May 5, 2006

Evergreen Sports

Evergreen baseball takes 12-0 win over rival Silver Creek

Cougars keep pace with Piedmont Hills for two-way tie atop Santa Teresa Division

By Diego Abeloos
Editor

The Evergreen Valley baseball squad continued its torrid pace in the Santa Teresa Division on May 1, posting a lopsided 12-0 win over neighborhood rival Silver Creek.

Silver Creek freshman starting pitcher Taylor Crawford took the loss in a 12-0 decision at home to the Evergreen Valley Cougars. Silver Creek dropped to 0-13 in Santa Teresa Division play with the loss. Photos by Diego Abeloos

The win improved the Cougars’ record to 11-2 in league play, keeping pace with rival Piedmont Hills. Both teams currently are tied for first place in the division and will square off in a doubleheader showdown on May 5. Scores from those games were not available at press time.

“I told the guys to come in here and not to take any team lightly,” Evergreen head coach Al Lopez said. “Just keep doing what they’re supposed to do, with pitchers throwing strikes and hitters putting the ball in play. Just don’t do anything out of the ordinary.”

Meanwhile, Silver Creek continued to struggle through a rough season. The loss set Silver Creek’s league record at 0-13. Raiders head coach George Verdugo said his team is young, pointing to the fact that nearly half of the roster consists of freshmen, and that the JV and varsity teams were combined this season because of a lack of players. Still, Verdugo said he hopes that the rough 2006 season will be a learning experience for his young squad, giving the players some varsity experience to take with them in future seasons.

“These guys went out there and competed, and that’s all I ask of them, to go out and compete,” Verdugo said of his team. “…What I want from these guys is to go out on the field, and play the best they can. Whatever the ability is, it’s just to play the best they can, and see where everything lies after that.”

Evergreen’s offense went to work early and often in the win, starting with a four-run first inning, which included a two-RBI hit from third baseman Kyle Aganad. Jeremy Ormonde and Steve Brass also drove in one run each in the inning.

The Cougars added a single run in the second inning of Silver Creek freshman starter Taylor Crawford on an hit from second baseman Javier Martinez, before scoring twice more in the fourth, with Aganad driving in his third run of the game and Martinez recording his second RBI.

Cougars' starting pitcher Paul Aldrich picked up the win in a 12-0 decision at Silver Creek on May 1, tossing six shutout innings in which the right-hander allowed just six hits while striking out seven.

Meanwhile, Evergreen starting pitcher Paul Aldrich navigated through the Raiders’ lineup, allowing six hits and striking out seven through six innings for the win.

“It’s been a while since he’s had a chance to pitch,” Lopez said of Aldrich. “We finally got him some innings, and he showed that he was hungry to throw the ball today. He took advantage of his start today by throwing some strikes and putting his defense to work, and he did that.”

Leading 7-0 after four innings, the Cougars put the game out of reach with a three-run fifth inning and a two-run seventh.

In the fifth, shortstop Marcus Juarez laced a one-out double to leftfield, scoring Aldrich and advancing Brass to third. Aldrich started the inning with a double to leftfield, while Brass drew a walk. After Tinh Nguyen was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Aganad stepped up and delivered once more, driving a single to leftfield, knocking in both Juarez and Brass.

In the seventh, holding a 10-0 lead, the Cougars added two more runs, getting a two-out triple from Martinez to score Aganad, before Loren Deadmand drove Martinez in with a single to centerfield.

Aganad finished the day 4-for-5 with 5 RBIs, while Juarez aided the offense with a 4-for-5 effort and one run driven in. Martinez also finished the day with an impressive line, going 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.

“These guys love to swing the bat,” Lopez said of his squad. “That’s what they’re pretty much here to do. They always want to hit, and since our defense is coming around, we can concentrate on a little more hitting now.”

EVERGREEN SPORTS SCHEDULES
April 8 to April 19

*Note: for baseball and softball, only varsity games are listed because of space constraints. All JV games are played at the opposite site of varsity at the same time, unless otherwise noted

Evergreen Valley High sports schedule
5/8 – Badminton League Finals at Independence, time TBA

5/9 – Softball at Independence, 3:30 p.m.*

5/11 – Track BVAL Championships at Mt. Pleasant, time TBA
5/11 – Softball vs. Piedmont Hills, 3:30 p.m.*

5/12 – Baseball vs. Mt. Pleasant, 3:30 p.m.*
5/12 – Swimming CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA
5/12 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 1 p.m.

5/15 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 2:30 p.m.

5/16 – Badminton CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA

5/17 – Softball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA
5/17 – Baseball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA


Mt. Pleasant High sports schedule
5/8 – Golf CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA
5/8 – Badminton League Finals at Independence, time TBA

5/9 – Softball at Branham, 3:30 p.m.*

5/10 – Baseball vs. Piedmont Hills, 3:30 p.m.*

5/11 – Track BVAL Championships at Mt. Pleasant, time TBA
5/11 – Softball vs. Santa Teresa, 3:30 p.m.*

5/12 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 1 p.m.
5/12 – Baseball at Evergreen, 3:30 p.m.*
5/12 – Swimming CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA

5/15 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 2:30 p.m.

