April 27, 2006

SPORTS

Getting back to business

Chargers improve to 13-0 with 3-0 win at
Oak Grove following spring break rest

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Chargers returned from a weeklong spring break hiatus and picked up right where they left off, taking a 3-0 win at Oak Grove on April 25 to remain undefeated.

Leland's Charles Lim gets off a clean hit to score a point for Leland. Leland beat Oak Grove to remain undefeated at 13-0 in BVAL competition. Photos by Jeff Frazee

Leland, 13-0 in league play following the win, also managed hold onto first place, staying one game ahead of rival Leigh in the Mt. Hamilton Division Standings. Senior Scott Lucas led the Chargers with 13 kills on 19 attempts, while Andrew Atmeh chipped in seven kills in the win.

“I think we needed a break from volleyball and a break from each other, and to come back rededicated and refocused,” Leland Head Coach Jason Hilbert said of the spring break week. “ … If you want to win league, you have to play like this and I’m proud of the guys for the way they played.”

Hilbert said the week off, save for two practices, allowed his players to get refreshed for the final leg of the season. Still, Hilbert said he did have some concerns that the time off might have a detrimental effect on his team.

“We practiced pretty well, but the question is always, can you focus? The guys proved they can,” Hilbert said. “The focus is just one more step. Each step along the way, just take it one game at a time.”

Instead, the Chargers took three straight convincing games over the Eagles, containing powerful outside hitter Taua Iosefa in the process. Iosefa, a senior, was held to just four kills throughout the match. Eagles Head Coach Pat Geary said that while Iosefa’s game was off for a night, the entire team shared the blame in the loss to Leland.

“Taua is, in my opinion, one of the top two players in the league,” Geary said. “It’s a team effort. If Taua missed a few hits, well then he missed a few hits. We weren’t getting the passes, the sets or the kills … When the whole team’s off, Taua’s off.”

Geary said his team took the entire week off, spending only a couple of days playing beach volleyball during the spring break week. The loss left the Eagles with a 7-6 league record, good for fourth place in league standings.

“It probably showed in our play tonight,” Geary said of the week off. “I’m going to take 90 percent of the blame for the loss. Leland’s a strong team. They’ve got height, they’ve got power, and Jason’s always got a disciplined team.”

Hilbert said stopping Iosefa was the primary focus off the Leland defense.

“Taua thunders the ball, and he’s a really great player and kid too,” Hilbert said. “You’ve got to like him. I want him to do well and I want him to challenge us too … But it just wasn’t on for them (Oak Grove) tonight.”

Lucas in particular returned to action with fresh legs and renewed confidence, guiding the Chargers in game two by leading an 11-0 scoring run to close the game out with a 25-14 score.

Oak Grove's Taua Iosefa goes up for a kill during a 3-0 loss to the Chargers on April 25.

On the run, Lucas managed to record four kills, a tip and team up with Daniel Ortiz on a key block for a point. The run negated a modest 4-0 run earlier in game two by the Eagles that tied the game 14-14.

“We’ve been working on getting the hitters back in sync, and we’ve been working really hard with Scotty,” Hilbert said of Lucas. “ … The sets were there, and Scott is swinging great. His swing is back and his serve is back, which is great for us, and hopefully bad for other teams.”

Lucas’ effort made an impression on Geary as well.

“The kid gets up and he’s got a strong hit,” Geary said of Lucas. “They run a quick offense, and unless you’re ready, prepared and calling out where he’s coming from, he’s going to get you. The kid’s great. He’s probably the best player in the league.”

Leland used another solid scoring stretch to put the clamps on the match in game three, extending a small 9-6 lead to a robust 10-point lead with a 10-3 run for a 19-9 lead. Lucas and Atmeh each recorded kills during the stretch. Leland finished up game three withstanding a modest comeback effort from the Eagles for a 25-17 win.

While the win was certainly a positive for the Chargers, Hilbert said he’s also been impressed with his team’s ability to focus on a match-by-match basis, despite the accolades and recognition that comes with an undefeated record.

“It’s definitely a goal to go undefeated,” Hilbert said. “A league championship comes first, and Leigh is the No. 1 rival at this point. But, it’s one match at a time. We can think about that (going undefeated) later … 13-0 is nice, but 13-3 won’t win the league.”

