December 7, 2006

SPORTS

Pioneer boys’ basketball 2-1 to start 2006-07 season

After season-opening loss to Gilroy, Mustangs bounce back with wins
over Watsonville and San Benito at Seascape Resort Invitational

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Pioneer boys’ basketball team is off to a 2-1 start in the 2006-07 season after opening up non-league play at the 2006 Seascape Resort Invitational at Aptos High Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.

Pioneer junior forward Andrew Springer goes in for a shot against Watsonville during the 2006 Seascape Resort Invitational. Springer scored 10 points in the 61-42 win over Watsonville.

The Mustangs opened up their season with a tough 51-47 loss to Gilroy in the tournament’s first round, before rebounding their first win of the season the following day, a 61-42 final over Watsonville. The Mustangs then added a second win, a 55-45 final over San Benito, to take the tournament’s consolation championship on Dec. 2.

The 2-1 start was a pleasing development, said head coach Joe Berticevich, who added that he expects ample amounts of improvement from his squad throughout the non-league portion of the season.

“It’s always good to win those games, to get Ws, but we have a long way to go,” Berticevich said. “Our goal is not to just beat teams that I think we should beat, but we’ve got to beat teams that are, if not at the same level as us, better than us. We have to get there. …That being said, it’s a lot of work (ahead), but the two wins we’ll take.”

Pioneer’s first win of the year over Watsonville saw the Mustangs jump out to a 30-15 lead at halftime, limiting the Wildcatz to just four points in the final two minutes of the second quarter. The Mustangs then built up their lead by the end of the third quarter, leading 47-27 despite nine turnovers, before finishing up with a 61-42 win. Senior T.J. Watson led the team with 20 points in the win, while Mike Collins chipped in 13 points. Junior forward Andrew Springer added 10 points in the win as well.

“It’s good to get a W, especially coming from a hard loss (on Nov. 30 versus Gilroy) where we played hard but we didn’t play well,” Berticevich said after the win over Watsonville. “…Coming from that, it’s tough to get up for, but the kids did, so they did a good job.”

Pioneer’s Mike Collins goes in for a layup during the Mustangs’ 61-42 win over Watsonville. Collins earned all-tournament honors, scoring 14 points in the consolation championship game against San Benito. Photos by Dan Miranda

And while Berticevich said he was pleased with the team’s first win, he noted his team’s turnover problems as an area in need of much improvement. After turning the ball over just three times in the first two quarters of play, the Mustangs committed 14 turnovers in the second half.

“We just don’t value the ball,” Berticevich said of his team’s turnover troubles against Watsonville. “We turn the ball over way too much. Once we get a handle on that, I think we’ll be okay. …Our goal is to keep it to 12 turnovers a game. If you have only 12 turnovers a game, you have a good chance of winning.”

All told however, Berticevich said he was pleased with the individual efforts of some of his players, including Collins, who followed up his 13-point performance against Watsonville with a 14-point effort against San Benito. Collins earned all-tournament honors with his efforts. In addition, Berticevich said he was pleased with Gilbert Mendoza’s team-leading 15 points in the win over Hay Balers on Dec. 2, adding that it will be key for his team to distribute the scoring throughout the season.

“I don’t think we have one guy that’s going to lead the game in scoring (consistently),” he said. “There’s going to be nights where it’s going to be T.J. (Watson), or nights where it’s going to be Collins. The next night, it could be Mendoza, or Springer. So you never know who going to come out and score for you, which is kind of good, so nobody can key (defensively) on anybody.”

Leland boys’ hoops kick off season with 1-2 mark at Westmont tourney

Chargers get first season win over Live Oak, drop close
loss to Willow Glen Rams to end tournament play

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leland boys’ basketball team kicked off its 2006-07 season with a 1-2 start at the 40th Annual Westmont Invitational Tournament, held Nov. 28 through Dec. 1.

