SPORTS

Yoshioka’s 3-pointers rescue Leland ladies in
30-26 victory over Los Gatos

Junior guard drops in 12 second-half points in
Chargers’ come-from-behind win

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

A 12-point scoring blitz by Kristen Yoshioka in the second half helped the Leland Chargers come back from a 13-point deficit to take a 30-26 win at Los Gatos on Dec. 20.

Leland’s Ana Farrington tries to save the ball from going out of bounds during Leland’s 30-26 win over Los Gatos on Dec. 20. Photo by Diego Abeloos

Yoshioka fueled two separate scoring runs in the second half to lead her team past the Wildcats, including hitting a 3-pointer with 2:11 left in the fourth quarter to give Leland its first lead of the night. Yoshioka’s 12 second-half points were the result of four 3-pointers by the junior guard, two each in scoring runs during both the third and fourth quarters.

Still, Leland Head Coach Wade Nakamura said he was not pleased with his team’s play, despite the win. Nakamura said he was troubled by his team’s turnover problems (15 in the first half), leading to a season-low 9 points scored in the first two quarters of play.

“We worked on a lot of things yesterday that we didn’t do well today,” said Nakamura. “We’ve gotten the chance to see Los Gatos play twice, and I thought we were prepared for their, in my opinion, soft 2-2-1 press (defense). We did not attack it like we should’ve attacked it.”

Down 22-9 with 5:04 left in the third quarter, the Chargers got the offense rolling with a pair of free throws from forward Amber Barbieri. Less than a minute later, Yoshioka knocked down a 3-pointer from the right corner, cutting Los Gatos’ lead to 22-14.

The Chargers then finished the run in much the same way that it started, as Barbieri dropped in a layup with 3:22 left before Yoshioka closed out the quarter with another 3-pointer, this one from the top of the arc with 2:45 left, cutting the lead to 22-19.

A Wildcat defender tries to swat away a pass from Leland’s Ana Castillo to Meggie Yoshioka (3) during Leland’s 30-26 win on Dec. 20. Meggie’s twin sister, Kristen Yoshioka, fueled two second-half scoring runs for the Chargers with 12 points. Photo by Diego Abeloos

“We had a rough start but we refocused again and we were trying to refocus on our defense,” Nakamura said of his team’s second-half play. “We switched some things up, going to a zone press (defense) … I think that had an effect on them (Los Gatos). We held them to 6-6-4 (points) in the second, third and fourth quarters, so that was big. They missed some open shots and the ball happened to bounce our way.”

The fourth quarter got started with two straight baskets from Los Gatos, bumping the Wildcats’ lead to 26-19, before the Leland offense—namely Yoshioka—took things over once more.

Jovanna Cobos dropped in a layup with 5:28 left to start a second scoring run for the Chargers, followed by a 3-pointer from Yoshioka with 4 minutes left, cutting the Wildcat’s lead to two at 26-24.

Sophomore Ana Farrington then tied the game with just under 3 minutes left to play, hitting a short jumper inside the key, before Yoshioka knocked down her fourth 3-pointer of the second half, a shot from the top of the arc once more, to give Leland a 29-26 lead with 2:11 left to play.

“I expect that from her, as well as my other guards,” Nakamura said of Yoshioka’s effort in the second half. “I have three returning All-League guards and really, I’m not happy with how they’re performing …we’re very fortunate that Kristen did hit some shots.”

The onus was then placed on the Leland defense, which held the Wildcats scoreless for the remaining 5:46 of the game. Leland’s Pam Wolfe helped seal the win with just seconds to spare, tipping a Los Gatos pass into the hands of Farrington.

Forever young

Leland hoops look for leaders, stagger in memorial tournament

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leland could not choke back off-court emotions and early year sputters, falling to Bellarmine and Los Gatos in the first DJ Frandsen Memorial basketball tournament this past weekend.

Leland’s Navdeep Rai fires a three pointer during DJ Frandsen Memorial action Thursday at Bellarmine. Charger efforts fell short in the 60-50 loss. Photo courtesy of www.mikejanes.com.

The Bells fended off a late-game flurry mounted by the late-inspired Chargers to win 60-50, setting the stage for Friday’s championship, in which the host Bells also squelched Burlingame High’s holiday spirits.

The two-day showcase was held in honor of Charger Coach Dave Frandsen’s eldest son DJ, a staple of Leland, Bellarmine and Santa Clara University men’s basketball lore.