Sports Briefs

Save the Date! Pat’s Run set for Sunday at Leland
The inaugural Pat’s Run in San Jose, honoring the late Pat Tillman, will take place on April 30 at 8 a.m. at Leland High School, located on 6677 Camden Ave.

The run will benefit The Pat Tillman Foundation and its’ Leadership Through Action Program, which allows selected students to develop into future leaders by finding solutions to social problems.

Race Day Registration will be available on race morning from 6:30 am to 7:45 am at the registration desk at Leland High School. You can also register on Saturday, April 29, at Leland High School from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The event will begin with the 4.2-mile Fun Run and Walk at 8 a.m., followed by the 0.42-Mile Kids Fun Run and Walk, for children 12 and under, at 9:45 a.m.

Awards will be presented to the top male and females in each of the following age group divisions: 1-15, 16-25, 26-39, 40-42, 43-49, 50-59, and 60+ Awards will also be presented to the top male and females in the following divisions: Clydesdale (225 pounds), Super Clydesdale (275 pounds), Athena (175 Pounds) and Spirit Awards. Awards will also be presented to teams who generate the most participants.

For more information, go to www.patsrun.com or www.pattillmanfoundation.org.

BVAL Golf Tournament set for May 8
The Blossom Valley Athletic League will host the BVAL Golf Tournament on May 8 at the Almaden Golf and Country Club. All proceeds from the event will go to BVAL member schools’ athletic programs. Players’ fees are $200 per person, and sponsorship packages are also available for interested parties.

Check-in time and lunch for the event begins at 11 a.m., with players set to tee off at 12:30 p.m. Dinner and a silent auction follows the tournament.

For more information about the BVAL Golf Tournament, please call (408) 265-5409.

Central Valley Outlaws Class I U13 Premier boys team tryouts
The Central Valley Outlaws Class I U13 Premier boys’ team invites boys born between 8/1/92 through 7/31/93 to tryouts for the upcoming season. For more information, contact Richard Johnson at 439-9645.

Leland Jr. Spirit Camp signups
The Leland Spirit Squad is hosting its annual Junior Spirit Camp on June 19 through June 23 from 9 a.m.- noon each day. The early bird camp fee is $100 with an increase to $125 on June 1. The camp will offer cheers, dances and games for children entering K-8 in the fall of 2006. All campers will be invited to perform at a Leland High School Football game. Please contact lelandjsc@gmail.com or Angelica Niklowitz at (408) 268-5549.

Almaden United U15 Boys Class 3 soccer team looking for players
Almaden United, a Class 3 U14/U15 boys’ soccer team, needs players for the spring and fall. Date of birth should be from 8/1/91 - 7/31/92. Please call Coach Joe Escobedo at (408) 972-8906 or Manager Patty O'Malley (408) 927-5978 for more information.

SJSU cross country fund-raiser at Giorgio's
San Jose State University, the nation's No. 1 cross country team for schools without a track team, will host a fund-raiser on Monday, May 1 at Giorgio's Italian Food & Pizzeria, located at 1445 Foxworthy Ave. in Willow Glen.

The event will help fund the Spartans' defense of their title next September at Southern Illinois University.

The Spartans will received 15 percent of all foods purchased at Giorgio’s from 4 p.m. until closing time if patrons indicate they are there to support SJSU cross country. Pro sports fan products also will be on sale. For more information, call SJSU head coach Augie Argabright at (408) 978-3439.

Citywide Youth Track Meet set for May 21
Track athletes ages 9-14 have an opportunity to participate in a citywide Track and Field Meet that may qualify them to compete in the largest youth sports program of its kind in North America, the Hershey Youth Program.

The City of San José, Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services and the San Jose Police Amateur Athletic Association sponsor this free event annually. The event is a qualifier meet for the upcoming Nor Cal Hershey State Track and Field Meet and a stop on the road to the National Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Track events include the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Meter, and 4 x100 Meter relay. Field events include the standing long jump and softball throw.

The meet will take place on Sunday, May 21, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Evergreen Valley High School, located at 3300 Quimby Road, San Jose.

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. For more information and registration forms, please contact Joe Albayalde at joe.abayalde@sanjoseca.gov or Lily Ponce at lily.ponce@sanjoseca.gov. Both can also be reached at (408) 369-3900. Registration will also be accepted on the day of the event between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

High School Sports Schedule

*Note: for baseball and softball, only varsity games are listed because of space constraints. All JV games are played at the opposite site of varsity at the same time, unless otherwise noted

Leland High School
Friday – Varsity baseball vs. Leigh, 3:30 p.m.
Friday – Swimming vs. Leigh, 3 p.m.
Friday – Boys’ tennis league team finals, time TBA
Friday – Girls’ lacrosse at Gunn, JV 5 p.m./Varsity 4 p.m.

