (Thursday, Jan. 8) at 6:30.

Both schools are entered in the San Ramon Invitation on Saturday and will clash in a Blossom Valley Athletic duel on the Leland mats Tuesday, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m. Leland also will be the site of the BVAL championships on Feb. 7. For more information on wrestling rankings, see www.angelfire.com/indie/ccsrank and/or www.thecaliforniawrestler.com/pages/ccsrankings.

--By Karl Laucher

Girls softball sign-ups

The Almaden Valley Girls Softball League will be holding registrations for its upcoming season, which runs from late February to May. Registrations will be held at Graystone Elementary School on Saturday, Jan. 10 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., on Wednesday Jan. 14 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and on Saturday Jan. 17 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. First-time applicants must bring a copy of their birth certificate. The Almaden Valley Girl's Softball League ensures that the players are in a fun, positive environment while learning and expanding their softball skills. AVGSL promotes a sense of belonging for everyone. Teamwork and the sense of individual success that contribute to team sports is emphasized. More information on the league and registration can be found at www.avgsl.org or by calling (408) 808-1405.

Going for the gold
Former San Jose Earthquake adds golden touch to Leland soccer team

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

Some people find their passion early in life. Dave Gold is a stellar example of one of those individuals. He lives and breathes soccer, falling in love with the sport when he was only 6-years-old.

Growing up in England, soccer became a way of life. “It’s like eating your dinner, it’s just something that we do naturally,” says Gold, who came to America in the early 1980s as one of the original San Jose Earthquakes.
Since playing for the Earthquakes from 1983 to 1987, Gold has found a career in soccer, simultaneously coaching and developing his own training camp. His coaching experience is hardly lacking having coached at the professional, college, and amateur level for more than 15 years.

The Leland boys varsity soccer team has had an impressive history since Gold became their coach in 1985. The Chargers have four CCS championships in nine seasons and hold the national record for undefeated games (55-0-10 in 1987-1989). Last season they were 26-1-2, winning the Mount Hamilton division for the third year in a row; their only loss was in the CCS semifinals.

Gold never planned on being a coach. He opted for a position as a girls head coach at Gunn High School after a teammate turned it down. He admits he was quite scared at first. “Going out there with 80 girls, three balls and six cones,” said Gold, “I didn’t know what I’d gotten myself into.”

Originally, Gold got into coaching just to be a part of the game he loved. But, it became a career when he realized he had a talent working with children. “I didn’t realize I was good with kids until I started coaching, then I found I had a gift to relate to others, shaping their lives and their character.”

Gold also established a year-round training camp, Go 4 Gold, for kids of all ages to hone their soccer skills. The idea was developed slowly, as Gold found ways to increase his credibility by taking courses in coaching, reading literature on the subject, training teams, and even coaching for free. His experience has offered him a very humble approach to coaching.

“The greatest thing about coaching for me is seeing individuals improve and have fun. As a coach, I have a lot of humor, but I do run a tight ship. I want their talents to flow.

If a child is having fun they open up to learn. If they’re not, they shut down. You have to make it fun and excitingand then they’ll want to be there. They have to trust you and believe in what you do.”

Gold has been part of the game for 41 years. He’s one of the select individuals who has taken his passion in life, and made it work for him by educating and inspiring people of all ages.

He is currently coaching three soccer teams, the Leland boys varsity soccer team, the Almaden Elite (11-U girls) and the Almaden Avalanche (12-U girls). Anyone interested in learning more about his soccer camps can visit his Web site at www.go4goldsoccer.com.

Leland boys basketball opens league with big victory over Mt. Pleasant
Farsai and Proudfoot set tone for promising rebirth

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Forget the 3-8 start. The slate is clean. Leland High School’s boys basketball team is born again.

On Tuesday night the Chargers opened league. Apparently the lessons learned, throughout a discouraging preseason, have paid off with a 54-39 victory over visiting Mt. Pleasant High School.

After falling behind 15-2 in the first quarter, Leland dominated. The Chargers outscored the Cardinals 49-24 over the last three quarters.

The late onslaught was sparked by sophomore David Farsai’s team-leading 18 points.

Senior forwards Doug Proudfoot and Iasias Asfaha dropped in 11 and 10 points respectively, while James Kogura and Kyle Yoshioka shut down the Mt. Pleasant offense, hounding ball handlers with quick feet and hands.

The Chargers find this victory on the cusp of a long league competition, featuring eight teams playing 14 games each, with the winner assured of a spot in the CCS playoffs.

Leland will attempt to improve their playoff chances again tonight at Overfelt High School. Next week the Chargers travel to Independence High School on Tues., Jan. 13, before returning home to bang it out with Westmont High School at home on Jan. 16.

