A walk to remember
Almaden mom won't let multiple sclerosis get her down

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

Laine Meyer is determined to walk the 10K Rainmaker MS Walk this Saturday. For Meyer who diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in July of 2002, this will be an incredible feat. Captain of the 11-member, Meyer Madness team, she and her friends and family members have raised $6,000 towards research efforts to help end the devastating effects of MS for the 2500 people living with it in our community.

When Meyer couldn't get rid of a headache she describes as ‘worse than a migraine' and began to suffer extreme fatigue, she thought something might be wrong. When she lost vision in her right eye, she thought since she had two-year-old twins that it could just be pink eye.

Her eye doctor sent her for an MRI that revealed lesions on her brain. Meyer had MS. "I was actually relieved that it wasn't a brain tumor. I thought to myself, 'This can't be worse than a brain tumor,'" she said.
MS is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). It is a disease of the white matter tissue in the brain, which is made up of nerve fibers responsible for transmitting communication signals internally within the CNS and from the CNS to the rest of the body.

A fatty tissue called myelin, which also acts as a conductor for the communication signals, protects the nerve fibers. In MS, the myelin is broken down, and the communication signals are disrupted, causing MS symptoms. The symptoms, which make everyday tasks a challenge, include vertigo, dizziness, fatigue and vision and balance difficulties.

"It wasn't so hard to accept in the beginning," says Meyer. "I felt so bad, I was just happy the treatments and the doctors were making me feel better. The headaches and the fatigue were going away. It was about nine months later, when I realized that things weren't ever going to go back to normal, that I wanted my life back."

Before her symptoms became apparent Meyer was a very busy woman. Between caring for twins Mackenzie and Zachary, and "trying to do everything for everyone," she barely had time to think. "I didn't really take the time to stop and smell the roses. I had myself stretched so thin. Now, things are different. I take time out for the things that are truly important, like my family," she says.

Meyer is thankful that her two children are as bright as they are. "My mother came up with an amazing way to explain this to the kids," says Meyer. In her house, MS is commonly referred to as "the monster." Meyer's mother explained to Mackenzie and Zachary, to help them understand why their mother was losing her balance or dropping things, that there were monsters in her brain that were making her do those things. 

"My son calls me bumper car. Some people say, 'Oh that's terrible!' I don't think of it like that at all," says Meyer. "It's like a term of endearment. I bump into something and my son says, 'Oh mommy is a bumper car again.'  We laugh because it helps us to deal with it."

Meyer also explained that upon her visits to the hospital, her two children understand what an IV is for. "They know that is how the medicine gets into me and makes the monsters go to sleep," she says. "They draw pictures of the monsters." She says that they only tell the children as much as they need to know. 

Meyer feels anything but sorry for herself.  She does admit to the occasional cry, "but it's over after that, I just get up and move on. More than anything, it makes me angry. I don't play the victim thing. Anger is a great motivator it keeps me fired up. 

“Being a fighter helps me say, 'This isn't going to beat me. I have two little kids, and I'm going to be there for them. I'm going to stand on my own two feet when they graduate from high school. I'm going to walk down the aisle when they get married," she says.

Meyer walks with a cane and says that her children, who will be five next month, are amazingly helpful, and mature in her time of need. 

"My son knows how to open the trunk, and he is so strong. He puts all of the groceries into the car, he can close the trunk and he even knows how to start the car. He knows never to take it out of gear, and he would never take the keys and just do it on his own.  My daughter will take out my wallet and hand me what I need. They are very mature out of necessity. Then they go back to being four-year-olds, hanging on my arm begging for a lollipop," says Meyer. 

Sometimes, it's frustrating when people expect less of her because of the disease. "But sometimes it's nice. My girlfriends still treat me the same when I'm doing okay. They don't let me get away with bringing napkins to a potluck. I love to cook, and they expect me to do what I've always done when I'm well enough. My husband certainly treats me the same. He carries more laundry baskets than he used to, but he still expects me to do the laundry and grocery shop." 

Meyer admits to a certain level of chronic pain. She suffers from other symptoms of MS, including spasms in her legs and tenderness to her children's boniness as they crawl over her.

"You just get used to it. It's the way we are: we adapt. I can only walk with one hand because of the cane and I look like a grandma with my little messenger bag as a purse, but that's how it has to be," says Meyer. Her husband, Doug, is a lifelong Almaden resident. Meyer moved to the area in 1989.