5/16 – Badminton CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA

5/17 – Softball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA
5/17 – Baseball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA


Silver Creek High sports schedule
5/8 – Badminton League Finals at Independence, time TBA

5/10 – Softball at Yerba Buena, 3:30 p.m.*
5/10 – Baseball vs. Del Mar, 3:30 p.m.*

5/11 – Track BVAL Championships at Mt. Pleasant, time TBA

5/12 – Softball vs. James Lick, 3:30 p.m.*
5/12 – Swimming CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA
5/12 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 1 p.m.

5/15 – Boys’ tennis BVAL singles and doubles tournament at Mt. Pleasant, 2:30 p.m.

5/16 – Badminton CCS Playoffs begin, times and sites TBA

5/17 – Softball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates TBA
5/17 – Baseball CCS Playoffs begin, times and dates 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 contests, go to http://www.cifccs.org

Sports Briefs

BVAL Golf Tournament set for May 8
The Blossom Valley Athletic League will host the BVAL Golf Tournament on May 8 at the Almaden Golf and Country Club. All proceeds from the event will go to BVAL member schools’ athletic programs. Players’ fees are $200 per person, and sponsorship packages are also available for interested parties.

Check-in time and lunch for the event begins at 11 a.m., with players set to tee off at 12:30 p.m. Dinner and a silent auction follows the tournament.

For more information about the BVAL Golf Tournament, please call 265-5409.

South Valley Pop Warner signups
South Valley Pop Warner is having sign-ups for Football & Cheer for all boys and girls ages 5-15 [as of 07/31/06]. Signups dates are: 05/06, 05/13, 05/20 and 05/27 - at the Round Table located on Thornwood Ave. [behind Oakridge Mall] from 12-3 p.m. Please contact Bill Vines at (408) 781-6699 or Coronel Smith at (408) 679-7739 for more information, or go to http://www.stpopwarner.org.

Citywide Youth Track Meet set for May 21
Track athletes ages 9-14 have an opportunity to participate in a citywide Track and Field Meet that may qualify them to compete in the largest youth sports program of its kind in North America, the Hershey Youth Program.

The City of San José, Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services and the San Jose Police Amateur Athletic Association sponsor this free event annually. The event is a qualifier meet for the upcoming Nor Cal Hershey State Track and Field Meet and a stop on the road to the National Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Track events include the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Meter, and 4 x100 Meter relay. Field events include the standing long jump and softball throw.

The meet will take place on Sunday, May 21, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Evergreen Valley High School, located at 3300 Quimby Road, San Jose.

Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. For more information and registration forms, please contact Joe Albayalde at joe.abayalde@sanjoseca.gov or Lily Ponce at lily.ponce@sanjoseca.gov. Both can also be reached at 369-3900. Registration will also be accepted on the day of the event between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

Almaden United U12 Girls Soccer Team Looking for Players
The Almaden United, a Girls Under 12, strong Class 3 team, applying for Class 1 in the fall season, is looking for players for the spring and fall '06 seasons. Date of birth should be between August 1, 1994 and July 31, 1996. Please contact Jeff Pine at pine@apple.com or 391-7542 for more information.

Silver Creek wrestling team captain Michael Rico signs with UC Davis

Silver Creek wrestler and 2006 CCS Champion Michael Rico - pictured with assistant Coach Valentino Esquivel, left, and head Coach Eddie Luna, right, after placing 7th in the 2006 CIF State wrestling championships - will most likely compete at 149 lbs. for the UC Davis Aggies. Rico a 4-year varsity lettermen and scholar athlete, will major in civil engineering.

San Jose Evergreen NJB 7th Grade All-Net Girls’ Basketball Team receive commendation

The San Jose Evergreen NJB 7th Grade All-Net Girls’ Basketball Team and their coaches were honored at San Jose City Hall on May 2 with a special commendation from the City Council.

The Evergreen team, known as the Lady Jordans, won first place in the Silicon Valley Regional Tournament held in mid-March at Valley Christian High School. This championship qualified them for the “And 1” bracket ((the the top-level bracket) of the NJB All-Net National Tournament held in Orange County, March 24 through 26.

The San Jose Evergreen NJB 7th Grade All-Net Girls’ Basketball Team: (bottom row, from left to right) Jazmine Davis, Ashley Watson, Raquel Orosa, Amanda Tsukamoto, and Shalyla McPhearson. (Top row, from left to right) Coach Nadine Watson, Desirae Sanchez, Brianna Cotton, Chelsea Punian, Victoria Cairns, Coach Oliver Davis and Lisa Woodson.

The team won three consecutive games against Porterville, Corona, and Tustin reaching the National Finals. The team ended their season with a second place finish at the National Tournament. The Lady Jordan’s overall record for the season was 18-3.

The team was coached by Oliver Davis and Nadine Watson. The roster consisted of the following 11 players: Victoria Cairns, Brianna Cotton, Jazmine Davis, Shayla McPhearson, Raquel Orosa, Chelsea Punian, Allesandra Real, Desirae Sanchez, Amanda Tsukamoto, Ashley Watson and Lisa Woodson. Both coaches, as well as five of the girls, had been together the year before on the Evergreen sixth grade All-Net team. Most of the new new girls play for local middle school teams.

Upon their return from Orange County, the team celebrated their season with a Hummer limo ride that took them to Malibu Grand Prix in Redwood City. Many of the girls are continuing to play basketball for various AAU teams in the Silicon Valley through the spring, but will be ready to play together again once eighth grade NJB All-Net starts in the fall.