April 12, 2007

SPORTS

Leland boys’ volleyball drops first league match to Longhorns

Chargers fall into four-way tie for first place with loss

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland boys’ volleyball team lost its first match in league play at the hands of nearby rival Leigh with a 3-0 loss on April 5.

Leland's Daniel Ortiz goes up for a block on a tip from Leigh's Austin Ensley during a 3-0 loss to the Longhorns on April 5. Photos by Dan Miranda

The loss dropped Leland to 3-1 in league play, leaving four teams—Leland, Leigh, Westmont and Willow Glen—tied for first place in the Mt. Hamilton Division. The loss at home to the Longhorns saw things get progressively worse for the Chargers from game to game. After battling to a close three-point loss (25-22) in game one, the Chargers were turned back again in game two by a score of 25-17, before the Longhorns took a 25-16 decision in game three for the 3-0 win.

“It got out of control way too fast,” Hilbert said of his team’s demise versus Leigh. “We didn’t pass and we didn’t make smart decisions hitting. They (Leigh) wanted to prove something tonight and they proved it to us. We definitely have to step up our game because we’re not at their level right now.”

Modest scoring runs by the Longhorns in games two and three put Leland at a quick disadvantage early. Down 11-6, Leland saw Leigh embark on a 6-1 stretch, which included four Longhorn blocks at the net, to go up 10 at 17-7 in game two. The Chargers managed to battle back to a five-point deficit, but Leigh responded with a 6-2 scoring advantage that included a pair of kills and a tip from Longhorn senior Mike Downs to go up 23-14, before closing out game two with a 25-17 win.

Downs led all scorers with 19 kills in the match, and Leigh head coach Rob Karr said he believes his senior outside hitter has a chance at the league MVP title this year.

“He’s got a great swing, a monster swing,” said Karr, who earned his first win at Leland in his seven-year coaching career. “…My guys don’t play club ball, and that’s where everyone gets noticed, so yeah, he’s a dark horse but he’s a great player.”

Leland's Seth Anderson attempts to tip the ball past Leigh's Derek Pires in a 3-0 loss to the Longhorns on April 5. The loss dropped Leland into a four-way tie for first place in the Mt. Hamilton Division.

Game three saw the Longhorns shoot out of the gates with a quick 12-4 lead before the Chargers went on a 6-2 scoring run—in part on a kill by Kenny Tran and a tip from Justin Conmy—to cut the lead to four. But just when things got close, Leigh responded once more by going on a 7-0 scoring stretch to go up 11 at 21-10. Leigh then closed out game three by holding off a late Chargers’ scoring run for a 25-16 final.

Hilbert said his team’s confidence was shaken at times by Leigh’s scoring runs.

“When you get a whole bunch of points racked up on you, you can’t quit,” Hilbert said. “We let it get to us immensely. The stick-to-it (attitude) has to be there.”

Hilbert also said he hopes the loss will prove to be a blessing in disguise, and that his team realizes that no match is an easy match in the Mt. Hamilton Division.

“Hopefully it’s a wakeup call, and these guys will see that things are fixable and that you need to work hard all the time,” Hilbert said. “Just because you’re record was X, Y, and Z last year, well that doesn’t mean anything this year. You’ve got to play this year. People go through and graduate. Last year doesn’t matter. You’ve got to earn it every year. We’ve got to learn to earn it.”

And with the team getting a much-needed rest with spring break right after the loss to Leigh, Hilbert said he hopes his team uses the time to get mentally and physically refreshed for a return to competition on April 17 when the Chargers go on the road to face Willow Glen.

“We’re going to Willow Glen, and that’s always a hostile environment,” Hilbert said. “We’ve got to be ready to play.”

Lady Soldiers 7th grade All-Net hoops team wins national All-Net tournament

The Almaden Lady Soldiers seventh grade All-Net girls’ basketball team topped off a stellar year by winning the national seventh-grade All-Net tournament held March 24-25 in southern California.

From left, front row: Briana Miller, Cristen Hordes, Aly Murakami, Jessy Marshall, and Ashley Cancilla; back row: Coach Tyler Murakami, Coach Frank Lisowski, Emily Sklar, Emily Griffith, Courtney Lisowski, Vivian Blain, Savae Harper, Lauren Kuechle, and Coach Todd Murakami.

The win came on the heels of the team winning both the Silicon Valley regular season title and section championship.

