SPORTS

Digging deep

Leland ladies’ polo works to regain championship form

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland ladies’ water polo Coach Eric Rise hopes a committed effort will earn his squad the school’s second Mount Hamilton Division championship.

“I think this team has a confidence and a bit of a swagger that past ones haven’t,” said coach Rise.

The first capped a career year for the Chargers in 2004, when graduated senior Casie Armstrong carried her youthful teammates to an impeccable 10-0 record in league, 28-3-10 overall. However, an early exit in the first round of governing CCS’ only playoff division assembled for girls’ polo postseason left Rise’s troupes wanting and without a proven leader.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Rise. “It’s going to be a lot tougher than last season.”

The girls say winning the championship can’t be any more difficult than working for it, based on their current regimen. Rise orchestrated a grueling 5.5 hours of practice per day, throughout the two weeks leading up to the first day of school. He’s since cut that commitment by two hours; however, two practices per day remain standard.

“We meet before school at about 6:30 a.m. and again after school from 4:30-6:30,” said Rise.

He is likely right to push. The Chargers must fend off MHAL newcomer and nearby rival Pioneer, who recorded an equally impressive 10-0 record in the Santa Teresa Division last season, as well as perennial contenders, Lincoln and Independence.

Yet, Leland is still the team to beat.

The Chargers return five All-MHAL players, the list headed by Most Valuable Player Christy Stibbe and Sophomore of the Year Courtney Monsees. Elena Santomaria, Heather Sheridan and Rebecca Pele round out the elite.

While Stibbe led the Chargers with 80 goals last year, Monsees, a CCS swimming champion in multiple events, shattered the Chargers’ record for steals in one season, finishing with 120.

But it is Sheridan who will co-captain the Chargers, along with Tina Revels, a speedster, who was forced to sit out the majority of last season.

“We hope to get to the semi-finals for CCS this season,” said senior Revels. “I think all of our hard work over the summer will pay off.”

Senior Brittany Hall musters a smile, even under the pressure of the Chargers repeating as MHAL champions.

The Chargers will face rigid tests, and likely CCS opponents, early. They travel to Clovis in Fresno and Menlo in September, where perennial section powerhouses such as Saint Francis and Mitty will compete, along with the host schools, in non-league play.

The Chargers must also overcome depth, when they dip in the same pool as the private schools. With only 10 roster spots filled, Rise will look to junior Britney Hall and freshmen Rebecca Pele and Amy Georgio to fill gaps.

There are two material differences between this year and last, according to Rise and his captains: one, Armstrong’s presence, and two, work ethic.

“Our team is pretty small, so we need to have the endurance because we don’t have many subs,” admitted Sheridan. “But people haven’t been skipping practice. Last year people would skip practice a lot. I would guess that we are outworking other teams.”

“I think this team has a confidence and a bit of a swagger that past ones haven’t,” said Rise. “They actually have a hope of competing, and they feel they can.”

Don’t miss the week of Sept. 22-28, when the Chargers face Pioneer and Independence in what will likely hold MHAL championship implications.

Please visit www.lelandathletics.com for more information.

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 Ary Afsari at (408) 507-7008 for more information.

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 the 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.

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.

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.

Strikkers softball holds tryouts for fall
16U Strikkers fall team tryouts are set for Sept. 21 and 28 at Pioneer High School. Pitchers/catchers 9 am., position players at 10:30 am. Contact Ernie Garcia (408) 281-7855.

10U, 12U, 14U Strikkers fall team tryouts are Sept. 21 and 28 at Pioneer High School. Pitchers/catchers, 12:30 pm., position players at 2 p.m. Contact Ernie Garcia (408) 281-7855 or for more information about the Strikkers, go to www.strikkers.org.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland
Friday – Field hockey vs. Los Gatos, 3 p.m.

