February 9, 2007

Evergreen Sports

Late run not enough as Cougars drop 58-54 loss to Pioneer

Fourth quarter push cuts into 18-point deficit; Evergreen drops to 1-9 in league play

By Diego Abeloos
Editor

A late scoring surge by the Evergreen boys’ basketball team was not enough to overcome an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter, as the Cougars dropped a close 58-54 loss to Pioneer on Jan. 31.

Trailing the Mustangs by 18 points with nearly seven minutes left to play in the game, Evergreen made a late push with a pair of scoring runs, including a 12-1 scoring run that started with 6:40 left, cutting Pioneer’s lead to as little as three points with 46 seconds left before the Mustangs held on for the win. Evergreen’s Andrew Kim helped fuel the late scoring runs, scoring nine of his 14 points in a three-minute stretch in the fourth quarter. Guard Khoi Nguyen led the Cougars with 21 points. Following a 75-34 loss to Oak Grove on Feb. 2, the Cougars dropped to 1-9 in league play.

Still, for one night at least, the Cougars proved that they could play against the Mt. Hamilton Division’s better teams, according to Evergreen head coach Dennis Fernandez.

“The kids just never let up. We always stayed in it,” Fernandez said. “…The kids could’ve said, “okay, we’re done.’ But they’re not doing that. That’s over. We’re not doing that.”

Evergreen's Billy Miller drives through traffic in the paint for a shot during a 58-54 loss to Pioneer on Jan. 31.

With the Mustangs up 49-31 in the early portion of the fourth quarter, Evergreen’s shooters got on a roll, beginning with center Derek Pauli’s free throw and layup to start a 12-1 scoring run with 6:40 to go. Less than a minute later, after a free throw by Pioneer’s Andrew Springer set the score at 50-34, Kim and Nguyen teamed up for three straight three-pointers, including two by Kim, in a one-minute span to cut Pioneer’s lead to just seven at 50-43.

“His confidence is phenomenal right now,” Fernandez said of Kim. “He doesn’t think he can miss. That’s a great feeling to have. …He’s just playing with a lot of confidence and he feels good anywhere on the court now. His game’s developed more, where now he can go inside and out, so that’s made the defense play off of him a little bit.”

Later in the fourth, with Pioneer back up by 10 points at 55-45, Kim started another Evergreen run, a 9-2 stretch, with his third three-pointer of the quarter with 2:28 left, followed shortly thereafter by a three-pointer from Domingo Candelas, a layup from Billy Miller and a free throw from Nguyen with 46 seconds left to cut Pioneer’s lead to three points at 57-54.

Despite the late scoring runs by Evergreen, Pioneer hung on for the win, reaching the free throw line three times to end the game, shooting one of four from the line during that span and five of 12 as a team throughout the game. A last-ditch effort by Kim, who took a three-point attempt as time expired, bounced off the rim, sealing the win for the Mustangs.

“They’re a scrappy team,” Pioneer head coach Joe Berticevich said of Evergreen. “…They’re a competitive team and they’ve been in a lot of games. We didn’t close the door like we should have.”

Evergreen's Andrew Kim puts up a last-second shot to end the game during a 58-54 loss to Pioneer on Jan. 31. Kim finished the game with 14 points, including nine points in the fourth quarter.

Fernandez said he was pleased with his team’s effort, and noted that Pioneer’s clock management strategy in the fourth quarter helped his team in creating turnovers and causing bad shots, allowing the Cougars to get back into the game. Despite the 18-point deficit to start the fourth, Fernandez said he told his players that the game was still there for the taking.

“I said, ‘listen it’s still there. If you guys want this, I know we’re down, but we can still pull this out,’” Fernandez said. “…Whether Joe (Berticevich) knows it or not, he helped me out, because he started massaging the ball and stopped playing the game that got them there.”

Fernandez also noted that Evergreen’s pressure defense during that stretch helped create turnovers and forced bad shots by Pioneer, allowing Evergreen’s outside shooters to get to work in whittling down the deficit.

“I think our defense created our offense, and I think it caused a lot of problems, a lot of pressure, and made them have turnovers they normally wouldn’t have had if they hadn’t gotten out of their game plan,” Fernandez said of Pioneer.

Despite a tough first season in the Mt. Hamilton Division, Fernandez said he’s pleased with his team’s overall progress, noting his team’s confidence and ability to stick close in games against the league’s better teams, such as Pioneer, even if they do end up losing.

“To me, that’s being successful,” Fernandez said. “I know that sounds kind of corny because it’s not a W, but they were not doing this before, especially against better teams. With them playing hard throughout the whole game, them having confidence in their shots, them doubling up on the ball without being told to do it, those are thing that coaches pick up and see that are happening. That’s my success. That’s where I see where we’ve grown and made ourselves better.”