DJ spent his childhood shagging balls for his father’s celebrated CCS contending teams of the early 90s. He went on to manage successful squads at Bellarmine and Santa Clara, lending spirit and resolve to athletes blessed with physical fortune, while DJ battled mentally through, at-times, bleak prognoses.

DJ passed away in September of 2004 following a lifelong struggle with leukemia.

“It was personally disappointing because we wanted to play for DJ and his spirit, but we didn’t play very well,” summed Leland senior and two-time all league performer David Farsai. “DJ really taught me that if there is something bad going on, you don’t say anything about it. People need to move on and just concentrate on doing the best that you can with what you have. DJ would never mention his condition.”

Leland fell back early as West Catholic Athletic League giant Bellarmine raced to a 9-1 first-quarter lead. Bellarmine’s 6-foot-6 senior center Kevin Schmidt dominated with rebounds and put backs from both sides of the basket.

“It seemed a little like we were scared to compete early versus Bellarmine,” continued Farsai. “I thought we matched up well against them, but when people are afraid of the worst, the worst things happen.”

Despite the slow start, Leland fought back when Brennan Walker and Navdeep Rai nailed timely 3-pointers before the half.

“It was a challenge coming out versus a West Catholic team,” said senior forward Scott Lucas. “But if one player clicks, everything seems to come together and we feed off of that.”

For the chargers, it was spirit by committee throughout the second half. Trailing 28-15 at halftime, Farsai and Lucas shouldered burden, converting on several coast-to-coast three-point plays, drawing fouls en-route.
“I thought we had turned the corner watching them in the second half,” conveyed the senior Frandsen. “I was hoping that we had made an adjustment to the level of our intensity. “

But, according to Frandsen, ‘hoping’ was the key word. After closing within six points of the mighty Bells, Leland’s Christmas list was cut short when Bellarmine senior Jonathan Beene nailed two 3-pointers in the closing moments.
Farsai paced the chargers with 15 points, while Lucas dumped in 11.

The Chargers followed with a 48-35 defeat, coming at the hands of Los Gatos Friday.

“We didn’t try to put too much on the guys,” said Frandsen, referring to the games’ stakes for his athletes, most of whom remember DJ as a “coach in the stands.” “We waited until the day before the game to address what DJ stood for.”

Despite his team’s woes, Frandsen considered the tournament a great and worthwhile success. A scholarship fund was arranged in DJ’s memory, with proceeds contributed toward the fees of prospective Bellarmine students who best demonstrate the spirit of DJ. Already, enough money has reportedly been contributed to finance initial scholarships.

“DJ was loved because he loved so well,” wrote Bellarmine Head Coach Patrick Schneider in the tournament’s program. “While we recognize that DJ’s absence is still painful for [the Frandsens] and many others, we hope the tournament will remind them of DJ’s significant legacy as well as his love for Bellarmine and the sport of basketball.”

Leland’s Lucas was recognized from the tournament as a Spirit of DJ award winner, based on his “display of superb fundamentals, great heart, dignity and courage,” according to Schneider. Five such awards were granted, enough to honor one representative from each school and a player of the tournament.

“It’s not meant for the team MVP or anything like that,” said the senior Frandsen. “It’s not necessarily always about how many points you score, but more about the effort you put in.”

The Chargers next face Santa Teresa on Friday before opening league the following week at home versus Evergreen Valley. Games begin at 7 p.m.

Sports Briefs

Lacrosse coaches needed for local club
South Valley Lacrosse Club is looking for two coaches for their fifth to eighth grade teams. Minimal lacrosse experience is acceptable because the club has a training program.  South Valley Lacrosse Club is in its second year and has a lot of positive parent support.  Fun activities are planned for the season, including turf time during the San Jose Stealth home game. Have fun with a wonderful sport, work with a great group of kids and even get paid for it.

Contact Joy Bender at joy.bender@prodigy.net or 408-679-1297.

San Jose Strikkers softball tryouts
The San Jose Strikkers, a 18U girls’ fast-pitch softball team, will hold summer tryouts on Jan. 8 and Jan. 15 at Oak Grove High School. Tryouts for pitchers and catchers begin at 9 a.m. Tryouts for all position players begin 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.

Superstar Basketball signups for boys and girls
Superstar Basketball is a fundamental basketball league for boys and girls ages 6-12. The emphasis is on fun, fundamentals, fitness, sportsmanship, and teamwork.