Saturday – Varsity football vs. Santa Clara, 1:15 p.m.
Saturday – Frosh/soph football vs. Santa Clara, 10:30 a.m.
Saturday – Frosh/soph boys’ water polo at Hollister Tournament, all day

Tuesday – Field hockey at Mitty, 3 p.m.

Thursday – Girls’ tennis at Oak Grove, 3:15 p.m.

Pioneer
Friday – Varsity football vs. Gunderson, 7:30 p.m.
Friday – Frosh/soph football vs. Gunderson, 5 p.m.

Tuesday – JV girls’ volleyball vs. Willow Glen, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs. Willow Glen, 5 p.m.
Tuesday – Girls tennis vs. Oak Grove, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – JV girls’ volleyball vs. Lynbrook, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ volleyball vs. Lynbrook, 5 p.m.

Thursday – JV girls’ volleyball at Andrew Hill, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday – Varsity girls’ volleyball at Andrew Hill, 5 p.m.
Thursday – Girls’ tennis at Santa Teresa, 3:15 p.m.

Pioneer Athletics: http://www.phsathletics.com
Leland Athletics: http://www.lelandathletics.com
Blossom Valley Athletic League: http://www.bval.org

South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs offer free clinic Oct. 15;
spring league registration opens Sept. 15

South Valley Lacrosse Chiefs are offering a free clinic for kids in grades three through eight on Oct.15 from 10 a.m. to noon at Kirk Park in San Jose. 

The Chiefs are adding a seventh/eighth grade team in spring, 2005. The free clinic gives 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.

All interested lacrosse players: online registration for our Spring League will open Sept. 15 and continue through Nov. 30.  See www.svlax.com and contact joy.bender@prodigy.net with questions.

Pioneer football scrimmage against Lincoln sees positive results

Mustangs get ready for first-ever home night game against Gunderson Sept. 2

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

The Pioneer football team saw its first action against another team last week with an Aug. 26 scrimmage at home against Lincoln.

The Mustangs held the scrimmage in anticipation of a Sept. 2 night game at home against Gunderson, an annual match-up called the Bell Game.

For Pioneer Head Coach Mark Krail, the scrimmage provided an opportunity to see his team in action and assess what needs to be done for a successful 2005 season.

“The scrimmage went great; both team played great,” Krail said. “ … It was an opportunity to see where we are and what we need to improve on as a team.”

But the scrimmage was as much a risk as it was a reward for the Mustangs. In the early part of the scrimmage, cornerback/wide receiver Clark Worthington was injured on a defensive play, dislocating his shoulder. Krail said the injury will force Worthington to miss at least a portion of the season and said the possibility of injuries is “absolutely the biggest risk you take” when holding a scrimmage prior to the start of the season.

“It’s part of the game,” Krail said of the injury to Worthington. “What we told the kids is that it’s an opportunity for some of the other kids to step up (in Worthington’s absence).”

Despite the injury to Worthington, Krail still saw plenty of positives out of the scrimmage. Among the standout performances against Lincoln was the collective effort by the offensive line, an important factor in Krail’s run-based offense.

“As a group our offensive line did fairly well,” said Krail. “ … They held up pretty good and they were clean on their assignments overall.”

The play of the offensive line allowed the offense to run efficiently throughout the scrimmage. The running attack on offense, led by running back Shaun Souza, was particularly effective against the Lincoln defense, according to Krail.

“Our running game was solid,” said Krail. “Our play-action pass was also solid, which is important in our system.”

The Sept. 2 game against Gunderson will be a first of sorts for Pioneer—the first game ever under the lights with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff scheduled, according to Krail. The Gunderson game will be one of two games played under portable stadium lights this season, said Krail, with an Oct. 21 match-up against neighborhood rival Leland also scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time.

“It will be quite an experience,” Krail said of playing a night game at home. “ … It’s exciting for everybody involved. If it goes well, we’d like to do it annually.”

For more information on the Mustangs’ 2005 schedule, go to www.phsathletics.com or www.bval.org.

