SPORTS

Almaden’s Tayler Davis climbs to No. 1 in USTA girls’ 14

Davis has won eight singles tourneys, seven in doubles too

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

When Almaden resident Tayler Davis met Venus Williams three years ago, she knew what she wanted to do. So, with the help of her family, she set out on a tennis career that is beginning to blossom and turn people’s heads.

Almaden’s Tayler Davis, 13, is ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles for the USTA’s girls’ 14 level. Davis has won eight tournaments in singles, including two at the girls’ 16 level, while also winning seven tournaments in doubles in 2005. Photos courtesy of the Davis family

Tayler, 13, has made 2005 her marquee season to date, winning six of eight tournaments in the United States Tennis Association girls’ 14 level in singles, while also winning two tournaments so far at the girls’ 16 level. To top things off, Tayler, coupled mainly with partner Zoe Debruycker of Saratoga, has conquered the girls’ 14 doubles charts, winning seven tournaments in the year.

All of that adds up to a No.1 ranking in both singles and doubles in girls’ 14 in the Norcal section.

“I’ve just been working really hard this year, a lot harder than I have in the past few years,” said Tayler, who will attend Mitty in the fall. “I think all of my losses from last year, I’ve learned a lot from them.”

What began as a simple exercise in tennis with her father Ray, hitting tennis balls back-and-forth to each other on their street at the age of 4, has now become a steady rise in the USTA tennis rankings. At the age of 8, Tayler got her first coach, Don Johnson, who taught her the game of tennis on the public courts of Los Paseos Elementary School. At the age of 11, Tayler began playing in tournaments, taking her tennis to a more serious level.

Two years later, Tayler has amassed an impressive 53-17 record in 2005, which has earned her several perks, including a tennis racket deal with Yonex. Still, Patrice Davis, Tayler’s mother, feels her daughter is just beginning to scratch at the surface of her potential.

“It’s exciting and I think that she has a lot of work cut out for her,” said Patrice. “She’s made great improvements and big strides. I’ve seen her learn a lot.”

Tayler’s climb in 2005 began in January, when she started out winning the 14th Annual Junior Solano Open. That tournament started a 23-match winning streak for Tayler, as well as five straight tournament wins. Tayler’s streak was broken at the Norcal 14 Junior Sectional Championships, where she lost in the final round.

The loss, however, didn’t stop Tayler one bit. In July, she took the National Open Championship in Long Beach before moving on to the Clay Court Super Nationals in Florida, where she placed in the top 32. From there it was on to Sacramento, where she reached the semifinals of the West Coast Junior Championships, placing third overall in the tournament.

Despite a grueling schedule, Tayler credits her work with a conditioning coach for her ability to play at a high level throughout the season. Tayler’s father, Ray, has also helped Tayler stay in top physical form.

“My dad has always kind of been on me about my fitness for the past couple of years,” said Tayler, who hopes to attend Stanford and play tennis after high school. “He always has workouts planned for me when I come home after practice.”

Nevertheless, Patrice Davis stressed the importance of giving her daughter time do to things any teenager would do for fun.

“She definitely well rounded,” said Patrice. “There’s a balance there … She enjoys her friends and again, it goes back to that balance of having fun, but also working hard to prepare to come out on top.”

Sports Briefs

Central Valley Edge holds youth soccer tryouts
CV Edge, a Class 3/U-17 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 (408) 267-2740 or Afsari at (650) 771-6213 for more information.

South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs offers free clinic August 20
South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs are offering a free clinic during the summer for kids in grades three through eight on 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 spring, 2005. The 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. RSVP to joy.bender@prodigy.net.  Our Web site is www.svlax.com.

Almaden Metro holds soccer tryouts
Almaden Metro Class 3, U-17 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.

Bret Harte seeks Boys Junior Lacrosse coaches
Bret Harte Middle School in San Jose is looking for boys’ junior lacrosse coaches for the 2005-2006 season. Multiple positions are available for both head coaches and assistants. Previous lacrosse coaching experience strongly recommended; competitive salary. If you are skilled in lacrosse, kid-oriented, and motivated to create a winning team from the ground floor up, we would love to talk with you! This is an exciting, and rapidly growing sport in California, and these Bret Harte boys are ready to go!