Leland’s Drew Marino scored a team-high 22 points in a 49-32 win over Live Oak during the 40th Annual Westmont Invitational Tournament. Photos by Dan Miranda

The Chargers, under the direction of first-year head coach Ed Campbell, dropped their season-opener by a final of 66-30 to tournament host Westmont on Nov. 28 before taking a resounding 49-32 win over Live Oak on Nov. 30. The Chargers then finished up tournament play by dropping a close 50-49 loss to Santa Teresa Division rival Willow Glen on Dec. 1.

Campbell said he was happy to see his squad progress with each game.

“I saw improvement in each of our games in handling good, hard pressure defense,” said Campbell. “I was particularly happy with how we executed and poised against Willow Glen. …We did some things that I thought showed improvement.”

Leland’s lone win over the Live Oak Acorns in the tournament’s second round of play, saw the Chargers jump out to a robust 31-13 lead at the half, while limiting the Acorns to just three points in the second quarter. Campbell said he was pleased with his team’s defense in the win, which allowed just 19 points through three quarters of play before settling for the 49-32 win.

“Our defense held up. We rebounded pretty well and got some turnovers, so we were able to maintain the lead,” Campbell said. “Toward the end of the third quarter, our offense played a little better, we made some plays, and that was enough to have the lead in the fourth quarter and be able to win.”

Campbell said he will look for his young squad, which only has four seniors listed on the rosters, to improve as the non-league portion of the schedule progresses. To that end, Campbell said he was pleased with the play of several starters, including junior Drew Marino, who scored a team-high 22 points in the win over Live Oak, followed up by a 17-point effort in the loss to Willow Glen, which also led the team.

“It’s no secret that we need him to score points for us,” Campbell said of Marino. “I give him a lot of credit, because he works very hard to get open. I’ll credit his teammates, because they look for him, to get him the ball. …He just made some nice individual plays where he was able to get to the rim and knock down some shots.”

And while Campbell said losing a close game, such as the loss to Willow Glen, is tough, it also provided a valuable learning experience for his young Chargers. With that said, Campbell added that close losses in non-league play are preferable to ones during the league portion of the season. Leland trailed the Rams 33-30 at the half before taking a small 39-38 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Rams then outscored Leland 12-10 in the fourth quarter to win by one point.

“I thought, for the most part, we outplayed Willow Glen, but we just didn’t do quite enough,” Campbell said. “I think we ended up really losing the game in the first half and the problem in the first half was our defensive rebounding. I thought the second half, particularly our defensive rebounding, got better. …I thought that was a big step forward for us because Willow Glen has a very good team that’s experienced and plays well together. For us, at this stage of the season, to compete with them fairly well, was a step in the right direction. Hopefully we get over the top against them at some point during the season.

High School Scoreboard

Nov. 27
Leland girls’ soccer 6-0 loss vs. Los Altos at Palo Alto Winter Classic

Nov. 28
Leland boys’ soccer 4-2 loss vs. Piedmont Hills

Nov. 29
Leland girls’ soccer 1-1 tie vs. Palo Alto at Palo Alto Winter Classic

Pioneer girls’ soccer 1-1 tie at Presentation

Nov. 30
Leland boys’ soccer 6-1 win vs. Independence
Leland girls’ soccer 5-2 win vs. Salinas at Palo Alto Winter Classic

Pioneer girls’ basketball 56-39 loss vs. Valley Christian at Glenn Ventura (Pioneer) Classic

Dec. 1
Leland girls’ soccer 4-0 win vs. Gunn at Palo Alto Winter Classic

Pioneer girls’ soccer 1-0 loss at Burlingame
Pioneer girls’ basketball 52-46 loss vs. Piedmont Hills at Glenn Ventura (Pioneer) Classic

Dec. 2
Leland boys’ soccer 2-0 vs. Monta Vista at Homestead Christmas Cup

Sports Briefs

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.

