SPORTS

Gomez crowned CCS champion after first-place finish in discus at CCS finals

Pioneer senior heads to CIF state meet in Sacramento, then football at SJSU

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Pioneer’s Rolando Gomez placed first at the CCS finals in discus with a throw of 174 feet, 7 inches. Gomez will now head on to the CIF state meet June 3-4 in Sacramento. Photo courtesy www.mikejanes.com.

Coming into the CCS track and field finals on May 27 at Los Gatos High School, Pioneer discus thrower Rolando Gomez already had his fill of success.

In the fall, Gomez played tight end and defensive end for the Mustangs’ football team, compiling one reception for eight yards mainly as a blocking tight end while also recording 10 solo tackles, 31 assisted tackles and five sacks. The Mustangs’ 2004 season was a successful one but fell short of a championship, losing in the first round of CCS playoffs to Soquel.

On May 27 however, Gomez finally had his chance to be a champion, tossing a robust 174 feet seven inches to place first in the CCS finals for discus, beating his closest competitor, Homestead discus thrower Will Tsai, by nearly 17 feet. The throw also beat Gomez’s own school record of 173 feet that was set earlier this season. Despite the win, Gomez didn’t hesitate to be critical of his performance.

“I was hoping it would’ve been better; I was hoping for 180 (feet),” Gomez said. “Maybe I’ll get it next week, but I’m happy with it, I guess.”

The first-place finish for Gomez insured that the Pioneer senior was headed to the California Interscholastic Federation State Track and Field Championships, which will be held June 3-4 at Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium.

“Rolando has really worked hard,” said Pioneer assistant track coach Bill Gregg. “We kind of set goals for him and we wanted him to excel in those goals. We never tried to put too much pressure on him. We said ‘you have to improve as the weeks go on’ and he seems to be getting his best throws in here at the end of the season, which takes you into state (meet), which is good.”

For Gomez, winning the discus event was a result of a season-long effort in training to be the best he could be in the event.

“I’ve worked on staying in control more, not speeding it up too much and holding it to the end,” Gomez said of his discus-throwing form.

For those on the Pioneer coaching staff who know Gomez best, the first-place win is second to only one thing—Gomez’s down-to-earth nature and likable personality.

“He’s an awesome kid,” said Pioneer Athletic Director Mark Krail, who served as Gomez’s head coach in both football and track. “He’s from a good family and he’s a hardworking kid. He’s one of those guys you root for.”

When Gomez is finished at the CIF state meet, where he is currently ranked no. 9 in the state among discus throwers, he will look forward to having a future in football. Gomez will stay local and head off to play football for Dick Tomey at San Jose State University. Like everything else Gomez has done in sports, getting the attention of coaches in college took some hard work and plenty of convincing.

“People were talking to him and then they weren’t talking to him,” Gregg said. “What happened was he made the county all-star (football) team and he met the head coach (Tomey) and during the introductions of the players, he said that he’d like to go to San Jose State and play football. He got to meet the coach, sat down and talked with him, they went back and pulled his game film out and looked at it… They reconsidered everything on him and now it looks like he’s going to be able to go to San Jose State.”

But before that can happen, Gomez still has one thing on his mind—medalling at the CIF state meet.

“It feels good—it feels great actually,” Gomez said of taking the CCS title in discus. “I’m happy that I’m a CCS champion. It’s awesome, but next week, I just want to compete and get a medal.”

Broken bones don’t dampen spirit of Pioneer’s Amy Cusick

Senior soccer star’s broken tibia and fibula result in a long
recovery and upcoming redshirt season at Menlo College

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

For Pioneer soccer star Amy Cusick, the unfortunate break came after getting one of her better breaks of the season.

Playing in the state cup tournament on April 9 after finishing off a successful senior season for the Pioneer girls’ soccer team, Cusick swung her right leg right into an opposing player’s body about 15 minutes into the match, badly breaking her tibia and fibula.

“All I know is that when it happened, I felt a sudden blow and tons of numbness,” Cusick said. “I couldn’t feel my feet very well and I knew something happened. All I could do was yell—it wasn’t even screaming, it was deep, regular-voice yells. It was weird. I didn’t cry, it was just really scary and painful. Everyone ran up to me, took one look at my leg and started yelling “‘call 911!’”

