June 22, 2006

SPORTS

Leland holds First Annual 7-on-7 Tournament and Big Man Challenge

June 16 football competition featured 15 Bay Area schools competing in a host of events

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Football teams from 15 schools gathered at Leland High School on June 16 to take part in the First Annual Leland Chargers 7-on-7 Tournament and Big Man Challenge.

Leland wide receiver/defensive back Chris Powell makes a tough catch for Leland during the school's First Annual 7-on-7 tournament and Big Man Challenge on June 16. Leland head coach Jason Tenner noted Powell's play on defense as one of the bright spots for his team during the event. Photo by Jeff Frazee

The event, which pits teams against each other in a variety of contests, was coordinated by Leland head football coach Jason Tenner and the Leland coaching staff. Tenner said he decided to take over the event from former Cupertino head coach Al Diaz, who previously ran the tournament at Cupertino before resigning as head coach this year to accept an assistant coaching position at De Anza College.

“The tournament was going to be cancelled, so I took it on and decided to host it at our place,” said Tenner, who had teams from San Jose and the peninsula attending the event. “It’s going to be an annual thing.”

The 7-on-7 tournament portion of the event featured schools playing non-contact, one-hand touch football against each other for a span of 25 minutes per game, with only passing allowed on offense. A handful of FERMAR officials were also on hand to help referee the games. Each school played a total of six games, with the top four teams advancing to a set of playoff games.

Mountain View High advanced to the final game against Milpitas, with Milpitas winning the tournament by one touchdown after stopping the Spartans’ offense at the 1-yard line to end the game.

“It’s a nice opportunity to put your team into a competitive environment,” Tenner said of the 7-on-7 challenge. “It gives some kids a chance to hone their skills and to develop some skills they never had. You start implementing your schemes and you’re seeing which kids are capable of helping you in the fall.”

The Big Man Challenge portion of the event featured complete sets of five linemen (offense or defense) from each school competing against each other in weightlifting competitions, a timed obstacle course, a timed heavy bag relay and a barrel roll competition. Each team accumulated points throughout each task, with Leland coming out victorious in the end after a tug-of-war competition to end the day.

And while the competition was a good chance for coaches to see the talent on their roster during the off-season and for some players to make an impression, Tenner said the event is not a completely accurate way to assess every aspect of a school’s football team.

“We’re not in pads. It’s like basketball on grass,” said Tenner. “This was more for the quarterbacks and receivers to work on their timing, and your defensive backs to work on their coverage schemes. The game is completely different once you put on pads.

Everyone knows that because you get hit, and that’s just a whole different dynamic. Someone can look great in 7-on-7, and then when they get the pads on, they can completely turtle up and not want to hit anybody.”

Tenner said he saw some good things out on the field when it comes to his own team as well. Tenner cited the play of defensive back Chris Powell during the event as an example of a player taking the opportunity to make an impression on his coaches.

“He came out and really played great at the cornerback spot on Friday,” Tenner said of Powell. “…He showed that he can cover and can make plays on the ball. He can learn and he can adjust. I’m excited to see what he can do in pads.”

As for the competition itself, Tenner said he plans to hold it again next summer at Leland, despite some hiccups along the way in coordinating the event.

“It was a pain in the butt, but it turned out to be a fun day,” said Tenner. “It’s something I’m glad I did.”

Sports Briefs

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.

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.

San Jose Steamrollers end season with fifth place finish at Power Soccer National Championship

By Margo Consul
Times Intern

The end of the school year brings a bittersweet ending to the power soccer season with a fifth-place finish for the San Jose team at the sport’s national championship.

On June 1, Leland graduate Chris Faria went to Birmingham, Ala. with his San Jose Steamrollers power soccer team to play in the National Championships for the National Power Soccer Association.

The tournament was held in the Lakeshore Foundation building, which is the same building that the USA rugby team trains in for the Paralympics. Although it was a long three-day tournament, the Steamrollers fared well, going 1-2-1 to finish fifth in the entire tournament.

The team’s first game against Arizona saw a 3-3 draw before the Steamrollers trounced the Indiana City team by a score of 5-2 in game two. The Steamrollers’ third game was the team’s first loss of the championship, a 2-0 loss to Atlanta.

Despite the loss, the Steamrollers made it to the quarterfinals. With team captain Keith Armburst injured with a bruised wrist and unable to play, the Steamrollers ended their play in the National Tournament with a 3-1 loss to Indianapolis.

Head coach Don Faria said that the team “did okay,” in the tournament as a whole. When commenting on his son Chris’s performance, Don said “Chris keeps getting better, and I am proud of him as a coach and as a dad.”

The sport of power soccer, which is designed for disabled athletes of all skill levels, generally does not have a lot of travel involved, with only three tournaments each year – one each on the East Coast and the West Coast prior to the sport’s biggest tournament, the National Championships.

This is the seventh year the Steamrollers have gone to the National Championships, having won the most coveted prize – the National Championship crown – three years ago. This year, the team had to qualify to get to Nationals and did so through the Northern California Playoff Tournament in May, which saw the team finish the regular season with a record of 7-3-1.