The Lady Soldiers won their first game of the tournament 49-46 against Redwood, the very same team they defeated in the section championship. Courtney Lisowski led the team in scoring with 14 points and Briana Miller added 11. Emily Sklar, playing in spurts throughout the game due to injury, contributed on the boards and the defensive end.

Game two saw Almaden use effective defensive pressure and a quick strike offense to roll to a 21-point lead in the third quarter before cruising to a 36-23 victory against the SoCal sectional and regular season champion, La Habra Lightning. Savae Harper had a big game with 13 points and 12 rebounds, with Vivian Blain controlling the boards and Lauren Kuechle playing a big role on the defensive end.

Almaden's semifinal match-up saw the Lady Soldiers come from behind to eke out a 36-34 win against the Anaheim Comanches. The Lady Soldiers started quickly, but then suffered through a cold shooting spell during the second half, with Anaheim taking a four-point lead late in the game. Miller then stepped up for the Lady Soldiers and nailed two long three-pointers in the last two-and-a-half minutes play, as the Almaden team survived a last second shot from Anaheim to make it into the finals. Jessy Marshall spearheaded the Almaden defense, holding the Anaheim team scoreless during the last three minutes of the game.

In the finals, the Lady Soldiers faced the defending champion from Fairfield. Ashley Cancilla's early basket and steal ignited the Almaden team to an early 15-2 lead, but Fairfield fought back to close the gap to 24-19 at half. Fairfield then took the lead 28-27 late in the third quarter, but Almaden scored four points to close out the quarter and retake the lead 31-28. With Harper and Lisowski controlling the boards, point guard Aly Murakami led the fast break, driving the team to a lead that grew to 13 in the fourth quarter before the Lady Soldiers closed out the game and win the National Championship, 44-36. Cristen Hordes was an all-around force for Almaden with 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists. Harper was again a force on offense, leading the team with 13 points while playing tough defense against Fairfield's top players.

With the win, the Lady Soldiers capped off a five-plus months season that saw its share of obstacles, such as a season-ending injury to teammate Emily Griffith. Still, as the final buzzer sounded, the team gathered together in front of their bench, ecstatic with their accomplishment and ready to share the joy in victory with their families and friends.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Monday – Frosh/soph golf vs. Santa Teresa at RP, 3 p.m.
Monday – Boys’ lacrosse at Menlo, 4 p.m. varsity and 5:30 p.m. frosh/soph

Tuesday – Boys’ volleyball at Willow Glen, 7 p.m. varsity and 6 p.m. frosh/soph
Tuesday – Baseball vs. Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.*
Tuesday – Boys’ tennis at Yerba Buena, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Softball vs. Leigh, 3:30 p.m.*
Tuesday – Golf vs. Leigh at Almaden Golf and Country Club, 3 p.m.
Tuesday – Badminton vs. Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity girls’ lacrosse vs. Castilleja, 4 p.m.
Tuesday – JV girls’ lacrosse vs. Mercy, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – Frosh/soph golf vs. Pioneer at RP, 3 p.m.
Wednesday – Boys’ lacrosse vs. Woodside, 4 p.m. varsity and 5:30 p.m. frosh/soph

Thursday – Boys’ tennis vs. Piedmont Hills, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – Softball at Piedmont Hills, 3:30 p.m.*
Thursday – Boys’ volleyball vs. Branham, 7 p.m. varsity only
Thursday – Baseball at Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.*
Thursday – Golf vs. Leigh at Cinnabar, 4 p.m.
Thursday – Track at Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Frosh/soph golf vs. Pioneer at Almaden Golf and Country Club, 3 p.m.
Thursday – Badminton at Evergreen, 3:30 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Monday – Badminton vs. Prospect, 3:30 p.m.
Monday – Varsity golf vs. Santa Teresa at ST, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday – Baseball at Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.*
Tuesday – Softball vs. Evergreen, 3:30 p.m.*
Tuesday – Boys’ volleyball vs. Gunderson, 7 p.m. varsity only
Tuesday – Girls’ lacrosse vs. Gunn, 4 p.m.
Tuesday – Boys’ tennis vs. Oak Grove, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – Boys’ tennis Division Singles/Doubles Tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 1 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity golf vs. Santa Teresa at the Villages, 3 p.m.
Wednesday – Frosh/soph golf vs. Leland at RP, 3 p.m.