Pioneer ladies blow out Branham in STAL basketball opener

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

After dropping a nail biter to Saratoga High School in the championship game at the Del Mar Tournament last week, the Pioneer High School girls basketball team went back to practice—apparently, hard practice.

On Tuesday, the Mustangs, who boast a 12-3 record and five potential all-leaguers for a starting lineup, unveiled a new game plan in the teams’ second meeting this season.

“We knew they (Branham) would be hungry this time,” said Pioneer Coach, Blaine Hashimoto.

Earlier this season, Pioneer beat Branham in the Monte Vista Tournament, launching a rivalry for the remainder of the season for the two STAL contenders.

And the Bruins did come out hungry as they flew around the court, banging bodies, and diving for loose balls.

But Pioneer responded.

“Our coaches spent a lot of hours studying tapes last week,” continues Hashimoto. “We wanted a physical game. Branham’s offense goes through their point guard, Oly Larkin. We wanted to have the other players make decisions and play the full court.”

The Mustang game plan proved too large a mystery for the Bruins to solve in one night’s work. After jumping out to a 16-13 first quarter lead, Branham lost its grip, scoring 33 points to Pioneer’s 52, over the last three quarters.

Mustang guard Gina Biviano announced her candidacy, becoming the forerunner in the primaries of league MVP honors. The senior scored 26 points, including 3 three-pointers at crucial points in the game. Seniors Brenae Perkins and Shawn Killin erupted, as well. Perkins connected for 15 points, while Killin dumped in 10.

One down side for Pioneer: point guard Camille Brown was slowed in the second half by an ankle injury suffered driving to the basket in the third quarter. Though she returned to the game, Pioneer hopes she’ll be back to full strength for the next game. The Mustangs will face Andrew Hill at Andrew Hill on Thursday before returning home to face Silver Creek High School on Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Ceylon Elgin-Taylor rips
Mustang senior leads Pioneer to victory in final preseason tournament

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Pioneer High School had a happy New Year. Pioneer’s boys entered the Soquel Winter Classic in 2003 on Dec. 30. Two days and one New Year’s Eve bash later, they were tournament champions, with senior point guard Ceylon Elgin-Taylor wearing the flashiest party hat of all—Tournament MVP.

After suffering rare losses Christmas week, Pioneer regrouped and played their best basketball of the pre-season, welcoming 2004 with two quick victories over Monte Vista Christian High School and Watsonville High School, setting stage for the Mustangs’ biggest victory of the season, where they beat Palo Alto High School, then ranked fifth in the CCS.

Initially, Monte Vista Christian hung tough, closing the game within four points during the last quarter before falling, 67-62. With a minute left, Elgin-Taylor broke the other Mustangs’ hearts, sinking four free-throws to secure the victory.

The Pioneer Mustangs then faced a talented Watsonville team in the second round. The Wildcats’ 6-foot 8 Adrian Zamora looked intimidating matched up against smaller Pioneer post men, 6-foot 4 Brent Osborn and 6-foot 3 Mike Kaufman.

Looks can be deceiving. Kaufman and Osborn kept the big man in check, limiting his effect, down the stretch with stringent defense.

However, the telltale play of the game came when junior marksman Mark Bundlie hit Elgin-Taylor on an alley-oop dunk during the third quarter. The play put the Mustangs up by 14 and sucked the Wildcats’ will to live.

Mortified, the Wildcats finished poorly, scoring a combined 11 points over the third and fourth quarters.

“It was out of nowhere,” says Elgin-Taylor of the dunk. “I threw it to Bundlie and took off running. I guess he saw my hand flash and lobbed it up there. It just happened.”

Pioneer let it happen again during the championship game, knocking off Palo Alto by a score of 57-48.

“It was a great win,” commented Pioneer Head Coach Joe Berticevich. “They were 6-foot 5 across the board and probably favorites to win CCS. We came out poised and beat them every quarter. But it’s time to look at league. Every game is going to be a battle from here on out.”

Ceylon Elgin-Taylor was named tournament MVP after averaging 22 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 8 assists per game.

Juniors Joe Montelongo and Mark Bundlie were also named to the all-tournament team.

The Mustangs will have little time to celebrate the successful preseason where they logged 11 victories and three losses. Pioneer opened league Wednesday versus Andrew Hill High School and play again tonight, Fri. Jan. 9, at Gunderson High School. Next week they travel to Santa Teresa High School on Wednesday, Jan. 14, before coming home to defend South San Jose from Piedmont Hills High School on Friday, Jan. 16.