Jan 22, 2004

From Iran with tenacity: Leland, S.F. State share wrestling inheritance

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

How tough are wrestlers from Iran? If you have to ask, you’re probably an easy pin. Former Iranian champion and national team coach Hassan Dastgah of Almaden Valley will set you straight: "Wrestling in the U.S. is a game, but in Iran it's a way of life,” he said.

Dastgah represented Iran in England’s Manchester International Games, twice winning the 67k (165-pound) division in the mid 1960s. He coached the Iranian national team in the ‘70s. The family immigrated to the US in 1989.

His four eldest sons somehow missed out on the old country style of wrestling as a measure of community status, choosing to play soccer. But Hassan Dastgah finally gifted his new country with some of that true-grit Iranian matmanship with two sons, Mehdi, 17, and Abbas, 15, currently leveraging opponents with genetically-enhanced fervor at their respective schools.

Mehdi got a late start on the game as partial-season participant at Leland High School as a sophomore, but placed fourth in the Blossom Valley Athletic League last year as a senior. He now represents the San Francisco State Gators as a freshman on varsity at 165 pounds. Mehdi said his father didn’t force him to take up wrestling, but did apply a little pressure in the right place. “He said ‘I’m not going to any of your matches’ until we started wrestling,’’ reported Mehdi. The youngest Dastgah, Abbas, began wrestling in middle school for Bret Harte and now represents the Leland varsity at 140 pounds as a freshman.

Leland Co-Coach Val Esquivel said it is indeed possible to see the thoroughbred wrestling bloodline in the Dastgah boys. “They have the dedication instilled in them because of their dad,” Esquivel noted. “As with most wrestlers, they have confidence in abundance.” Esquivel added that the Dastgahs have been among the most supportive of families at Charger matches.

Hassan Dastgah still looks fit enough to go three rounds at age 59, but other than giving his sons a taste of how rough wrestling is at the elite level, he keeps his coaching to advice on diet and conditioning. He is soon to launch his own international television channel, HITV, operating out of the old Burbank Theater on Bascom Avenue.
From a world-class wrestler to immigrant television station owner. Yes, it figures. It’s about dedication and courage. A brilliant preparation plan is wrestling.

Pioneer gives Leland first upset of the season

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

The Pioneer boys varsity soccer team is sitting pretty in first place in the Mount Hamilton Division after a 3-0 shutout victory over then undefeated Leland last week.

According to head coach Jeff Farro, the rivalry between the two teams goes back for years, but considers this to be a big win for his team.

“The guys always get a little more excited over Leland, but they played really well and they deserved the win, we want to keep winning.” Says Farro.

The boys are holding onto a 5-1-1 league record, and are 8-4-1 overall.

Leland Head Coach Dave Gold views their first loss of the season as a learning experience. According to him, some bad calls by the referee really put the Chargers in a bind, allowing a possibly uncalled-for penalty kick in each half. “He [the referee] even apologized after the game.” Says Gold. He also adds, “It was a valuable lesson and it definitely upset us, but I think it will make us stronger.”

Gold feels that Pioneer came out in the first half with a lot of passion and aggression, and according to him, Leland showed their class in the second half, putting the Mustang’s goalie to the test, but being shut down by another penalty kick call.

Leland now has one loss smudging their record (10-1-6 overall), but has been ranked fifth in soccer in the Bay Area by the Mercury News (Jan 21). Pioneer has yet to be on the list this season.

“We’ll get ‘em next time,” says Gold about the next Leland/Pioneer match, which is the last game of the season.

Pioneer girls soccer, first in league
The Pioneer girls varsity soccer team has pulled away from a two-way tie with Leland and secured their position in first place in the Mount Hamilton Division. Their 2-1 victory over Prospect on Tuesday, according to head coach Lisa Smith, wasn’t one of their best games.

“We didn’t play as well as we could have against Prospect, but we were able to win so that is really the important thing. The girls are doing so well, every game is a learning process and they’re working hard to be smart players,” says Smith.

With an overall record of 6-3-3, the team is ranked 15th by the Mercury News (Jan 21).

Pioneer, Leland wrestlers look deep, find success
Wrestling coaches at Pioneer and Leland highs schools found the silver lining deep in the results of in weekend tournaments.