Thursday – Track vs. Piedmont Hills and Independence at Mt. Pleasant, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Softball at Westmont, 3:30 p.m.*
Thursday – Baseball vs. Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.*
Thursday – Frosh/soph golf vs. Leland at Almaden Golf and Country Club, 3 p.m.
Thursday – Boys’ tennis vs. Branham, 3:15 p.m.


*JV or frosh/soph team plays at opposite site of varsity at the same time

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

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

High School Scoreboard

April 3
Leland softball 6-3 win vs. Pioneer
Leland boys’ volleyball 25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 25-23 win vs. Westmont
Leland baseball 17-6 loss at Live Oak
Leland girls’ lacrosse 10-7 win vs. Pioneer
Leland badminton 11-4 win vs. Andrew Hill
Leland golf 209-233 win vs. Live Oak

Pioneer baseball 6-4 win at Santa Teresa
Pioneer badminton 14-1 win vs. Sobrato

April 4
Leland boys’ swimming 111-59 win vs. Westmont
Leland girls’ swimming 117-52 win vs. Westmont
Leland boys’ volleyball 20-25, 25-20, 25-20, 25-18 win vs. Aptos
Leland boys’ track 67-60 win vs. Live Oak
Leland girls’ track 83-52 win vs. Live Oak

Pioneer boys’ swimming 102-83 loss vs. Live Oak
Pioneer girls’ swimming 103-82 win vs. Live Oak
Pioneer boys’ track 85-47 win vs. Santa Teresa
Pioneer girls’ track 93-43 loss vs. Santa Teresa
Pioneer golf 213-243 win vs. Oak Grove

April 5
Leland badminton 12-3 loss vs. Independence
Leland baseball 8-4 loss vs. Live Oak
Leland boys’ tennis 7-0 win vs. Independence

Pioneer softball 6-5 loss at Live Oak
Pioneer boys’ volleyball 25-22, 21-25, 25-14, 25-22 win at Prospect
Pioneer golf 236-237 win vs. Live Oak
Pioneer badminton 8-7 win vs. Gilroy

April 6
Pioneer softball 12-4 win vs. Scotts Valley at Steinbeck Classic
Pioneer girls’ lacrosse 10-9 win vs. Castilleja

Girls’ basketball coach leaves Leland for coaching job at Presentation

Wade Nakamura spent past six seasons at the helm of Chargers’ program

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Varsity girls’ basketball head coach Wade Nakamura is leaving Leland to take up the same post at Presentation High School.

Nakamura, who led the Chargers to the CCS Division II Semifinals this past season, spent the last six seasons in charge of Leland’s girls’ basketball program, but said the opportunity to coach a West Catholic Athletic League school was too great to pass up.

“Obviously it’s a good school,” Nakamura said of Presentation. “It’s a WCAL school and it’s a good academic school. It’s an opportunity to compete at the highest level in the section.”

Nakamura, who also previously coached at Homestead High before taking over the Leland program in 2001, said leaving Leland is not easy.

“It’s always tough,” said Nakamura, who added that he spoke to the players in the Leland program about his decision to move on to Presentation more than two weeks ago. “…The girls obviously reacted to it, and they weren’t happy.”

Still, Nakamura said he’s confident the Leland program will do fine without him.

“We left the program in good shape. The cupboard’s not bare,” he said. “…Regardless of who their coach is next year, they know to work hard and what it takes to be champions.”

Nakamura said he believes Presentation, which finished the 2006-07 season at 12-15, has the talent on the roster to contend with its WCAL rivals next year. Nakamura said he plans on taking the same approach to rebuilding the Presentation program as he did at Leland six years ago in producing not only solid basketball players, but solid people with a sense of pride as well.

“That’s what we tried to build at Leland, and we accomplished that, that sense of pride,” Nakamura said. “It’s about that winning attitude. We produced great kids at Leland, which is what we set out to do.”

“I plan on being competitive (at Presentation) next year,” he added. “Even though the record doesn’t show it, they have a good team.”

Nakamura said he’ll always have fond memories of his six years at Leland, and that he’s leaving the school on good terms.

“It’s always tough to leave the kids, parents and a school administration that has always supported you,” he said. “…It’s been a good six years.”

Chaulklin’s two-run triple gives Leland second straight win

Chargers softball team takes 5-2 win over Cardinals; win second straight league game to snap 0-4 start

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Vanessa Chaulklin’s two-run triple to right field lifted the Leland softball team to a 5-2 win in eight innings at Mt. Pleasant on April 5.

