SPORTS

Chargers drop 48-43 loss to division foe Gunderson

Leland boys basketball squad now in third place in Santa Teresa Division

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Leland forward Danny Hamouie goes for a lay-up during the Chargers’ 56-35 win over Andrew Hill. Earlier in the week, Leland dropped a 48-43 loss to Gunderson at home, with Hamouie chipping in 12 points and five rebounds. Photo courtesy www.mikejanes.com.

Despite 12 points and five rebounds from forward Danny Hamouie, the Leland Chargers dropped a 48-43 decision at home to the Gunderson Grizzlies on Jan. 25.

For the Chargers, the loss, coupled with a 56-35 win over Andrew Hill on Jan. 28, dropped their record to 7-11 overall with a 5-3 record in the Santa Teresa Division, good for third place.

“Toughest loss of the year right there,” said Leland reserve guard Kyle Walker. “We had that team. We’re better at every position; we just can’t afford to make the plays that we did. We took them too lightly and that really hurt us.”

With the score tied 10-10 after the first quarter, Leland made a short 7-0 run on the Grizzlies, getting four points from Hamouie on two free throws and a lay-up. But the tide turned for the Chargers soon after, as the Grizzlies put together a 12-2 scoring streak that began with five minutes remaining in the second quarter before Leland guard David Farsai ended the Gunderson run on a lay-up with 1:15 left. By the end of the first half, what began as a seven-point lead for the Chargers turned into a 24-21 deficit.

The second half saw the Chargers limited to 10 points in the third quarter, while the Gunderson Grizzlies continued to exploit offensive opportunities. Down 28-21, the Chargers got their first points of the third quarter on a Hamouie lay-up with 6:40 left, before the Grizzlies put together a modest 9-2 run to take a 37-25 advantage.

“We just came out sloppy,” said Leland forward Isaias Asfaha.

“They (Gunderson) came out and tried really hard and played their best game of the year. We just missed a lot of easy shots. We weren’t going up really strong and basically we had no offense and no flow going.”

With just over a minute remaining in the third quarter, the Chargers were able to cut the Gunderson lead back to single digits by going on a small 6-2 run that saw Leland guard Kyle Yoshioka nail a three-pointer from the right wing. Just before the clock expired on the quarter, Leland reserve guard Nathan Cheung dropped in a three-pointer from half court, setting the score at 39-31 for the Grizzlies.

In the fourth quarter, the Chargers made repeat attempts at closing in on the Grizzlies, cutting the lead down to three at one point during that span, but couldn’t sink shots consistently to overtake their opponent. With Gunderson holding a 40-31 lead early on in the quarter, the Chargers went on a small 7-0 run, getting a three-pointer from Walker as well as two-point baskets from Philip Petro and Hamouie during the scoring stretch.

With time winding down, Leland began sending Gunderson shooters to the free throw line in an attempt to buy enough time for another scoring run, but the Grizzlies went 7-for-12 from the line throughout the last two minutes of the contest to lengthen their lead. During that same stretch, the Chargers managed only five more points, getting a lay-up from Hamouie with 1:20 left and a three-pointer from Nav Deep Rai with 41 seconds remaining in the game.

“We didn’t get a whole lot of offense the entire game,” Walker said. “… We were going inside, outside; nothing was falling in. We went to hacking and them hopefully missing their free throws, and they missed more than they made. That could’ve helped us, but we couldn’t score.”

Despite the loss, the Chargers got back on track on Jan. 28 with a 56-35 win over Andrew Hill. Rai and guard Jimi Kogura led the Chargers with 13 points each in the win, with Farsai and Hamouie chipping in 10 points apiece as well.

High School Sports Schedule Feb. 3 - Feb. 10

Leland High School
Friday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball vs. Overfelt, 3:30 p.m.
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Overfelt, 8 p.m.
Friday – JV girls’ basketball vs. Oak Grove, 5 p.m.
Friday – Varsity girls’ basketball vs. Oak Grove, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday – JV girls’ soccer vs. Live Oak, noon
Saturday – Varsity girls’ soccer vs. Live Oak, noon
Saturday – JV wrestling finals at Prospect, all day long

Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Evergreen, 5:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity boys’ basketball at Evergreen, 7 p.m.
Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer vs. Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity boys’ soccer vs. Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – JV girls’ basketball vs. Del Mar, 5:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ basketball vs. Del Mar, 7 p.m.
Wednesday – JV girls’ soccer at Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ soccer at Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.