Instruction begins on Jan. 7 and ends Feb. 25. All games and practices are on Saturdays at Santa Teresa High School. Two hundred spots have been filled, only 40 openings remain. The fee is $99 per player.

For more information, contact Dan Walker at (408) 268-7634 or via e-mail at dwalker@apr.com.

Almaden Wildcats girls’ U11 soccer tryouts
The AVYSL Wildcats, a U11 girls’ Class 3 soccer team, will hold tryouts for girls born between Aug. 1, 1995 and July 31, 1996 at Almaden Elementary School on Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Jan. 21 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call Ron Richardson at (408) 997-6168.

Almaden Valley Girls Softball League registration
The Almaden Valley Girls Softball League (AVGSL) will be holding registration for its upcoming season, which runs from February to May. Registration will be held at Graystone Elementary School on Saturday, Jan. 7 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 11 from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. First-time applicants must bring a copy of their birth certificate.

AVGSL ensures that the players are in a fun, positive environment while learning and expanding their softball skills. AVGSL promotes a sense of belonging for everyone, emphasizing teamwork and the sense of individual success that contributes to team sports. Come join the fun!

More information on the league and registration can be found at www.avgsl.org or by calling (408) 808-1405.

High School Sports Schedule

Leland High School
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Santa Teresa, 7 p.m.
Friday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball vs. Santa Teresa, 5:30 p.m.
Friday – Varsity girls’ basketball at WCJ Tournament in Antioch, time and opponent TBA

Tuesday – Varsity girls’ soccer vs. Santa Teresa, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – JV girls’ soccer at Santa Teresa, 3:15 p.m.
Tuesday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Evergreen, 7 p.m.
Tuesday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball vs. Evergreen, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – Varsity girls’ basketball vs. Carlmont, 7 p.m.
Wednesday – JV girls’ basketball vs. Carlmont, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity boys’ soccer at Leigh, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer at Leigh, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Wrestling at Gunderson, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday – Varsity girls’ soccer at Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – JV girls’ soccer at Pioneer, 3:15 p.m.

Pioneer High School
Friday – Varsity boys’ basketball vs. Watsonville at Soquel High, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday – Varsity girls’ basketball vs. Oak Grove, 7 p.m.
Wednesday – JV girls’ basketball vs. Oak Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity boys’ basketball at Oak Grove, 7 p.m.
Wednesday – Frosh/soph boys’ basketball at Oak Grove, 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday – Varsity boys’ soccer vs. Mt. Pleasant, 3:15 p.m.
Wednesday – Frosh/soph boys’ soccer vs. Mt. Pleasant, 3:15 p.m.

Thursday – Varsity girls’ soccer vs. Leland, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – JV girls’ soccer vs. Leland, 3:15 p.m.
Thursday – Wrestling vs. Yerba Buena, 6:30 p.m.

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

Pioneer Athletics:
www.phsathletics.com

Leland Athletics:
www.lelandathletics.com

Blossom Valley Athletic League:
www.bval.org

For more complete and up to date schedules on CCS playoffs, go to:
www.cifccs.org

Mustang girls at .500 after 50-46 win over Willow Glen

A 7-2 scoring run to end fourth quarter sees Pioneer claim
victory; Rebozzi leads squad with 22 points

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

A 7-2 scoring run in the final three minutes of play not only gave the Pioneer girls’ basketball team a 50-46 win over Willow Glen on Dec. 22, it also bumped the team’s record to .500 at 5-5 on the season.

While that accomplishment is hardly a milestone, considering the fact that the Mustangs still have more than a dozen games left to play, a .500 record was still reason enough for Pioneer Head Coach Kim Yanda to feel upbeat about her team’s play.

Pioneer’s Michele Rebozzi (40) keeps a close eye on former teammate and current Willow Glen Ram Samantha Tsukiji (3) during a 50-46 win over the Rams on Dec. 22. Rebozzi led the team with 22 points. Photo by Diego Abeloos

Yanda said the win comes at the right time too, with Mt. Hamilton league play just around the corner on Jan. 4, when the Mustangs host Oak Grove.

“I think this is the first game where my kids played with some heart,” said Yanda, who has had to make do with a short roster of just seven players all season long. “They wanted this game and they just wanted it more …we’ve been small all year and we’ve been struggling with our small numbers (on the roster), so it’s nice to see the girls are coming back and hopefully, this momentum will carry over into league play.”