EVHS girls’ hoops drops to 5-5 with loss at Leland

Technical foul call in fourth quarter turns momentum in 58-43 loss to Chargers

By Diego Abeloos
Editor

The Evergreen girls’ basketball team dropped to 5-5 in league play and into a three-way tie for third place following a 58-43 loss on the road to Leland on Feb. 2.

The loss, which came on the heels of two straight wins, dropped the Cougars even with Gunderson and Westmont for third place in the Mt. Hamilton Division. Evergreen’s Krista Frausto led the Cougars with 14 points.

Evergreen's Alexa Marquez looks to pass the ball to a teammate during a 58-43 loss to Leland on Feb. 2. Photos by Dan Miranda

Leading the Cougars by just five points with 4:50 left, the Leland offense got new life when Evergreen head coach Dan Johnson was called for a technical foul for arguing with game officials, resulting in a pair of free throws from Leland’s Kristen Yoshioka. Leland followed up with back-to-back three-pointers in less than one minute of play from Kristen and Meggie Yoshioka, as part of a 12-0 scoring stretch to help seal the game. The momentum-turning call came after Evergreen entered the fourth quarter down 10 points and embarked on a 7-2 scoring run to start the period.

“We played really well for three-and-a-half quarters and then I got a technical (foul) and really cost us a whole lot of momentum,” Johnson said. “It was just a bad technical at the time that really hurt our momentum.”

The technical foul, Leland head coach Wade Nakamura said, gave the Leland offense a spark and broke Evergreen’s momentum.

“It was crucial,” Nakamura said. “It was a tough call. I think (the technical foul) helped fuel us obviously. It gave us two free throws and the ball. We happened to hit two big shots back-to-back which gave us some cushion and some of the momentum that we had lost. It helped us refocus.”

Evergreen trailed throughout the game, as Leland took a 29-20 lead at halftime and extended its’ lead to 10 at the end of the third quarter, in part on an 11-4 scoring stretch midway through the quarter.

Johnson said Leland’s trapping defense caused several turnovers and bad shots by Evergreen, especially at the end of the fourth quarter, during Leland’s 12-o scoring run to seal the outcome. In addition, Johnson said he had hoped to exploit match-up problems in the low post against Leland’s smaller lineup, something that occurred in the earlier portions of the game.

“Against Leland, because they trap and press everywhere, you have to get past that first trap and then you can get down and go to the low post,” Johnson said. “When we did that, we were really successful. For probably about the first three quarters, we were doing pretty well with that. But our weakness was getting past the trap.”

One bright spot in the loss, Johnson said, was the play of freshman Lanyssa Fiaui, who scored 11 points in the loss. Johnson said Fiaui’s play helped keep the Cougars in the game during crucial stretches in the second half, adding that the freshman forward is a player to look out for as she matures in the following seasons.

“She’s growing and learning every day,” Johnson said of Fiaui. “She’s got great basketball skills. Like most freshmen, her weakness is defense, so she’s learning that, but she’s got some great one-on-one skills. She can go inside and shoot outside.”

And while the loss didn’t end Evergreen’s playoff hopes, it certainly clouded the picture with only four games remaining after the loss to Leland, Johnson said. Two of the Cougars’ four remaining games are against teams Evergreen will be battling for third place – Westmont and Gunderson. All told, all four remaining games will have a playoff-type atmosphere, as the Cougars will look to regain momentum after the tough loss to the Chargers, Johnson added.

“The last four (games) are really important for a couple of reasons,” Johnson said. “One, we want to finish as high as we can in league and finish on a good note, and we want to finish with some momentum going into CCS. We can be seeded anywhere between two and eight, depending on what happens the next four games. …We’ve got to finish high and we’ve got to finish with some momentum.”

EVERGREEN SPORTS
SCHEDULES 12-19 to 12-29

Evergreen Valley High sports schedule
2/13 – Boys’ soccer CCS playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/13 – Girls’ soccer CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/14 – Boys’ basketball vs. Piedmont Hills, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
2/14 – Girls’ basketball at Piedmont Hills, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.

2/16 – Boys’ basketball at Santa Teresa, F/S 6 p.m. and varsity 7:30 p.m.
2/16 – Girls’ basketball vs. Santa Teresa, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.

2/20 – Girls’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/20 – Boys’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/23 – Wrestling CCS playoffs begin at Independence, times TBA*

Mt. Pleasant High sports schedule
2/13 – Boys’ basketball vs. Independence, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
2/13 – Girls’ basketball vs. Prospect, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
2/13 – Boys’ soccer CCS playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/13 – Girls’ soccer CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/15 – Girls’ basketball vs. Oak Grove, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.

2/16 – Boys’ basketball at Gunderson, F/S 4:30 p.m. and varsity 7:30 p.m.

