June 8, 2006

SPORTS

Leland named Best of the Best by BVAL

Inaugural award bestowed upon Leland for best
overall athletic standings throughout school year

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Leland High School was the recipient of the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s inaugural Best of the Best All Sports Award, bestowed upon the best overall varsity athletics school in the league for the 2005-06 season.

Winning sports programs such as Leland varsity baseball are part of the reason the school won the BVAL’s inaugural Best of the Best All Sports Award in 2006, according to Leland Athletic Director Chris Hansen. In total, Leland had 11 teams win at least a co-championship in their respective leagues this school year. Photo by Jeff Frazee

The award uses a points system based on each school team’s finish in league standings for the fall, winter and spring seasons.

The award also calculates points based on the level of competition the teams compete in, with the Mt. Hamilton Division based as the highest and West Valley Division based as the lowest. Points are also added in based on sportsmanship. Teams with first place finishes in the Mt. Hamilton Division are awarded the highest points possible for a single team sport, 24, with all other finishers awarded one less point incrementally based on final league standings. For instance, second place finishers in the Mt. Hamilton Division are awarded 23 points, while third place garners 22 points.

Leland was one of 22 BVAL schools to compete for the coveted prize, garnering 492.667 points at the end of the 2005-06 athletic year.

“I’m proud of our students and coaches; those are the people who really do it for us,” said Leland Athletic Director Chris Hansen. “It’s not me. I’m just here to help them. They’re the ones in the trenches and getting the job done. I attribute this award to everything they put in.”

Leland competed in 23 BVAL sports overall in the 2005-06 school year, with 17 of those teams competing in the Mt. Hamilton Division. In total, Leland had 11 teams finish with at least a co-championship during the school year. The school gained the bulk of its top league finishers with their spring teams, with boys’ volleyball, baseball, badminton, boys’ tennis, boys’ swimming and diving, and girls’ swimming and diving all ending the regular season with at least a co-championship.

Other teams gaining first place finishes during the 2005-06 season were boys’ water polo, girls’ water polo, girls’ tennis, boys’ soccer and field hockey.

Hansen said one of the reasons her athletics program had a great overall year is because several of the school’s top athletes play more than one sport throughout the school’s three sports seasons. She also credited her coaching staffs at Leland for putting in the extra effort in getting the best out of the school’s student/athletes throughout the year.

“The people who are veterans and who have been here for so long, they’ve all put it our there for a number of years,” said Hansen of the coaching staffs. “ … Seventeen of the 23 sports that we have are in the Mt. Hamilton Division. That says a lot about where we are because everybody here strives to be the best.”

Hansen also credited the student/athletes who competed throughout the school year for giving their best on the field and for sacrificing their free time to play sports for the athletics program.

“We have some of the smartest kids who are able to juggle these busy schedules and compete in all of these sports, as well as outside activities and get good grades,” said Hansen. “It’s amazing to me that they’re able to put that out there. It’s hard. I see what some of these kids do. They’re up until midnight or 2 or 3 a.m. because they had practice until 7 p.m. or a match that lasted until 9 at night, and then they go home and do their homework, just to get up the next morning and come back to school. That kind of dedication is not for everyone.

Sports Briefs

Central Valley Edge class 3, U18 girls’ team seeks players
Central Valley Edge class 3, U18 girls’ soccer team is looking for players (born after 7/31/88) for the upcoming fall season. Please contact Coach Ary Afsari at afsari@comcast.net or by phone (408) 507-7008 for more detailed information.

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.

Almaden Valley’s All-Star cheer team, Cheer Divas, hosting cheerleading sign-ups
The Cheer Divas program has a few spots available for the 2006-2007 season.  Practices are held at Almaden Valley Gymnastics.  For more information call 408-370-DIVA or visit www.CheerDivas.com.

Central Valley Outlaws class I U13 Premier boys host 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@gmailcom 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.

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/

Hansen one of four CCS coaches named Cal Coach of the Year

Leland athletic director to receive award June 17 in Sacramento

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Leland Athletic Director Chris Hansen received unexpected but welcome news upon learning that she was one of four coaches in the Central Coast Section to receive Cal Coach of the Year honors for 2006.

Other award winners in CCS were Palo Alto boys’ basketball coach Peter Diepenbrock, Aptos girls’ cross country coach Dan Gruber and Los Gatos boys’ tennis coach Todd Dissly. In addition, Carlmont softball coach Jim Liggett and Los Gatos baseball coach Joe Winstead were named 2006 California Coaches Association Hall of Fame inductees.

Hansen will receive her award during the 49th annual California Coaches Association Banquet on June 17 in Sacramento.

“I’m pleasantly surprised,” said Hansen, who was nominated for the award by CCS Commissioner Nancy Lazenby Blaser. “ … You do what you do because you love it, and that’s why I coach. I love it. It’s not to get an award. It’s humbling.”

The award bestowed upon Hansen, whose varsity volleyball team finished third in the Mt. Hamilton Division standings during the 2005-06 season, might also be considered a reward for her longevity in coaching at Leland, she said.

