October 26, 2006

SPORTS

Leland girls’ water polo clinches third straight league title

Chargers win league with 5-0 mark, set league record with three consecutive league crowns

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland girls’ water polo team ended regular season league play with a robust 25-1 win over Piedmont Hills on Oct. 24 and in doing so, set a Mt. Hamilton Division record by claiming its third straight league title.

Leland’s Courtney Gold (5) takes aim at the goal during a 25-1 win over Piedmont Hills, sealing the Chargers’ third straight league title.

The Chargers, at 5-0, extended their overall winning streak in league play to 25 straight games. With the varsity league tournament set to begin Nov. 2 at Independence, Leland head coach Eric Rise said he and his squad are aiming to extend that streak to 28 straight games and head into the CCS playoffs with momentum.

“We still want to go undefeated,” said Rise, in looking ahead to the varsity league tournament. “We’re now 25-0 over the last three years and we’d like to finish at 28-0 and have the seniors finish undefeated over their three years of varsity.”

Still, Rise found the time to reflect on his team’s accomplishment of three straight Mt. Hamilton Division crowns.

“They’ve had that drive to go year-round and work, and they’ve pretty much just had tunnel vision in their objectives,” Rise said of his squad. “…These goals haven’t been in the program for a while, and these girls brought it.”

The Chargers made quick work of winless Piedmont Hills, scoring 16 straight goals before Piedmont Hills made it 16-1 on a goal with 6:14 left in the third quarter. Leland’s Christy Stibbe led the team in scoring with four first-quarter goals, while Hannah Duckworth and Elena Santamaria contributed three goals each in the win. Senior Courtney Monsees led the team with six assists, while also recording two goals.

Leland goalkeeper Allison Mossing bats away a goal attempt by Piedmont Hills during a 25-1 win on Oct. 24. Photos by Diego Abeloos

The win came on the heels of a winning stretch in which the Chargers won four of five games last week, taking a 14-3 win over Santa Teresa in the team’s only league game before going 3-1 at the Sixer Invitational to finish in third place overall.

Santamaria was named to the All-Tournament team for recording 12 goals, 14 assists, five steals and eight ejections drawn throughout tournament play. Stibbe led all Leland scorers in the tournament with 18 goals, including seven in a 16-5 win over Soquel to help the team finish third in tournament play. Goalkeeper Allison Mossing recorded 39 saves and averaged just 4.5 goals per game in the tournament.

Despite tournament wins over tough opponents, such as Soquel, Rise said a 7-6 loss to St. Ignatius left his team bitterly disappointed. That in turn, according to Rise, has led the Chargers to come back with renewed vigor and focus as the team heads into the postseason.

“Basically, since that loss, the intensity and the focus has gone up another notch,” Rise said. “The girls are just playing every game and practice with full intensity because they didn’t like the feeling of that loss, knowing that (St. Ignatius) will be one of those teams they’ll be facing (in CCS). They didn’t like that so they’ve been really ramping it up. This is the best I’ve ever seen them play, in the last three or four games.”

Sports Briefs

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.

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. 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.  

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.

Los Gatos Christian Church holds 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 one through eight. Anyone is welcome to join the league. For registration information, call the Los Gatos Christian Church Sports Office at (408) 997-4642 or go to www.losgatoschristian.org.

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 include overseeing tryouts, running practices at least twice a week after school, and attending games 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.

Almaden Little League 2007 signups
Almaden Little League signups are 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday Nov. 6 and Tuesday Nov. 7 at Castillero Middle School’s indoor commons area. 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 (3) or more of the following categories to determine residency of such parent(s) or guardians:

1. Driver’s license
2. Voter’s 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 (ie: 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 (Check 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 website for detailed division descriptions and a sample application at www.almadenll.org or reach Almaden Little League by phone at (408) 997-6669.

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.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Friday – Football at Mt. Pleasant, 3:30 p.m. frosh/soph and 7:30 p.m. varsity
Friday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Team Play at Mt. Pleasant, time TBA

Monday – Girls’ volleyball at Leigh, 5 p.m. JV and 6 p.m. varsity
Monday – Cross Country League Finals, noon

Tuesday – Field hockey at St. Francis, 4:30 p.m. JV and 6 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Singles and Doubles Tournament, time TBA

Wednesday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Singles and Doubles Tournament, time TBA
Wednesday – Girls’ volleyball at Mt. Pleasant, 5 p.m. JV and 6 p.m. varsity

Thursday – Field Hockey vs. Los Gatos, 4:30 p.m. JV and 3 p.m. varsity
Thursday – Boys’ water polo Varsity League Tournament at Independence, time TBA
Thursday – Girls’ water polo Varsity League Tournament at Independence, time TBA