The news of the injury, which required the insertion of a titanium rod to stabilize her right leg, couldn’t have come at a worse time for Cusick, who served as co-captain for the Mustangs under Head Coach Randy Worthington.

Several weeks before the injury, Cusick committed to playing soccer and attending school at Menlo College. After meeting Menlo College Coach Owen Flannery at the Surf Cup in San Diego during Thanksgiving, Cusick quickly took to the idea of being able to play soccer as a freshman while also being close to home.

“Owen Flannery, Menlo’s women’s head coach for the last couple of years, has really turned the team around and when he came recruiting in San Diego for the Surf Cup during Thanksgiving, he let me in on what he had to offer,” Cusick said. “I, of course, was flattered to be thought of as a possible prospect so I took an immediate interest and told myself I would at least check it out. I got home to San Jose, set a date to go visit and fell in love.”

However, Cusick’s injury dealt a blow to those plans. Because the break was a jagged one with bone fragments floating around, doctors performed an operation to insert a titanium rod in her tibia to help stabilize the limb. At the time the injury occurred, Cusick immediately began to think of her future in soccer, among other things.

“The first thing that came to my mind was soccer. The second one was summer and of course graduation,” Cusick said. “I don’t think I anticipated how it would affect me so much. I have honestly gone through so many ups and downs where I have been so eager to move forward with my injury one day and then the next I would be so ready to just give up. But as for now, all I can do is take my time. Of course I am scared of what position I will be in now with college, in regards to playing time and so on. But I am so happy with my coach there and I have gotten nothing but great support so I’m not truly scared that my soccer career won’t continue. I won’t let that happen and frankly, neither will the people around me.”

The news of the injury also hit those who know her best hard, particularly Worthington, who saw Cusick help lead the Mustangs to the CCS playoffs earlier this year.

“I felt like crying for her,” Worthington said. “She’s so tough and she’s worked so hard. My instant thought after that was that it’s just a setback for her that will test who she is. She’s going to come out of it stronger.”

For the near future, Cusick’s goals have drastically changed. Instead of getting ready to play soccer this upcoming season for Menlo College, the Pioneer senior will instead focus on recovery and rehabilitation. Cusick has already decided to redshirt her freshman year, giving her four years of eligibility after her recovery.

“The last thing I want to do is go into the season at 90 percent and either hurt myself again or not show how I really want to show,” Cusick said. “Knowing that there is no pressure for me to be back playing by a certain date gives me a big sense of comfort but at the same time, gives me a lot of drive to take my time in getting back into top shape.”

Despite the unfortunate break, Cusick said she is looking forward to many things.

In June, Cusick will graduate from Pioneer before she begins some light running exercises in August as part of her physical rehabilitation. If nothing else, her positive outlook on things, as well as the support of her friends and family have kept her focused on getting back to playing, whenever it may be.

“I think that every athlete needs to go through something like this to give them perspective in what we always take for granted, our ability to play the game we love,” Cusick said.

Worthington said there’s no doubt Cusick will be seen on a soccer field again, competing as she has done for the past four years as a Pioneer Mustang.

“I think the biggest thing she has going for her is that she sees the big picture,” Worthington said. “She’s young but she’s patient … Amy’s got this inner drive to make it work.”

Sports Briefs

Almaden Ladybugs host soccer tryouts
Almaden Ladybugs Premier/Class 1, U17 girls, tryouts for state cup and spring/fall season, every Tuesday and Thursday.  Date of birth after 7/31/88. Contact Roger Haupt at (408) 779-7697, or Linda Urzi at (408) 723-0928.     

Bay Area TPX Top 96 High School Invitational Baseball Showcase June 3-4
Applications are now being accepted for the Bay Area TPX Top 96 High School Invitational Baseball Showcase.  The top 96 position players and top 48 pitchers will be selected from those who apply. The showcase is June 3-4 at PAL Stadium in San Jose.  Apply online at www.top96.com or call Doug Henson at (508) 481-5939.