NFL FLAG Football signups
NFL FLAG Football will be offered by the South Bay Football League at De Anza Park on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting Dec. 10. For kids 5-17, this non-contact 5-on-5 game has seven age brackets, and everyone plays! The League is convenient for parents too, with just a one day per week commitment. The cost is $75 per child, which includes 10 games, jamboree and championship series as well as an NFL LOGO Jersey and flag belt that each player keeps at the end of the season. Go to www.southbayfootball.com to register online or for more information.

NorCal Heat holds tryouts
NorCal Heat 12A and 14A tryouts will be held Saturday, Dec. 9 for the spring/summer tournament team. Pitchers and catchers at 10 a.m., position players at 10:30 a.m. Tryouts are at Santa Clara High School, 3000 Benton St., Santa Clara, 95051. Call Chuck Caldera at (408) 568-6582, Joe Chaulklin at (408) 644-1930, David Quevedo at (408) 655-2641, or e-mail heatfastpitch@yahoo.com for more information.

NorCal Heat 16A tryouts are Sunday, Dec. 10 for the summer tournament team. Pitchers and catchers at 10 a.m., position players at 10:30 a.m. Tryouts are at Santa Clara High School, 3000 Benton St., Santa Clara, 95051. Call Chuck Caldera at (408) 568-6582 or e-mail heatfastpitch@yahoo.com.

NorCal Heat 18 Gold tryouts will be held Saturday, Dec. 9 for summer tournament team. Pitchers and catchers at 9:30 a.m., position players at 11:30 a.m. Tryouts will be held at Leland High School, 6677 Camden Ave., San Jose. Call Joe Gron at (408) 640-8020, Joe Chaulklin at (408) 644-1930, or e-mail heatfastpitch@yahoo.com.

Girls’ Lacrosse of San Jose now registering players
Girls’ Lacrosse of San Jose is now registering players for its spring 2007 season. The club, which plays under the name San Jose Extreme, has openings remaining for its new developmental team for third and fourth graders (second graders by permission), and for its fifth and sixth grade team. In addition, it has a short wait list for its 7th and 8th grade team and a second high school team.

Girls’ lacrosse is a fast-growing, non-contact field sport played with a webbed stick and ball that combines elements of basketball and field hockey. Girls Lacrosse of San Jose started five years ago with one team. In 2007, it will have five teams for girls of all ages.

The club practices at Kirk Community Center on Foxworthy Avenue and is part of the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association. The season will run from February through mid-May.

For information, go to www.sjextreme.org or contact club President John Fensterwald by email at john@sjextreme.org or call (408) 265-2224

South San Jose Hotshots seek experienced girls’ soccer players
The South San Jose Hotshots, a girls U11 comp soccer team, is looking for experienced players for its 2007 indoor and outdoor seasons.  The Hotshots play in the Delgado competitive league and finished as one of the top U10 girls’ teams in the 2006 fall season.  The team has a positive coaching environment, with a focus on teamwork and player development.  Interested players should contact head coach Mike Bunge at awalt80@yahoo.com.

San Jose Strikkers 18U tryouts
The San Jose Strikkers, a youth girls fast-pitch softball team based in San Jose, will hold tryouts for its’ 18U summer ball team. Summer ball tryouts are Dec. 17, Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 at Oak Grove High School. Tryouts for pitchers and catchers are at 9 a.m. and all position player tryouts start at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call Frank King (408) 406-8191 or Richard Fangonilo (408) 274-9301, or e-mail fgking25@aol.com or rfangonilo@sjm.com.

Almaden Venom Boys U10 soccer team 2007 tryouts scheduled for Dec. 9 and 16
The Almaden Venom completed a storybook season by finishing undefeated in CYSA Delgado league play in the BU10 "A" division, allowing the least amount of goals of any team in their league. During the 2006 calendar year, the Venom compiled an impressive 25-4-7 record against Class 3 & Class 1 teams across Northern California. 