Pioneer’s fifth win of the season didn’t come without any nail biting moments however.

With just over a minute left in the third quarter, the game seemed under control by the Mustangs, leading 40-29 after holding a slight 23-19 lead at halftime.

That’s where the trouble started. Willow Glen struck back, going on a small 5-0 run to end the third quarter, in part on a free throw from former Mustang Samantha Tsukiji and a layup from Corina Lopez, cutting Pioneer’s lead to 40-34.

Willow Glen’s run continued at the start of the fourth quarter when the Rams went on a 10-3 run to kick off the final period of play on layups from Lopez and Krista Pronge, before Tsukiji nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 3:56 left to take a 44-43 lead.

But with 2:45 left, the Mustangs got their offense rolling once more, getting a layup from Mercedes Pardo to start a 7-2 run. Pardo finished the game with 14 points.

“She’s only a freshman, so she’s got some big things ahead of her,” Yanda said of Pardo. “She’s really quick and she just has to finish a little stronger. She ended up converting on that one (the layup at 2:45), which was great.”

Pardo’s basket was followed by a pair of free-throws from both Michele Rebozzi and Haley Schorr as the Mustangs reclaimed their lead at 49-44.

Rebozzi, who led the team with 22 points, will be counted on throughout the season to provide presence offensively on the court, Yanda said.

“Michele is awesome,” Yanda said. “She’s probably got the most heart on this team and she’s only missed three or four free throws since the start of the season, so she’s money at the line. If anyone decides to foul her, she’s pretty much our go-to girl and she came through for us tonight.”

After a layup by Willow Glen’s Angie Patton cut the lead to 49-46 with 15 seconds left, Pioneer’s Steffi Mattern reached the free-throw line after being fouled with 1.9 seconds left, sinking one of two shots to put the game out of reach at 50-46.

Pioneer takes Fremont Tournament Championship
game with 60-57 win over Gunn

Mustang guard Kevin Denardi knocks down 3-pointer
with 1:10 left in fourth to seal comeback win

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

Kevin Denardi’s 3-pointer with 1:10 to go in the fourth quarter sealed a 60-57 win over Gunn as the Pioneer Mustangs won the championship game of the 48th annual Fremont-Sunnyvale Holiday Tournament on Dec. 21.

“I told the guys before the game, ‘we can beat these guys,’ but we needed to outwork them,” said Pioneer Head Coach Joe Berticevich. “ … We just didn’t give up. You could see it in the kids.”

Pioneer’s Kevin Denardi drives down court during a 60-57 win over Gunn. Denardi’s 3-pointer with 1:10 left sealed the win for the Mustangs. Denardi finished with 21 points, leading his team. Photo by Diego Abeloos

Down 57-55, Denardi nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to give Pioneer its first lead since early in the third quarter. Since Gunn had not committed enough fouls to go into the bonus, the Mustangs took precious time off the clock while being fouled several times before Denardi stepped to the free-throw line with 15 seconds left, sinking both shots to add some cushion to the lead at 60-57.

Denardi finished the game with a team-high 21 points.

“You just don’t think about it, you shoot it,” said Denardi, when asked about his game-winning shot.

“He’s a shooter,” added Berticevich. “ … He kept his head up, and I told him we needed him in these games. We need him to do those things. He can stroke it from the outside and when we’re going against bigger guys, we need to spread the defense out with the outside shot, and he did that. Give credit to him, because when he got the ball in his hands at the end of the game, with the free throws and that big 3-pointer, there’s ice water in his veins.”

It was Pioneer’s ninth straight win, but perhaps its most trying one as well, as the Mustangs saw themselves trailing by 8 points with just 4:01 left in the fourth quarter.

Things soon changed as the Mustangs went on a 14-3 run to close out the game, beginning with a free-throw from Nolan Maggipinto with 3:36 left. On the run, Pioneer also got much-needed points from Andrew Lerma, who dropped in a layup while being fouled, completing a 3-point play by sinking his only free throw with 1:52 left, bringing the Mustangs within 2 points at 57-55. Lerma finished the night with 18 points.

Maggipinto also added a 3-pointer with 2:45 left, but it was Denardi who led the charge, contributing seven of his game-total 21 points during the run. Denardi, in his first year at Pioneer after transferring from Mitty, said he’s starting to feel more comfortable with his role on the team.