Leland's Juliana O’Brien attempts to score as she slides home during a 5-2 extra innings win at Mount Pleasant on April 5. Photos by Dan Miranda

The 5-2 decision gave Leland its second win in a row, following a 6-3 win at home over Pioneer earlier in the week, bumping the Chargers’ record to 2-4 in Mt. Hamilton Division play. Leland head coach Joe Gron said he was pleased with the extra innings win, and noted that his team is starting to hit its stride after starting league play at 0-4.

“It was a great victory,” said Gron. “We’ve been playing well for the last five or six games. …They (Mt. Pleasant) made things a little bit closer than we’d hoped for, but the girls showed a lot of heart.”

With a 2-2 tie in the top of the eighth, the Leland bats got rolling with singles from catcher Jessica Talaugon and outfielder A.J. Huffman, putting runners on first and second. With two outs in the inning, Chaulklin stepped up and lined a Sarah Dagnino pitch to right field, with the ball skipping to the fence, allowing both Allie Nunes, in as a courtesy runner for Talaugon, and Huffman to come around and score and give the Chargers a 4-2 lead.

Jennifer Tkach then put some distance in the score, stepping up next and lining a single to left field, allowing pinch runner Amy Hakkinen—in for Chaulklin—to score easily from third for a 5-2 lead.

And while the offensive outburst was certainly a pleasant sight to see for Gron, it was solid team defense that made the day for the head coach. Gron said part of his team’s struggles early were, at least in part, the result of some tough defensive games, leading to some heartbreaking outcomes early on in league play. Those issues, Gron said, seem to be laid to rest now.

“This team, early on, has probably gone through the most adversity I’ve ever had a team go through,” Gron said. “…They fought through and I think it was just a matter of time before they started making plays and playing good ball again.”

That confidence, Gron said, is starting to show in his players, who have started to form good chemistry on the field.

“I think everyone has a little more confidence in each other and we know we can play defense, it was just a matter of time before it came around,” Gron said. “…We’ve been scoring a lot of runs, we just had to stop some teams from scoring.”

On the pitching front, Gron said he was pleased with the gritty effort of freshman hurler Lindsay Truan. The freshman right-hander battled through control problems early on while managing to get out of a few tough jams in the game.

With a 2-2 tie on the line, Truan issued three walks in the bottom of the seventh inning to load the bases for the Cardinals with one out. The freshman managed to wiggle her way out of trouble however, striking out the next two batters to end the inning and send the game into extra frames.

Leland's Vanessa Chaulklin is tagged out at second base during a 5-2 win at Mount Pleasant on April 5. Leland broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning on Chaulklin’s two-run triple.

That performance by Truan mirrored the bottom of the fourth, when two walks and a single loaded the bases for Mt. Pleasant. Like the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals came away empty-handed after a groundout and strikeout stranded all three runners.

“She didn’t have that exact stuff at the beginning, but she battled through it and trusted her defense and where the ball was being thrown,” Gron said of Truan. “She got some key strikeouts in the end. …It’s key for her, she’s got that confidence back and the defense behind her.”

Gron noted that Truan’s composure—and trust in her defense—was key in getting through the tough jams against the Cardinals. The mental makeup to get through those jams, said Gron, is what sets Truan apart from other freshmen pitchers in the game.

“Being a freshman and coming through with strikeouts, throwing the ball over the plate to get outs, that composure you don’t see very often in a lot of the younger girls,” Gron said of Truan. “It’s very key to keep your composure and to keep that anxiety or nervousness down.”

As for the team itself, Gron said he feels the rough start in league play is starting to be a distant memory. Gron added that he’s glad to get the rough stretch out of the way early in the season, noting that his team is getting hot at the right time, with the second half of Mt. Hamilton Division play just around the corner.

“Sometimes people get hot at the wrong time,” said Gron. “…We weren’t hot early, we were cold. But now we’re warming up and it’s a good time to get warm, (going into) the second half of the season and the playoffs. If they keep playing good ball like they’re doing and they stay hot, it’s going to be a fun second half.”

Leland, Pioneer leveling with Mount Hamilton Division swimming competition

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland led all Mount Hamilton Division contenders in both boys and girls swimming when school broke for spring break last week.

