May 11, 2006

SPORTS

Leland takes the Tiki

Third Annual Tiki Match sees Chargers win 3-0 over the Rams

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland volleyball team ended the regular season on a positive note, posting a 3-0 win at Willow Glen at the Third Annual Tiki Match on May 4.

Leland's Scott Lucas celebrates with his teammates after winning game three against Willow Glen on May 4 during the Third Annual Tiki Match. Photos by Jeff Frazee

The win was Leland’s first in the annual contest, which traditionally signals the end of the regular season.

“It’s fun and finally, finally we got it,” Leland Head Coach Jason Hilbert said of winning the Tiki Match, which saw the Rams take home wins and the Tiki trophy in the two previous seasons.

“I didn’t want it to be a carnival. I really wanted our guys to get involved in the excitement of the game and have the fans be excited about the game, and that’s what happened,” added Willow Glen Head Coach Jef Wind. “It showed. Both teams came out fired up. … It’s not a rivalry where we hate them. It’s a rivalry where we go, ‘OK, these guys are legit.’ You want to play teams like that.”

The rivalry itself was born out of friendly allegiances. Hilbert, along with Wind and Willow Glen Assistant Coach Eric Stachnick, share coaching responsibilities on the Central Coast Volleyball Club, which has several players from both high school teams on the roster.

“This is great,” Hilbert said of the rivalry between the two teams. “It’s everything that’s right about high school sports. Willow Glen has amazing fans, and they always support their team. It’s always a great atmosphere here.”

The rivalry, although fierce on the court, has turned opposing coaches during the high school season into friends at other times. Those positive feelings have trickled down to players as well, according to Hilbert.

“Quite honestly, all the boys are fans of each other,” Hilbert said. “They want to see each other do well. Where some guys are disappointed in losing, at the same time, they’re proud of each other.”

Wind said the “essence” of the Tiki Match is simply about a love for the sport of volleyball.

The Leland volleyball team shows off the coveted Tiki Trophy to their fans after beating Willow Glen 3-0 on May 4.

“We want it to be about believing in the game, and in order to do that, you have to appreciate your opponent,” said Wind. “You have to appreciate what people are doing … I really think it comes down to believing in the game and appreciating people who play the game right.”

The match had further implications for both teams as well. The win assured Leland of sharing the Mt. Hamilton Division crown with rival Leigh. Both teams finished the regular season with identical 15-1 records. Leland also garnered a No. 2 seed in the CCS Playoffs.

“We had to win to get a piece of the league championship, so it’s really important,” Hilbert said of the win. “It was also really important to play against Coach Wind and Coach Stachnick and their boys, because we’re all friends.”

Leland took all three games played, posting scores of 25-22, 25-15 and 25-18 over the Rams. Leland’s Scott Lucas led all players with 20 kills, while teammate Kevin Kashanian recorded eight kills in the win.

“Scotty was on fire,” Hilbert said of Lucas. “Our passing was really good and our serving worked. Those are the three things we always talk about doing … It all clicked.”

For Willow Glen, the loss left the team with a final league record of 12-4, but still playoff bound. The Rams were seeded at No. 14 in the CCS Playoffs. Willow Glen’s Tobin Chase and Mike Reiton recorded seven kills each to lead the Rams.

Sports Briefs

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 and 7/31/93 to tryouts for the upcoming season. For more information, contact Richard Johnson at 439-9645.

Leland Junior Spirit Camp signups
The Leland Spirit Squad is hosting its annual Junior Spirit Camp June 19-23 from 9 a.m. to 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 between 8/1/91 and 7/31/92. Call Coach Joe Escobedo at (408) 972-8906 or Manager Patty O'Malley (408) 927-5978 for more information.

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 Jose, 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, Penn.

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 is Sunday, May 21 from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. at Evergreen Valley High School, 3300 Quimby Road, San Jose.

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. For more information and registration forms, 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 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

Almaden United U12 girls soccer team seeks players
The Almaden United, a girls’ under 12, strong Class 3 team applying for Class 1 in the fall season, is looking for players for the spring and fall '06 seasons. Date of birth should be between Aug. 1, 1994 and July 31, 1996. Contact Jeff Pine at pine@apple.com or (408) 391-7542 for more information.

DeAnza Force 92G Black needs players
DeAnza Force 92G Black is looking for highly skilled players for the NorCal premier spring league and fall season. If interested please contact head coach David Blutrich by emailing davidblue7@aol.com.