Almaden Quicksilver holds soccer tryouts
Almaden Quicksilver Class 3, U12 girls, is holding tryouts for spring/fall season every Tuesday and Thursday. Date of birth must be after 7/31/93. Contact John at (408) 323-8768 or john@politoski.com.

Central Valley Edge holds youth soccer tryouts
CV Edge, a Class 3/U17 girls’ soccer team, is offering Monday/Wednesday tryouts to girls born after 7/31/88 for the fall season for all positions. Contact Patty Rashid at (408) 267-2740 or Afsari at (650) 771-6213 for more information.

Leland High School Spirit Squad hosts Junior Spirit Camp June 20-24
“Give me an L!” Leland Junior Spirit Camp is set for June 20-24 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Leland High School Quad, 6677 Camden Ave., San Jose, for students entering K-8 in the fall. Age-appropriate cheers and routines. Daily snacks provided. Space is limited so sign up early. Early-bird registration of $100 ends June 1.

All participants are invited to perform at a Leland High School football game.

Participants should wear comfortable clothing and shoes appropriate for athletics. Light jacket or sweater in case of cool weather (labeled with name) and bring a water bottle (labeled with name). Wear your sunscreen!
For more information on Leland Junior Spirit Camp, contact Angelica Niklowitz at (408) 268-5549 or aniklowitz@yahoo.com.

South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs offers free clinics July 23 and Aug. 20
South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs are offering free clinics during the summer for kids in grades three through eight July 23 and Aug. 20 from 10 a.m. to noon at Williams Elementary School in San Jose.

The Chiefs are adding a seventh/eighth grade team in the spring. Our free summer clinics give newcomers a chance to try the sport before they purchase equipment. Loaner sticks available on first-come, first served basis. So bring a friend and come have some fun with lacrosse.

Please RSVP to joy.bender@prodigy.net. Our web site is www.svlax.com.

Almaden Metro holds soccer tryouts
Almaden Metro Class 3, U17 boys, is holding tryouts for fall season most Sundays. Date of birth after 7/31/88. Contact Jeff Earl at (408) 268-5125 or jesvo11@yahoo.com.

Great change-up

CSM coaches commend former Leland ace Kyle Woodruff’s attitude above all

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

No strained groin or stolen car stereo could cloud former Leland hurler Kyle Woodruff’s dream to throw in the majors.

Scouts wonder what’s next after Woodruff silenced skeptics with a valiant run deep into the Junior College state tournament while representing the College of San Mateo Bulldogs. The 6-foot-4-inch right-hander overcame a dreadful orientation, which included the smash/grab job and problematic pelvis, to finish the season with a perfect 6-0 win-loss record, accompanied by a miniscule 1.50 ERA.

“Through it all, Kyle had a big year for us,” said CSM Coach Doug Williams.

“We’re knocking at the door (regarding a state final four birth), and Kyle is certainly a guy that we think can help get us there.”

After settling with insurance and establishing himself in the neighborhood, Woodruff got busy on the baseball diamond, securing the number-one slot in the Bulldog’s starting rotation. Yet, the pesky groin injury sent Woodruff to the inured list for six weeks to begin the regular season.

“I guess I tweaked it throwing in the bullpen,” said Woodruff. “It just kept getting worse until I stayed off of it.”
Big league potential

When the Houston Astros opted to “draft and follow” Woodruff after his senior season—in 2004—the now freshman slowly packed his bags for College of San Mateo. He aimed to hone skills there and prove he was worth the slot Houston risked.

If the Astros agreed, Houston may, at any time in the next two years, exercise rights on Woodruff, which likely means an enviable signing bonus, and the realization of Woodruff’s childhood wishes.

Nobody questioned his talent, but a stint spent “ineligible” during Woodruff’s senior year at Leland, amongst other issues, had scouts wondering if the Astros need follow.

It didn’t bode well when, on Woodruff’s first night away from home, he learned of his missing stereo.

Then the injury: Woodruff sat two weeks, mounted a comeback, returned four more weeks to the bench, and physical therapy—and really impressed coaches.

“When Kyle got here, we knew he could dish it out,” said Williams, in his 11th year as Bulldog skipper.