2/20 – Girls’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/20 – Boys’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/23 – Wrestling CCS playoffs begin at Independence, times TBA*

Silver Creek High sports schedule
2/13 – Girls’ basketball at Oak Grove, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
2/13 – Boys’ basketball vs. Sobrato, F/S 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.
2/13 – Boys’ soccer CCS playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/13 – Girls’ soccer CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/15 – Girls’ basketball vs. Live Oak, JV 5:30 p.m. and varsity 7 p.m.

2/16 – Boys’ basketball at Live Oak, F/S 6 p.m. and varsity 7:30 p.m.

2/20 – Girls’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*
2/20 – Boys’ basketball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA*

2/23 – Wrestling CCS playoffs begin at Independence, times TBA*


For more information on local games, log on to the BVAL Web site at http://www.bval.org/

For more information about CCS Playoff schedules, go to the CIF/CCS Web site at http://www.cifccs.org/

SPORTS BRIEFS

Evergreen Little League 2007 season signups
Evergreen Little League is accepting registrations now for both our co-ed baseball and girls’ softball programs. Parents may register their children online from the comfort of their home or office and pay by credit card. Email confirmations are mailed immediately to ensure your reserved spot for our 2007 season. Visit our website http://ell-baseball.com to register.

Players are registered based on their “Little League Age.” For baseball, the Little League age is the age of the player on 4/30/2007. For softball, the Little League age is the age of the player on 12/31/2006.

ELL has room for players in all divisions: T-Ball (age 5-6), Pee-Wee (age 7-8), Farm (age 7-9), Minors (age 9-12), Majors (age 10-12), Juniors (age 13-14), Seniors (age 15-16), and Challenger (all ages). Fees for players registered before Jan. 15 are $100 for age 5-6, $110 for age 7-12 and $120 for age 13-16.

We also have girls’ fast pitch softball for ages 6-16. We offer a coach pitch division for age 6-8, Minors for age 9-12, Majors for age 10-12, and Junior/Senior for age 13-16. We want to grow our softball program this year and are looking for coaches and players. Contact softball@ell-baseball.com with questions or president@ell-baseball.com to volunteer to help out.

All fees go up $20 after Jan. 14. All players, ages 8 and older, are requested to tryout.

We also have in-person registration available on Saturday Jan. 6, 13, 20, and 27 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chaboya Middle School’s Band Room. We only accept cash or check at in-person registration; three proofs of residency and original proof of age are required as well (see our website for more details).

BASEBALL TRYOUTS:
Tryouts for Minor and Major Divisions (ages 10-12) will be held at Chaboya Middle School on Jan. 20 and 21 (ages 9-12) on Jan. 27 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tryouts for Farm Division (ages 8-9) will be held at Chaboya Middle School on Jan. 28, and Feb. 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tryouts for Junior and Senior Divisions (age 13-16) will be held at Quimby Oak Middle School on March 3 and 4. Tryouts are not necessary for T-Ball (ages 5-6), and Pee Wee (ages 7-8) Divisions. Check our website http://ell-baseball.com for updates.

SOFTBALL TRYOUTS:
Tryouts for all divisions will be held on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Boggini Park from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pre-Season Clinics: These are intended to prepare players for tryouts and to assist them if they are moving up a level. The focus is on fundamentals, fun, and facts about Little League Baseball or Softball. Pre Season Clinics will be held as follows:

Baseball Pre-Season Clinics:
Saturday, Jan. 6 and 13: 9 a.m. – noon, ages 8-12 at Chaboya

Saturday, Jan. 13: 1 – 4 p.m., ages 13-16 at Quimby

Saturday, Feb. 10: 9 a.m. – noon, ages 13-16 at Quimby

Softball Pre-Season Clinics:
Saturday, Jan. 6 and 13: 9 a.m. – noon, ages 8-12 at Boggini Park

Saturday, Jan. 21: 9 a.m. – noon, ages 13-16 at Boggini Park

We are also looking for volunteer Umpires. If you are interested, please contact Evergreen Little League at (408) 534-1727 or playeragent@ell-baseball.com. We offer hands-on training as well as classroom training if you want to learn how to umpire or just want to brush up on your skills and the knowledge of the rules.

Anyone interested in sponsoring a team this year can contact our sponsorship representative sponsor@ell-baseball.com.

Visit our website at http://ell-baseball.com for updates.

South Valley Pop Warner youth football and cheer signups
South Valley Pop Warner is holding signups for youth football and cheer. Participant ages 5-15 as of 7/31. Signups are from 12-3 p.m. at Round Table on Thornwood Avenue on Feb. 3, Feb.17, March 3, March 17 and March 31. From more information, visit http://www.stpopwarner.org/ or call Bill Vines at (408) 808-1473.

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.