Monday – Boys’ lacrosse at Woodside, JV 4:30 p.m./varsity 3 p.m.
Monday – Varsity baseball vs. Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday – Girls’ lacrosse at Castilleja, JV 5 p.m./varsity 4 p.m.
Tuesday – Boys’ volleyball vs. Westmont, JV 6 p.m./varsity 7 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity softball vs. Westmont, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday – Badminton vs. Andrew Hill, 3 p.m.
Tuesday – Track BVAL Division finals, time and site TBA

Wednesday – Varsity baseball vs. Oak Grove, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday – Boys’ tennis CCS team play, time TBA
Wednesday – Boys’ lacrosse at Menlo-Atherton, JV 4:30 p.m./varsity 3 p.m.

Thursday – Varsity softball vs. Oak Grove, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Badminton at Independence, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Track BVAL Division finals, time and site TBA
Thursday – Boys’ volleyball at Willow Glen, JV 6 p.m./varsity 7 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Friday – Swimming vs. Westmont, 3 p.m.
Friday – Varsity baseball vs. Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.
Friday – Boys’ tennis league team finals, time TBA
Friday – Girls’ lacrosse vs. Castilleja, 4 p.m.

Monday – Girls’ lacrosse at Santa Catalina, 4 p.m.
Monday – Varsity baseball at Westmont, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday – Track BVAL Division finals, time and site TBA
Tuesday – Girls’ lacrosse vs. Sacred Heart, 4 p.m.
Tuesday – Badminton at Gilroy, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday – Boys’ volleyball vs. Willow Glen, JV 6 p.m./varsity 7 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity softball at Mt. Pleasant, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday – Boys’ tennis CCS team play, time TBA
Wednesday – Varsity baseball at Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday – Varsity softball vs. Branham, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Track BVAL Division finals, time and site TBA
Thursday – Boys’ volleyball vs. Prospect, JV 6 p.m./varsity 7 p.m.
Thursday – Badminton vs. Lincoln, 3:30 p.m.

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

For more complete and up to date schedules on CCS playoffs, go to:
www.cifccs.org

High School Scoreboard

April 18
Pioneer softball 1-0 win vs. Leland

April 19
Leland softball 1-0 loss vs. Mt. Pleasant
Pioneer golf 206-211 win vs. Branham

April 20
Leland softball 5-1 win vs. Santa Teresa
Leland girls’ lacrosse 16-10 win at Woodside

April 21
Pioneer baseball 11-5 win at Branham

Chargers take pair of one-run wins over league rivals

Wins over Branham, Santa Teresa allow Leland
to remain on top of Mt. Hamilton Division

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland baseball team continued its torrid pace in Mt. Hamilton Division play, posting a pair of one-run victories in extra innings over Branham and Santa Teresa during spring break week.

Leland’s Kevin Battipede allowed just one run over eight innings on April 21, giving the Chargers a 2-1 on the road at Santa Teresa. The win came one day after the Chargers defeated Branham 7-6 in nine innings. Photo by Jeff Frazee

The Chargers improved their league record to 13-1 with the wins, staying ahead of Leigh by one game in league standings. The Chargers’ overall record improved to 15-2-1.

“That’s kind of how the year’s been going, where the ball just seems to be rolling our way,” Leland Head Coach Scot Gillis said of his team’s season-long run, which includes a 5-1 record in one-run games. “Close calls are going our way, and we’re just getting to balls and making plays on them, and the balls that we hit are just getting through. I think it’s indicative of our season that there’s a couple of those games where, quite frankly, we shouldn’t have won the games, based on how we played and how the opponent played.”

Leland started off spring break week with a tense 7-6 nine-inning win at home over Branham on April 20. The Chargers, leading 6-3 heading into the final inning of play, allowed three runs to cross home plate in the top of the seventh to tie the game.

“We, quite frankly, had no business winning that game,” Gillis said of the win over the Bruins, which saw the Chargers commit two errors on defense. “We put ourselves in a position to win and we weren’t able to execute. We made a series of mistakes that allowed Branham to get right back into the game.”