Next season, the Venom will move to the U11 age group (players born between 8/1/96- 7/31/97) in either the Delgado Class 3 or Abronzino Class 1 league, placement pending.  Since the team will be expanding the roster to play 11 versus 11, open tryouts will be held on December 9 and December 16 from 10 a.m. -noon at Almaden Elementary School, located at 1295 Dentwood Drive in San Jose. For more information about tryouts or the team in general, please contact coaches Tim Mackin at mackinfam@sbcglobal.net or Dave Ballard at dballard@ipass.com, or visit the AVYSL web site at http://www.almadensoccer.org/select/66792.html where information will soon be posted.  
 
Bret Harte seeks boys’ junior lacrosse coaches
Bret Harte Middle School in San Jose is looking for boys' junior lacrosse coaches for the 2006-2007 season. Multiple positions are available for both head coaches and assistants. Previous lacrosse coaching experience recommended. 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 Wayne Schatz at (408) 623-4691 or email wayne_schatz@sbcglobal.net.

Valley Flag Football now accepting Spring 2007 registration
Valley Flag Football is the premier youth football league for boys and girls ages 5-14. The program provides young players a fun and exciting opportunity to engage in continuous action while learning lessons in teamwork. It’s an excellent way to introduce players before playing tackle and keeping tackle players active in the off-season.

Launched in 1996, the FLAG Football program is designed to educate young people about football while emphasizing participation and sportsmanship. Players learn skills and lessons that help them succeed both on and off the field.

NFL FLAG Football is played across the United States and is a fun and exciting sport that teaches great life lessons, such as sportsmanship, dedication and discipline.

This five-on-five game is recognizable to football fans everywhere. Participants learn about formations, pass patterns and different types of offense and defense. All teams are actual NFL team names. Players keep their team logo jerseys. Sign up today and be part of the Valley Flag Football Family. The first 100 players to register online receive a free league T-shirt. The season starts March 25, 2007

Visit our website for more information and registration: www.valleyflagfootball.com or contact us at (408) 531-0417 or via email at tmorgan_valleyflag@hotmail.com.

Superstar Basketball League signups
Superstar Basketball is a fundamental basketball league for boys and girls from grades 1-6. Instruction in this league is intended to improve the fundamental skills in shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, defense, and teamwork. Instruction begins on Jan. 6, 2007 and ends on Feb. 24, 2007, and is held at Santa Teresa High School. Cost is $99 if postmarked before Dec. 1, 2006 and $110 after Dec. 1. If you have any questions, please contact Camp Director Dan Walker at (408) 268-7634 or e-mail at dwalker@apr.com.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball at Los Gatos Tournament, time TBA
Friday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Evergreen Tournament, time TBA
Friday – Varsity and JV girls’ basketball at Notre Dame (Belmont) Tournament, time TBA
Friday – Varsity and JV girls’ soccer vs. Leigh, 3:15 p.m.

Saturday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Evergreen Tournament, time TBA

Tuesday – Varsity and frosh/soph boys’ soccer at Overfelt, 3:15 p.m.

Wednesday – Varsity and JV girls’ soccer vs. Evergreen, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity girls’ basketball at Pinewood Tournament, time TBA

Thursday – Wrestling at Live Oak, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday – Varsity girls’ basketball at Pinewood Tournament, time TBA
Thursday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball vs. Pioneer, 7 p.m.
Thursday - Varsity and frosh/soph boys’ soccer at Live Oak, 3:15 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball at Los Gatos Tournament, time TBA
Friday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Fremont Tournament, time TBA
Friday – Varsity girls’ basketball at Monta Vista Tournament, time TBA

Saturday – Varsity boys’ soccer vs. Watsonville at Xmas Cup (at Oak Grove High), 3:15 p.m.
Saturday – Varsity girls’ basketball at Monta Vista Tournament, time TBA

Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Live Oak, 6 p.m.
Tuesday – JV girls’ basketball at Valley Christian, 4 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity boys’ soccer at Leigh, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer vs. Leigh, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Wrestling vs. San Jose, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday - Varsity girls’ soccer at Leigh, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday - JV girls’ soccer vs. Leigh, 3:15 p.m.

