October 19, 2006

SPORTS

These hands were made for blocking

Pioneer defender Pierre Woods bats down pass on 2-point try
with seconds to spare for a 28-26 homecoming game win

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Pierre Woods’ hands provided the Pioneer football team with exactly what it needed during the team’s homecoming game on Oct. 14.

Woods, a senior defensive end for the Mustangs, secured a 28-26 win in the closing seconds of the game when he batted down a pass from Lincoln quarterback Tarik Hakmi on a two-point conversion try, stopping a potentially game-tying play dead in its tracks.

A Lincoln defender loses his helmet while tackling Pioneer’s Shane Murray in a 28-26 win for the Mustangs on Oct. 14. Photo by Ron Reed

The play came on the heels of a late comeback from the Lions, who chewed away at Pioneer’s 21-7 lead at the end of the third quarter with three touchdown drives in the final quarter of play.

“At first, all I saw was the quarterback’s eyes when he snapped the ball,” Woods said of the play. “It just made me nervous because I knew it was going to be a pass. So I just sat there, and when I saw his hands go up, I basically didn’t know where it was going at all. I just jumped my highest and put my hands in the air.”

Woods said the exhilaration he felt following the play was like none other.

“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Woods said. “It’s like the best feeling in the world to save the game. When your number’s called, you just make a big play as it comes.”

The play, which was followed by an onside kick from the Lions, which was quickly smothered by Pioneer’s Joe Alise, helped boost the Mustangs’ record in league play to 2-1, good for second place in Mt. Hamilton Division standings.

Pioneer head coach Mark Krail said he knew the game would be a great challenge for his team, considering Lincoln’s similar offensive style and the added hype of homecoming.

“We knew it would be a shootout with those guys,” Krail said of Lincoln. “They are a very potent offensive team. …I just am so proud of these guys. We fought and scratched today. I told the guys at the end of the game that if we could write up a storybook homecoming, would it be better than this? I think we all agreed that it was pretty special. It was great.”

Friends on opposite sidelines
The game was also a special occasion for both Krail and Lincoln head coach Kevin Collins, who have enjoyed a close friendship since high school, when the two friends played against each other. Krail also worked at Lincoln with Collins as the school’s athletic director in the mid 1990s, and said this is the first time he’s competed against his friend since their high school days.

“I never was blessed with a brother, but he’s as close as I’ve got. He really is,” Krail said of Collins. “He’s a great person and I have the utmost respect for him.”

Collins echoed those sentiments, adding that it was tough for him to compete against someone he’s close to.

“It’s difficult to do because he’s like one of my brothers. I really consider him like a brother,” Collins said of facing Krail in the game. “You always want to kick your brother’s butt, but then you feel kind of guilty if you do. But he’s a great guy. It was fun to compete against him but I’m looking forward to coaching against somebody who I don’t feel so close to.”

Late game offensive fireworks
As for the game itself, the Mustangs sought, and were able, to establish an early lead and built on it. Still, there were several close calls along the way, none more so than Woods’ game-saving play with just 18 seconds left to play.

Tied 7-7 after the first quarter of play, The Mustangs were able to jump out to a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 14-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Foley to running back Steven Lopes with 10:06 left.

Lincoln countered with a promising drive of its own, moving the chains all the way down to the Pioneer 14 before turning the ball over after failing to convert on a fourth-and-11 play.

On their second offensive series of the third quarter, Pioneer managed to extend its lead, driving the ball 51 yards on 10 plays, highlighted by Foley’s 1-yard sneak into the end zone with 1:37 left for a 21-7 lead. Foley finished the day with a 4-of-7 passing performance for 55 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Things began to change all too quickly for the Mustangs shortly thereafter, as the Lions struck back with an 80-yard drive capped by a 31-yard touchdown run from running back Michael Fleet, cutting Pioneer’s lead to seven at 21-14 with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter.

Still, the Mustangs countered, and quickly too, as Pioneer running back Marquee Heffner received a handoff on the first play from scrimmage following Lincoln’s score and promptly sprinted 59 yards into the end zone for a touchdown just 14 seconds later, bumping his team’s lead back up to 14. Heffner finished the game with 95 yards rushing on just four carries.