Still, luck proved to be on Leland’s side, as the Chargers went ahead in the bottom of the ninth inning on a bases-loaded bloop single over first base from Danny Dyer to take the 7-6 win.

Despite the high-scoring contest, Leland’s pitching staff was in top form, as Dyer started the game, throwing six innings and allowing four runs (three earned), while striking out two. Leland’s Matt Slaton earned the win in relief, pitching two scoreless innings, while also going 2-for-2 with the game-winning RBI. For the season, Slaton is hitting .388 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.

“Matt established himself last year as the triple crown winner of our league. He’s an offensive threat, no doubt about it,” Gillis said of Slaton. “He’s also great on the mound. … This year he came in and we knew he was going to be one of our three guys (pitchers).”

Pitching was the key to Leland’s 2-1 eight-inning win on the road at Santa Teresa the following day, as Kevin Battipede went the distance, throwing eight innings and allowing just one earned run on eight hits, picking up his fourth win of the season.

Gillis, who has frequently cited pitching as the key to the Chargers’ success in 2006, was pleased with the right-hander’s effort.

“That was a perfect example of our staff this year, with Kevin,” Gillis said of Battipede’s eight-inning effort against the Saints, the pitching staff’s seventh complete game effort this season. “He’s 225 pounds, a senior, and he’s in really good shape. His pitch count was up (against Santa Teresa), but he still felt fresh. He was battling the entire game.”

The Chargers, down 1-0 after a first inning home run from Santa Teresa, managed to tie the game in the top of the seventh after a one-out double to left-center off the bat of Garrett Avilla allowed Dyer, who drew a walk earlier in the inning, to score from first base.

The Chargers then went ahead in the top of the eighth, getting a leadoff double from Nate Jones, before Slaton knocked an groundball single toward the middle of the diamond, allowing Jones to score after Santa Teresa’s shortstop threw the ball wildly to first trying to make a play on Slaton.

With the final leg of the season about the get underway, Gillis said he realizes the importance of the Chargers’ upcoming games, including an April 28 match-up at home versus Leigh, currently one game behind Leland in the standings.

“It’s like every game we play. It’s going to be the most important game of the year for us,” Gillis said.

Pioneer fends off pesky Leland on the links

First-place Mustangs maintain with single stroke

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Pioneer swingers bested Leland by a single stroke on Almaden Country Club links Tuesday, finishing in 200 cuts, to the Chargers’ 201.

The first-place Mustangs (11-1) marred Leland’s record (11-2-1) for just the second time this season; however, Charger Coach Mark Schwab expressed satisfaction in his wayward team’s performance, citing it as their finest effort this year.

“It was a good performance,” said Schwab. “I saw them out there working together for, perhaps, the first time this season. The main problem we have had all year is a lack of focus. We are three-putting when we should be down in two. We haven’t worked on our short game enough. The guys are good kids, but they would rather blast it 350 yards out of bounds than 200, nice and straight down the fairway.”

Pioneer senior Alex Hunt was the top finisher, logging a 36, par for the course, on the afternoon, while Leland sophomore Mark Higashioka paced the Chargers, finishing with 38 strokes, two over par.

“Mark had been going through a rough patch in the season, but he went out there and played a great match,” said Schwab. “Mark played like the Mark that got pulled up to varsity as a sophomore. In a big match, he really came through. He played smart golf. He was not intimidated.”

Schwab said Pioneer has two abnormally powerful players, between Hunt and company.

“Pioneer is a very good team,” he said. “They have a couple of really long hitters. I told the team, ‘you don’t have to watch those really long drives.’ I didn’t hear any, ‘oh, he got this, or did you see that.’ It’s important not to get obsessed with what the opponent is doing, but to focus on your own game. I think we really made it a lot closer than Pioneer expected.”

While Pioneer has maintained a firm hold on the Mount Hamilton Division’s top spot this season after reigning league champion Leland fell to Leigh in early March, a final opportunity remains for the Chargers to capture the league title and repeat.

Leland will face Pioneer at the Almaden Country Club this afternoon.

“I just want them to act professionally,” said Schwab. “Even if they don’t execute, I want them to know they gave it their best effort after every shot. High school sports are not about ‘I am better than you.’ It’s about striving to be better than yourself.”

Schwab said that if Leland succeeds in dislodging the Mustangs, it will be because four-year varsity standout senior Justin Gio played well.