For more information, please contact Mike Garcia at 408-590-6949 or emailmgarcia@gmail.com.

BU-12 Select Soccer team is looking for a goalie
 Almaden Valley Storm, a Class 1, U-12 boys’ select soccer team, is looking for a full-time goalkeeper. Last year, the Almaden Storm advanced to the round of 16 in state cup and was knocked out by one of the teams that went to the finals. This year, we hope to win the cup.  If you have a son who wants to play goalie full time and has had some comp or select level playing experience, feel free to come to our Tuesday and Thursday practices. The age group for BU12 is 08/01/93 to 7/31/94 (or younger, if he is good goal-keeper).  Contact Mo Bani-Taba for location and times at (408) 221-5377 or mbanitaba@yahoo.com.

U-15 comp girls’ soccer team needs a goalie
Almaden Phoenix, a Class 3, comp U-15 girls soccer team needs a full-time goalie. We have an extremely good team put together for the fall season—two goalie coaches. Must be born after 8/1/90. Please contact Scott Hoyt at 408-323-7803 or shoyt@cinnabarhills.com.

Pioneer football kicks off practices Aug. 15

With summer drawing to a close, Pioneer High School athletics is getting a head start on the fall sports season with summer practices. Here’s a rundown of the Pioneer football practice schedule, as well as a preliminary regular season schedule.

Summer practices
- Double Days—Monday, 8/15 through Friday, 8/19. Morning practice begins at 9 a.m. and the afternoon practice begins at 2 p.m.

Preseason Game
- Scrimmage — Friday, 8/26 vs. Big Bone champion, Lincoln @ Pioneer, 4 p.m.

2005 Pioneer regular season game schedule
- Fri 9/2 Gunderson @ Pioneer 7:30 p.m. (annual Bell Game)

- Sat 9/10 Pioneer @ Menlo-Atherton 2 p.m.

- Sat 9/17 Saratoga @ Pioneer 1:30 p.m.

- Sat 10/1 Independence @ Pioneer 1:30 p.m.

- Fri 10/7 Pioneer @ Silver Creek 7:30 p.m.

- Sat 10/15 Branham @ Pioneer 1:30 p.m.—Homecoming

- Fri 10/21 Leland @ Pioneer 7:30 p.m.

- Sat 10/29 Pioneer vs. Oak Grove @ Santa Teresa High 1:30 p.m.

- Sat 11/5 Piedmont Hills @ Pioneer 1:30 p.m.

- Thu 11/10 Pioneer @ Leigh 7 p.m.

- Fri 11-19 CCS Playoffs begin  

Legendary racecars to compete at the 32nd Rolex
Monterey Historic Automobile Races

Event honors ‘Great American Specials,’ including
Jim Hall and legendary Chaparral cars

Four hundred vintage racecars, most with racing pedigrees and several with famous drivers behind their wheels, will tackle the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races.

One of the most significant and respected vintage automobile races in the country, the three-day event Aug. 19-21 aims to preserve and celebrate automotive racing history. In addition to vintage car races (comprising vehicles from the 1900s to the 1980s), the event features special displays, an expo and other activities. 

Among the local drivers participating in the event is San Jose resident Jack Perkins, driving his 1954 Warrior Bristol. Other San Jose residents include Rick Cannon (1950 Cannon Mk1), 1954 Corvette owner Charlie Elman and driver Richard Ravel, as well as Ken Epsman, owner of a 1976 Dekon Monza, a 1969 Camaro and a 1971 Javelin.

As part of an overall tribute to the “Great American Specials,” homegrown custom racecars from all eras of motor racing, this year’s event honors one of the truly great names in American automotive design—Jim Hall, and his legendary Chaparral cars (Chaparral is the featured marque of the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic).

“The concept of the Rolex Monterey Historic is to focus on the history of motor racing by encouraging the preservation of racecars and putting them on display in an appropriate manner and setting for enthusiasts of present and future generations to see and enjoy,” said Steven J. Earle, president of General Racing Ltd. and event founder. “From its inception, fans have been treated to a steady presentation of the most famous cars in racing history along with the personalities who designed, built and drove them. Year after year, through the Featured Marque and Special Tribute programs, the celebration leaves spectators and participants with an unforgettable impression.”