Both Charger teams are 5-0, and Head Coach Mike Monsees said that his girls in particular are performing at the peak of their potential.

With two more dual meets remaining on the schedule before competition at league finals declares which heats the girls start from at the Central Coast section finals in May, Monsees and the Chargers are building endurance for the event.

“The girls’ team will hopefully finish amongst the top-10 teams in CCS,” he said. “We have a lot of depth.”

The girls are led by Monsees’ daughter, Courtney, who, in her senior year, is torching record books once again.

University of Georgia-bound Monsees has been parting waters locally since her freshman year, when she won a section title individually, and appeared at the Olympic time Trials that summer.

Last season, Monsees won two individual titles at the CCS finals, and signed on to become a Georgia Bulldog during water polo season in fall.

“It’s a lot of fun to have a child who is able to stay healthy all of these years, and she is really at the top of her game right now,” said Coach Monsees.

Leland sophomore Ariel Young, senior Alethia Shih, and freshman Kelsey Nolan have already either qualified for CCS or expect to do so within the closing weeks of the season, according to Coach Monsees.

Meanwhile, the Chargers relay team, featuring Emily Chortek, Monsees, Shih and Young has already qualified for the CCS postseason.

While Coach Monsees expected the Chargers to emerge as a powerful team once again this season, he called Nolan, the most youthful of all the qualifying candidates, a splendid addition to the team.

“Kelsey is very versatile,” he said. “She is right at her CCS cuts in about four different events. All of her strokes are good.”

Aside from individual standouts and leadership, the most impressive part about the Chargers is team depth, according to Coach Monsees.

“Against live Oak, we didn’t take first in very many events. But without a doubt, we took second, third and fourth,” he said. “Having that depth and large number of good swimmers is our strong point.”

On the boys’ side, a strong sprinting core has kept the Chargers ahead. Sophomore Shayan Moazeni has added a turbo boost with seniors Kenny Barcos and Tim Jen performing well, as Coach Monsees expected prior to the season.

In fact, Moazeni and Jonathan Lie are Leland’s only CCS qualifiers at this point.

Like the girls,’ the boys’ greatest attribute is overall ability on the team.

“We have the capability to fill all of the events with people who are going to score,” said Coach Monsees. “There are very few events where we don’t have people who will score in the league championships.”

Pioneer swimmers aiming for CCS
When class is back at Pioneer next week, Mustang swimmers will hone in on qualifying marks as well.

Both Pioneer squads are competitive at 3-2, and the boys narrowly lost—by 20 points—to league leader Leland when the schools met head-to-head last month.

Freshman Tessa Williams has made the biggest splash of any Mustang this season, breaking two school records in her first year on campus, and closing in on two more, according to Head Coach Gordy Smith.

“Tessa is a great kid,” he said. “Every time she dives in the pool, she is ready to give everything she can.”

Williams already qualified for the section final meet in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke events.

Senior Taylor Feezor also qualified for CCS in the 50-yard freestyle swim, as well as the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Additional members of the relay team are Kim Atala and Mollie Selfridge.

In boys’ action, junior Ian McAlister qualified individually in the 100-yard backstroke event.

Pioneer’s 400-yard boys’ freestyle relay team also made it in before spring break.

Sports Briefs

Editor’s note: Due to the high volume of requests, announcements in the Sports Briefs section will run for one issue only, effective immediately. Announcements submitted to the Times must be 100 words or less and must be received by the Times no later than noon on Monday for that week’s issue. To submit announcements, please e-mail Almaden Times
Weekly Sports Editor Diego Abeloos at diego@timesmediainc.com.

Almaden Arsenal holds tryouts
The Arsenal, a boys’ U14 (for fall 2007, born after 7/31/1993) class 3 team in the Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League, is looking for players for the fall season. For more information, contact Jeff Earl at jsearl@pacbell.net or call (408) 268-5125.

CV Quicksilver girls’ U13 soccer tryouts
Open tryouts for CV Quicksilver (girls U13 Spring '07) are being held during regular practices, Mondays/Wednesdays from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. at Ida Price Middle School. For an invite, please contact Coach Erik Levine at (650) 804-2376 or e-mail cvquicksilver@sbcglobal.net.

Share your news

Do you have a sports story to share? Contact the sports department at 494-7000 x 217 or by e-mail at diego@timesmediainc.com or fax to Almaden Times Sports at 494-7078.