Cheer coaches needed for South Valley Pop Warner
Cheer coaches are needed for South Valley Pop Warner. If you're interested in joining a team of outstanding coaches, please call Tiana Zarate at (408) 464-3285 or Teresa Smith at (408) 603-8280, or go to http://www.stpopwarner.org/.

Sports officials needed for high school sports
FERMAR Corporation, which contracts with high schools in Santa Clara County, is recruiting officials for high school athletics. Officials are needed for fall season sports such as football, volleyball and field hockey.

Men and women are encouraged to apply. No experience is necessary, as FERMAR will provide training through classes, clinics and tests. All training materials are provided.

Officials are paid $32-$61 per game, depending on the sport and level of competition. Additional opportunities to officiate youth and adult sports are also available.

Interested parties are encouraged to call FERMAR at (408) 567-1700.

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 at Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday – Boys’ volleyball CCS quarterfinals at Santa Clara High, 3 p.m.
Saturday – Swimming and Diving CCS prelims at Stanford, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday – Swimming and Diving CCS prelims and finals at Stanford, 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday – Badminton CCS play begins, times and sites TBA
Tuesday – Boys’ volleyball CCS semifinals at Santa Clara High, time TBA

Wednesday – Varsity baseball CCS play begins, times and sites TBA
Wednesday – Varsity softball CCS play begins, times and sites TBA

Thursday – Boys’ volleyball CCS finals at Santa Clara High, time TBA

Pioneer High School
Friday – Varsity baseball vs. Branham, 3:30 p.m.

Saturday – Swimming and Diving CCS prelims and finals at Stanford, 9:30 a.m.

Sunday – Swimming and Diving CCS prelims and finals at Stanford, 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday – Badminton CCS play begins, times and sites TBA

Wednesday – Varsity baseball CCS play begins, times and sites TBA
Wednesday – Varsity softball CCS play begins, times and sites TBA

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

May 2
Leland volleyball 25-22, 25-15, 25-23 win vs. Westmont
Leland softball 3-2 win vs. Westmont
Leland girls’ lacrosse 17-9 loss vs. Castilleja
Leland badminton 14-1 win vs. Andrew Hill
Leland tennis 6-1 win vs. Leigh in the first round of CCS Team Playoffs

Pioneer badminton 9-6 win at Gilroy
Pioneer girls’ lacrosse 9-5 loss vs. Sacred Heart
Pioneer softball 2-1 loss at Mt. Pleasant
Pioneer volleyball 25-12, 25-22, 25-14 loss vs. Willow Glen

May 3
Leland boys’ lacrosse 8-6 loss at Menlo-Atherton

Pioneer baseball 6-1 win at Willow Glen

May 4
Leland softball 4-1 win vs. Oak Grove
Leland badminton 8-7 loss at Independence

Pioneer badminton 10-5 win vs. Lincoln
Pioneer volleyball 25-22, 25-17, 25-22 loss vs. Prospect
Pioneer softball 8-1 win vs. Branham

May 5
Leland tennis 4-3 loss vs. Los Altos in the quarterfinal round of CCS Team Playoffs

Pioneer baseball 3-2 win vs. Leigh

Almaden medals

Leland and Pioneer run track at STAL finals

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland and Pioneer split Santa Teresa Division track titles Thursday at the league final meet hosted by Lincoln High School.

Pioneer’s track team: Back row: left to right: Tyler Chase, Marissa Silver, Jason Wetzel, Heather Silva, and Eric Sanchez. Front row: Zeebah Aleshi, Toni Sarge, Keri Herbert, and Joe Alise.

Winners will compete this week at the Blossom Valley Athletic League finals, and the top eight finishers there will qualify for CCS.

“I hope all of my top girls move on to CCS,” said longtime Leland Coach Jerry Rose. “Our main goal is to get them to state. I think several of the girls especially have a very good chance to achieve that.”

Five first-place finishes for the Charger girls were good enough for the top spot, while four Mustang men tallied eight first-place finishes and secured the victory in boys’ action.

“Our girls really shined,” said Rose. “The exciting thing is that we have very few seniors on this team, but lots of returners.”

Mustang junior Andrew McReynolds bore the brunt of duties for Pioneer, digging out four first-place finishes on the afternoon. McReynolds won both hurdle events, and completed a leg in both champion relay events, the 4x100 and mile relay.

“The guys’ team is a close knit bunch,” said Pioneer Coach Aaron Hansen. “It is almost family-oriented, a great community that really enjoys working together. Several kids have an opportunity to succeed in CCS and possibly at state. They just need to stay focused and be excited and enjoy what they have done so far. We just try to have fun as much as possible.”