Thursday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Milpitas, 7 p.m.
Thursday – Varsity boys’ soccer vs. Overfelt, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer at Overfelt, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Leland, 7 p.m.


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/

Leland runners tested at Footlocker Western Region run

Gao, Kim join Barnetts on elite race trail

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Four Leland long distance runners tested their skills in the Footlocker Western Region Cross Country Championships on Dec. 2 at Mount Sac College in Sacramento.

Sibling standouts Claudia Barnett, a freshman, and sophomore Stephanie Barnett qualified for the seeded race based on times posted throughout the school campaign, which wrapped up a week prior at the California state finals in Fresno.

Meanwhile, Leland coaches Jerry Rose and Rudy Montenegro sent sophomore boys Joel Kim and Frank Gao to test the waters amongst national level competition.

“We took them to get the feel and experience of competition versus kids from all over the country, (such as) Alaska, Arizona,” said Montenegro. “…It’s a nice way to finish the season, giving you an opportunity to compare yourself against other states.”

The Footlocker race is broken up into multiple events, one portion set to determine which runners will move on to the National Championship in Florida this weekend, as well as events that athletes enter to test their skills against talent outside of the state.

The top eight runners advance to the national championship.

Stephanie Barnett was the most successful of Chargers. A week after clocking in as the state’s 13th swiftest female, she finished 31st amongst West Coast competitors.

“Last year she finished number 44,” said Montenegro. “We are inching away at that top-10 ground [and national championship berth]. It could happen as early as next year.”

Stephanie Barnett posted a time of 19 minutes and 27 seconds in uncharacteristically tough running conditions—dry heat in December—at Mount Sac.

“The same girls that were winning at the state championship were running a minute slower,” said Montenegro. “The times for everyone were not what they normally would have been.”

Montenegro noted that the elder Barnett finished fourth amongst all sophomores at the event.

“Stephanie is a very dedicated and focused individual,” he said. “She is the type of athlete that gives you the effort that you are asking for every day.”

While Stephanie Barnett was most likely to shine at the regional event, having posted the top female time in CCS this season and making a second state appearance, Sister Claudia Barnett was impressive in her own right, according to Montenegro.

“Claudia possesses a lot of the same qualities that Stephanie does,” he said.

The regional race, however, was Claudia Barnett’s first since league play, nearly a month ago, according to Coach Montenegro. Her results were mirroring her sister’s freshman year until she was hampered by shin splints, during the final portion of Leland’s league schedule.

The Footlocker event was a glimpse of things to come, said Montenegro.

“Claudia definitely has the ability and talent,” said Montenegro. “She may even have a little better turnover than her sister.”

Montenegro said Gao and Kim also ran respectably, facing top competitors, without a third teammate in Matt Vera, currently playing basketball at Leland. Montenegro said Vera rounds out an outstanding pool of young runners.

“We have a great sophomore trio,” said Montenegro. “We look forward to building a team around them.”

While Leland had its’ ups and downs amongst varsity competitors this season, finishing third in the Mount Hamilton Division on the boys’ side, Montenegro recalled that the only times Gao, Vera and Kim lined up against frosh-soph teams in their age category, the Chargers won handily.

“We ran them in the Crystal Springs Invitational and won big,” said Montenegro. “It was just to show them how good they are at this level.”

BVAL all-league selections for fall

Leland football – Santa Teresa Division
MVP - Adam Ondi

Most Outstanding Offense - Lance Gemette

Most Outstanding Defensive Back – Kevin Krail

Coach of the Year – Jason Tenner

First Team Offense - Daniel Schroeder
First Team Offense - David Yates
First Team Offense - Roland Li
First Team Offense - Jon Erickson
First Team Defense - Anthony Sunseri
First Team Defense - Joe Peera

Second Team Offense - Amir Tadros
Second Team Defense - Michael Ledeit
Second Team Defense - Jeff Sommer
Second Team Defense – R.J. Singer