The Rolex Monterey Historic features intense racing competitions that showcase the performance potentials of vintage automobiles spanning eight decades, while emphasizing safety and preservation.  

All of the cars chosen to participate are historically significant and of the highest caliber. Most have racing pedigrees and represent important design achievements throughout much of the 20th century. Race entries are divided into 14 racing groups, with seven groups competing on Saturday and seven on Sunday, creating a different show each day.

While the major manufacturers have long been the dominant force in automobile racing, individual efforts in the American tradition of championing the underdog have produced special cars, the “Great American Specials,” to challenge the “big guns” over the years. These cars represent the heights of American ingenuity in the sport of auto racing. 

As the featured marque, Chaparral (considered one of the most important of the specials), and its creator Jim Hall, will receive special recognition. 

It is expected that close to 100 various specials will be present, including three of Hall’s Chaparrals, three of Max Balchowsky’s Ol Yellers, two Scarabs and a Cannon Special. In a true showcase of motor racing, the specials are joined by the factory cars of Jaguar, Porsche, Ferrari, MG, Bugatti, and Alfa Romeo, among many others.

In addition to the races, on-track activities will include parade laps by Chaparral cars from the Petroleum Museum of Midland, Texas. The museum is sending out all of the Chaparral cars, the 2, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2H, 2J and 2K for display and parade laps. Former team drivers Vic Elford and Phil Hill will be present with Jim Hall to take part in the activities. There will also be a parade for the “Specials.”

Off the track, the Expo area will include a variety of race and automobile-related displays, as well as a Vendor Island filled with shops.  Featured displays include the Rolex Moments in Time, presenting eight significant cars representing important moments in racing history, and The Chrysler Heritage display which presents racecars from its past, as well as concept cars of the future. Other manufacturers will again offer unique presentations in the paddock. 

Tickets for the 32nd Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races Presented by Chrysler range from $35 to $95 and can be purchased by calling 1-800-327-SECA (7322) or by visiting www.laguna-seca.com or www.Ticketmaster.com.

Additional information is available at www.montereyhistoric.com.

Skate park opening highlights National Night Out

Event marks culmination of two year project

By Candy Richter
Staff Writer

This year’s National Night Out at Great Oaks Park had an added attraction above and beyond the usual community-oriented booths that are the hallmark of this annual event. Held on Aug. 2, this occasion also marked the realization of a community goal – the creation of a neighborhood skate park.

The Aug. 2 ribbon cutting ceremony marked the realization of a community goal – the creation of a neighborhood skate park.

Skate park result of community effort, hard work
Nearly two years ago, the Edenvale/Great Oaks Strong Neighborhood Associa-tions identified building a skate park as their number five priority in their Strong Neighborhoods Improve-ment Plan. The selection of the Great Oaks Park site for the new skate park came as a result of the community-driven desire to provide a youth recreational facility within the Great Oaks Neighborhood.

In spring 2004, the San Jose Redevelopment Agen-cy (SJRA), the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) and the Edenvale/ Great Oaks Plan Imple-mentation Coalition, held meetings with skate boarders of all ability levels to participate in the conceptual design of a skate park.

The ideas that came from these meetings were incorporated into a professional skate park design with the assistance from Public Works and PRNS. The SJRA is contributing $450,000 to the skate park project.

Although PRNS will handle both the operations and maintenance of the skate park, District 2 Councilmember Forrest Williams emphasized that one of the key elements of the success of this project will be the “ownership and buy in of the youth community.

“By involving the youth in the decision process, we have shown that we value their input and opinions,” said Williams. “This is their skate park, but that also carries a responsibility. We want them to feel pride, to want to keep it up, no graffiti – to have that sense of ownership.”

Designed by Canada’s Skate Concepts, the new facility brought skaters from as far as Almaden and Los Gatos to sample its rails and ramps. “I wish we had something like this closer to home,” said 19-year Ryan Cosentino of Almaden, who heard of the new skate park through the grapevine. “This is great. Before, I had to go out to Sunnyvale. This is much closer to home. Other places are either lame or charge to get in. There are a few of us that came to check it out.”

National Night Out celebrates 22nd year
Created as a unique crime and drug prevention evening sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, this community-centric event marks its 22nd year with “Night Out” festivities scheduled on Aug, 2 across the nation.

