February 14, 2008

SPORTS

Pioneer routes Leland at home

By Joe Proudman
Staff writer

Leland and Pioneer High School basketball teams are pretty similar in their standings. When the two teams met on Wednesday, Feb. 6, they both carried a league record of 3-7, but it was Pioneer who routed the Chargers 59-37.

Pioneer’s Shawn Bundlie (22) goes for a lay up in the second half, with Leland’s Cody Tyson (15) defending. Photos by Joe Proudman

“They played very well, we didn’t play really well, but you got to give them a lot of credit,” said Leland head coach Steve Seandel. “They’re better than us and it showed.”

In the most recent meeting between the two, Pioneer came out on top by 10 points in a close game. The Chargers were able to slow the game down, which was something they weren’t able to do the second time around.

Leland’s only lead of the night came in the first quarter when the team jumped out to a 6-3 lead with six unanswered points. That wouldn’t last long as the Mustangs ended the first quarter with 13 of its own unanswered points, up 16-6.

Things would not get better for Leland as the half continued. Pioneer’s fast paced offense and aggressive defense overwhelmed the Chargers, who had trouble getting the ball cleanly down the court.

At the end of the half, Pioneer was up 29-14 with five three-pointers. Both Mike Beltramo and Shawn Bundlie had two threes in the first half, with Nick Maggipinto adding another. Beltramo would end the night with a game high 21 points and five three-pointers.

Pioneer’s Christian Cesar (3) gets a shot off in the second half while the Charger’s Greg Hipwell (31) tries to defend.

“It’s always nice to have (Mike) Beltramo hitting three-pointers,” said Pioneer head coach Joe Berticevich.

“When Pioneer shoots the ball well, they’re good,” said Seandel. “You really got to give them a lot of credit.”

The third quarter was by far the best play Leland showed all night. Though outscored 15-16, Leland got more aggressive on defense forcing steals and making baskets. The Chargers took advantage of the Mustangs aggressive defense, throwing the ball down court to the open man. Greg Hipwell got eight of his team high 16 points in the third, but the team couldn’t keep the pace going into the fourth.

With too big of a hole and not enough time, the Mustangs were able to come out with a lopsided score on the scoreboard.

For Pioneer, Bundlie finished with 12 points and Maggipinto had 10. Will Houston had six and Jason Berticevich had four points, Su Grewal had three, Nick Sarabia two and Christian Ceaser had one.

On the other side, Drew Marino had nine for Chargers, while Cody Tyson and Ryan Selness both had four. Bentli Bejan and Adam MacKey each finished with two.

“When you’re struggling to get wins in this league, there are no easy teams,” said coach Berticevich. “Our goal was to change the tempo. That’s why we pressed them and got at it.”

Leland soccer player headed to Princeton

Leland senior soccer player Sara Chehrehsa is headed to Princeton University next fall.

Sara Chehrehsa shows off her skills at a recent soccer game. The Leland senior has selected Princeton for college and is excited about playing for her new team in a new stadium. Photo courtesy of the Chehrehsa family

“I love playing soccer,” she said. “There's no other way to say it and no better feeling of elation than being in the middle of the soccer field. It's my haven. When I am out on the field, I think of nothing else; I have my mind on that ball.

“I play the game because I love it and my high is being on top of my game. My success on the field has proved to me that blood, sweat and tears will pay off; with support and determination, anything can be achieved,” the center midfielder said.

Several schools including Yale, Santa Clara, USC, Loyola Marymount and Princeton recruited Chehrehsa, who has played in Olympic Development Program since 1994. However, she narrowed her options to Princeton and Yale before ultimately deciding on the former. Both, she said, seemed to strike a balance between the importance of athletics as well as academics.

“The girls and the chemistry of the [Princeton] team was something that I saw for myself in the near future. I am excited about the new soccer stadium, which will be completed within the next months.”

She first visited Princeton, unofficially, in October of her junior year. She was impressed by several things, “the [soccer] players were exceptional, the team dynamics were compelling, the two coaches and most important, the chemistry of the team. It felt like the right fit. “

Chehrehsa cites her family as her main source of inspiration. Her parents are from Iran, “where soccer is the leading national sport.” Her father played soccer at Bellarmine College Preparatory, and she remembers kicking the ball around with him and her brother as a toddler, but as she grew so did her love for the game. “Our lives have since revolved around my soccer needs, practices and games. I'm fortunate and credit my skills and successes to my family.”