For Pioneer’s Mike Medlock the silver lining was fourth and sixth place finishes, respectively, for co-captains Jeff Terry at 215 pounds and Armando Apolinar at 275 pounds, in the Lawrence Miller Memorial Tournament in Martinez. Medlock noted also that sophomores Brian Watts and Tuan Nguyen each won a round in the tourney.
For Leland Co-Coach Val Esquivel, the silver lining was a fourth-place finish by senior Kristofer Pinula at 125 pounds in the West Valley College Tournament that rewarded crash diet program. Pinula’s showing was especially encouraging to the Charger squad because he was struggling to be competitive at 140 pounds.

Leland returned to Blossom Valley Athletic league action Wednesday, visiting Mount Pleasant High School while Pioneer plays host to Westmont High school tonight (Thursday), 6:30 p.m. Both teams will be in action this weekend, Leland entering the Overfelt High School Tournament on Saturday while Pioneer heads for the Mid-CalsVarsity Tournament in Gilroy on Friday and Saturday.

Pioneer will be home again on Tuesday, Jan. 27 (6:30 p.m.) to tackle Mt. Pleasant while Leland will be on its home mat on Wednesday, Jan. 28 (6:30 p.m.) against Branham High School.

--By Karl Laucher

Players of the Week-

Female athlete of the week

Megan Finney, Senior
#21 Leland Soccer

Megan Finney is Leland soccer player number number 21. Finney has two goals and two assists for the season.“Megan scored two goals this season against Piedmont Hills, which pushed us ahead for the win,” said Leland coach John Vasquez.

Male athlete of the week

Elgin-Taylor,
Senior #3 Pioneer Basketball

This past week Ceylon Elgin-Taylor led the Mustangs to two victories in Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mount Hamilton Division competition, putting Pioneer in position to potentially sweep the league in their inaugural season.

“He’s done everything we’ve asked,” says Pioneer coach Joe Berticevich.Friday versus Piedmont Hills High School, Elgin-Taylor accomplished slightly more than his share of duty. The senior exploded for 38 points in Pioneer's biggest game of the year.

The Pirates, previously ranked fifth in CCS and undisputedly favored to win league, fell victim to the Mustangs and CSU-Fullerton bound Elgin-Taylor, 62-48.We thought we needed 25 points out of him [Elgin-Taylor] for us to win,” said Berticevich. “But 38 never hurts.”

Opportunity to tour Europe and play volleyball
The Sports for Youth Foundation is now accepting applicants for the 2004 Goodwill Ambassadors International Volleyball Exchange. The program is open to Canadian and American individuals, male and female, 15-20 years of age, on high school teams or club teams.

The International Volleyball Exchange is an annual event that usually involves about 50 players, and 10-15 parents as chaperones. The group travels throughout Europe, makes stops in places like London, Paris, Geneva, Venice and Rome, and competes in tournaments with local club teams in the area.

The Sports for Youth Foundation is a nonprofit 501-c3 organization promoting healthy life choices through sport. The organization has been conducting world volleyball tours since 1980.

To learn more about the Goodwill Ambassadors International Volleyball Exchange, and to apply for the program, visit www.volleyballtours.com.

Biviano and Elgin-Taylor lead Pioneer basketball teams to 15-3 records, topping league standings with style

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

I want Pioneer High School cafeteria food. Apparently over there, the lunch lady sprinkles basketball talent on every dish. After 18 games apiece, both the boys and girls basketball teams boast 15-3 records and are equal in their mission: Mustangs embarrass the Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL).

This past week, the boys secured two more victories, the first, a routine shellacking of Santa Teresa High School at their place on Jan. 14 and the second, an emotional Jan. 16 homecoming where alumni and fans alike witnessed Pioneer upset previously favored and ranked-fifth-in-CCS Piedmont Hills High School.

“It was a team effort,” said Pioneer Coach Joe Berticevich of his club’s more impressive 62-48 win over Piedmont Hills.

The victory was vital for the Mustangs, holding implications of CCS playoff berths and a BVAL, Mount Hamilton Division championship.

Nobody responded to the call of duty more than Pioneer senior Ceylon Elgin-Taylor. After being called for three fouls by the second quarter, Elgin-Taylor settled and remained composed the rest of the way, leading all scorers in his phenomenal 38-point effort versus the Pirates.

“I was just trying to help my team win the game,” said Elgin-Taylor.

“We had good games in the posts, too,” added Berticevich. Junior forwards Mark Kaufman and Brent Osborne held court in the paint, limiting Piedmont big-men in their offensive efforts.

Ultimately, the victory leaves Pioneer sitting atop the BVAL, Mount Hamilton Division standings with a perfect 4-0 league record, two games shy of the half-way point.