Like many National Night Out evenings, the Great Oaks Park event involved local business sponsors like El Pollo Loco, law enforcement agencies, civic groups and the Edenvale/Great Oaks Neighborhood Associations.

This year also saw outstanding entertainment from local talent including a live, driving rap performance by San Jose’s own “Chemo".

Great Oak Park is one of San Jose’s most well-attended National Night Out events, attracting hundreds of community members. Designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs, and strengthen neighborhood spirit, the 2004 National Night Out campaign saw over 34 million people participated nationally.

Stockton’s Jeff Ward, 18, performs one of his tricks at Sunnyvale Skatepark on July 30. Ward was the overall winner of the event.

Amateur skateboarder wins trip to Free Flow Finals

Sunnyvale Skatepark hosted the highly anticipated Free Flow Tour July 30, with 64 enthusiastic amateur skateboarders and 250 spectators in attendance. A grassroots-oriented skateboard and BMX park contest series, the Free Flow Tour brings jam-style contests to top U.S. skateparks. Participants compete for a trip to the Free Flow Finals Aug. 17-18 in Portland, Ore., where the overall tour champions will be decided in skateboarding and BMX. These amateurs will win a wildcard spot into the Dew Action Sports Tour’s PlayStation Pro Oct. 13 in Orlando to compete against the pros.

The Sunnyvale Free Flow Tour event featured a jam-style format allowing all competitors to skate at once on an outdoor, state-of-the-art course with ramps, rails and numerous other obstacles. All participants received a gift pack at registration including tons of free gear from tour partners. When it was all said and done, Jeff Ward, 18, of Stockton was the overall winner, performing his runs with a smooth style and technical bag of tricks that no one could match.

Team USA drops 4-1 loss to Brazil in second round
of Roller Hockey World Championship

U.S. allows three goals in first half, fails to regain momentum in loss

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Team USA dropped a 4-1 decision to Brazil in the second round of the 37th Annual Men’s Hardball Roller Hockey World Championship on Tuesday at the San Jose State Event Center.

The loss dropped Team USA’s record to 0-2 in the World Championships, placing the team in the bottom eight bracket for the remainder of the 16-team tournament.

Coming off a 4-0 loss to Germany the night before, Team USA got off to a positive start against Brazil, stopping a penalty shot given to Brazil after USA’s Hernan Freire was given a yellow card with 18:53 left in the first half. Just over four minutes later, Freire made up for the potentially costly mistake by scoring the first goal of the game, knocking a slap shot near half court that hit Brazilian goalie Aurelio Rieger in the pads, before trickling past him for a score with 14:06 left.

“It was our first goal of the tournament and we definitely needed that to get us started,” said Team USA’s Josh Englund. “It showed people that we could do it.”

Team USA Junior Coach Pat Ferguson said the goal gave Team USA the momentum in the game, if only for a brief period of time, as Brazil came back less than a minute later to tie the game 1-1 on a goal from Kieber Gembre.

“We very easily could’ve gotten another one or two,” Ferguson said. “But the ball just didn’t bounce in our favor.”

The goal by Gembre also drew protests from the Team USA bench and Team USA goalie Brian Stallman, who said the play should’ve been whistled dead.

“The ball hit me about shoulder-height and went down on the ground,” said Stallman. “It went behind me, I spun around to get it with my glove and caught it between the post and my glove. It didn’t enter and then the Brazilian guy (Gembre) took a hack at it, but it should’ve been called a dead ball before that. That’s why I protested.”

Ferguson said the goal swung the momentum toward Brazil. But in a different version of the event that Stallman saw, Ferguson added that he saw one Brazilian hit the ball in with his skate, not his stick, which should have resulted in a dead play.

“It didn’t look to me that the first goal that Brazil scored went across the line,” Ferguson said. “It looked to me that our keeper had it. I thought that was a terrible call on the official. Then also, there’s a rule in our game that you’re not allowed to score a goal unless it’s scored by the stick. The shot came from one of their skates, he kicked it. So either way, that first goal shouldn’t have counted and that was a big key in the game. It’s only one goal, but it sure took the wind out of our sails.”

