SPORTS

Athletics capture league title

The Oak Grove Major Athletics, boasting a couple of Almaden Valley players, won its league title despite being the underdog throughout the season. Behind outstanding pitching and hitting from 12-year-olds Patrick Smith, Brian Kirkendall, Tim Kirkendall, Andrew Metzger, Tyler Aichele, Duncan Keller and Cory Ventura, the A’s, along with 11-year-olds Jacob Carrera and Sean Davis, overcame a 6 win 4 loss first half and went 9 and 1 to win the second half championship with help from 10-year-olds Steven Contreras, Ranier Tinkelenberg and Jason Kirkendall.

In the playoffs, the A’s swept the heavily favorite Pirates in two games to advance to the Tournament of Champions (TOC). The A’s won their first two games before bowing out in the semifinal game against North Valley of Milpitas. The A’s finished their remarkable season with 19 wins and 6 losses.

Kudos also are extended to 10 of the 12 teams’ members who were also selected to their respective All Star teams: 10-year -old all-stars Steven Contreras, Ranier Tinkelenberg and Jason Kirkendall, 11-year-old all-stars Jacob Carrera and Scan Davis and major all-stars Patrick Smith, Brian Kirkendall, Tim Kirkendall, Andrew Metzger and Cory Ventura. Coaches Greg Kirkendall, Chris Metzger, Vince Contreras and Manager Alien Ventura congratulate the entire team, parents and supporters for an outstanding and fun season.

Velodrome, criterium racing keeps cyclists in a whirl

By Karl Laucher
Staff Writer

Major bicycle racing action will be backed up weekend to weekend in San Jose starting with the Northern California/Nevada District Track Championships Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Hellyer Park Velodrome.

A week later, on July 31, the Monte Vista Coyote Creek Criterium will be held on Hellyer Avenue and Piercy Road in the Evergreen area.

Racing for track honors begins at 7 p.m. on Friday. Action continues at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Events include sprints, team pursuit and team sprints for both men and women. Among the expected entries is U.S. sprint champion Stephen Alfred of Santa Cruz. Hellyer Park has a parking fee of $5. For more information see www.ridethetrack.com.

The Monte Vista Coyote Creek Criterium will be staged on a 1.8- mile loop that includes a 100-foot climb on Piercy Road. Action starts at 7:45 a.m. with a 50-minute race for Masters 45+ and Masters 55+ and ends eight races later with a 1 hour, 40-minute contest for Pro Racers beginning at 2:35 p.m. For more information log on to www.mvvelo.com or call 408 569-1023.

The Madison Race at the Hellyer Park Velodrome has many dangerous moments.

Photo by GlennJames/www.glennjamesphotography.com.

Almaden takes Champs

Pollard paces Cabana League champions, named ‘Dolphin of the Year’

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Sorry kids, summer sun sets fast. The Cabana Swim League held its grand finale Champs meet last Saturday, July 17, pitting six South San Jose teams against one another in a no-holds barred, stroke-till-you-drop swim meet. The meet typically marks the halfway point for summer break—but don’t tell the Almaden Dolphins, they’re busy celebrating.

Almaden capped an undefeated season Saturday with a momentous effort, posting approximately 95 personal best times, on their way to 402.5 total points. Despite the rise to occasion, the Cabana Swim League champion Dol-phins remained gasping for air through the final relay, when they ultimately dunked the Creekside Cudas, who finished second with an impressive 396 total points.

Kudos to all 220 Dolphins, ages 6 to 18, and a stellar coaching staff, consisting of Justin Pollard, Brian Perasso, Allyson Stiller, Melissa Beal and Dennis McKenna and especially first year Head Coach Billy Mundie.

“We have all really appreciated the great job done by Billy,” commented Almaden swim coordinator Jenni Eisenberg. “His quiet confidence, responsibility and high level of determination was exactly what the Dolphins needed this year to make their comeback.”

The perennial powerhouse Dolphins return to the Cabana League throne after a down year hindered by faulty pool heating and shortened workouts in 2003.

Special honors in the Dolphins’ ascent went to “Dolphin of the Year” Justin Pollard. Pollard, who has donned the Almaden royal blue since about the age of 6, capped a magnificent career both in Cabana League and CCS competition this season. The U.C. Berkeley-bound prep first won CCS, at Bellarmine and now Champs and Dual Meet crowns with the Dolphins.

“He [Pollard] has been a great inspiration to many young Dolphins,” explained Eisenberg. “We wish him much continued success in his swimming career but hope to see him back helping coach the Dolphins next summer.”

In addition to Pollard, Almaden loses captains Melissa Beal and Brad Fuller. However, according to Eisenberg, incumbents Liz Fenwick and Kyle Newkirk have already assumed their new roles as captains, teaching the 210 or so returners a new cheer for 2005.

Despite the conclusion of 2004’s Cabana season, several Dolphins’ efforts will live on for summers to come.

Almaden Men’s 15-18 medley relay set a new league record with a time of 1:44.27 at Saturday’s Champs meet. The team includes Pollard, Steven Gardner, Michael Steranka and Brad Fuller.

Other Dolphin im-morts include Emily Cheng and Jessica Do, who, along with Gardner and Pollard, were officially inducted into the Dolphin Hall of Fame.

A walking trophy

Gunter Schlierkamp has won a mountain of trophies in nearly two decades of bodybuilding, but the former German national champion, now living in Los Angeles, will be on stage solely for demonstration purposes when he performs in the San Jose Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships for both men and women on Saturday, July 31 at Parkside Hall in downtown San Jose. Schlierkamp also won the 1993 Mr. Universe championship, and the 2000 Ironman Pro World Championship, but in the most prestigious competition of the all, the Mr. Olympia, held last October in Las Vegas, he placed fifth, leaving him with something left for inspiration. As guest poser in San Jose, Schlierkamp won’t be eligible for any for the hardware, but he would like to sell you some from his Gunter Schlierkamp Signature Jewelry collection, not so surprisingly modeled after barbells. For more information on the San Jose competition, log on to www.paullovesvproductions.com; to visits Schlierkamp’s Web site go to www.gunters.net.

–By Karl Laucher