“Kyle’s biggest improvement came in his maturation process, not only as a baseball player, but as a teammate, person and with his work ethic.”

The next level
Former Charger Woodruff, who was selected to the Mercury News’ all-CCS First Team after winning nine straight games in the regular season as a senior, had the Bulldogs within four outs of the state’s final four championship tournament this season.

CSM cruised to a Coast North League title in 2005, posting a 30-8, 21-5 record, while young Woodruff earned First Team all-conference accolades.

“CSM coaches really focused on the mental side of the game,” said Woodruff. “It’s a whole lot easier to pitch when you have those things working for you.”

Williams and company encourage athletes to warm their minds and muscles in pre-game.

“We pitch an entire game in our heads before we play,” said Woodruff. “Coaches insist that we close our eyes and breathe deep. Practice like you’re playing in the game in your head.”

“We’re certainly strong believers in it,” said Williams. “We try to make sure our players are well-versed in all areas. We encourage the guys to ride themselves through the storm.”

Bulldog staffers apply a metaphor that hails each player as a sailboat crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge. When the sail catches dangerous gales, players tip, abandoning the desired course. The trick is to ride through the chaos; CSM coaches challenge athletes to stay the course and return to safety, relying on talents and determination they harbor personally.

“Kyle certainly has developed the ability to right himself,” finished Williams on a serious note.

The Bulldogs hope to have found a leader in Woodruff, while Leland’s son found a safe, new home—but not for his stuff.

Woodruff will next travel with the Bulldogs’ Norcal Longhorn summer league team. For more information, please visit www.spincostats.com or www.summerbaseballseries.com.

Pioneer’s Hunt excels at golf and hockey

Hunt and Pioneer golf squad finish year at 12-2

Pioneer Mustang golfer Alex Hunt fired a 5-over-par 77 to tie, and then parred three straight playoff holes to defeat Leland’s Gary Beene by two strokes in a sudden-death playoff to capture BVAL Individual Champion Honors at Corde Valle Golf Club.

Pioneer was represented by all eight of its varsity players at Corde Valle, including sophomore Doc Collins, which was the most players from any school at the BVAL championships.

The longest-hitting Mustang golfer, Chris Walters, fired an 82 on the tough Corde Valle track for a fifth-place overall finish in the 40-player BVAL. Individual Championship field, which qualified him as an individual for the CCS championships in Carmel. Along with Walters, the Mustangs also sent to CCS the team of Alex Hunt, Tom Garcia, Tony Ventimiglia, Joe Pineda, Keith Lucken, and Nolan Maggipinto to CCS.

Held at Rancho Canada Golf Course in the beautiful Carmel Valley, the Mustangs faced tough competition from all over the central coast. Although the Mustangs didn’t qualify for state competition, they had a great year at 12-2, and look forward to progressing further next season. The veteran leadership of Head Coach Myron Zaccheo and golf pro Charlie Eddy was key to the Mustangs’ success. Coach Zaccheo moved the Pioneer Mustang golf team into the top Mt. Hamilton Division after winning the Santa Teresa Division three years ago.

The past two seasons, the Mustangs have placed third (in 2004) and second (in 2005) in the Mt. Hamilton Division. Hopes are high for next year with six of the eight Mustang varsity players returning, and a strong frosh/soph team to pull from. Hunt is expected to be a key component of next year’s team after being top medallist for Pioneer this season.

In addition to his success on the links, Hunt is also one of the top 16 U AAA ice hockey goaltenders in California.

He currently plays for San Jose’s Jr. Sharks with whom he travels extensively, and arguably could be the best youth goalie to ever come out of San Jose. During the recent four-day Global Showcase in Vancouver, B.C., featuring Junior and AAA prospects from all over the United States and Canada. Hunt impressed many with his glove and stick work in the net. Following in his older brother Rob’s footsteps, Hunt has played ice hockey since he was 5 years old as a goalie.

Who knows what the future brings? A goalie with a putter? A golfer with a goalie stick?

One thing is for sure, whatever sporting direction Hunt’s heart takes him next year and beyond, he will succeed at one or even both sports.