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. Registration deadline is Feb. 28. The season starts March 25, 2007

Visit the Web site for more information and registration: www.valleyflagfootball.com or contact (408) 531-0417 or tmorgan_valleyflag@hotmail.com.

Cougar Wrestling Club signups
The Cougar wrestling club offers athletes the chance to learn wrestling in a safe, clean supervised facility. The club offers Freestyle/Greco Roman wrestling for athletes, grades K-8 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-5 p.m. Open enrollment begins on Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 3:30 p.m. at Quimby Oak Middle School-room 1. The school is located on 3190 Quimby Road, San Jose, CA 95148. There is a $95 club fee, which includes instruction. The club runs from February to May. For more information, contact coach Sam Spengler at Quimby Oak Middle School via email at samspengler@hotmail.com or by phone at (408) 348-2169. Interested parties may also contact coach Ricardo Garcia at (408) 910-5835.

Youth basketball for grades 6 and 7 begins March 9 at Chaboya
Teen Basketball at Chaboya Middle School begins Friday, March. 9, for all interested Evergreen-area boys and girls in sixth and seventh grade, regardless of the school they are attending. Signups will continue until the 80 available slots are full.

There will be one co-ed division of eight teams, and no more than 10 players on each team. It this a “funpetitive” league and everyone plays equal time.

Practices are usually no more than once a week and we are looking for coaches (most coaches practice right before their game). Cost for the league is $90, which includes a game jersey, nine games, a basketball, a participation medal, 1st and 2nd place trophies and facility use.

For more information or to register, phone (408) 270-6939, (408) 605-1513 or (408) 410-3570 and ask for either Allen Ventura or John Franza. You can also stop by Chaboya, or e-mail E.A.S.Y. Hoops Basketball at easyhoopsbasketball@yahoo.com to obtain a registration form.

Silver Creek girls’ soccer overpowers San Jose High, prepares for playoffs

Raiders overcome slow start to earn 6-1 victory

By Ali Abdollahi
Staff Writer

After a defensive error allowed San Jose High to net an early goal, the Silver Creek girls’ soccer team bounced back to earn a convincing 6-1 victory on Feb. 2.

The win gave the Raiders a 10-1-0 record in league play and a 12-4-0 overall record. Falling behind 1-0 in the first ten minutes, Silver Creek coach Ruben Iniguez said he believed that his team may have come into the match too relaxed after a lopsided win over San Jose High earlier in the season.

Senior Alejandra Cardenas prepares to take a shot during Silver Creek’s Feb. 2 game against San Jose High Academy. The Raiders overcame an early deficit to earn a 6-1 win.

“When you have a good team, sometimes you think that you can just go out there and beat the other team real bad,” he said.

Things started out in unpromising fashion for Silver Creek in the first half, as the team missed out converting on as many as a dozen good scoring opportunities, including several shots that went just over the goal.

One missed chance came when Silver Creek missed on a wide-open goal by bouncing the ball off of the right post. A ricochet directly back to the Raiders also went nowhere, as a quick reaction by San Jose High’s defense prevented a second scoring chance.

“I kept telling the girls, ‘We just need one goal,’” Iniguez said.

The Raiders finally broke through late in the first half when sophomore Lauren Carlos dribbled into the right side of the goal box and drove a shot into the left corner of the goal to tie the match 1-1.

Carlos’ goal opened the floodgates for Silver Creek. Senior Alejandra Cardenas managed to dribble through the San Jose defense before scoring to make the score 2-1. Sophomore Bernadette Beetencourt then made the score 3-1 by dribbling past a defender and shooting the ball low past the goalkeeper. The scoring duo struck again when Cardenas sent a long pass to set up Beetencourt’s second goal late in the first half, making the score 4-1 at the half.

Silver Creek came out in the second and managed to put the game out of reach early, starting with Carlos dribbling deep into San Jose High’s side of the field, drawing the goalkeeper to her side before leaving a perfect pass for Cardenas, who converted the easy opportunity for the Raiders’ fifth goal.

Later, Cardenas penetrated the defense with more nibble dribbling before crossing to Beetencourt, who let fly a low, slicing shot that made the score 6-1.

Iniguez noted that Cardenas was instrumental in Silver Creek’s ability to exert control throughout the match, pushing the ball and putting pressure on the San Jose High defense.

“(Cardenas) and Lauren Carlos were really giving great leadership tonight,” said Iniguez.

With the win, the team will now turn its attention toward the postseason.

“Everything is going pretty good right now,” said Iniguez. “We are getting ready probably for a playoff game against Sobrato.”

While getting his team ready for the CCS Playoffs, Iniguez is already thinking about the seniors on the squad he will have to say goodbye to at season’s end.

Said Iniguez, “I have been coaching some of these seniors for six years, since they were in junior high, so I really feel sad that they’re leaving. They have worked very hard to get better and to make good grades.”