Thursday – Wrestling vs. Piedmont Hills, 6:30 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Friday – Varsity girls’ soccer at Branham, 3:15 p.m.
Friday – JV girls’ soccer at Branham, 3:15 p.m.
Friday – JV girls’ basketball at Leigh, 5:15 p.m.
Friday – Varsity girls’ basketball at Leigh, 7 p.m.
Friday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball vs. Leigh, 5:45 p.m.
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Leigh, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday – Varsity boys’ soccer at Leland, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer at Leland, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – JV girls’ soccer at Leland, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ soccer at Leland, 3:15 p.m.

Valley Christian football coach to be honored by Positive Coaching Alliance

Warriors’ head coach a National Youth Sports Award honoree following championship season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Valley Christian High School announced on Jan. 20 that Mike Machado, head football coach and dean of students, has been selected by the Positive Coaching Alliance as a National Youth Sports Award honoree.

For Valley Christian Athletic Director Eric Scharrenberg, Machado’s achievement is a direct reflection of a man who has served in various roles as an administrator and coach during a 20-year career at both Valley Christian and Saratoga High.

“Mike is very deserving of this award for many reasons,” Scharrenberg said. “First, he has achieved tremendous success with his teams winning championships each of the past three seasons. More importantly, Mike is consistently an extremely positive role model to the youngsters in our program. He is a patient teacher who enjoys competition. More importantly, he loves each child in our program equally and is committed to teaching our kids life lessons.”

Machado, who recently finished his eighth year as head coach of the Valley Christian Warriors, is one of only six youth coaches across the United States named for the award. Machado led the Warriors to a 12-1 overall record and a 5-1 record in the West Catholic League in 2004, capturing the Central Coast Section Open Division Title.

For Machado, the award is a humbling tribute to his years as a coach, mentor and school administrator.

“It means more to me because this has something to do with your impact on your kids, on your players,” Machado said. “I think for every coach, when it gets right down to it, the winning is great, but the longer lasting impact that you have on the players that are in your charge for whatever period of time that you have them, is probably going to be the thing that stands the test of time.”

During his eight years at Valley Christian, Machado has compiled a career football coaching record of 77-18-1, guiding the Warriors to three consecutive championships with an overall record of 35-4 during that span.

Altogether, his coaching career spans 20 years, beginning at Saratoga High as a JV coach before moving on to coach varsity football in 1995. Throughout his career at both Saratoga and Valley Christian, Machado sports a career coaching record of 154-41-3.

Off the field, Machado has also made his mark. As dean of students, Machado has guided several students to success beyond the halls of Valley Christian. His dedication is reflected in the way former students revere him to this day.

“Mike’s greatest contribution to our students often occurs after they graduate,” said Scharrenberg. “We like to say that no one ever leaves our program but we do send them out to be people of influence in their communities.

Mike is always willing to make time to visit with kids after they graduate and some of his best coaching work occurs with the students who have graduated from Valley Christian and come back looking for advice or just some one to talk to and believe in them.”

The Positive Coaching Alliance, which was formed in 1998 and stresses teaching life lessons through positive coaching, will hold a ceremony honoring Machado and other coaches on March 11 at the Francis C. Arrillaga Alumni Center on the Stanford University campus beginning at 5:30 p.m. Among the guests and speakers at the ceremony will be former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson, San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson and Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug, to name a few.

As for Machado, he simply hopes to keep impacting the kids at Valley Christian High School in a positive way, much in the same way they have impacted his life over the years.

“When I die … I will be able to say that I’ve done exactly what I’ve wanted to do for the last 20 years,” Machado said. “I don’t think a lot of people can say that. These kids have given me more than I’ll ever give them.”