She is determined to walk the 10K, walking every day as preparation, and is more than thankful to have the endless support of her family and friends.

"It's probably going to be difficult, but I have my kids, my friends and my husband walking with me, who will piggy back me across the finish line if they have to in order for me to finish. My mom will be driving up and down the street in her SUV with her cell phone in case one of us can't make it. All of my sponsorship has come from friends, family and neighbors. I have so much support in doing this. I expect to be pretty cranky, just be glad you're not walking with me!"

Carolyn Wellsfry of the National MS Society met Meyer about a year ago. “She is an outstanding individual and a fabulous human being. She has so much passion and drive, which allows her to be so positive and energetic during this devastating disease. She takes everything in stride, and finds humor in everything as well,” said Wellsfry.

This is the 14 th annual Rainmaker MS walk. Last year, the walk tallied $200,000 in donations, 60 percent goes toward local programs and services and 40 percent goes toward funding for national research, much of which is done at Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco.

Pioneer swimmers conquer Mt. Pleasant

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

The swimming program at Pioneer High School showed a tangible sign of improvement when the boys' team trounced Mt. Pleasant High School on Friday, April 2. Heading into a league-wide hiatus while the high schools celebrate spring break, Pioneer appears to have proven itself in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mount Hamilton Division.

“Last year the Mt. Pleasant boys beat us,” said Pioneer Coach Gordie Smith. “They had some good athletes this year, too. But we're deep. In events they won first place in, we got second, third and forth, so it didn't matter. We've definitely made an advance in our status as members of the MHAL.”

For the Lady Mustangs, who also had their proverbial way with the team from Mt. Pleasant, it was Klair Eitzen who stood out. Eitzen won first place finishes in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle event.

Currently, the Mustang swim teams carry one loss apiece after five meets.

After spending their San Jose Unified complementary week in the sun, both the boys and girls swim teams from Pioneer will resume competition on Friday, April 23. Then they will challenge Piedmont Hills High School and Independence High School to a three-way dual meet at Independence.

Leland swimmers split with Leigh; spend spring break training for Branham

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Last Wednesday, April 7, the pool heated up with the competition between Leland High School and Leigh High School at Leland. The two Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mount Hamilton Division swimming powerhouses faced off under a steamy April sun, with the winners becoming the clear-cut favorites to take league titles.

For Leland, which came into the meet as the odds-on favorites, the results were a mixed bag, with the boys falling 83-93, but the girls winning 127-41.

Boys' loss
Despite monumental efforts from senior leader, and CCS defending champion, Zac Monsees, the Leland boys were unable to coral the Longhorns. Monsees, who is headed to U.C. Berkeley in the fall, where he'll continue his swimming and water polo careers, reigned in four first place finishes in the afternoon, winning in the 200-yard medley relay, the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle event.

However, it was the 200-yard relay that altered the meet's results.

“We expected to win that event,” said Leland coach Mike Monsees of the 200 relay. “Ten points is half the result of a race like that. If we win that event, we win that meet.”

Yet the Chargers reached several positive notes throughout the meet. The most impressive surfaced during the 200-yard individual medley, when the relay team finished a full second faster than their previous personal record. The cut time implicates a legitimate CCS contender in the boys' relay.

Fortunately for the Chargers, there remains a chance at redemption in league. The champion is not officially crowned and with three dual meets remaining, Leland has ample time to regain their notoriously permanent death grip on the MHAL boys' swimming championship.

Next up for Leland are the Bruins of Branham High School on Friday, April 23 at home.

Girls' win
It happened again. The Leland girls dominated the Longhorns from start to finish. Leigh managed only 41 points versus the Chargers, who, despite coach Mike Haake's contention that he remains in search of the perfect lineup, continue to lampoon opponents meet after meet.

This week five Chargers stood out equally and beyond the rest. Freshman Courtney Monsees won four events including the 200-yard medley relay, the 100-yard butterfly, the 100-yard backstroke and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Senior Nichole Atkin also won four events, including the 200-yard medley relay, the 200-yard freestyle, the 500-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Junior Casey Armstrong secured four first place races as well. Her trophy cabinet now includes an additional ribbon for the 200-yard medley relay, the 200-yard individual medley, the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 100- yard breaststroke.