Senior Stephen Lopes took three events, including the 200-meter and both relays. Lopes, however, who also finished second in the 400-meter, will miss the BVAL finals and CCS, because of a foot injury he suffered over the weekend.

Fellow senior J.J. Goulden, perhaps Pioneer’s best overall athlete, according to Rose and Hansen, won the 100-meter with an 11.3 second mark and the long jump, covering 23 feet.

“J.J. has a chance to go on in state in the long jump and maybe even the triple jump,” said Hansen.

Goulden finished second with a flight of 45 feet, 3 inches in the triple jump at STAL finals.

Pioneer’s Jason Wetzel sailed the discus 138 feet, 5 inches, and also finished first.

“Pioneer had the real horses,” said Rose of the boys’ action.

Leland boys’, meanwhile, closed the year in second place, competing without standout senior triple jumper and hurdler Phillip Petro, who was injured last week but will compete in the BVAL finals and CCS.

The Chargers still managed several victories without Petro.

Senior Joey Boose tossed the shot put 46 feet, 11-inches, and landed in first place. The mile relay team, which consisted of seniors George Mikhail, Stan Chen, Michael Higashioka and anchor Stephen Matsuoka—who earlier won the 800-meter race—finished in 3:36.82, the top time.

Rose also noted the efforts of freshmen two-mile racers Matt Vera, Frank Gao and Joel Ayala.

“We had swept the mile and 800 earlier with Matsuoka,” he said. “It was a hot day, and asking freshmen to triple like that—it’s a tough thing to do.”

Vera and Gao were in position to sweep the two-mile race; however, they purposely fell back in an attempt to pull the trailing Ayala into tow, according to Rose. The move was enough for a competitor to edge out the two speedsters for first place.

“We could have gone one and two in that race,” said Rose. “That’s a four-point swing. Then Phil Petro could have made up three points in the triple. But I am pleased with our effort.”

Leland dominated on the girls’ side. Stephanie Barnett and Kikita Skiaris scored points in preparation for what Rose hopes will be a successful run through CCS, in middle distance races and hurdles, respectively.

“I hope they just do what they are capable of doing,” said Rose. “They are a very focused group. They know what their goals are. It’s very realistic that both of them will succeed in CCS.”

In her first track season, senior Katelin Tyson blew by the field in the 800-meter, winning in a time of 2:24.34. Junior high jumper Dana McKenzie cleared the pole at 5 feet, 2-inches, also good for the first.

Pioneer’s Hansen was also proud of his girls, who accounted for 74 points and fourth place, between just five athletes.

Carrie Herbert, Marissa Silver, Toni Sarge and Zeebah Aleshi made up the STAL champion 4x100-meter relay.

“I was fired up,” said Hansen. “For these five girls to score as many points as they did is outstanding. It’s just unfortunate we have such a small team. We easily had a chance at the league championship with a larger team.”

Leland pitcher Andy Micko picks of a Westmont Warriors’ base runner during a 9-0 win on May 5.

Photos by Kevin Jones at www.johub.com

Leland baseball back on track

The Leland Chargers snapped a three-game losing streak last week, posting a 10-7 win on May against Oak Grove before shutting out the Westmont Warriors 9-0 on May 5.

The wins did more than just get the Chargers on track, it moved the team back into first place, one game ahead of rival Leigh in the standings. With the wins, Leland improved to 15-4 in league play, as well as 17-5-1 overall.

Local rugby player aims high

Todd Clever set to face Ireland, New Zealand in Santa Clara June 3, 7

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

CHURCHILL CUP RUGBY TALKS. Todd Clever, second from left, and his brother Chris are flanked by USA Rugby President Doug Arnot, left, and pub owner/rugby supporter Ray O’Flaherty during a recent San Jose promotion session for the looming three-nation Churchill Cup competition at Buck Shaw Stadium. Photo by Karl Laucher

Todd Clever, left, is on the run in a Hong Kong International Tournament games against the New Zealand All-Blacks.

Todd Clever, a 2000 graduate of Santa Teresa High School, has been dashing and crashing around the world or with a formidable agenda as a world-class rugby player virtually since the day he left town to play rugby for the University of Nevada-Reno.

Now crowned as a three-time All-American who went on to win six caps representing America as a member of the USA Eagles, the national team, he will returns home from his host club in Warkworth, New Zealand to again don the red, white and blue for the Churchill Cup competition facing Ireland on June 3 and the New Zealand Maoris on June 7 at Santa Clara University’s Buck Shaw Stadium.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Clever has been a regular on the USA National 7-Aside team, with more than 30 international assignments, but is seen as a key to the Eagles’ hopes of improving its status before the 2007 World Cup competition in France. The U.S. currently is ranked No. 19 in the world behind No. 1-ranked New Zealand. Ireland is ranked No. 5.