San Jose man goes the distance in China

Le Roy Daleen competes in Great Wall Marathon

By Ken Lotich
Times Intern

For Le Roy Daleen, heaven is lacing up some running shoes and hitting the trail, track or even the Great Wall of China.

Le Roy Daleen, wearing a purple tank top, takes a picture with other competitors before the Great Wall Marathon on May 21.

Daleen, who owns Let’s Travel and services the Evergreen area from 1049 E. Capitol Expressway, has been running since he was 40.

“I was 40 years old and not happy with the shape I was in,” Daleen recalls, now 56 years old. “I needed something to get the weight off, so I decided to start running.”

Without ever running competitively or recreationally, Daleen began to train. His first year running was in 1990, and he set a personal goal to compete at the Honolulu Marathon in December 1991.

Daleen accomplished that goal and now marathon running has become a regular activity for him.

He has competed in many races in the United States and regularly competes at the Honolulu Marathon, held every December. Daleen competes in two to three marathons every year, he said.

Daleen holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from San Jose State University, in political science and comparative politics, respectively.

He still visits his alma mater often, as he is a regular at SJSU Spartan football games.

Daleen is also a member of the Spartan Track Club, which meets a few times a week to do track workouts at Lincoln High School.

Competitors tour the Great Wall portion of the Great Wall Marathon.

Great Wall Marathon
After participating in various marathons across the United States, Daleen signed up for the Great Wall Marathon, which drew 400 competitors from around the world this year. Another 400 runners participated in either a half-marathon, a 10K race or 5K race.

The wall, which is 3,946 miles long, was built during the Ming Dynasty toward the end of the 14th century until the beginning of the 17th century.

Luckily for the participants, the race wasn’t thousands of miles. It was a standard marathon race of 26.2 miles in Beijing, sponsored by a Danish company called Albatros Travel.

Daleen finished the race in 6 hours, 50 minutes—nearly three hours slower than his average mark of 3 hours.
The course allowed runners to run nearly four miles on the wall—which Daleen said was challenging.

“There aren’t many marathons where you’re running up and down steps—thousands of steps,” Daleen said. “This course had us run around 5,000 of them.”

Daleen was joined by his son, Chris, 26, who ran a half-marathon race at the Great Wall. Some of Daleen’s clients made the trip as well, he said.

The group spent seven days in China, Daleen said, with his fondest memory coming in the small town of Jixiang, where he and his group were invited to a high school.

Daleen said school officials allowed them to come into a classroom and speak with the students, who were thrilled to practice their English with the guests.

“They gave us a tour of the school, and we saw there were 72 students in each classroom,” Daleen said. “And people here complain about class sizes …”

Daleen said he looks forward to returning to China next year.

“The Chinese people are really friendly,” he said. “We enjoyed them a lot.”

Training
Daleen said he puts in around 50 miles a week. He varies this from running on his treadmill and going out to Almaden Quicksilver County Park.

For aspiring runners, Daleen recommends starting out light and gradually working your way up.

“If you haven’t run at all, you just have to get out there and do it,” Daleen said. “Just try to run a mile—just a few blocks. Once you’ve got some base, go out and do some long runs.”

Daleen said loading up on carbohydrates and hydrating thoroughly before competing is also important.

Running on trails will also give you an edge—with less wear on your legs, Daleen said.

“Get off the streets and off the pavement,” Daleen said. “Get on the trails and run some hills to build up strength.”

Once the physical part is complete, after that it’s up to you to determine how well you fair in a race or marathon.

For Daleen, his mindset from the beginning of each race is to do his best and keep up his pace.

“When I first start a race, I think, ‘Am I going to finish this thing or not?’” Daleen said. “In the beginning, you’re pumped up. … When you get to the end, you start to get pain, and hit the wall. A lot of times, it just comes down to trying to gut it out.”