Pioneer High School
Friday– Football at Live Oak, 4:30 p.m. frosh/soph and 7 p.m. varsity
Friday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Team Play at Mt. Pleasant, time TBA

Monday – Cross Country League Finals, noon

Tuesday – Girls’ volleyball at San Jose High Academy, 3:30 p.m. JV and 5 p.m. varsity
Tuesday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Singles and Doubles Tournament, time TBA

Wednesday – Girls’ tennis BVAL Singles and Doubles Tournament, time TBA

Thursday – Girls’ volleyball vs. Gunderson, 3:30 p.m. JV and 5 p.m. varsity
Thursday – Boys’ water polo Varsity League Tournament at Independence, time TBA
Thursday – Girls’ water polo Varsity League Tournament at Independence, time TBA


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. 17
Leland girls’ volleyball 25-23, 25-17, 25-27, 25-18 win at Live Oak
Leland boys’ water polo 24-6 win vs. Lincoln
Leland girls’ water polo 14-3 win vs. Santa Teresa
Leland field hockey 1-0 loss at Archbishop Mitty
Pioneer girls’ tennis 6-1 loss vs. Mt. Pleasant
Pioneer girls’ water polo 12-4 win vs. Willow Glen
Pioneer boys’ water polo 14-7 win vs. Mt. Pleasant

Oct. 18
Pioneer girls’ volleyball 25-27, 25-16, 25-18, 25-20 loss at Del Mar

Oct. 19
Leland girls’ volleyball 25-9, 25-15, 25-14 win at Piedmont Hills
Leland field hockey 2-0 win vs. Saratoga
Pioneer girls’ tennis 6-1 loss at Willow Glen

Oct. 20
Leland boys’ water polo 11-10 win at Valley Christian
Leland girls’ water polo 13-5 win vs. Presentation at Sixer Invitational
Pioneer girls’ water polo 9-3 win vs. Cupertino at Sixer Invitational

Leland girls’ tennis captures Mt. Hamilton Division crown

Chargers await BVAL Singles and Doubles Individual Championship Tournament on Oct. 31

By Coach Pam Headley
Special to the Times

In a repeat performance of the 2005 season, Leland Girls Tennis once again captured the Blossom Valley Athletic League crown, going undefeated throughout league play, and amassing an 18-1 overall record.

With back-to-back shutout wins last week against Independence and Oak Grove, the Lady Chargers cemented their position atop the league standings, and assured themselves a berth in CCS postseason team play.

Last Tuesday, the Leland girls faced third-place finisher Independence at the Chargers’ home courts. In the No .1 singles spot, sophomore Lydia Chow methodically defeated senior Nicole Blatt, 6-2, 6-1, while the rest of the singles players, senior Roxy Pourmirzaie, and sophomores Allison Hsia, and Aileen Tsay, surrendered only six games in their three matches, to complete the singles sweep.

The No. 1 doubles tandem of sophomore Youngeun Na and freshman Nikita Gettu took down the senior pair of Bakken and Phu, 6-2, 6-2. Juniors Vivian Ngo and Kristen Hoppe, No. 2 doubles, made short work of their opponents, 6-0, 6-3, while the seniors in the No. 3 spot, Connie Chen and Rosie Biell, started a little more conservatively, dropping the first set, but rebounded to take the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and seal the 7-0 victory.

At last Thursday’s home match against Oak Grove, the Chargers honored their five graduating seniors, presenting them with flowers and words of thanks for their years of service to the program.

Singles standout Pourmirzaie and the doubles teams of Aoi Furuta/Manami Nakayama, and Chen/Biell, and all received recognition for their contributions to Leland Tennis. The team then went on to dispatch the Eagles, 7-0. Allison Hsia and the junior pair of Ngo and Hoppe both dropped only one game in their respective matches, both winning 6-0, 6-1.

Postseason play will begin Tuesday, Oct. 31, with the BVAL Singles and Doubles Individual Championship Tournament at Mt. Pleasant High School. The Chargers will send singles players Chow and Pourmirzaie, the second- and third-place finishers in the division tournament last week, and doubles players Na and Gettu, the runners-up in the division contest. The top three finishers in the league tournament move on to CCS Individual play Nov. 20. Team CCS play begins on Nov. 7. Sites and seedings will be determined at an upcoming CCS seeding meeting.

Golf tournament to help fund the Officer Richard May Foundation

Friends of Officer Richard May (pictured above) announced a new golf tournament in Officer May’s memory, which will be held at Stanford University Golf Course on Monday, Oct. 30.

Friends of Officer Richard May announced a new golf tournament in Officer May’s memory, which will be held at Stanford University Golf Course on Monday, Oct. 30.

Foursomes and individuals are invited to enter this first annual tournament. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. at the Stanford Golf Course. After a putting contest and lunch, the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Players will play a best ball scramble. The awards reception, silent auction and entertainment at the Stanford Golf Course will follow at 6 p.m. Players’ fees for this first year tournament are $250 per player. Corporate sponsorships are available at $2,000 per foursome.