“I would like to say Justin could qualify for the individual CCS championship tournament,” he said. “He has certainly got ability. From the first day I saw him as a freshman, I could see that he could strike the ball. But that doesn’t mean he does it every time.”

Seniors Mario Galziano and George Tassos must also maintain focus. Leland feeds off of the work ethic exuded by the duo, despite a back injury sustained by Tassos, which rendered him inactive for the remainder of the season.

“I wish I could put Mario and George’s brains inside all of my players,” said Schwab. “Those two really improved since last season.”

Memorial game scheduled to tribute baseball
standout Michael DeJesus

San Jose Lightning to honor Milpitas star,
killed in November shooting

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Top area prospects will celebrate the life of former Milpitas High shortstop Michael DeJesus with a June 2 tribute game at San Jose Municipal Stadium.

DeJesus’ club team, the San Jose Lightning, will face the Bay Area Baseball outfit in remembrance of Milpitas’ popular two-time Athlete of the Year award winner, who was shot fatally on November 26, while attending a party in Berryessa.

Michael DeJesus' last game was the championship at a tournament in sacramento. He is pictured thrid from the left in the second row down.

“People think that because he was at the party that he was drinking or that he was a gangster or something, but that was absolutely not the case,” said Lightning manager Tami Bittle, who has had several athletes throughout the San Jose area as Lightning players over the years. “That’s what made him so unique. He didn’t drink. He didn’t do drugs. I don’t think he had a single enemy. Michael was very dedicated, loyal and committed. If only two people showed up for practice, Michael would have been one of them.”

Police reported that DeJesus was the only person wounded, when a group of three males fired 13 rounds from handguns into a crowd of partygoers talking in the host’s yard.

The suspects, currently detained and awaiting trial, were reportedly asked to leave by a group attending the party after the assailants approached anonymously and demanded to be let in. An argument ensued, and the men left, only to return with weapons.

Bittle said DeJesus was a phenomenal athlete, adding that if any one player from college preparatory teams that she has coached over the past six seasons could have wound up in the major leagues, it would have been Michael.

“Michael was exactly like the Giants’ Omar Vizquel,” said Bittle. “He was the calmest, most mellow athlete and person in the world, but he would field balls that were beyond fieldable. He was very athletic. Everything was smooth with Michael.”

Lightning coaches recruited DeJesus to join the summer tournament team in 2004, after DeJesus completed a stellar sophomore season for the Trojans.

Players are invited to Lightning tryouts, based on success in high school play, and after demonstrating outstanding character.

“We have been very successful in placing kids,” said Bittle. “We compete all across the United States, training boys to be able to go on to a college program. We work with Division I schools, bring in their coaches to work with the kids, visit campuses and attend camps.”

Every player from last year’s team is currently listed on a college roster.

DeJesus was playing football and baseball at West Valley College in Saratoga at the time of his death. He was also being monitored and attending regular workouts with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox organizations.

DeJesus was named to Santa Clara Valley Athletic League all-league rosters in three consecutive years, including the breakthrough sophomore campaign. A highlight that season was a 5-for-5 outing, in which he blasted a home run and finished the game with eight runs batted in.

“We called him Jesus because of, one, his name, and two, how caring he was, but gifted at the same time,” said Bittle. “He would just turn around, smile casually and rip a double.”

The memorial event, slated as ‘A Night to Remember,’ was designed to get local baseball players together who knew DeJesus personally, or who have been affected by his life, according to Bittle.

Representatives form Diamondbacks and Red Sox organizations will speak there about DeJesus and his life, in addition to coaches and friends.

“We’re hoping to give everyone a place to say goodbye,” said Bittle. “It is also important to get the point across that one day, everyone realizes that you really have to live everyday like there is no tomorrow.”

Proceeds from the event will also help with more than $50,000 accrued in hospital bills and funeral expenses.

Merely days before DeJesus was killed, he had proposed to work with his mother on building on a garden as a way to cheer her up in a moment of solemnity.

“Michael noticed that his mom looked a little sad,” said Bittle. “She said, ‘I don’t know why, I’m just sad.’ So
Michael suggested that they build a garden and that will be someplace she will go, so she can be happy. We hope to raise enough money to help this become a reality.”

Bittle said she is also struck by the sad irony of the situation.

“It’s so odd that of 13 bullets, only one hit one person—the one person that probably would have gone pro,” she added. “It’s almost as if God wanted him home. What are the odds that no bullets would hit anyone, but hit Michael fatally?”

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