Harry and Robyn Clever, who live in South San Jose, are the proud parents of two rugby-playing sons. Their oldest son, Chris, also a former Nevada-Reno star, now plays for the San Francisco Olympic Club. “We’re living our lives through the exploits or our sons,” quipped Harry Clever.

The U.S.-Ireland game is scheduled to kickoff at 2 p.m.; the U.S.-New Zealand game will start at 7 p.m. The Churchill Cup play at SCU winds up on June 10 with Ireland facing New Zealand at 2 p.m. SCU also will be the site of a Rugby World Cup qualifying match between West Indies champion Barbados and the USA Eagles on Saturday July 1.

For Churchill Cup tickets call 408 554-4660 or go online to www.churchillcuprugby.com. For more information on the USA Eagles see www.usarugby.org.

Leland softball edges Leigh 2-0

Chargers defeat Longhorns for first time in four years
in league play; Truan tosses complete game shutout

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

For the first time in four years, the Leland softball team defeated league rival Leigh in Mt. Hamilton Division play, taking a 2-0 road win on May 9.

For the Chargers, the win kept the team right in the thick of things in the division, and helped in gaining momentum for a coveted spot in the CCS Playoffs, with the season winding to a close on May 11. Leland improved to 8-5 in league play and put the team in third place, along with three other teams in the division.

Leigh starting pitcher Jackie Hill hasn’t allowed an earned run this season in Mt. Hamilton Division Play. Still, the Leland Chargers were able to score twice on a pair of errors in the second inning of a 2-0 win over the Longhorns on May 9.

“It’s a great victory for us today, especially with this particular team,” Leland Head Coach Joe Gron said, referring to the Chargers’ struggles against the Longhorns in the past four years. “In the past, we struggled against this team scoring runs, but we put up a couple of runs early and felt real good, because we’ve only given up one to two runs per game.”

Leigh’s position in the league standings, despite the loss, remained the same. The first place Longhorns came into the game against the Chargers knowing they had already clinched the Mt. Hamilton Division title. The loss dropped Leigh’s record in league to 11-2.

Still, that wasn’t enough for Leigh Head Coach Clovis Mirassou who said he was disappointed by the outcome of the contest, which also honored the team’s seniors prior to the start of the game.

“It’s kind of a letdown, especially since it was our seniors’ last game (at home),” Mirassou said. “ … We didn’t hit the ball. We just didn’t put the ball in play and we didn’t score any runs.”

Leland ace Vanessa Truan picked up the win in the contest, tossing seven shutout innings and managing to battle through a pair of tough situations late in the game. For much of the game, Truan matched zero-for-zero on the scoreboard with Leigh ace Jackie Hill, who hasn’t given up an earned run in league play this season.

“When they’re on, they’re something special to watch, those two,” Gron said of Truan and Hill taking the mound against each other. “Today, they both were on. We didn’t get many hits, and they got two. So when they’re on, it’s fun to watch.”

Leland took advantage a pair of Leigh defensive lapses in the top of the second inning to get on the scoreboard, getting catcher Jessica Talaugon on a throwing error before Elisa Vye reached base after getting hit by a Hill pitch. After a sacrifice bunt by Jennifer Tkach moved both runners into scoring position, Quianna Sanchez lofted a fly ball to center field that was dropped for an error, allowing both Talaugon and Vye to score for a 2-0 Leland lead.

“Things happen because everything’s so close and so quick, and you have to take advantage of key situations,” Gron said of the two-run second inning. “…We had a game plan to put the ball in play; we had a lot of bunts today. The girls did a great job putting the ball in play and making Leigh play defensively.”

Truan, meanwhile, cruised for much of the game before Leigh’s Kayla Pisano led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single down the left field line. After a sacrifice bunt and a groundout to the right side of the infield moved Pisano to third, Truan managed to slip a called third strike past Jessica Freedman, ending the inning and preserving the shutout.

In the bottom of the seventh, Truan’s adversary on the mound, Hill, battled arduously at the plate, fighting off several pitches before delivering a one-out single to left field.

Again, Truan made short work of the Longhorns, striking out catcher Whitney Terry and Tria Downer to end the game.

“She’s been hitting her spots lately, in the past five or six games, and she’s been letting the defense do the work,” Gron said of Truan. “ … She just fired it and put it by them.”

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