Officer Richard May was gunned down on Jan. 7 this year while in pursuit of an alleged gang member. Officer May, a member of the East Palo Alto Police Department, is known for his generosity to the community and especially his spirit in helping youth and young adults.

Frank Merrill, co-chair of the Richard May Golf Tournament said, “Rich loved golf, loved kids and loved athletics. We can think of no better way to honor his work than to provide positive opportunities for young adults growing up in East Palo Alto. Our first project will be to build a rugby/soccer field in East Palo Alto in Rich’s name.”

For more information, call Anne Cribbs at (650) 856-3200 or Tami McMillan at (650) 255-5721.

Pioneer, Leland football squads pick up lopsided wins in league play

Leland football cruises to win over Del Mar after being challenged by head coach Jason Tenner;
Mustang running attack helps Pioneer trounce Branham 48-12

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland responded to a midweek gut check administered by coach Jason Tenner and blew out Del Mar 42-13 on the road on Oct. 20.

Tenner said the Chargers (5-2, 4-0) were moving toward the major mistake of taking the cellar dweller league opponent Dons too lightly, after witnessing his players fool around at practice early in the week. Leland knew it had defeated three league opponents by a cumulative score of 93-41 prior to Del Mar, and the Chargers are considered one of the favorites to win the Santa Teresa Division amidst the success.

“Since we are in first place, we must consider every team to be a big game,” said Tenner. “Our kids underestimated Del Mar during the week. I had to kick kids out of practice Tuesday and we started out rough to prove a point on Wednesday.”

Tenner’s words were reinforced when Del Mar took the field Friday. While the young Dons (0-7, 0-4) are struggling through the season, their players are becoming more mature, according to Tenner, citing the spread pro-style air attack the Dons utilize.

During the first quarter, in fact, Del Mar matched Leland 7-7. Leland struck first within the opening minutes of the game on a 1-yard touchdown run, a 51-yard scamper by senior Adam Ondi on just the second play from scrimmage to set up the score.

However, Del Mar retaliated with a long play of its own. The Dons connected on a 40-yard crossing route, when two players in the Charger secondary bumped into one another, amidst confusion.

“They are going to be good next year,” Tenner said of the Dons. “They gave us a tough first quarter. They spread you out and throw the ball, and that was the first time we’d seen a team that is going to throw (from) shotgun.”

Tenner said Leland experienced problems with spacing when two receivers crossed, but that “they got it squared away.” Soon after, the Leland scoring onslaught ensued.

Charger running backs subsequently took over the game. Seniors Ondi and Lance Gemette teamed up with sophomore Kevin Krail, and the trio gashed the Don defense, running for 350 yards on the ground.

Ondi led all runners with 166 yards rushing on just six carries. Gemette tacked on 125 yards in 12 carries, while Krail ran for one touchdown on 15 yards rushing.

Tenner called cornerback Shay Taylor the player of the game, however. Taylor contributed a high-flying interception and managed to land one foot in bounds. He also finished with eight tackles.

“Shay’s a great kid,” said Tenner. “He does not look like a great football player when you first see him, but he knows the game. He is always where we ask him to be. He came up and made some good, physical tackles, made great pick.”

Tenner said he was pleased overall with the outcome, and that Leland must continue working hard and playing focused, disciplined football.

“It was good for us to have me blow up and for them to see a 0-6 team play them tough,” he said. “It just goes to show that we can play with anybody, but we can also lose to anyone.”

Pioneer cruises to win
Pioneer found its stride offensively, and just in time to rain on Branham’s homecoming parade on Oct. 20.
The Mustangs (4-3, 3-1) flattened the Bruins 48-12 and rolled up 482 yards rushing on 47 attempts.

Running back Marquee Heffner contributed 134 yards on 11 attempts and three touchdowns, while Steven Lopes led all rushers with 154 yards, reaching the end zone three times as well. Running back Shane Murray also tacked on an additional 94 yards on 14 carries.

“We went over and played our best game of the year so far,” Pioneer head coach Mark Krail said of the effort. “Everything just seemed to click and it was fun.”

It wasn’t always clear that Pioneer would sail to victory. Branham scored on its opening possession when quarterback Jason Catalano hit senior running back Craig Hertler on a 24-yard pass just three minutes in the game.

Following Branham’s botched extra point, Pioneer answered with a long completion on a reverse pass. However the drive stalled midway through the first quarter.

“That was kind of an adjustment period for us,” said Krail. “They came out throwing passes all over the field and we had to figure something out.”

Krail said that Pioneer’s defense dug in their heels at that point and the Mustangs went on to score 21 unanswered points.

The teams went to the locker room with Pioneer leading 28-12.