Sports Briefs

Almaden Strikers Boys U10 Class-3 Tryouts
Almaden Strikers, a boys U10 Class-3 teams in Almaden, will be holding tryouts on Feb 5, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Almaden Elementary School, 1295 Dentwood Dr. Birth dates between 8/1/1995 to 7/31/1996. For questions, contact Lela Huenergardt at 997-8903 or e-mail coachlela2004@yahoo.com.

Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races feature Chaparral

August event at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca gears up to honor American ingenuity

Chaparral, a great name in American racing history, has been named the featured marque of the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races presented by Chrysler Aug. 19-21 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The legendary American marque will be part of the event’s overall tribute to the “Great American Specials.”

While major manufacturers have long been the dominant force in automobile racing, individual efforts in the American tradition of championing the underdog have produced special cars to challenge the “big guns” over the years. Perhaps, no one represented the ingenuity of this industry more than Jim Hall and Chaparral Cars.

Hall, along with fellow racer Hap Sharp, started a small racing team in 1962 in Midland, Texas, naming the team Chaparral, the Spanish word for roadrunner, a common bird in West Texas. They designed, built and tested a series of innovative and powerful racecars on a private two-mile test track behind their garages named Rattlesnake Raceway.

It is a bold statement, but nonetheless true, to say that Hall revolutionized the sport of auto racing in the 1960s. He introduced the first movable wing in 1965 and his work with aerodynamic wings, ground effects and lightweight construction materials transformed auto racing.

At a time when many of the great racecars were designed and built in Europe, their success gave American race fans a team to cheer for. While Chaparral Cars enjoyed many victories all over the world, maybe the most prestigious win came when Johnny Rutherford drove a Chaparral 2K to victory in the 1980 Indianapolis 500.

“Jim Hall and his Chaparral cars certainly set the standard in racing during their time,” said Earle. “And that was around the world, not just in the United States. Their innovative design, preparation and presentation caught the imagination of race fans across the country that grew into a true fan club. They certainly represent the ultimate in American specials.”

Most of the original Chaparral cars are currently on display in a special Chaparral Wing of the Petroleum Museum in Midland, and will be appearing at the event this August.

“The first cars, known as the Chaparral 1, were designed and built by Troutman and Barnes in California and are now owned by private enthusiasts,” said Earle. “The cars designed and built by Chaparral Cars in Midland, known as Chaparral 2s, are now part of the Petroleum Museum in Midland. I am very grateful to them for their support in making this tribute possible.”

Names such as The Ardent Alligator, The BuMerc, ONO, Old Grey Mare, Tahis Special, Ol Yeller, and Baldwin Special achieved their place in motor racing history as did Miller, Kurtis, Edwards, Cunningham, Scarab and Chaparral. The creative talents and the motivation to win of individuals like Max Balchowsky, Roger Barlow, Sterling Edwards, Frank Kurtis, John Fitch, Jack Hagemann, Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes, Ken Miles, Miles and Sam Collier, Briggs Cunningham, Brooks Stevens, Lance Reventlow and Jim Hall, have brought a uniquely American element to the world of motor racing.

“The best of the American specials are treasures sought after by individual collectors and museums alike and an historic gathering of these unique machines is anticipated for what has become the premier vintage event in the U.S.,” said Earle, whose organization, General Racing, Ltd., founded the Monterey Historic Automobile Races in 1974.

Featured displays will include the Rolex Moments in Time, presenting eight significant cars representing important moments in racing history. The Chrysler Heritage and Product Displays will include racing cars from its past as well as concept cars of the future. And, other manufacturers will again make their presence felt with unique presentations in the paddock.

Four hundred racing cars from the early 1900s to the 1980s are expected to take part in the weekend’s activities. The entries will be divided into 14 racing groups, with seven groups competing on Saturday and seven on Sunday, creating a different show each day.

“The concept of the Rolex Monterey Historics is to focus on the history of motor racing by encouraging the preservation of racing cars and putting them on display in an appropriate manner and setting for enthusiasts of present and future generations to see and enjoy,” Earle said. “From its inception, fans have been treated to a steady presentation of the most famous racing cars in history along with the personalities who designed, built and drove them. Year after year, through the featured marque and special tributes programs, the celebration leaves spectators and participants with a lasting, positive impression.”