Freshman Melanie Plott made her mark, securing three events. She won the 200-yard medley relay, the 50-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Finally, Christine Ngyuen won in three events, including the 100-yard freestyle, the 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Leland swimming: a splashing success

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Three high schools, six swim teams, one victor. That was the setting, cast and crew April 2 when Independence High School hosted Piedmont Hills High School and Leland High School in a three-way dual meet that Leland claimed as its own. The Chargers dominated the hosting 76ers and visiting Pirates, sweeping four meets—two for the boys and two for the girls—for the price of one.

The schools agreed to conduct the two dual meets at the same time, due to the upcoming Spring break. Holding the meets on one day allows for a league-wide bye over the holidays.

However, last week Leland wasn’t rushing out the door on the way to the beach just yet.

Boys swimming
The big news for the Leland boys was the medley relay team achieving a CCS qualifying time for the first time as a group. The team consists of Mike Steranka, Nick Beene, Stephen Hoang, and Zac Monsees. Last year, the team finished seventh in CCS, however, with this early qualifying time, this year’s squad appears to be a strong entry.
In addition, according to Coach Mike Monsees, the boys frosh-soph swim team recorded more personal records at Independence than ever before. Freshmen Raymond LaRochelle and Curtis Lord especially stood out winning two events each.

“We have a really great group of young swimmers,” said Monsees, whose varsity Chargers are undefeated in league. “Everyday 42 kids come out to swim practice and have a real good, intense workout. They have great work ethics.”

Girls swimming
In simplest terms, the Leland girls are awesome. The Chargers beat Piedmont 124-58 and nearly tripled the score of their Indy counterparts, finally winning 134-44.

Freshmen Courtney Monsees and Melanie Plott, along with junior Nichole Atkin, turned in remarkable performances, winning two events each. Leland’s Casie Armstrong, Joyce Lee, and Megan Wilson also contributed wins in single events.

It was an especially big day for Wilson, who qualified as a CCS diver for the very first time.

“There are a few injuries so I’m still mixing around the lineup,” said Leland Coach Mike Haake. “We just about have the right number, but we’ve been trying to avoid bringing J.V. girls up on varsity. But that is what they’re there for.”

In fact, this week Haake called Bethany Nollette up to varsity. Nollette is a utility swimmer, with talents varying in range, covering everything from the 200- and 500-yard free through multiple backstroke and breaststroke events.

“Our toughest competition still lies ahead,” said Haake. “My main goal is to find the best match for CCS.”

What lies ahead
Both Chargers’ squads have a week off for Spring break before the schedule resumes on April 23 versus Branham High School.

Sports Schedules

Leland High School

Thursday 4/15
Baseball Tournament @ Valley Christian TBA

Friday 4/16
JV baseball @ Bellarmine 12 p.m.

Saturday 4/17
Track & Field @ Silver Creek HS 9 a.m.

Tuesday 4/20
Baseball vs. Leigh 3:30 p.m.
JV baseball @ Leigh 3:30 p.m.
Golf vs. Pioneer @ Almaden 3:00 p.m.
Softball vs. Westmont 3:30 p.m.
JV softball @ Westmont 3:30 p.m.
Boys swimming vs. Independence 3:15 p.m.
Boys volleyball @ Oak Grove 6/7 p.m. (JV, V)
Badminton vs. Andrew Hill 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday 4/21
Golf vs. Pioneer @ Villages 3:00 p.m.
Boys lacrosse vs. Bellarmine @ San Jose 4/5:30 p.m. (V, JV)
Girls lacrosse @ RLS 4:30 p.m.

Pioneer High School

Monday 4/19
Golf vs. Leland TBA

Tuesday 4/20
Badminton vs. San Jose 3:30 p.m.
Softball vs. Santa Teresa 3:30 p.m.
JV softball @ Santa Teresa 3:30 p.m.
Boys tennis vs. Overfelt 3:15 p.m.
Boys volleyball vs. Westmont 6/7 p.m. (JV, V)

Wednesday 4/21
Baseball @ Lincoln 3:30 p.m.
JV baseball vs. Lincoln 3:30 p.m.

Field construction underway for San Jose Unified High Schools
Largest high school sports construction project in state history

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

Measure F construction is underway and on schedule for the San Jose Unified School District (SJUSD). Kitchell Construction, Beals Landscape Architecture and Interstate Paving and Grading began Phase I construction on Pioneer and Lincoln High School fields last week. In two weeks, Leland and Willow Glen High Schools are scheduled, and two weeks after that will be Gunderson and San Jose High Schools.