Pioneer wide receiver Matt Montelongo goes airborne for a catch during the Mustangs’ 28-26 win over Lincoln on Oct. 14. Photo by Ron Reed

“There were big plays after big plays,” Krail said. “Marquee has done it all year. He’s got these special skills and I’m finally learning when to use him and how. He’s capable of taking it to the house anytime, as he did today.”
“We had trouble stopping them,” Collins added. “They did a great job offensively.”

Krail credited the Pioneer offensive line for providing the offense the opportunity to both run and pass the ball. Lopes led all Pioneer running backs with 112 yards rushing, while Shane Murray and Nico Pagan combined for 111 yards on the ground as well.

“The offensive line just won the line of scrimmage. They absolutely won the line of scrimmage today,” Krail said. “I challenged them. I said, ‘we’ve got to be physical and win the line of scrimmage,’ and they did. They really, really did today.”

And although no one knew it yet, Heffner’s run proved to be the game-winning touchdown for Pioneer.

The back-and-forth battle continued, as Lincoln answered back once more, completing a 73-yard drive on just four plays, none bigger than Hakmi’s 45-yard touchdown pass to Jagjeet Sidhu with 7:17 to go, which once again cut Pioneer’s lead to seven.

Pioneer then took its final offensive series of the game and drove the ball 70 yards before kicker Kyle Burchfiel’s 37-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-nine was blocked, giving Lincoln new life with just 3:26 left to play.

The Lions promptly drove the ball down to the Pioneer 1 on 10 plays before Hakmi snuck into the end zone for a touchdown with 18 seconds left, cutting Pioneer’s lead to two and setting up Woods’ game-saving play.

When it was all said and done, Collins credited Pioneer for the effort but said he wished for a slightly different outcome.

“I was hoping it was going to be tied because whoever won this game has to buy dinner tonight,” Collins said jokingly of a friendly bet with Krail. “I was hoping it was going to be tied so we can go Dutch treat, but it didn’t work out that way.”

Sports Briefs

Los Gatos Christian Church Youth Basketball League Signups
Los Gatos Christian Church is now accepting registration for its Youth Basketball League through Nov. 15. Games are played at the Branham High School Gym, beginning Jan. 15, 2007, through March 10, 2007. The League is not co-ed but there are both boys' and girls' teams for grades 1-8. Anyone is welcome to join the league/ For registration information, please call the Los Gatos Christian Church Sports Office at (408) 997-4642 or go to www.losgatoschristian.org.

Almaden National Junior Basketball signups
Almaden National Junior Basketball (NJB) signups started Aug. 15. Boys and girls grades one through eight are eligible. The 11-game season starts Dec. 3. For details and signups, e-mail go to www.almadennjb.homestead.com or call Ken Keiser (408) 592-4190 with questions.

San Jose Vipers Lacrosse holding fall clinics beginning Oct. 21
The Vipers are growing up and down! Spring 2007 will include, Varsity, JV, Juniors, Pups and Pee-Wees. Come on out and play America's oldest team sport and the fastest growing game in California. No experience necessary. The San Jose Vipers Lacrosse club will be holding fall clinics for kids in the 3rd grade through 12th grade, beginning Oct 21 at Harker Middle School, 3800 Blackford Ave., 95117.   

Please visit www.viperslacrosse.net for more information or call Craig Bowers at (408) 674-8708.

Bret Harte Middle School needs eighth grade boys’ basketball coach
Bret Harte is looking for a coach to lead the after-school eighth grade boys’ basketball team.  Responsibilities to include overseeing tryouts, running practices at least twice a week after school, and attending games, which will be twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Season begins in March of 2007.

The coach will also need to be fingerprinted and have TB test completed through San Jose Unified School District. The Bret Harte Booster Club will reimburse the coach for the expense. The coach is to be under the direction of the school administration and Bret Harte Booster Club.

If interested, call Amy Yorkey at (408) 535-6270 ext. 214.

Lacrosse registration now open
Lacrosse in San Jose! Registration will be open soon for the spring 2007 season for South Valley Lacrosse.
If you want to give lacrosse a try, reserve your spot today.