High School Scoreboard

Jan. 25
Leland boys’ soccer 3-0 win over Overfelt
Pioneer boys’ soccer 7-0 loss to Oak Grove

Jan. 26
Leland girls’ soccer 0-0 tie vs. Santa Teresa
Pioneer boys’ basketball 53-39 loss to Piedmont Hills
Pioneer girls’ basketball 32-10 loss to Piedmont Hills
Pioneer girls’ soccer 4-0 win over Prospect

Jan. 27
Leland boys’ soccer 1-1 tie vs. Mount Pleasant
Leland wrestling 42-24 win over San Jose
Pioneer boys’ soccer 3-1 loss to Independence
Pioneer wrestling 41-36 loss to Prospect

Jan. 28
Leland girls’ soccer 1-1 tie vs. Piedmont Hills
Pioneer boys’ basketball 62-55 loss to Oak Grove
Pioneer girls’ basketball 65-46 loss to Oak Grove
Pioneer girls’ soccer 3-1 win over Santa Teresa

Leland drops Westmont 53-42 to stay undefeated in Mt. Hamilton

Takaki and Higbee combine for 19 points in loss, while Leland’s George posts 23

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

The Leland girls’ basketball team remained perfect in Mt. Hamilton Division play after taking a 53-42 home victory from the Westmont Warriors on Jan. 26.

For the Warriors, the loss dropped their overall record to 15-5 with an even 3-3 record in Mt. Hamilton standings, good for a three-way tie in third place. Leland, on the other hand, improved to 6-0 in league play, with an 11-6 record overall.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Leland Head Coach Wade Nakamura. “I mean, Westmont’s 15-4 (coming into the game) … so, they’re good. They play hard and they’re scrappy like we are. I knew they were going to give us a tough game and they did. I’m just happy that we pulled out a win.”

Down 17-11 in the second quarter, the Warriors made a small scoring run at the Chargers, going on a 6-2 stretch to cut Leland’s lead to 19-17. During the stretch, the Warriors received scoring contributions from Rachel Gellman, Krystal Wahl and Lynley Takaki, who finished the night with nine points.

“Lynley is a nice shooter,” said Westmont Head Coach John Mackey. “She’s got a nice touch. When she’s playing with confidence, she can hit threes, she can hit twos, and she can attack the basket. She really has a good all-around game.”

Following Westmont’s run, the Chargers put together a scoring stretch of their own, going on an 11-2 run to go up 30-19. During the Charger run, Leland center Jackie George chipped in eight of her game-high 23 points not only from the inside, but also by hitting a pair of jumpers from the right wing.

“She stepped up big when she had to for us,” Nakamura said of George. “I thought she played much more aggressive with more energy and much more deliberate. She hit some shots all over the court, inside and out. She showed that she can do more than just post.”

Later in the quarter, after a George lay-up gave Leland a 32-21 lead, Westmont center Chelsea Atkins hit a jumper with only seconds remaining on the clock, cutting Leland’s lead back to single digits at 32-23 at halftime.

The third quarter saw stagnant offenses from both teams, with the Chargers outscoring the Warriors 10-6. For Leland, George continued to add to her game-high scoring totals, chipping in four points in the third quarter after ending the first half with 17 points.

“We were already up coming into the half and we knew we wanted to win by a lot, but we weren’t going to sit there and push it,” George said. “… Our defense was good and their defense was good, and we just weren’t able to score that much.”

After a quick basket from Leland’s Kelly Ricco opened up the fourth quarter, the Warriors began to make an offensive push, putting together a 10-2 run to cut a 44-29 deficit to 46-39. The scoring stretch started on a jumper from Megan Higbee, who ended the night with a team-high 10 points, and continued with the Warriors receiving four points from Gellman on a jumper and two free throws.

“We came out a little more aggressive in the fourth quarter,” Mackey said. “We really looked to take the ball at them harder, which is our normal style of play. We were really aggressive on the attack.”