The project, considered to be the largest high school sports construction in the history of California, will provide all high schools in the SJUSD with new synthetic turf football fields and synthetic all-weather tracks. 

Measure F was approved by San Jose voters back in 2002. The measure is a $429 million bond to provide SJUSD with funds to provide additional improvements that aren't affordable under the 1997 Measure C bond passage. That $165 million bond was designed mainly for building improvements and didn't specifically include sports facilities. 

Measure F Modernization includes construction of new classrooms, multi-purpose and restroom buildings at specific sites, new casework and whiteboards, restroom upgrades, safety improvements to playgrounds, field renovation at all sites, improving site utilities and improved parking and bus drop off areas. 

The people at Pioneer High School are happy to be the first to reap the benefits of Measure F, and look forward to the projects prospective completion date of early September. 

“It's going to be like comparing night to day,” says Mark Krail, Pioneer's athletic director. “The field is going to be leveled and brand new. It's funny because you get used to what you have, fields with ruts in them. Last week, when they started moving everything around I thought, ‘They're really not messing around or wasting any time!'”

There is an inconvenience, as track and field still has about a three-week season left.  Pioneer is in the middle of a solid track and field season, leading the BVAL West Valley division. It has been uprooted from its home field for practice. 

The team already holds their meets at San Jose City College, so they go there about once a week for practice now.

SPORTS BRIEFS

Almaden Valley Youth Soccer registration
Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League (AVYSL) is currently holding registration for the fall soccer season. Returning players can register online at www.almadensoccer.org until May 15, or in person. New players must bring proof of age and register in person at Bret Harte Middle School on Saturday, April 24 from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $110 per player.

AVYSL provides a breadth of youth soccer programs for girls and boys from ages 4-18. The mission of the league is to foster healthful recreation and responsible social interaction through the sport of soccer.

This year's program includes exciting partnerships with the Positive Coaching Alliance, Major League Soccer Camps and the San Jose Earthquakes' Student of the Game program. Additional information can be found at www.almadensoccer.org .

Basketball Jones Camps accepting registration
The 9 th annual Basketball Jones Hoops Camp is currently accepting applicants for the camp, which will be held from June 28 through July 2 at the San Jose High Academy at 275 North 24 th Street in San Jose.

The camp, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., is open to boys and girls ages 7-15 of all skill levels. The fee is $180 for the week, but early registration (before May 15 will receive a fee of $160.

For more information visit www.basketballjonescamps.com or call (800) 348-3803 for an application.

So close—yet so far

Almaden gymnast Amanda Lie breaks foot before regional competition

By Miranda Schultz
Sports Editor

A broken foot has taken Amanda Lie out of the running for the regional gymnastics competition this Sunday, but the level 8 state champion will be there to support her team in Las Vegas. 

Lie suffered a broken bone in her foot last Wednesday during practice and according to her mother, Rini, "Didn't even cry until the doctor told her it was broken. She was disappointed more than anything."

Lie, a 14-year-old eighth grader at Bret Harte Middle School, has been competing as a gymnast for eight years, and was last year's level 7 state champion. She was practicing on the balance beam when the injury occurred.

“I was doing a back flip and my hand slipped, then I don't know what happened,” said Lie. “I was mostly just shocked and trying to figure out what was going on.”

Donna Craig, Lie's coach at the Almaden Valley Gymnastics Club says, "Her tenacity is amazing. She has an ability to push herself through anything. It's a shame about her injury, the luck just wasn't with her. We all know that this isn't the end of the road for her. She did a great job this year, she's moving up. Soon she'll be out of that cast and on with her training."

Level 10 is the Olympic level for gymnastics, and Lie is closing in on it. “I am too old to compete in the Olympics now, so I'm just hoping gymnastics will take me through college,” says Lie. She wants to attend UCLA. “She's a straight A student,” says her mother.

While her injury is healing, Lie still makes the daily trip to the gym for stretching. “I am a little discouraged, but I know this isn't going to stop me from much,” she says.

Lie and her family will travel to Las Vegas this weekend to support the rest of her team at the regional competition.

Former CCS 400-meter champion
Leland'sDaniel Mollo out-sprints albatross for West Valley College

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

It was getting late in his community college running career, so it was time for Daniel Mollo to trigger his trademark come-from-behind kick for another triumphant moment. Representing West Valley College in the Bert Bonanno Invitational track meet at San Jose City College, Mollo accelerated off the final turn to finally, finally...... finally run faster than he did in high school.