As for Chris, the new graduate plans to continue to play soccer with the Steamrollers and will be going to school at West Valley College this fall.

Margo Consul is a Leland High School senior.

Different look for Pioneer football in 2006

Host of roster changes will see plenty of new faces
on the field for the Mustangs this coming season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

When the high school football season comes around in the fall, Pioneer football fans may have some trouble recognizing the names on the field.

That’s because the Mustangs, led by head coach Mark Krail, will be without a host of graduated players who helped the team to a co-championship in the Mt. Hamilton Division this past season and a CCS playoff berth. As Krail puts it, the 2006 team is at this point, “a little green.”

“It’s going to be a solid challenge,” said Krail, whose team participated in Leland’s First Annual 7-on-7 Tournament and Big Man Challenge on June 16. “We had nine seniors on defense, so we’re replacing those guys. We’ve got our work cut out for us, no doubt about it.”

The Mustangs, who last season put together a 6-1 league record and a 10-2 overall record, are faced with having to replace defensive stalwarts in Nick D’Antonio, Jon Silva, Eddie Hsieh, C.J. Miller, Jerry Barnes and J.J. Goulden, to name a few. D’Antonio, a defensive back, recorded 31 tackles and four interceptions last season, while Miller led the team with 99 tackles. Hsieh also led the team in sacks with 11.

In replacing those players, Krail will rely heavily on a talented group of players who last year played at the frosh/soph level, while also counting returning players such as Steve Lopes, who recorded 68 tackles and one sack last season, and Nico Pagan.

“The good news is we have some quality kids coming up from a championship frosh/soph team,” Krail said. “They’re going to have to make the transition, and they will.”

Offensively, the Mustangs will see the return of incoming senior quarterback Chris Foley and the entire offensive line for 2006. Still, Krail will have to replace a solid running game that featured Shaun Souza, D’Antonio, Barnes and Silva in 2005. Souza and D’Antonio, both headed to Menlo College in the fall, combined to rush for more than 1,800 yards in 2005.

Krail said he will be counting on contributions at the running back position from Lopes and Pagan, who both played sparingly in 2005, combining for 161 yards on the ground. In addition, Dan Landucci, a junior running back on the 2005 team, will return to the fold after rushing for 371 yards last season. Those players will combine to solidify the running game with younger players such as Shane Murray, who played at the frosh/soph level last year.

“Certainly, it’s a question mark,” Krail said of his running game. “We lost our running backs but we feel real good about the guys who are coming up and the guys that were reserves last year who are going to make the transition into the first line. We’ll be okay there.”

Krail, who utilizes a wing-T offense, will also be searching for capable replacements at the wide receiver position, previously held by the lanky and speedy Goulden, who caught 24 passes for 504 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

To that end, Krail said he is looking for players such as Matt Montelongo to contribute. Montelongo is returning after a one-year hiatus from football and brings quickness and solid hands to the receiver position, said Krail. In addition, Peter Bruni, a junior wide receiver from last year’s squad, will likely see time at the position as well.

“J.J.’s a phenomenal player, he’s a college football player,” Krail said. “We’re going to miss him not only on offense, but defense and special teams. That’s not losing one guy, that’s losing three or four guys.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is Krail’s commitment to a tough and thorough summer program to get his players ready for the regular season. The summer promises to be filled with football practices for the Mustangs, especially this season, given the relative youth and inexperience on the squad. Pioneer will hold a weeklong practice in June, followed by a two-day stint at the Competitive Edge Football Camp, before resuming practices throughout parts of July and August.

“It’s no different from any year,” Krail said of the summer practice schedule. “We come in pretty hard during the summer and I think that’s been one of our secrets to being competitive.”

Honoring a teammate

While several of the 15 participating teams at the First Annual Leland Chargers 7-on-7 Tournament and Big Man Challenge wore regular individual practice jerseys, the Pioneer football team sported just one number on their backs – 75.

The gesture was a tribute to Marcus Keppert, a 15-year-old freshman who was struck and killed by an alleged inebriated hit-and-run driver while crossing Almaden Expressway in early May.

Keppert, at six feet, seven inches tall, played as a defensive lineman in the Pioneer football program and was widely known around the school as “The Gentle Giant” for his easy-going personality. Keppert wore 75 during his lone season as a Pioneer Mustang.

The shirts wore by the Pioneer football team were inscribed with the words, “Once a Mustang, always a Mustang.”

Major Cardinals tear into TOC’s

Colby Campbell and company sizzling in postseason tournaments

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

The Almaden Cardinals are marching a path fit for Hollywood.

Since finishing the regular season in third place (9-11) and dropping a first round playoff game 4-3 to the White Sox on May 29, Coach Kevin Mohs' Cardinals (15-12) have strung six consecutive victories together, among those the June 10 Almaden South Championship, and landed in the District 12 T.O.C. Championship, versus American San Jose.

