April 8, 2005

Evergreen Sports

Cougars win 1-0 softball nailbiter at Independence to reach .500 mark

Holly Dauenhauer tosses shutout to pick up sixth win of the season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Sophomore right-hander Holly Dauenhauer threw a complete game shutout as the Evergreen Valley High School girls softball team held on for 1 – 0 win at Independence High School on April 5.

THE WINDUP. Evergreen Valley’s Holly Dauenhauer revs up for another pitch during the Cougars’ 1-0 win over Independence on April 5. Dauenhauer picked up the win by tossing a complete game shutout, in which she struck out seven batters. Photo by Diego Abeloos

The Cougars came into the game just one game under .500 at 5 – 6 overall, with a 1 – 1 record in the Santa Teresa Division. The win against the 76ers broke a winning drought for the Cougars, who came into the game having lost three of their last four games.

“That’s good softball,” said Evergreen Valley Head Coach Lisa Baker. “We’ve been telling the girls all season that we’ve moved up a league [from West Valley Division in 2004] and every game you’re probably either going to win or lose by a run.”

The Cougar offense went to work early, scoring their only run of the game in the top of the first inning. Catcher Erika Sarabia led off the game with a sharp single and quickly found herself on second base after No. 2 hitter Jessica Nieto was hit by a Linda Fernando pitch.

First baseman Melissa Gonzalez then stepped up and hit a chopper to second base, but 76er second baseman Sarah Sierra went to first base for the putout and on the play, Sarabia managed to score all the way from second base.
“It was the winning run, so at the time it’s was a bit of a fluke,” Baker said. “But it was aggressive base running and [with third base coach Gabriel] Magana sending her home.”

That was all the offense Dauenhauer would need as the sophomore starter cruised through the 76er batting order, allowing only three hits and striking out seven in the entire game. The performance included a stretch where Dauenhauer held the 76ers hitless after the bottom of the fourth inning.

“I just pitched hard and listened to Erika (Sarabia), my catcher,” Dauenhauer said. “I just looked at the hitters and tried to see where their weaknesses were, and I just pitched it there.”

The right-hander did her best work in the last three innings of the game, retiring nine straight batters to pick up her sixth win of the season. After a three-up, three-down bottom of the fifth, Dauenhauer started the bottom of the sixth by striking out leadoff hitter Anita Castillo before coaxing Krista Papa and number three hitter Melissa Blas into routine groundouts to the left side of the infield.

“She came out ready and on,” Baker said of Dauenhauer. “She’s a young pitcher, so it’s really important that she jumps out ahead, and she was on. When she’s on, she’s probably one of the best pitchers in the league, for sure.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Dauenhauer put the finishing touches on the win by striking out Fernando for the first out. Dauenhauer then got some defensive help as Finney dropped down a bunt in front of Sarabia, who quickly pounced on the ball and fired it down to first to get the hustling left fielder out.

Dauenhauer then ended the game by getting Sierra to hit a routine grounder to second base for the final out of the game.

Looking for next American Formula 1 world champion

The 2005 Red Bull Driver Search, which aims to discover the next American Formula 1 world champion, takes place throughout April.

The first phase of the program, Open Qualifying, provides an unparalleled opportunity for young aspirants, aged 13 – 17, to race their way up to Formula 1, starting at their local karting facility.

Lemans Karting in Fremont and Go-Kart Racer in Burlingame are among more than 60 karting centers nationwide hosting Open Qualifying.

Three racers will be selected from each center by May 1 to progress to 2005 Run Offs. On reaching the Run Offs, these young hopefuls will be two steps away from the 2005 Final and an opportunity to win a drive in a junior formula in Europe for 2006 supported by Red Bull.

The Red Bull Driver Search has yielded unprecedented success since its inception. Scott Speed, the 2002 winner, has taken Europe by storm, winning the 2004 German and Eurocup Formula Renault Championships.

Speed is on his way to a maiden campaign in the GP2 Championship for 2005. On the international motor sports ladder, GP2 is just one step below Formula 1, which puts him on the cusp of realizing the Driver Search Program’s ultimate goal of putting an American back in Formula 1.

Now in its fourth year, the Red Bull Driver Search aims to discover and support talented young racing drivers. The long-term goal is to have a steady group of three to six American drivers, racing on the Red Bull Junior Team in Europe, groomed to break into Formula 1 and compete for the World Championship.

For more information about Open Qualifying, contact James Smith at Lemans Karting, (510) 770-9001, www.lemanskarting.com, in Fremont or Steve Markulin at Go Kart Racer (650) 692-7223, ext. 11, www.gokartracer.com, in Burlingame.

Stanford and Windermere host largest rowing regatta on West Coast April 9-10

Stanford University and Windermere Real Estate will be hosting the third annual Windermere Collegiate Crew Classic, expected to be the largest rowing regatta of its kind on the West Coast, on Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Held at Redwood Shores in Redwood City, this invitational rowing regatta and community festival will feature more than 130 races between the nation’s top universities, local rowing clubs and high school teams.