The Chargers answered Westmont’s run with a scoring stretch of their own, piecing together a 7-2 run, all on free throws, to bring Leland’s lead back up to 53-41. Westmont went to fouling Leland players in an attempt to keep enough time on the clock for the Warriors to put together another scoring run. But the strategy only lengthened the Chargers’ lead, as guards Kristen Yoshioka and Mika Yanai combined to go 7-of-8 from the line down the stretch.

In the closing seconds of the game, the Warriors still had a chance to cut the lead once more, as Stacey Stenzel made two trips to the free-throw line in a five-second span, but the five-foot, four-inch senior dropped in only one of her four shots, ending the game at 53-42.

Vaulting destiny

10-year-old Emma Craig wins Judge’s Cup in New Orleans

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Almaden Gymnastics’ star Emma Craig shone on the Bayou Jan. 7-8 when she traveled to New Orleans and placed first, winning the United States Gymnastics Federation Judges Cup.

An overall score of 37.825 sent the 10-year-old level 7 to the podium’s peak at the national competition, which followed a Northern California qualifying meet held in December.

Federation gymnastics—in association with the Junior Olympics—are arranged by age and vantage, with level 7 being the lowest division to compete in, while level 10 is the highest level attainable before the Olympic Elite.

Just 60 athletes are welcomed into the Olympic Elite in the entire United States each year.

“I love flipping around,” said Craig, elaborating on her sports’ appeal. “I love everything about gymnastics.”

Despite facing girls from 7-18 years old, Craig remained poised throughout the judges’ events, delivering crisp routines without wavering under pressure.

“Emma definitely has to work hard, but she also has qualities that help,” said mother and Almaden Gymnastics’ head coach of 13 years Donna Craig. “She’s powerful and her flexibility continues to develop. I would say her tenacity is her number one attribute. She really enjoys competition.”

Based on Emma’s victory in the Northern California qualifier, she, along with the six girls who placed behind her, was flown to New Orleans to compete at the national event. It was there that the girls learned the value of succeeding beyond participation. Each athlete was met with flashy, fit Junior Olympics uniforms, laid out in their hotel rooms alongside other paraphernalia paid for and arranged by the Northern California Judges Association.
“I didn’t realize what a big deal it was until we got there,” said Donna, “but what a pleasant surprise! It all made the girls feel very wonderful. This is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

“It was so much fun in New Orleans,” added Emma. “I got to meet a whole bunch of girls and got to compete with them. And I am going to try to see them again. Sometimes we talk on e-mail already.”

Emma Craig may be the most recent athlete, but Almaden Gymnastics has served as training grounds to many successful gymnasts including alumni Britney Peterson, a sophomore competing on San Jose State’s gymnastics team, and Poppy Major, who recently completed her career representing the UC Davis Aggies in gymnastic competition.

“It’s hard to say where Emma stacks up,” said Almaden Gymnastics Director Margaret Kristjanscottir. “They were really good gymnasts, but if she keeps going the way she is, who knows? Emma is very talented, but it’s a little early to tell.”

Almaden Gymnastics hosts daily classes for children ages 1-18. According to Kristjanscottir, Coach Craig—along with assistant coach Leeviu Mavilu—design challenging physical fitness programs which focus on the development of flexibility, strength and coordination.

“Physical fitness is so important for all humans’ well being,” said Kristjanscottir. “People don’t realize how valuable gymnastics can be. We hear a lot of feedback saying how their kids have succeeded sooner than anticipated in soccer, karate, baseball, skiing—all as a result of gymnastics.”

For younger children, studies have shown that physical fitness prepares them positively for reading readiness.

“With gymnastics,” said Coach Donna, “sometimes it’s as much luck as it is rising to the challenge. Many times the most talented kids are also lazy or just plain don’t like to compete. Those traits are hard to instill in somebody.”

But if winning national level competitions versus more experienced challengers is any indicator, Emma’s mom has nothing to worry about.

“Gymnastics is the greatest sport,” she said. “Next I am just going to try to have a fun year and not fall at all.”

To date, Emma has not fallen. Rather in that span, she has captured two more competition titles.

For more information regarding Almaden Gymnastics please call (408) 268-1272.

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