Introductory lessons
Oct. 21 and 28, 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $20

Private (or group) lessons
$20 per hour, or group rate also available.
RSVP to Joy Bender at joy.bender@prodigy.net

Lacrosse coaches needed
South Valley Lacrosse needs at least two coaches for its boys' pups (fifth/sixth grade) and JV (ninth/10th grade) teams. The club is in its third season and has lots of parent support.

If interested, call Joy Bender at (408) 679-1297 or e-mail joy.bender@prodigy.net.  

REACH Youth Scholarship nomination forms available online from San Jose Sports Authority
Nomination forms for the San Jose Sports Authority’s 2006 REACH Youth Scholarship Program, sponsored by Bridge Bank, which has provided college funds to 50 high school students over the past 10 years, are now available for downloading from the Sports Authority’s Web site at www.sjsa.org.

Last year, 31 Santa Clara County high school seniors were nominated, and six who overcame adversity through participation in sports were awarded scholarships through the REACH program, an acronym for Recognizing Excellence, Adversity, Courage and Hard Work. Scholarships are awarded based on an essay competition in which nominees explain how sports helped them overcome adversity.

The nominees and scholarship winners for 2006 will be honored at the REACH Awards Breakfast, chaired by former San Francisco 49er Ronnie Lott, on Thursday, May 3, 2007.

Only Santa Clara County high schools may nominate students for the award, with a maximum of five nominees per school. Nominees must then complete an essay and student information form.

Nominees must:

- Be high school seniors,
- Maintain a 2.5 GPA,
- Participate in at least one sanctioned high school athletic activity,
- Demonstrate community involvement,
- Show the ability to overcome adversity or obstacles to reach his or her goals.

Each nominee is required to write an essay of one to three pages based on his or her experiences. The essay should focus on the obstacles they have overcome and how sports have helped them achieve their goals. Essays will be judged on content.

Nominations must be postmarked by Friday, March 31.

Visit the San Jose Sports Authority Web site at www.sjsa.org for more information.

Frosh/soph boys’ soccer coach needed at Pioneer
The Pioneer boys’ soccer program is in need of a frosh/soph boys’ soccer coach for the upcoming 2006-07 season.

Hours for coaching are, but not limited to, Mondays-Fridays from 3-5 p.m. Games are typically held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4:45 p.m.

Anyone interested is encouraged to please call and ask for Pioneer boys’ soccer varsity head coach Pedro Fuentez at (408) 535-6310.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Friday – Football at Del Mar, 3:30 p.m. varsity

Monday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Division playoffs, time TBA
Monday – Field hockey vs. St. Ignatius, 4:30 p.m. JV and 3:30 p.m. varsity

Tuesday – Girls’ volleyball vs. Westmont, 5 p.m. JV and 6 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Girls’ water polo vs. Piedmont Hills at Live Oak, 5 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Boys’ water polo vs. Evergreen at Sobrato, 4 p.m. frosh/soph and 5 p.m. varsity

Thursday – Girls’ tennis BVAL team play, time and location TBA
Thursday – Girls’ volleyball at Branham, 5 p.m. JV and 6 p.m. varsity

Pioneer High School
Friday – Football at Branham, 4:30 p.m. frosh/soph and 7 p.m. varsity

Monday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Division playoffs, time TBA

Tuesday – Boys’ water polo at Live Oak, 3 p.m. frosh/soph and 4 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Girls’ water polo at Live Oak, 7 p.m. JV and 8 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Girls’ volleyball vs. Yerba Buena, 3:30 p.m. JV and 5 p.m. varsity

Thursday – Girls’ tennis BVAL team play, time and location TBA
Thursday – Girls’ volleyball at James Lick, 3:30 p.m. JV and 5 p.m. varsity


For more information about Leland and Pioneer sporting events, go to:

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

High School Scoreboard

Oct. 10
Leland girls’ volleyball 25-13, 18-25, 25-9, 25-16 win at Leigh
Leland girls’ tennis 7-0 win vs. Piedmont Hills
Leland field hockey 1-0 loss at Los Gatos