And if you see a couple of kids practicing slap shots with a Titleist while waiting to tee off this summer, odds are it’s Walters and Hunt. They both will be playing for Santa Clara Golf Club’s traveling team this summer and are regulars at Cinnabar Golf Club.

AVAC Doubles Classic nets more than 400 participants Memorial Day weekend

Lance Fors and Brad Jaciow among local winners at finals on May 30

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

While many spent their Memorial Day weekend relaxing, droves of weekend athletes hailing from various parts of the West Coast were doing something else—playing tennis.

During the Memorial Day weekend, the Almaden Valley Athletic Club held its’ 10th annual Doubles Classic, pitting top tennis players from other fitness clubs throughout California and Nevada against each other.

Proceeds from the tournament, mainly player entry fees, are earmarked to support local youth in the Greater San Jose After-School All-Stars sports and education programs, as well as the U.S. Tennis Association Girls’ 18 National Championships, which will be held at AVAC in August.

“Last year our net was about $6,500,”said tournament Co-Director Andrea Norman. “We always hope to net $5,000. So, somewhere between $5,000 and $6,000 is what we’ll get this year.”

The tournament began on May 27 with more than 400 players in competition and, by May 30, the field was narrowed down to 22 finals matches featuring men’s, women’s and mixed doubles’ teams.

As co-directors of the tournament, Norman and Jennifer Pitzen had their hands full keeping everyone happy, given that the tournament is the largest to take place in northern California.

“We’ve been working on this pretty much full time, I would say, for five weeks,” Norman said. “The entries opened about four weeks ago, so we did some preliminary work and once entries opened, we were constantly fielding questions from players. We accommodate about 40 scheduling requests, so we can get as many people playing as we can. So yes, it pretty much consumes my life for five weeks prior to this.”

Among the competitors at the finals, the doubles duo of Lance Fors and Brad Jaciow provided the first win of the day for participating AVAC members. The pair (both Almaden residents) competed in the men’s 4.0 doubles division and took a 7-5, 3-6, 6-0 win against John Pham and Michael Nguyen.

“You know it’s a really good team, so these guys are really steady and really good players,” Fors said of the Pham/Nguyen duo. “We were just trying to play our mental game and go for it.”

While the competitive nature of the tournament was on display throughout the match, almost everyone competing counts their opponents as friends off the court.

“I think it’s great,” Fors said of the friendly yet competitive nature of the tournament. “It’s my first time playing this tournament but I noticed it. It’s just real good sportsmanship. Even if someone makes a bad call, they apologize for it and they all move on. It’s just been really good.”

Jaciow, who owns a printing company and has been an AVAC member for the past five years, is a veteran of the AVAC Doubles Classic, having competed in the past three years without garnering a first-place win in the finals.

Fors, who runs his own biotech company, was a newcomer to the Classic and AVAC, having joined the AVAC men’s doubles team for the first time this year and partnering up with Jaciow for several matches throughout the season.
“It’s awesome,” Jaciow said of finally winning first place in the tournament. “It feels great. My partner was phenomenal. He carried me throughout the weekend. He was solid.”

Both men started out playing tennis in their youth, albeit with different aspirations. Jaciow, 35, spent some time on the juniors’ team beginning at age 11 before taking a break from the sport to go to college. Fors, 47, began to play in high school, but had different competitive aspirations, to say the least.

“It was a better way to meet girls than swimming,” Fors said jokingly.

Other AVAC members at the Doubles Classic finals include: Alfonso Echo and Mahesh Patil (second place in men’s 3.0 doubles); Stu Pollack and Jim Thorne (first place men’s 4.5 doubles); Bill Kahng and Myoungsu Jeoung (second place men’s 4.5 doubles); John Cappelleti and Eric Gottleib (second place men’s 5.0 doubles); Brenda Klinger and Maureen Sredl (first place women’s 3.0 doubles); Sue Gibson and Tracey Giglioni (first place women’s 4.0 doubles); Naomi Burke and Tina Huang (second place women’s 4.5 doubles); Bill Kahng and Barb Triolo (first place 4.0 mixed doubles); Sue Baldinger and Pedro Benitez (second place 4.5 mixed doubles).

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