"I told the kids from the beginning that I thought we were one of the better teams anyway," said Mohs, whose crew is comprised mostly of 11 and 12-year-olds. "I thought we had a lot of talent and great pitching. We just weren't hitting the ball. The kids weren't playing with a lot of confidence."

The early loss relegated Mohs' Cardinals to the losers' bracket from the beginning, but the kids thrived on pressure, according to Mohs.

"We struggled at the beginning of the season to score runs and hit," he said. "We were striking out a lot. I think the kids just got tired of striking out. They just had a few hits here and there and good things started happening. A lot of them were always good ballplayers and they were just struggling. It's a team that deserved better."

The Cardinals' spree ensued when they dismantled the league's top regular season finisher, the Braves (17-3), by a score of 8-5 on June 3.

Towering 12-year-old Colby Campbell hurled a six-inning complete game and struck out 12 batters, while Bobby Rose and Alex Josten provided the offense, scoring two runs apiece.

At that point, the Cardinals earned a rematch with the White Sox.

The teams collided on June 5 and went seven innings before Cardinals catcher Nick Long controlled the final outcome from the mound, overcoming league by-laws that levy an additional road block between the championship and teams wending their way up through the losers' bracket.

Each team is permitted 12 innings of 12-year-old pitching per week, according to Mohs. It is a rule that stymies loser bracket contenders who play a greater number of games to qualify for the championship.

The Cardinals slugged it out with the White Sox for six innings with ace Rose on the mound. However, he filled the 12-year-old pitching quota in regulation, leaving the teams locked at three runs apiece.

In the top of the seventh inning, Josten and Travis McGurdy reached base, and Rose helped his own cause, smashing a two-run double, yet the pitching change was eminent.

"We were running short on 12-year-old pitching," said Mohs.

Mohs said he had three good 12-year-old pitchers so he hadn't needed to develop an 11-year-old bullpen to that point. With the season on the line, Mohs called on catcher Long to perform his first relief appearance on the hill this year.

"Nick has probably played 90-percent of our innings at catcher," said Mohs. "It was his first time on the mound and he took the top of their order, two, four and five batters, and struck them out. Those were his first innings pitched in majors."

Mohs said a Chris Connover double scored two runs and an Austin Wooddall single added one more to round out Cardinal scoring in the semi-final game versus the White Sox.

The dramatic victory staged another momentous obstacle for the Cardinals. They next faced the Nationals, who had nimbly navigated the winners' bracket and won home field advantage, a right that required two Cardinal victories to unseat the Nationals as league champions.

On June 5, Mohs' club shocked everyone, when they ended the game in just five innings, based on the 10-run rule.

"We 10-runned them, 12-2," said Mohs.

Campbell pitched the complete game, while he also belted a home run and cleared the bases with a triple. Michael Berrenger also homered in the game, and Long scored two runs.

The drubbing set up a winner-take-all title fight June 10, but the Cardinals faced the same problem as before – 12-year-old pitching restrictions.

Mohs opted to start Josten.

"He did great," said Mohs. "He didn't walk anybody."

Josten went all six innings, relinquishing just four runs, while the Cardinals cruised to an 8-4 victory and South Division Championship.

Mohs said Matt Flipner's two-run single in the third inning proved to be the difference offensively.

Since then, the Cardinals downed Union 9-8 on June 17 and Cambrian 17-8 on June 20 in District 12 Tournament of Champion action, setting the stage for the June 21 championship.

"I said it's a team that deserved better," said Mohs. "We talked about the fact that first place gets a big trophy and second place gets nothing at the Almaden Championship. I also told them that with winning or losing, you have to learn to do both. But winning is a lot more fun."

Bailey Avenue road closure this Sunday for the San Jose International Triathlon

The annual San Jose International Triathlon will take place once again at Almaden Lake Park on Sunday, June 25 beginning at 7 a.m.

This year’s event will feature approximately 1,500 athletes taking part in the event, which features a 1.25K swim, a 40K bike ride and a 10K run.

The biking event will take place, in part, on surrounding streets on Sunday morning. To that end, motorists should be aware of a road closure on Bailey Avenue, from Santa Teresa Boulevard to McKean Road, throughout the duration of the triathlon, from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. on June 25.

For more information about the triathlon, go to www.japroductions.com.

Almaden Little League’s Indians drop 13-3 loss
to Branham Hills in TOC Playoffs

The Almaden Indians ended their Tournament of Champions playoff run on a sour note this Saturday after dropping a 13-3 loss to Branham Hills.

Despite jumping out to an early lead on a home run by Chad Piper and a two-run double from Ryan Perry, the Indians could not hold back their opponent, as wild pitches and errors helped contribute to a six-run second inning for Branham Hills in the eventual 13-3 loss.

The game ended an otherwise successful season for the Indians, who went 16-4 during the regular season and won the Majors-North Division while going undefeated in the Majors Playoffs as well.

While Sean Meagher led the team in RBIs throughout the season, Connor Jauch led the squad with a robust six home runs. Nick Medeiros, Perry and Piper also combined to slug several home runs throughout the season for the Indians.

—By Justin Petersen

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