Pioneer girls’ volleyball 25-20, 25-17, 25-20 win at Gunderson
Pioneer girls’ tennis 4-3 loss at Prospect

Oct. 11
Leland boys’ water polo 17-3 win vs. Mt. Pleasant
Leland girls’ water polo 23-2 win vs. Willow Glen
Leland field hockey 2-1 vs. St. Ignatius

Pioneer girls’ water polo 17-2 win vs. Piedmont Hills

Oct. 12
Leland girls’ tennis 7-0 win at Silver Creek

Pioneer girls’ tennis 7-0 loss at Overfelt
Pioneer girls’ volleyball 25-18, 25-18, 25-14 loss vs. Sobrato

Leland girls’ volleyball hangs on to first place with 3-1 win over Cougars

Chargers improve to 7-1 in league play and sit one game ahead of second place Westmont

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland girls’ volleyball team kept its lead in the Mt. Hamilton Division standings as the Chargers defeated Evergreen Valley 3-1 at home on Oct. 12.

Leland’s Justine Johnson goes up for a block at the net during a 3-1 win over the Evergreen Valley Cougars on Oct. 12. The win improved the Chargers’ record to 7-1 in league play.

The win bumped the Chargers’ record in league play to 7-1, one game ahead of Westmont. In addition, the win also gave Leland a 2-0 league record against the Cougars this season. Grace Chang led the Chargers on offense with 12 kills, while Chaulet Scala recorded 11 kills and two aces.

Leland head coach Chris Hansen said that while she was pleased to see her team retain its first-place standing in the division with the win, every game leading up to the end of the regular season is crucial.

“You can’t take any team in this league for granted,” said Hansen. “Every team is a great team and every team can beat us, and we know that. …You can’t overlook one of them.”

Still, Evergreen head coach Dio Aguinaldo said the Chargers have everyone else in the league looking up at them.
“They’re going to be a tough team to beat,” Aguinaldo said of Leland. “I think that, if I was to predict the season, they are the team to beat in this league.”

The Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the match by taking games one and two by scores of 25-12 and 25-18, respectively. Game one featured a robust 12-point serving run from Debbie Gillick, as the Chargers extended an early 13-10 lead to 24-11 before settling for the 25-12 win.

Game two proved to be more challenging for the Chargers, as Leland jumped out to an early 12-5 lead, only to see the Cougars cut the lead to four later in the game at 18-14. Still, the Chargers prevailed, enduring another modest run by the Cougars late in the game, holding on to a 22-17 lead before going on a small 3-1 scoring edge that featured a pair of hitting errors by Evergreen and a kill from Scala for a 25-18 win.

With a 2-0 lead in hand, the Chargers slipped in game three, as the Cougars bounced back with a 25-21 win. The Cougars jumped out to an early 13-9 lead, but quickly saw that lead disappear, as the Chargers put together a 7-3 stretch to tie the game 16-16.

Leland’s comeback proved to be short-lived however, as the Cougars answered back with a 6-1 scoring run for a 22-17 lead before trading points with the Chargers down the stretch to take the 25-21 win.

“Games one and two we seemed to be in sync and then all of a sudden, game three, we couldn’t get it together,” Hansen said. “We had miscommunication out there, poor positioning on the court, and just overall bad passing.”

Looking to put the match away and game three behind them, the Chargers jumped out to a 10-6 lead early in game four before extending their lead with a 10-3 scoring advantage to take a 20-9 lead. The Chargers received points during that stretch on six Evergreen hitting errors, while Bree Gwinner contributed two of her game total eight kills.

Still, Evergreen bounced back once again, posting a 6-1 stretch to cut the lead to 21-15. From that point on, the Cougars and Chargers traded points down the stretch, with Leland still clinging to at least a six-point advantage. Leading 24-18, the Chargers sealed the win in game four and a 3-1 match win when Justine Johnson contributed a tip at the net beyond the outstretched arms of Evergreen defenders for a 25-18 win.

Pioneer boys’ water polo earns first league win over Evergreen

The Pioneer boys’ water polo team earned its first win in league play with a pair of fourth-quarter goals on Oct. 11 to take a 10-8 win at Evergreen Valley.