With teams competing from 18 colleges and more than a dozen Bay Area clubs and highs schools, the third annual Windermere Collegiate Crew Classic is expected to draw thousands of rowing enthusiasts and community supporters to watch the races and enjoy the free community along the banks of Redwood Shores. Food, beverage and activities will be available.

For more information, racing schedule and directions, visit www.windermere.com/events.

Evergreen resident runs towards her goals

Khrystal Carter’s high expectations, hopes evident on and off the track

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Khrystal Carter knows a thing or two about setting lofty goals.

Carter, a junior at Valley Christian who grew up in Evergreen, has been making strides in the classroom and on the track as a sprinter for the Valley Christian girls’ track and field team.

While Carter may not be a well-known name for many, her peers and coaches have taken notice of her abilities and drive to succeed.

“She’s our most visible track athlete and she’s a natural leader,” said Valley Christian Head Track and Field Coach Greg Marshall.

As a sophomore in 2004, Carter set West Catholic Athletic League records in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, clocking in at a swift 12.22 seconds for the 100 meter event and at 24.96 seconds in the 200 meter.

Those astonishing numbers were rewarded with Carter’s selection as the Sprinter of the Year in 2004 in the Central Coast Section and a No. 4 ranking in the state for the indoor 200-meter dash. Although these accomplishments are enough to satisfy others, Carter is by no means finished setting her mark in track and field.

“I just really love the sport,” said Carter, who took up track at Liberty Baptist School. “I want to see what I can do in the future with it. I want to take it to the next level. I don’t want it to just stop at high school.”

To that end, Carter has set some lofty expectations. After finishing the 2004 season, she took a month off before embarking on a rigorous training regimen with Marshall that stressed flexibility, proper running techniques and building muscle strength. Training right up to the start of the 2005 track season, Carter made a simple goal for herself – get faster.

“She continuously works on her power numbers,” Marshall said of Carter. “There’s speed, power and technique. Those are the three things an athlete has to improve on to compete.”

Hard work is something Carter is accustomed to. Aside from her dedication to the Valley Christian track team and her own goals on the field, Carter has also excelled in the classroom, posting a 4.0 grade-point average in the fall semester.

She hopes to parlay her success in the classroom and on the track by going to UCLA, where she wants to run track and take pre-med classes.

“Right now, “I’m hoping to go to any school, but I really want to go to UCLA.”
How realistic is Carter’s dream?

“Done. It’s done,” said Marshall. “Obviously she hasn’t signed anywhere, but her performances academically and athletically make that dream a reality.”

Although it’s Carter herself who puts in the hard work, she said she’s glad to have a solid support system around her. Her mom Carmen and sister Janelle attend each meet regularly.

“She’s very passionate about track, and she’s really interested in going on to the Olympics,” said Carmen. “She got a little taste of that because she ran a 200-meter exhibition race at the Olympic trials in Sacramento last year and came home with a medal. It was very exciting.”

Janelle Carter, who was a track athlete at Archbishop Mitty and who is now a student at Santa Clara University, often pulls her younger sibling aside before and after events to offer advice and words of encouragement.

“She’s just balanced,” Marshall said of Carter. “…That’s what makes coaching her so much fun. Her family supports her in the right way and allows me to coach.”

Carter also draws inspiration from her late father, Van Carter, who was killed nearly five years ago in an automobile accident. Carter said she initially got interested in track because of her father’s and sister’s experiences as track athletes.

“It’s mostly my dad,” said Carter about her drive to keep improving herself on the track. “I know he would have really enjoyed watching me run … I do my best to try and make him proud.”

Marshall said her personal tragedy and a good sense of reality help keep Carter grounded in the competitive world of track and field.

This summer, Carter hopes to become a part of the Junior World Team, a group of amateur track athletes ages 19 and under who compete against teams from other countries. Carter is in a pool of several other top-notch track athletes from around the United States and is awaiting a possible selection to the team in May.

“If anything, what it keeps in front of her is that she has to take advantage of opportunities in life,” Marshall said.

“Life is finite … these opportunities might not always be in front of her.”

Mt. Hamilton Voltage wins MACSA Futsal Soccer Championship

The Mt. Hamilton Voltage Girls U12 soccer team won the MACSA Futsal Indoor Soccer League Championship March 25 by defeating the Central Valley Habaneros with a score of 4 – 3.

This win catapults the team to the California State Championship tournament in May.

Ruby Carino and Dan Silva coached the indoor team, which finished the regular and playoff season with a record of 9 wins and 2 losses; scoring 79 goals and only letting-in 23 goals.

The team now competes for the Santa Clara Sporting Club. For more information, go to the Web at: www.voltageteam.org.

The Mt. Hamilton Voltage Girls U12 Soccer Team are, pictured from left, (Back row) Kelsey Foo, Desiree Escalante, Desirae Sanchez, Maya Rajan and Jocelynn Topete: (Front row) Alicia Silva, Hawa Kamara, Emily Harrington, Ashley Williamson, Nelly Corral and Cindy Mayoral.

Photo by Anthony Sanchez