“It’s still anybody’s game [the league championship],” said Berticevich. “You take Leigh, Oak Grove, Piedmont, us…we all have a chance.”

The Pioneer boys will look to lessen the odds for the Eagles of Oak Grove High School this week before resting on a Friday night bye. Next week, the Mustangs face Leigh High School at home on Jan. 28 and play at Andrew Hill High School on Jan. 30.

Meanwhile, the Lady Mustangs played only one game this past week, enjoying a comfortable 48-33 victory over Mount Pleasant High School on Jan. 15 and a Jan. 20 bye.

Jumping out to a 9-1 first quarter lead, Pioneer fended off the Cardinals to preserve the victory.

Gina Biviano set the tone for the Mustangs, connecting for 21 points, including 2 three-pointers, while Brenae Perkins continued with her late success, tallying 15 points in the effort.

The victory unites Pioneer’s basketball teams atop of their respective divisions. The girls lead the BVAL, Santa Teresa Division, with an undefeated 4-0 record.

After meditating on their triumphs during Tuesday night’s bye, the Lady Mustangs return to the floor tonight, Jan. 22, where they’ll battle the 76ers of Independence High School at home. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Leland basketball programs suffer tough week, keep heads up going into second half of league

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland High School suffered a rough week on the basketball courts. The boys lost twice, once to Westmont High School and once to Branham High School, while the girls split, beating highly touted Leigh High School at home, before dropping a close game to a lesser team from Del Mar High School.

Despite different outlooks and goals throughout the season, the Chargers, both boys and girls, have one thing in common: three strong quarters don’t make up for a single lousy one.

Leland boys
Despite the two losses, Leland’s men remain 2-3 in league, and, frankly, still very much in the hunt for a league title, considering that Branham and Westmont are each one game out of first place, and that Leland is every bit capable of beating any of these teams on any given night. That is…if Leland can put together four solid quarters.

Last week versus Westmont, the one-quarter breakdown occurred immediately, when Leland fell behind 19-5 in the first quarter.

However, the Chargers never quit. Leland rallied back, cutting the deficit to 10 by half time and outscoring the Warriors 12-4 in the third quarter.

Ultimately, the first quarter trouncing took a toll on the young Chargers, who eventually fell 56-49.

Against Branham, it was a second quarter ambush that proved insurmountable. The Bruins outscored the Chargers 20-7, taking a 31-18 lead to the locker room, and finally winning 57-46.

Chargers David Farsai, Dannie Hammouie, and Gabe Castaneda each played valiantly in defeat. Versus Westmont, Farsai and Hamouie accounted for 31 Leland points. Against the Bruins of Branham, it was Castaneda and Farsai leading the comeback. The tandem poured in a combined 27 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Next up for Leland is a match with Prospect High School on Jan. 23. Earlier in the year, Leland hammered the Panthers in the Westmont Tournament and hope to repeat the feat tonight at home. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Leland girls
The lady Chargers can’t complain too much. They are still in first place.

This week’s loss marked the first of a tough Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mount Hamilton Division league campaign that hasn’t quite panned out the way many would have predicted in November, with perennial contender Oak Grove High School dwelling in the bottom of league standings.

However, despite adversity, things continue to look up for Leland, who is now 3-1 in league play. With two games remaining until the Chargers return to the top of their schedule to face opponents for the second time around, the girls are in a must-win situation this week when they face second to last place Santa Teresa High School on Jan. 23.

The Chargers cannot afford to let up against anybody, including the Saints, for a single quarter.

Last week, single quarters led to the Chargers defeat and the Chargers deliverance in different games.

At home versus Leigh on Jan. 14, Leland dominated the third quarter, resulting in a 35-28 lead going into the fourth. From there it was a matter of preserving the win, which the Chargers accomplished skillfully, finally beating the Longhorns 49-40.

However, on the road at Del Mar, there was a different story. Rather than the Chargers seizing the game, the Dons grabbed hold, choosing the second quarter to call their own. After a relatively even first quarter, Del Mar outscored the Chargers 17-6 in the second.

Despite playing the Dons to an even 27-27 tie in the second half, the Chargers lost 46-40.

Junior Jackie George and senior Liz Widgren played hard as usual, racking up 35 of their team’s 40 points versus Del Mar.

Look for the Chargers’ coach, Wade Nakamura, to have prepared his girls well for the second half of the season. The third year coach and his girls have a bye on Jan. 21.