Pioneer’s Kirk Kaubish (9) led the Mustangs with four goals in the team’s first league win, a 10-8 final, at Evergreen on Oct. 11. Photos by Diego Abeloos

The Mustangs (1-2 league, 8-8 overall) were led on offense by senior Kirk Kaubish’s four goals. In addition, Senior Sean Urenda chipped in three goals, while Brian Lopiccolo scored twice in the win.

“I think this is the best feeling of the season so far,” Pioneer head coach Scott Kaubish said of the team’s first win in Mt. Hamilton Division play. “…They (Evergreen) beat us handily early in the season. I knew it was going to be a tough battle and we knew what we had to do. I have to hand it to my guys. They hung in there.”

Tied 8-8 at the end of three quarters, the Mustangs jumped ahead early in the fourth quarter, getting a goal from Urenda with just under six minutes left in the game for a 9-8 lead. The Pioneer defense proceeded to tighten the clamps on the Cougars, continually stopping drives to the cage to hold Evergreen scoreless. That allowed Lopiccolo to break free on offense and score Pioneer’s second goal of the fourth quarter with just 33 seconds left to play, effectively sealing the win at 10-8.

“Evergreen’s a tough club,” Kaubish said. “They played hard and they showed a lot of good sportsmanship.”

Four Chargers advance to BVAL Individual League tourney

By Coach Pam Headley
Special to the Times

Four Leland girls’ tennis players advanced to the BVAL Individual League Tournament with top finishes in last Friday’s Division Tournament, held at Leland.

Leland’s Roxy Pourmirzaie finished third in the BVAL Division Tournament, securing a spot in the BVAL Individual League Tournament on Oct. 31. Photo by Jeff Frazee

Lydia Chow and Roxy Pourmirzaie both moved one step closer to CCS qualifying by placing second and third in individual singles play, while on the doubles side, the tandem of Youngeun Na and Nikita Gettu secured a second-place finish.

Chow took down senior Nicole Blatt from Independence in the first semifinal match of the day. Blatt battled admirably, forcing the match to three sets, but Chow held her ground and captured a place in the finals with a score of 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-2.

In the other semifinal, Pourmirzaie faced Leigh standout, senior Anna Guzman, falling to the Longhorn 7-5, 6-2. She then faced Blatt for third-place title. Much was riding on the match for both seniors, as the third-place finisher advances to the next round. Defending singles champion Pourmirzaie took the contest, 6-1, 6-4.

In the final, Guzman and Chow went to three sets in a hard-fought battle, with Guzman prevailing 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

In doubles action, Na and Gettu defeated a strong Santa Teresa team of senior Anaya Simmons and junior Angelica Ramirez, 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4, to advance to the finals. There they faced a talented squad from Oak Grove, Flandez and Borjon, who, in the earlier rounds had knocked out the No. 1 seed, defending champion sophomores Aileen Tsay and Allison Hsia from Leland. The senior pair from Oak Grove took the championship match 6-3, 6-4.

The BVAL Individual Tournament takes place Oct. 31 at Mt. Pleasant High School.

Chargers 3-0 in league play after 42-19 win over Gunderson

Leland running back trio scores five TDs; Chargers in first place in Santa Teresa Division

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Friday the 13th proved to be anything but unlucky for the Leland football team, as the Chargers trounced league rival Gunderson 42-19 to improve to 3-0 in Santa Teresa Division play.

Leland head coach Jason Tenner touted his team’s continued improvement, both offensively and defensively, in explaining his team’s play in the Santa Teresa Division. The Chargers, at 3-0 in league and 4-2 overall, currently occupy first place in the division.

Leland running back Lance Gemette meets a Gunderson defender head on in a 42-19 win on Oct. 13. Gemette scored two touchdowns in the win. Photo by Ben DeKoven

While the win gave Leland a solid start in league play at 3-0, Leland head coach Jason Tenner said he’s still looking to improve his team each week.

“We want to get better every week,” Tenner said. “…We want to get healthy and get sharper, execution-wise, every week and basically work on the little things that we need to get better at. But they’ve done a good job and I’m proud of the guys.”