In the second half, Pioneer added 21 more points and shut out the Bruins the rest of the way.
Branham’s second score came midway through the second quarter when Catalano connected with wide receiver Mandel Wright.

Catalano finished 16 of 27 for 263 yards passing.

The win was Pioneer’s third in a row, following a tough preseason in which the Mustangs dipped to 1-3 after their league opener. However, all three losses came at the hands of opponents that were at one time ranked in the San Jose Mercury News’ top 15 poll this season.

Pioneer has outscored its opponents 100-51 since its last loss versus Leigh on Sept. 30.

“It’s not a different approach,” said Krail of Pioneer’s recent success. “We have maintained our attitude of just sticking to it. We do things a certain way.”

Krail said the big fear in scheduling a tough preseason, as the Mustangs do every year, is that the team never recovers after enduring learning lessons. That has not been the case with the Mustangs this year, according to Krail.

“The last couple of weeks we have had great practices,” said Krail. “The message now is stay the course. Early on it was right the ship, but I think we are in a good rhythm now. We cannot look too far ahead though.”

Krail said defensively, Jesse Herrera, Jordan Barnes and Jason Wetzel all enjoyed big games. Inside linebackers Barnes and Herrera handled Branham’s running attack, while Wetzel had five tackles, including two sacks. Lopes also contributed two sacks in the win.

Leland field hockey above .500 mark with 3-0 win

Strong defense, two second half goals help seal victory over St. Ignatius

The Leland field hockey team shut down the St. Ignatius offense, posting a 3-0 win at home on Oct. 23 that improved the team’s record to 5-4 in Mt. Hamilton Division play.

The win saw Chargers goalkeeper Megan Stiller record her second shutout of the year, as the Leland offense jumped out ahead early with a first-half goal from Natalie Herz for a 1-0 lead.

Leland’s Julianne Ramona (left, in white) advances the ball on offense with teammate Allison Roe (right). Roe scored the team’s third goal of the day with 2:48 left for a 3-0 win over St. Ignatius. Photos by Diego Abeloos

Chargers head coach Arjan Reyatt, in his first year at the helm of Leland’s varsity program, said he was pleased with the win and noted the team’s continued improvement on offense throughout the 2006-07 season.

“I think we’ve matured a lot as the season has progressed,” Reyatt said, “but we have a lot more improvements to look forward to.”

The early goal by Herz was followed by a strong defensive effort, particularly in the second half, as Leland defenders repeatedly rebuffed several St. Ignatius drives into Charger territory.

That allowed the Leland offense to get going once again, as Christina Vierra punched in a goal early in the second half to bump Leland’s lead to 2-0, before Allison Roe made it 3-0, scoring with 2:48 left in the game.

Leland defender Whitney Reyes said the offense’s work in the second half gave the defense a little more breathing room as the clock expired.

“It’s always nice when they (the Leland offense) score because you have a little more space,” Reyes said. “But you can’t back down because they can still come back and beat you late.”

—By Diego Abeloos

Pioneer boys’ water polo drops 18-2 loss in regular season finale

Mustangs look to break three-way tie for third in league during varsity league tournament

The Pioneer boys’ water polo team ended regular season league play on a down note, losing an 18-2 decision at Live Oak on Oct. 24.

Pioneer goalkeeper Zealand Hatch attempts to block a Live Oak goal during an 18-2 loss on Oct. 24. Photos by Diego Abeloos

The loss left the Mustangs with a 2-3 record in league play, tied for third with both Lincoln and Evergreen. The logjam for third place means the varsity league tournament, set to begin Nov. 2 at Independence, will see the Mustangs vying along with Lincoln and Evergreen for two of four remaining playoff spots open in the Mt. Hamilton Division for the CCS playoffs. Leland and Live Oak, first and second in the Mt. Hamilton Division, respectively, will head to CCS by occupying the first two spots.

“Coming into the (varsity league tournament), I see Evergreen as our biggest challenge,” Pioneer head coach Scott Kaubish said. “We need to get past them. We beat Lincoln (earlier this season) … I’m really looking at Evergreen as being the real key. Our team, everybody’s picked it up and played much better in the second half of the season. I expect that to help us through to victory.”

The Mustangs struggled against the Acorns (4-1), getting just two first-half goals from Nick Noble. Kaubish said he wasn’t surprised by the outcome of the game, citing Live Oak’s talented roster.

“It went pretty much the way I expected actually,” Kaubish said of the loss to Live Oak. “I think we played a good first quarter, but after that, we kind of quit playing. We could’ve made a better game of it than we did, but Live Oak has a real strong team. I really expected it to be a 15-goal difference in today’s game. They’ve been at the top of CCS for a long time, so they have the experience of playing at that level and we haven’t been there yet.”

—By Diego Abeloos

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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.