Pioneer football – Mt. Hamilton Division
Most Outstanding Defense - Steven Lopes

First Team Defense - Jessie Herrera
First Team Offense - Shane Murray
First Team Offense - Chris Brookmeyer
First Team Offense - Jason Wetzel

Second Team Defense - Kyle Burchfiel
Second Team Offense - Marquee Heffner

Leland field hockey – Mt. Hamilton Division
First Team - Sara Adams
First Team - A.J. Huffman

Second Team - Megan Stiller
Second Team - Jenna Ryan

Leland girls’ volleyball – Mt. Hamilton Division
MVP - Chaulet Scala

Coach of the Year - Chris Hansen

First Team - Grace Chang
First Team - Joyce Chang

Second Team - Vicki Chang
Second Team - Debbie Gillick

Pioneer girls’ volleyball – West Valley Division

Senior of the Year - Heidi Isaacson

First Team - Carolyn Kanzaki

Second Team - Heather Goodman

Leland boys’ water polo – Mt. Hamilton Division
MVP - Raymond LaRochelle

Junior of the Year - Matt Eisenberg

First Team - Max Dobrushin
First Team - Eric Hsu

Second Team - Marcus Gartner
Second Team - Sean Kagan

Pioneer boys’ water polo – Mt. Hamilton Division
Sophomore of the Year - Brian Lopiccolo

First Team - Kirk Kaubish

Second Team - Sean Urenda
Second Team - Jason Burke

Leland girls’ water polo – Mt. Hamilton Division
CO-MVP - Christy Stibbe
CO-MVP - Elena Santamaria

Sophomore of the Year - Kylie Sarpa

Coach of the Year - Eric Rise

First Team - Courtney Monsees
First Team - Allison Mossing
First Team - Andrea Henneman

Second Team - Kylie Sarpa
Second Team - Courtney Gold

Pioneer girls’ water polo – Mt. Hamilton Division
Junior of the Year - Elyssa Samson

First Team - Katrina Musco
First Team – Taylor Feezor

Second Team - Megan Peterson

New coach, new faces for Leland girls’ soccer in 2006-07

Young Chargers off to 3-1-1 start under new head coach David Blutrich

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The new-look Leland girls’ soccer team is off to a fast start in the 2006-07 season, compiling a 3-1-1 record in the preseason, including a third-place finish at the Palo Alto Winter Classic.

And while the Chargers sport a roster mostly consisting of underclassmen this year, the newest addition to the team, head coach David Blutrich, should help provide some guidance throughout the season for the young Leland squad.

The Leland girls’ soccer team will look to senior A.J. Huffman to provide toughness and intensity on the field in 2006-07. The Chargers have started the season at 3-1-1.

“I definitely am enjoying my first few weeks here,” Blutrich said. “The girls work extremely hard. It’s a very intense team with a lot of strong goals. We’re definitely on the same page, in that regard.”

Blutrich, a 20-year coaching veteran in soccer, comes to Leland after spending the past eight seasons at the helm of Saratoga’s girls’ soccer program, where he amassed a 69-62-28 record and two CCS playoff appearances. Blutrich, who has spent a total of 20 years coaching youth soccer, said he built the program at Saratoga into a contender during his eight-year run, and sees a richly talented pool of players in the Leland program.

“We definitely have a young team,” said Blutrich, who has just five seniors on his roster this season. “…I believe we’ve assembled a very strong core team, with the guidance of one of our senior captains (Morgan Wampler) and our junior captain (Karina Cavanna). I think we’re in the process of really building a strong team.”

So far, the program is right on track, said Blutrich, citing the team’s performance in the Palo Alto Winter Classic. Leland’s lone blemish this season came against Los Altos, during the tournament’s opening round of play. In addition, the Chargers earned a 1-1 tie with tournament host Palo Alto, who ended up winning the tournament.