The Chargers relied on a solid running attack in the win. Running backs Lance Gemette, Kevin Krail and Adam Ondi each scored touchdowns in the win. Gemette led all rushers with two touchdowns, while Krail also returned a punt early in the fourth quarter for a 45-yard touchdown scamper.

Krail, who scored on an 80-yard run the previous week in a win at Westmont, said he’s starting to feel comfortable with his role in the offense as the season progresses.

“I know where I’m needed and what I need to do and when we to make that big play, I know that I’ve got to step
up and be mentally ready for it,” Krail said.

With the game tied 7-7 after one quarter of play, the Chargers quickly jumped ahead with their first offensive series of the second quarter, driving 61 yards on 10 plays, highlighted by a 6-yard touchdown run from Gemette with 6:41 left. The score gave Leland a 13-7 lead, following a botched extra point attempt.

After the Charger defense stopped the Grizzlies near midfield following the touchdown, Leland’s offense made quick work of lengthening its lead before the end of the first half.

On the first play of Leland’s second offensive series in the second quarter, quarterback Ricky Battipede connected with wide receiver Negad Zaky for a 32-yard completion, setting the Chargers up on the Gunderson 22. On the next play, Krail found the end zone on a 22-yard run with 2:32 left, completing a two-play, 54-yard drive in just 37 seconds and giving Leland a 21-7 lead, following a successful two-point conversion.

“Our (offensive) line gets off the ball really well, and our running backs run hard and block well for each other,” Tenner said of Leland’s running game. “That equals a lot of first downs and moving the chains. That’s what you want. If you can chew it up and keep running it at people, you’re going to have a lot of success on broken plays and runs by the time you get to the fourth quarter.”

Like the start of the second quarter, the Chargers opened up the third quarter with a scoring drive on their first offensive series. The Chargers drove the ball 69 yards on 10 plays, including a key fourth down conversion in Gunderson territory in which Gemette ran for 4 yards on a fourth-and-three play to give the Leland offense new life at the Gunderson 3. Gemette quickly backed up his 4-yard run with a 3-yard dash into the end zone with 9:13 left, padding Leland’s lead to 28-7.

After a Gunderson scoring drive cut Leland’s lead to 28-13, the Charger answered back with their fifth scoring drive of the game just before the end of the third quarter, completing a 60-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run from Ondi with two seconds left.

The Chargers proceeded to put seven more points up on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter, getting a touchdown on Krail’s 45-yard punt return with 9:08 left in the game.

While there’s still plenty of football left to play before the end of the season, Gemette, for one, is enjoying Leland’s first-place status in the Santa Teresa Division.

“It is a new feeling,” Gemette said. “Our team actually started to come together the last four weeks. …We’re getting our confidence back that we’ve had in the past.”

Cross country programs look to youth

Leland, Pioneer underclassmen hopeful for league accolades this season and beyond

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Only time will tell for the youthful cross country programs at Leland and Pioneer this postseason. As the dual meet schedule winds to an end, trailblazers from both schools anticipate the upcoming league and section title races.

Leland
Leland has two runners that could vie for individual titles at both league and section levels in sisters Stephanie and Claudia Barnett, according to Coach Jerry Rose.

Leland’s Stephanie Barnett, along with younger sister Claudia, could vie for individual titles at both league and section levels, according to Leland head coach Jerry Rose. Photo courtesy of Bobbi Janes

Rose said that the team also could make a run for the CCS Division II title.

With just one dual race remaining before the Chargers enter postseason running, Rose is hopeful that his girls kick with confidence.

“We’re trying to get this team to the state meet,” said Rose, considering the group’s potential. “We are hoping to overtake Willow Glen at the league finals, but whether we can or not, we are more worried about trying to get to the state meet. We will peak Nov. 11.”

Leland however, must first fend off the Rams in Mt. Hamilton Division action, at league finals Oct. 30. The Chargers are currently in second place behind the Rams.

Willow Glen edged out Leland in a meeting early this year with overall team depth. While the Barnett’s finished one and two at the race, Rose said Willow Glen’s ability to take places three, four and five, before Leland’s third place finisher crossed, was difficult to combat when running head-to-head.