Team USA’s Matthew Price battles for the ball with several Brazilian players during a 4-1 loss on Tuesday at the San Jose State Event Center. The loss dropped Team USA’s record to 0-2 in the Men’s Hardball Roller Hockey World Championship. Photo by Don Hoekwater

But Team USA’s problems ran deeper than a simple shift in momentum. Coming out of a timeout with nine minutes left, the USA’s offense became more aggressive and began passing with more precision. The strategy didn’t take however, and with 3:43 left, Brazil’s Alan Karam scored on a mid-level shot past Stallman’s stick side, giving Brazil a 2-1 lead.

Ferguson said the team’s lack of crisp passing created scoring opportunities for the Brazilian squad. In addition, Ferguson said lackluster passing by Team USA limited the shot selection for the offense.

“We need more possession time and we need to be able to reverse the ball from one side of the floor to the other consistently in order to get them off balance and create a shot on the weak side of the goal,” said Ferguson.

“Most of our shots were straight at the goal, where the goalie didn’t have to move … If we can reverse it to the other side of the floor, we’ve got an open net. So definitely, ball movement is the key.”

Brazil added to its’ score just before the close of the first half, getting a goal with 2:04 left from Claudio Selva Filho for a 3-1 lead.

In the second half, Selva Filho put the game away for good, scoring his second goal of the game with 13:15 left in the game on a back-handed shot over the right shoulder of Stallman, sailing just underneath the crossbar for a 4-1 score.

Teeing off for the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley

Golfers needed to raise funds to help injured, sick and orphaned wild animals and birds

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Like to play golf? Care about the wild animals of Santa Clara County? Then, Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley’s first annual charity golf tournament “Birdies on the Green” is right up your alley.

A veterinarian cares for a fawn, above. Photos courtesy of Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley

“The Wildlife Center is always looking for new ways to raise the critical funds we need to care for over 5,500 animals we receive every year while at the same time increasing the public’s awareness of the services the center provides,” said WCSV secretary and golf tournament chairperson Chris Simpson. “What better way than through an event such as the golf tournament where players of all calibers can help contribute to these goals?”

The “Birdies on the Green” tournament will be held at the Villages Golf and Country Club on August 29 at 10:30 and accepts two-somes, four-somes and single golfers. Players can take a shot at winning an Acura TL donated by Acura of Sunnyvale for a hole-in-one prize. And if you can’t commit to the golf, just come for dinner at the Villages Clubhouse at 4:30 where attendees may bid at a silent auction. And 100 percent of the profits from this event will directly support nursing and the return of wildlife.

The WCSV is a non-profit organization that provides high quality care and rehabilitation to injured, sick and orphaned birds and mammals within Silicon Valley. After their hospice with WCSV, they are released. Their education program fosters a positive co-existence between the public and wildlife and speaks to over a hundred schools and organizations a year. One hundred and fifty volunteers care for the birds and mammals of over 100 species each year seven days a week, 365 days a year. WCSV needs to raise $291,500 this year to provide their services to wildlife rehabilitation and educational outreach services.

The volunteers are a dedicated group who care about the wildlife. Some provide home care for the mammals and birds. The more wild creatures are cared for at the center on Penitencia Creek Road. Volunteers are trained in caring for the animals whether they are nourishing birds or hydrating ducks via feeding tubes. Deer team leader Dina Hawkins but is affectionately known as the “deer lady” and cares for many a fawn that has lost a mother.

A vet examines a fox at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley.

“Some people will see a fawn nestled in the landscape and think the mother has left her young and bring them to the center,” said Hawkins. “But really the mother deer is just foraging for food and will return to her young. We try to educate people about their habits. From hummingbirds to black-tailed deer, we are committed to rehabilitate and release back to the wild all injured and orphaned wildlife that come to the center for help.”

But for now it is back to fundraising for WCSV. They have completed a much-needed predatory mammal enclosure from donations but they need non-designated funds just as badly. They are hoping the golf tournament, dinner and auction will help with the needed money to operate the center.

“Every day we spend money for food, medication and utilities,” said WCSV president Kathleen Cahill. “The tournament fundraiser is for our general fund. We have 150 volunteers, no volunteer coordinator and only one paid person to direct our animal care volunteers. We would very much like within the next year to add to our staff as we operate on a skeleton crew. And just paying for the basics is a large, ongoing expense.”

For more information on “Birdies on the Green” or WCSV call 408-929-WILD or go to www.wcsv.org.

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.