Hansen began coaching within the volleyball program at Leland 22 years ago, including coaching at the varsity rank since 1988. Hansen’s volleyball coaching career has been highlighted by postseason accolades her teams achieved in the 1990s, beginning with a CCS Championship in 1991. The 1991 team also went on to win the Norcal Championship before finishing as the runner up to the state title that year. In 1993, Hansen’s volleyball team again won the CCS Championship before finishing as the runner up in the Norcal Championships. In addition, Hansen’s teams finished second in the CCS Playoffs in 1992, 1994 and 1996.

“It is probably a longevity award at this point,” Hansen said with a chuckle. “ … If I look back over my history, I think about when we went to state, or won CCS, or finished at the top of CCS and went on to Norcal. Back in the 90s, we had pretty good teams here. So, when you’re doing that stuff and you have all that success, you think, ‘oh, OK. I might be doing an OK thing here.’”

Overall, Hansen has helped amass eight league championships during her tenure as the varsity head coach, while also compiling a lifetime volleyball coaching record at Leland of 382 wins and 189 losses.

Hansen said despite her 22-year tenure at the school, she still loves coaching, especially volleyball. Most of all, Hansen said she keeps coming back for more for one simple reason—the student/athletes she coaches.

“Honestly, it’s the kids,” she said. “Every year you get a different group coming through and you think, ‘OK, this group is special, and when this group is done, I’ll be done.’ But then there are kids still coming up, and they’re special too, and I think, ‘I can’t go now because I need to be here for them.’ It’s a never-ending battle. You keep going through that and every group really is special. That’s kind of how it is. I’ve been fortunate because I haven’t had a bad group.”

In addition to volleyball, Hansen also spent several year coaching sports year-round at Leland. Hansen coached softball from 1984 to 1993, as well as girls’ basketball for four years, before stopping in 1988.

Hansen took over as athletic director at Leland at the start of the 2003-04 school year. This past season, Hansen’s athletics programs garnered the school the inaugural Best of the Best All Sports Award by the Blossom Valley Athletic League, bestowed on the school which accumulated the most points throughout the year, based on league standings. This year, 11 teams from Leland gained at least a co-championship in their respective leagues.

Leland names 2006 athletic award winners

Leland handed out its annual athletic awards to six students for the 2005-06 school year. By receiving the awards, each student was given a $500 scholarship. The Leland coaching staffs voted for students winning the awards.

The 2006 Pat Tillman award, bestowed on a graduating male and female senior athlete who has shown leadership, integrity, fairness, character, as well as outstanding athletic and academic achievements, went to Nav Deep Rai and Stephanie Kato.

Rai lettered two years in boys’ basketball and earned first-team all-league honors as a senior, while also serving as a team captain for two years. Rai maintained a 3.9 GPA and has been actively involved in community service projects, including organizing childcare for his church.

Kato lettered for four years in girls’ soccer and two years in girls’ volleyball. Kato earned the BVAL Sophomore of the Year award, as well as first-team all-league honors and CCS Honorable Mention, while helping to lead her soccer team to two league championships and one CCS Championship. Kato was also named a team captain as a junior. In volleyball, she earned Best Defensive Player honors twice while also serving as team captain during her senior season. Kato maintained a 3.8 GPA and will attend UC Irvine in the fall.

The 2006 Gordon Leland Award, given to the most outstanding single sports male and female athlete, went to seniors Mika Yanai and Simon Cheng.

Yanai lettered for four years in girls’ basketball and was selected as a second-team all-leaguer as a junior and a first-team all-league player following her senior season. During both of the those years Yanai served as the basketball team captain, while also helped to lead the Chargers to four consecutive CCS Playoff berths. Yanai, who maintained a 3.1 GPA during her four years at Leland, will attend De Anza College in the fall to continue her basketball career.

Cheng lettered for four years in boys’ tennis, and has been a league champion in each of those seasons as well. Cheng, currently ranked No. 3 in Northern California, reached CCS Doubles Play in his first three seasons, including as a finalist in his sophomore and junior years. As a senior, he reached the CCS Singles Play Finals, while also serving as team captain for the past two years. Cheng was also named Team MVP for the past two seasons. Cheng, who maintained a 3.8 GPA, will attend UC Davis on a tennis scholarship in the fall.

The Raymond Leland award, given to the best all around male and female athlete in more than one sport, went to Ashleigh Adams and Kevin Battipede.

Adams lettered for two years in field hockey and three years in softball, gaining second-team all-league honors as a junior and first-team all-league honors as a senior in field hockey, in which she was also voted as her team’s best defensive player. In softball, Adams served as team captain. Adams, who maintained a 3.8 GPA, will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall to continue her field hockey career.

Battipede lettered for two years in baseball as well as one year in football. In baseball, Battipede earned second-team all-league as a junior and first-team all-league as a senior, while helping to lead his team to a league championship and two CCS Playoff berths. Battipede, who maintained a 3.1 GPA, will attend Chico State University in the fall.