Since that race, however, Leland has climbed to become the San Jose Mercury News’ 13th ranked team in the section, and Rose is confident that his girls, widely regarded as the fourth best team in Division II, could make their move during the finals at Toro Park in Salinas in mid-November.

Season highlights have included the Stanford Invitational in late September, when Stephanie Barnett, a sophomore, posted the top time delivered by a CCS competitor.

Stephanie Barnett also turned heads when she crossed in 17:52 at Crystal Springs during the Serra meet, according to Rose. That time was the seventh best ever posted at the course by a sophomore runner.

Sister Claudia Barnett, meanwhile, ran an 18:50 at the same event, and Rose said that effort was on par with times her sister posted a year ago.

In Leland boys’ action, the Chargers are currently tied for third place.

Of the team paced by freshmen and sophomores, Rose said he is proud of their accomplishments and hopeful for upcoming years.

Recently, to reinforce the group’s self esteem, Rose opted to enroll his top underclassmen at two junior varsity meets, a break from varsity competition, where the group has toiled this year, and Leland finished first in both.
Sophomores Matt Vera and Frank Gao have performed especially well, according to Rose.

“Virtually our entire varsity team are freshmen and sophomores,” said Rose. “We are very excited about our boys’ team for the upcoming two years.”

Pioneer
Pioneer has raced to the top of the heap in West Valley Division action this season, but will have quite a task at hand in trying to reach the podium again during the comprehensive Oct. 30 Blossom Valley Athletic League final meet.

Second-year coach Blaine Hashimoto said that the Mustangs’ cross country program is enjoying a youthful resurgence as are many Pioneer teams, thanks to great incoming classes in the past couple of years.

This year varsity boys’ cross county has posted a 4-2 record, while the girls are 5-1 in the C-league.

“There were a lot of new faces this year,” said Hashimoto. “We inherited a couple of girls from other sports such as soccer and softball, and it made the chemistry a lot more positive.”

Freshman Kira Rienecker also added a boost.

“Rienecker has been the fastest girl at all of our meets,” said Hashimoto. “We hope to build the team around her for the next couple of years to come.”

Hashimoto said that Rienecker’s efforts this year may lift her into competition for a league title in 2006, but that feat may have to wait until next year.

“She’ll probably get up there in the top seven or eight runners this year,” Hashimoto said.

In boys’ action, senior Ken Earl has paced the group. Earl has posted times around 15 minutes on a few occasions this season, according to Hashimoto.

“He is the best runner on our team,” he said.

Almaden Little League 2007 signups

Almaden Little League signups are Monday Nov. 6 and Tuesday Nov. 7 at Castillero Middle School’s indoor commons area from 6 pm to 9 pm. Signups are for all players eligible for T-ball through Big League (ages 5 thru 18, as of April 30, 2007). Players must live in 95120 or 95042 zip codes to play baseball in Almaden.

The following is a list of items to bring for new players:

A.    Original or certified copy of birth certificate (abstract of birth certificate or photo copies will not be accepted (no exceptions)

B.    Three proofs of residency. Residency shall be established and supported by documents from three or more of the following categories to determine residency of such parent(s) or guardians:

1. Driver’s license
2. Voter registration
3. School records
4. Welfare/child care records
5. Federal records
6. State records
7. Local (municipal) records
8. Support payment records
9. Homeowner or tenant records
10. Utility bills (i.e., gas, electric, water/sewer, phone(s), heating, garbage)**
11. Financial (loans, credit, investments, etc.) records
12. Insurance documents
13. Medical records
14. Military records
15. Internet, cable, or satellite records
16. Vehicle records

**Note: Three utility bills (three from #10 above) constitute only one document

Returning players are required to bring:   

A. Proof of residency—one current utility bill with address

Fees are $225 per player (checks payable to ALL). There is also a $25 discount for an additional family member signed up. In addition, signups will be held to manage, coach, umpire and volunteer. Everyone is welcome and needed!

Please visit the ALL Web site for detailed division descriptions and a sample application at www.almadenll.org or reach Almaden Little League by phone at (408) 997-6669.

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.