He won the Central Coast Section 400-meter championship as a Leland Charger two years ago, but it wasn't until last weekend that he was able to overcome what was looming as his personal albatross: his CCS-winning time of 48.52 seconds.

Mollo, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound Viking sophomore, clocked 48.38 seconds to not only slay the psychological demons at City College, but to put himself in a prime position for a scorching run at the Coast Conference and Northern California championships.

Hampered by a groin injury as a freshman at West Valley, he still managed to place fourth in conference and seventh in the Nor Cals. He came into the 2004 season ready to hunt big game, but struggled trying to break though his gold-medal moment in the CCS finals. Part of his problem, he realizes now, is that he deviated from his power-kick style, and maybe he was indeed too focused on his winning CCS time.

With some advice from his former Leland coach, Rudy Montenegro, and his current West Valley coach, Bob Poynter, Mollo went back to his old running style and concentrated on racing people, not the clock.

“I'm typically a strong finisher, but I was trying to go out too hard, and I wasn't comfortable with that,” Mollo said. “I guess what it all comes down to is mentality. That's the most important thing.”

Mollo further gilded the day of his new personal record at SJCC by running the second leg on West Valley's winning 4x100-relay. He brought the Viking 4x400-relay home first as the anchor-leg runner.

Asked what makes him unique, Mollo, age 20, said, “ I don't know when to quit. When everything is not going in my favor, I keep on going anyway.”

Mollo said he expects to continue competing at the four-year level next season. He knows only that he prefers a school in California, possibly UC-San Diego or Cal-Berkeley. He could earn a scholarship if he earns a berth and competes well in the State Championships, set for Bakersfield on May 15.

However, Mollo points out that community college track and field may be much more competitive than most other sports on campus. “Track is so individual that you sometimes have people that can compete on the international level,” he said.

With a new personal record and another chance for last-gasp sprints at Coast Conference and Northern California honors, pardon Daniel Mollo if he happens to like where he is right now.

West Valley College winds up its dual meet season visiting Diablo Valley College Friday, April 16 in Pleasant Hill. The Coast Conference trials are April 22 with finals on April 24 at Hartnell College in Salinas.

For more information on West Valley College track and field, go on line at www.westvalley.edu/wvc/wvcsports/track.html.

Leland's Jessica Chen comes back strong in 300 hurdles; Pioneer's Lopes and DeLay shine in Arcadia

It's spring break in the San Jose Unified School District, so track and field athletes at Leland and Pioneer high schools have an opportunity to cool their heels before a rush to post-dual-meet season judgment.

Overmatched, team-wise, in the Blossom Valley Athletic League's Mount Hamilton Division, Leland nevertheless continues to get stellar performances from senior Alex Ramon. He remained unbeaten at 1600 and 3200 meters,.

Junior Jessica Chen won both the 100-meter dash and the 100-meter high hurdles as the Charger boys and girls remained winless in four dual meets, falling to Piedmont Hills High School, 104-20 and 85 1/2-50 1/2, respectively, on April 8.

Chen missed a chance to win the 300-meter low hurdles, but hit the first hurdle and settled for seconds. She came back blazing on Saturday to win the Gilroy Invitation 300 hurdles in 49.35 seconds, more than three seconds faster than the winning time in the Piedmont-Leland meet.

Leland had two winners in the Frosh-Soph division at Gilroy with freshman Bob Toney taking the two-mile honors and sophomore George Mikhail winning at 200 meters. Mikhail's time of 23.3 was faster than the varsity division.

Pioneer, undefeated at 4-0 in the BVAL's tier-three West Valley Division, had the week off,. It's two distance-running aces, Sean Lopes and Steven DeLay, traveled to Southern California to compete in the highly-regarded Arcadia Invitation where both runners set personal bests. Delay won his 1600 meter heat at 4:22.05 and Lopes placed second in his of 800 meter heat at 1:55.5. DeLay's time will qualify for a top-10 Central Coast Section listing while Lopes will move into the top three among CCS performers this year.

Leland will be back in action on April 21 as the guest of Oak Grove High School while Pioneer is challenged for the West Valley team title verses Gunderson High School on April 22 on the San Jose City College track.

—By Karl Laucher