Criteria for both the Gordon and Raymond Leland Awards were athletic achievement, sportsmanship, academic achievement and leadership.

Friends and rivals

Tregoning, Micko, Hsieh take Little League lessons to next level

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Perhaps espionage played a role in Leland edging out Pioneer and Leigh for the Mount Hamilton Division baseball crown this season.

Or perhaps it was simply a case of longtime friends facing each other as foes.

Longhorn Ryan Tregoning, Eddie Hsieh the Mustang, and Charger Andy Micko shared the spotlight as friends again in 2006. The trio, who reportedly teamed to win five District 12 tournaments for Almaden all-star teams beginning at 9 years old, anchored the top three MHAL finishers this season, shelving lifelong friendship when forced to compete head to head in high school.

While Leland sat in command of the league race most of the year and ultimately prevailed, Leigh unseated the Chargers for a moment when shortstop Tregoning sparked a six-game win streak in which he was named Mercury News’ Player of the Week amidst a sizzling 10-for-10 spell at the plate.

Meanwhile, catcher Hsieh’s Mustangs accelerated through the second half, coming from near the bottom of the division to win 12 games straight and finish within a game of the steady Chargers, who Micko paced, batting second and holding down left field, between pitching appearances.

“It’s competitive just because we know each other so well,” said Tregoning. “But it’s fun to be competitive. We were used to playing against each other during the regular season in Little League. We would just team up in all-Stars.”

Onlookers, such as longtime area coach Ron Hallagan, who tutored the boys on various all-star teams, said their friendship is especially fun to observe because the trio’s talent rates at such high levels.

“One of the highlights for me this season was when Tregoning hit a homer against us,” said Hsieh.

Hsieh’s two home runs in the same game, a response to his friend’s success, made it a shade easier to commend Tregoning. In fact, all three players were Mount Hamilton Division All League selections in their senior year, while Tregoning led all batters, hitting .578.

It’s no social event when the friends face one another, but Hsieh, Micko and Tregoning said it is amusing to communicate between plays.

“Eddie plays catcher, so I say hello to him every time I get up to bat,” said Micko. “I ask him how life is.”
Hsieh, meanwhile, often calls pitches with special insight.

“Tregoning was obviously one of the more elite power hitters in the league, so you try to stay away from him, whereas, Micko is a singles’ hitter,” said Hsieh.

Last summer the trio teamed up for the final tournament appearance together at Junior Olympics in Peoria, Ariz. Each made the cut for the elite team, which competed to attract college scouts.

“There are way too many championships and good times to name just one moment that stands out about these guys in my memory,” said Hsieh.

However, Tregoning and Micko said slinging water balloons out of the hotel window at Junior Olympics ranks amongst the most enjoyable experiences that the friends shared.

“We’re best friends,” said Hsieh. “We’ve been extremely close since the first all-star team, when we were 9. Every summer it was me, Ryan and Andy. We would go everywhere together.”

With high school wrapped up, the triple threat is looking toward new prospects in college, where each will reportedly continue playing baseball. Hsieh will attend San Jose City College, while Tregoning has opted for West Valley. Micko, meanwhile, said he intends to try out in hopes of securing a walk-on role at San Diego State.

While the boys were inseparable climbing the rungs of Almaden Little League lore, longtime coach Hallagan said that the most impressive thing he remembers about the friends was the way they interacted with everyone else.

“Andy, Ryan and Eddie were always close with one another, but they were close with everybody else too,” said Hallagan. “They were very much leaders and team players. It is important in little league sports not just to learn baseball, but to learn life lessons about team work and sportsmanship.”

SPORTS BRIEFS

South San Jose United U12 girls’ soccer team seeks players
The South San Jose United, a girls’ under 12, Class 1 team, is holding tryouts for the fall '06 season on Wednesday, June 14 from 5-7 p.m. at the Santa Teresa High School turf field. Date of birth should be between Aug. 1, 1994 and July 31, 1996. Please contact Jeff Pine at pine@apple.com or (408) 391-7542 for more information.

There’s still time to sign up for Leland Junior Spirit Camp
The Leland Spirit Squad is hosting its annual Junior Spirit Camp June 19-23 from 9 a.m. to noon each day. The fee is $125. 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.

Almaden United U15 boys’ class 3 soccer team looks 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.

Almaden United U12 girls’ soccer team needs 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 e-mailing 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, 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.

Central Valley Edge Class 3, U18 girls’ team seeks players
Central Valley Edge Class 3, U18 girls’ soccer team, is looking for players born after July 31, 1988 for the upcoming fall season. Contact Coach Ary Afsari at afsari@comcast.net or call (408) 507-7008 for more detailed information.

Almaden Valley’s All-Star cheer team, Cheer Divas, host cheerleading signups
The Cheer Divas program has a few spots available for the 2006-2007 season. Practices are held at Almaden Valley Gymnastics.  For more information call 408-370-DIVA or visit www.CheerDivas.com.

Share your news

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