However, there have been others who have supported her and helped her hone her soccer skills. Among her mentors is Albertin Montoya, her club coach. She calls him a first-class coach and player as well as an amazing person. “His knowledge for the game and teaching ability has helped me achieve my soccer goals.”

She also credits Leland for preparing her for Princeton. “The teachers and administration worked closely with me to accommodate my demanding soccer schedule. I'm especially grateful to my teachers because they went out of their way to help me navigate my academic and athletic pursuits. First-year varsity coach Jodi Washington brought a lot to our team and helped me grow as a player and as a person.”

“Sara is a soccer player who brings a special mix of confidence, attitude and energy to the game,” said Washington. “These three things make her teammates want to rise around her and her opponents actually loathe her. Her ball handling skills give her the edge against any defender in one-to-one situations and her ability to take the ball and settle it out of the air is unreal. She'll be sorely missed by those she leaves behind after this season but I'm sure will bring great things to her new environment.”

Her club team, Mountain View Los Altos Mercury is ranked number 17 in the nation and has been state cup champs from 2004 through 2006 and was runner-up in 2007.

During her soccer career, Chehrehsa has received a number of honors including her work with the Olympic Development Program and captain of her club team from 2006 through 2008. As a forward on Leland’s soccer team, where she also serves as captain, she received awards as sophomore of the year and MVP for 2006-07.

High School Sports Schedule Feb. 15 – Feb. 21

Leland

Friday—Boys basketball vs. Santa Teresa—JV at 6 p.m. and varsity at 7:30 at Leland
Friday—Girls basketball vs. Santa Teresa JV at 5:30 and varsity at 7 at Santa Teresa
Friday—JV wrestling finals at Overfelt

Saturday—Varsity Wrestling finals at Overfelt

Sunday—Boys basketball: CCS seeding--boys at 9a.m. and girls seeding at 1 p.m.
Sunday—Wrestling: CCS seeding

Pioneer

Friday—Boys basketball vs. Westmont—JV at 6 p.m. and varsity at 7:30 at Pioneer
Friday—JV wrestling finals at Overfelt

Saturday—Varsity wrestling finals at Overfelt

Sunday—Boys basketball: CCS seeding—boys at 9 a.m. girls at 1 p.m.
Sunday—Wrestling—CCS seeding meeting

For more information about Leland and Pioneer sporting events, go to:

Pioneer Athletics: www.phsathletics.com
Leland Athletics: www.lelandathletics.com
Blossom Valley Athletic League: www.bval.org

Sports Briefs

Youth Baseball League registrations now open
YBL, sponsored by Venture Christian Church (formally Los Gatos and South Valley Christian Churches) is accepting registrations until Feb. 23. The season runs from April 12 through June 7, and is for both boys and girls with birthdates falling between 8/1/99 and 7/31/03 and for boys only with birthdates between 8/1/97 and 7/31/99. For additional information, call our Sports Office at 997-4642 or visit www.Venturechristian.org.

Almaden Blast Class 3 team seeks goalie, field players
Almaden Blast, this Fall U-14 boys Class 3 team is looking for goalie and field players. Eligible boys should have birthdates that fall between Aug. 1, 1994 - July 31, 1995. Contact Jesse Saenz for tryout information at 997-3422.

Boys Soccer U14/U15 Tryouts Comp Class 3 Spring and Fall teams
If you are a Boys Select player BU14 and BU15 (Aug 1993 to July 1993) wanting more time on the field, to move up on your high school JV team or just improve your soccer skills, then this is the team for you.

Our team has won five (5) tournaments in the past two years; competing in the Delgado Class 3 division in the "A" Group (top group). We are looking to move up to Select in the fall and have three teams ("B" division) in our club in this age category.

Our Head Coach is a two-time Referee of the Year winner, with more then 6 years soccer coaching experience in the Almaden area. Our three trainers are all from England and have played within the Manchester United youth system.