Future
Daleen will be running at Mt. Madonna in Morgan Hill this weekend at the Mt. Madonna Challenge. The race will feature a 6K and 12K race, and Daleen will try to compete in both.

He will return to Hawaii for the Honolulu Marathon in December.

New season, new team for 2005 Leigh football

Longhorns much younger after losing 23 seniors following 2004 season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

After ending the 2004 season as co-champions of the Mt. Hamilton Division, the Leigh football team has seen plenty of changes.

Longhorn Head Coach Shawn Thomas watches over his players as they stretch prior to an Aug. 27 scrimmage at Valley Christian. The Longhorns finished the 2004 season as Mt. Hamilton Division co-champions with a 6-1 record. Photo by Diego Abeloos

Gone from the 2004 team are several key members who helped the Longhorns to a 9-2 overall record and a 6-1 record in the division. Among those missing are quarterback Kiel Trudeau and wide receiver Andy Holloway, two important members of an offense that averaged 37.7 points per game throughout the 2004 regular season.

“It just seemed like all the pieces came together (last year),” Thomas said. “It was the culmination of the year before. We thought we had a pretty good team the year before. We had the same guys, but we just got the injury bug. We put it all together (in 2004) and we had good fortune.”

Trudeau led the Longhorn offense with his arm in 2004, throwing for 3,180 yards and 29 touchdowns, while Holloway proved to be reliable target at wide receiver, catching 36 passes for 824 yards and 10 touchdowns. Overall, the Longhorns lost 23 seniors from the 2004 squad.

This season, Thomas has a younger group of players on hand and yet, the expectations remain the same—win the division championship.

“Our goal is always to win a championship,” Thomas said. “We know that a lot of teams coming back are aiming at us, so it’s going to be a test.”

At the skill positions, Thomas will see some of last year’s backup players thrust into starting roles for the 2005 team.

At quarterback, Thomas will likely start junior Doug Webster, who served as Trudeau’s backup last season and completed 4 of 5 passes for 45 yards with one touchdown and one interception in limited playing time. Taking over the backup role at quarterback this year will be junior Austin Steacy.

When asked what Webster will provide at the position, Thomas replied: “Just being a coach on the field and being my mouthpiece out there. He knows the system and he’s being a leader.”

At running back, Thomas will feature a two-back combo of juniors Daniel Franke and Dylan August. Last season the Longhorns featured a two-back system with Jon Brown and Billy Flick, combining for more than 1,100 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns. Franke comes in with a season of varsity under his belt already, serving as a backup at the position last year and rushing six times for 79 yards and a touchdown.

“Daniel was a backup and a starting (kickoff) returner last year, so he saw some good time last year,” Thomas said. “He has experience. He’s a leader by example and he doesn’t say much. Dylan has some good mobility and nice, soft hands. It’s good that they’re juniors because they’re going to get better game by game.”

With Holloway gone at the receiver spot, Thomas will count on tight end Blake McFarland to pick up the slack. McFarland is easily the biggest target for Webster at 6-feet, six-inches and 245 pounds. As a junior on the 2004 squad, McFarland caught eight passes for 84 yards.

“We’re hoping he has a breakout season,” Thomas said of McFarland. “At the end of last season, when he had to come in for (Brian) Wendt, he had two exceptional games … He’s a big target and we like to flex him out too and put him at a mismatch with a cornerback, so he’ll be all over the place.”

But as always, defense reigns supreme for a division-contending team. In 2004, the Longhorn defense allowed an average of 20 points per game throughout the regular season. Thomas said the defense still serves as one of his chief concerns heading into the season, especially with a young team.

“It’s always the defense, because you don’t know how well the defense is going to come together,” Thomas said. “We have a whole new defense and we need to be solid there. That’s my concern right now.”

The Longhorns open the 2005 season with a non-league road game at St. Francis on Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Leigh will play its first home game on Sept. 23 against Westmont at 7 p.m. For more information on the Longhorns’ football schedule, visit www.leighathletics.com.

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