“Everyone has made me feel like I’m a part of the team,” Denardi said. “I just started feeling comfortable with the offense, I started to get used to it and got to know every play. Now I just play.”

“He’s probably one of our best shooters, if not the best, from the outside,” added Maggipinto. “When he gets going, he can be unstoppable. He was on fire tonight.”

The game was a tough one from the start for Pioneer, which took a sizable 17-9 lead after the first quarter before Gunn battled back with a 13-3 run late in the second quarter. Despite the large scoring run by Gunn, Pioneer still went into halftime leading slightly at 29-28.

The tables turned even more in the third quarter, as Gunn jumped out to a 38-33 lead with a 10-4 scoring run to start the second half. For the remaining three minutes of the third quarter, both teams traded baskets down the stretch, with Gunn holding a 48-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Despite the win, Pioneer had trouble stopping Gunn’s big man inside, Peter Jordan, who led his team with 21 points overall, including 11 in the second half.

“Our objective on defense was to box out and limit them to one shot,” Denardi said. “We had to keep (Jordan) limited, and we just crashed the boards and tried to get good shots on offense.”

With the win, Pioneer not only won its second straight tournament, but some of the players on the squad got some additional hardware to boot. For their efforts in the tournament, Denardi, Lerma and Maggipinto were named to the All-Tournament team.

Two Almaden teams compete in Milpitas Delgado Classic finals

Every fall, more than 2,000 kids play soccer in Almaden Valley. Organized by the Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League (AVYSL), fall play starts mid August and finishes mid November.

The Almaden Quakes, from left, are Assistant Coach Glen Romualdo, Nick Silva, Devin Ridgway, Andrew Yousif, David Kang, Head Coach Mark Schrick, Drew Willner, Elias Saba, George Talaat, Assistant Coach David Silva, Julian Keller, Shane Hereford, Andrew Romualdo, Evan McDonaough, Mason Willis, Justin Olsen, Tyler Gargiulo, Alex Schrick, Assistant Coach Terry Ridgway and Steven Yousif. Not pictured are Jake Heindel and Assistant Coach Frank Gargiulo.

This year, two Almaden teams, the Ball Hogs and the Quakes, extended their season by participating in the Bill Delgado Classic Tournament for recreational teams. Seventy-four recreational boys and girls teams ranging in age from 6 to 14 and living throughout the Santa Clara Valley participated in this year’s traditional event, organized by the North Valley Youth Soccer League in Milpitas.

Both Almaden teams were placed in different pools of the 14-team boys-under-12 field. The Quakes won each of their three games by three goals or more and were the top seed in the final. The Ball Hogs had two wins and a tie. They were tied with two other teams for the second final spot. To their delight, the Hogs squeaked by on a third-level tie-breaker on goals allowed.

“I am very proud of our kids on both teams and Almaden Valley Youth Soccer League (AVYSL) that we were able to place two teams in the top two positions out of 15 teams in the South Bay area, said Quakes Head Coach Mark Schrick. “That really says something about the kids and the commitment to the game itself in Almaden Valley.”

Both teams knew each other well from the regular season and played a very tough match, their forth game of the weekend. The Ball Hogs showed the same great defensive team play that got them to the final and held the dominating Quakes to a scoreless tie after regular play and again to a scoreless tie after overtime. Both teams had given their all. Penalty kicks had to decide this close match, which the Quakes won 4-2.

“I was very proud how the team conducted themselves on the field this weekend with several referees complementing how well the kids passed and controlled the ball as a team while conducting themselves in a sportsman-like attitude,” said Schrick.

“Both teams played 110 percent and left everything on the field after the finals. I feel the strength of the Almaden Quakes team is they were not a group of good individual players but a group that worked and played well as a team. We had a goal this year to be the best passing team in BU12 and I think we accomplished this goal in the end.”

The teams proudly received their trophies, and at the lively team parties afterwards, there was already talk about coming back next year for more exciting soccer.

“In a tournament you need good defense and a bit of luck. We had both and we can be really proud about our strong showing in the tournament and how we have developed as a team and individually during the season,” said Ball Hogs Head Coach Bernard Hiller. “I can’t say enough about the great attitude and spirit of our team. This was a fun season for everyone and a great building block for more great soccer next year.”

For more information about the AVYSL, go to www.almadensoccer.org.

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