Despite the relative youth on the roster, Blutrich said he’s counting on several players this season to provide guidance and spirited play on the field, beginning with junior forward Sara Chehrehsa, who earned BVAL Sophomore of the Year honors last season. To date, Chehrehsa has proven to be an early contributor on offense, recording two goals and two assists through four games played.

“Sara’s a real impact player,” Blutrich said of Chehrehsa. “She can change the momentum of a game for our team. For us, with such young players surrounding her, her impact on the team is allowing those players to grow and gain confidence on the field. She’s a great finisher, but she also has the ability to set up her teammates. We’ve gotten well-balanced scoring so far.”

And balance is what Blutrich strives for. Through the team’s five games, nine players have recorded goals, including two each by Chehrehsa, Cavanna and Kaitlin Anzalone. In addition, seven players have recorded assists thus far this season.

“I like the balance of our team and that everyone’s contributing,” Blutrich said. “…One thing I stressed to the girls at the beginning of the season is that a team is based on chemistry and being able to control all three thirds of the field. It starts with the goalkeeper and the defense, and works through the midfield and to the forwards. It’s just having that trust, and we’re slowly establishing that trust.”

Another player Blutrich said he will count on as a steady presence on the field is senior A.J. Huffman, who has recorded a goal and an assist through five games. Blutrich said he enjoys the senior’s intense play on the field and sees that quality rubbing off on some of his younger players.

“A.J. is a very intense player,” Blutrich said of Huffman. “She’s one of our holding defensive mids. She’s very tough on the field, very disciplined, and just gives 120 percent all the time in both her offensive and her defensive skills. Her intensity allows other players around her to filter off of that.”

Blutrich added that Cavanna, a center-mid, will also provide a steady offensive presence for the Chargers, citing her two-goal and two-assist performance through the team’s five games as further proof.

One area where Blutrich has seen steady play is at goalkeeper, currently held down by junior Jennifer Oiye. To date, Oiye has allowed just 1.8 goals per game and has recorded two shutouts. Still, Blutrich said he hopes to add some depth to the position with the addition of Elisa Vye, adding that the decision on who will start at the position will be determined on a game-by-game basis for the foreseeable future.

“We’re hoping to get some depth at that position, to take some pressure off of her,” Blutrich said.

All told, however, Blutrich said he’s pleased with the 3-1-1 start so far, given the changes not only on the roster, but at the head of the soccer program as well.

“With myself being new to the program and having a lot of young players, I figured it would take a little time to get going,” Blutrich said of the start this season. “We’ve started to establish a good attack and we’re starting to put the ball in the back of the net. …We’ve played better every game we’ve gone out. We’ve improved every time out, so I’m very happy with the early results.”

Tough start for Pioneer boys’ soccer in 2006-07

The Pioneer boys’ soccer team dropped a 3-0 loss at home to Menlo-Atherton on Dec. 6 in the first round of pool play for the Homestead Christmas Cup.

Pioneer’s Alex Garcia (19) and Victor Aguirre (11) advance the ball on offense during a 3-0 loss to Menlo-Atherton on Dec. 5. Photo by Diego Abeloos

The Mustangs, who opened their season by taking part in the tournament, dropped their record to 0-3-1. Pioneer head coach Pedro Fuentez said the 2006-07 season will be a rebuilding season for the Mustangs, in part because of the loss of three key and experienced players this season—two because of grades and one because of commitments to club soccer. In addition, the Mustangs graduated seven seniors from last year’s squad.

“This is a tough year,” said Pioneer head coach Pedro Fuentez. “…So far this year, we have a new crew. It’s tough, because it takes time to mold them and to understand. It’s going to be a tough season for us, but we’re going to take it one game at a time.”

Fuentez said the lack of experience on his roster will require him to be more patient with his players this season, but added that he’s experienced similar situations before. The Mustangs returned only five players from last year’s team. Still, Fuentez remains positive about the future.

“It’s a good experience and I’ve been here before,” he said. “I think that if we just keep our minds straight and focus to build, next year we’ll be back.”

—By Diego Abeloos

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