We emphasize team spirit, hard work, stress fundamentals, team building and respect for both teammates and coaches. If this sounds like the winning team for you, call 391-6664 or 451-5741 for information, times and locations. Or email at schrick@pacbell.net or alex@assoccercoaching.com.

U-14 Boys Class 3 Division 1 soccer team looking for players/goalie
We are seeking players who can compete at a high level and have the desire to improve their soccer skills.

Our goal is to build a competitive team with dedicated and hard-working players.  Our experienced coaching staff will provide a structured and fun environment, emphasizing player development.  This is a Class 3, Division 1 team, and is part of the Central Valley Youth Soccer League. 

Your son must be born after 7/31/94 to be eligible.  For more information, please contact John at jshikash@eea.epson.com or (408)930-8748. 

Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League spring recreational 4v4 microsoccer registration now open
Spring Recreational 4v4 Micro-Soccer is a 4 v 4 small-sided game with no goalies. This format allows players to be creative and build confidence on the ball. This season offers a great opportunity for players to have fun while strengthening their skills.

We are also pleased to announce that the AVYSL will be providing Professional Trainers for the 2008 Spring Recreational 4v4 MicroSoccer Program. This is an excellent opportunity for players to train with their coaches under the expert guidance of Professional Trainers.

Want to play with your friends?  Form your own team and play together!  This is unique to the Spring Program only.  Go ahead and register then send your Roster directly to the Spring Director (no more than 8 per team).
We need coaches to make this 4v4 microsoccer session a success - please volunteer to be a coach for Spring Soccer.

Please visit www.almadensoccer.org to register your player and for additional information about this program.

Almaden Stealth Boys U12, Class 3 soccer Tryouts
The Almaden Stealth Boys U-12 soccer team in Almaden Valley will be holding tryouts for the upcoming season for boys born after 8/1/96.

Feb. 9 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) at Steinbeck Middle School

In order to obtain more information, please contact Robert Cerone (408)268-9547 (ncerone@sbcglobal.net) or Tom Geraghty at (408) 204-7475.

Boys U12 Class 1 Select tryouts
The Almaden Venom - Boys U12 Class 1 Select - are looking for highly competitive soccer players with birthdates between Aug 1, 1996 and July 31, 1997. The Venom are part of Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League and CYSA North -Abronzino District I.

We are a Select team that plays and practices in Almaden Valley and attend numerous tournaments, District Cup and State Cup competitions. Tryouts will be held at the following day and time:

Saturday, Feb. 9, at De Anza Park from 2 – 4 p.m. The park is located on Meridian Avenue between Blossom Hill and Kooser Roads. 

Please send an e-mail to sabra.underwood@sbcglobal.net for more information and get on the list. See you then!

The De Anza Force Soccer Club tryouts for the 92 Girls age group
De Anza Force announces tryouts for the 92 Girls group. The dates are:

Saturday, March 1 and 8 from 10 a.m. - noon at Garden Gate Elementary in Cupertino.

Both teams will be Division 1 Abronzino in the fall. All positions will be looked at - for State Cup and beyond. Both teams will play Y-League and attend top tournaments, including Las Vegas Showcase March 14-16, and the Texas Shootout, May 30 - June 1st.

Force Black is coached by Owen Flannery, head Women's coach at Foothill College, and by Colin Corstorphine. Force Blue is coached by former MLS Player Shawn Medved. For more information, contact either Shawn at shawnmedved@hotmail.com, Owen at owenflannery@hotmail.com, or Colin at colin.corstorphine@gmail.com.

Get listed!
Sports Briefs listings are subject to the following fee structure: $25 per month, per publication for the Evergreen and Almaden Times; $10 per month, per publication for the monthly newspapers. Indicate publication placement at the time the listing/payment is submitted. Sports Briefs accepts checks – payable to Times Media, Inc – VISA or MC.
To charge your payments call Sonia Pineda at 494-7000 x205. Be sure to reference your team/organization with your payment. Listings appear once payments are received. TMI sponsored events and full-proceed charity fundraisers
exempted. Email, fax or mail listing text to: candy@timesmediainc.com 1310 Tully Road, Suite 107, San Jose, CA 95122. 408-494-7078 (fax) Limit 200 words. Questions? Call 494-7000 x225