June 16, 2006

Evergreen Sports

Fielding dreams

Evergreen Little League Pirates Stahl, Puentes and
company close in on Minor League championship

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Elysia Stahl and Zech Puentes willed the Minor League Pirates into Evergreen Little League's championship with late game heroics versus the Athletics June 10 at LeyVa Middle School.

The Pirates sunk the A's 7-6 with a game clinching run in the final inning, and succeeded in redeeming themselves from a defeat they suffered to the same team in the closing weeks of league play.

"We just tell the players not to get nervous, take a deep breath, and run the words of the coaches through their heads," said Pirates coach Robert Graham. "Everyone gets nervous, but successful players can put that aside and rely on the skills they have trained themselves to gain."

After yielding six runs in as many innings, pitcher Puentes summoned super human force and accuracy from the mound. He retired the final three batters consecutively--tacking an additional three victims onto his 11 total strikeouts on the afternoon--and setting his own stage and Stahl's to save the day with clutch run support.

The 11-year-old standout Stahl, who recently was selected--as was Puentes--as a member of Evergreen's 11-year-old All Star Team this summer, belted a two-run shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the fifth inning that brought the Pirates within one run of the A's 6-5 lead.

The Pirates scored again when they converted on a squeeze play during the sixth inning, evening the score at six runs apiece and affirming Graham's allegiance to teamwork above individual showmanship.

"Pirate baseball is about taking pride in what you are doing and what you are trying to accomplish," said Graham.

"When my players put on their black and gold, they become one unit, like bees. Coach (Fred) Puentes and I encourage the kids to work together to build the hive and attack what tries to harm it."

Stahl led off the sixth and final inning with a walk. She stole second and third with the game on the line, finally settling in scoring position as Puentes approached the plate, according to Graham.

As if determined to inject drama into the hearts of Pirate faithful, Puentes fell behind in the count 2-2. He proceeded to foul off four consecutive pitches amidst screams and jeers from opposing stands. Finally, Puentes ripped a single down the third baseline, and Stahl scored on the walk-off base hit clinching the championship berth for the Pirates.

"This season has truly been more than what Coach Puentes and I had expected," said Graham. "The kids have responded with a great performance every time they have faced an obstacle to overcome."

Graham said that no matter what the outcome of the June 16 championship, the Pirates are indeed the toast of the playoffs this season. He said the season kicked off with a top draft pick opting to quit baseball before the first practice, a decision swiftly followed by rain.

"After losing a top pick, we decided to develop the group as a team, rather than as individuals," Graham.

The Pirates' roster did list six returning veterans including Dani Steinberg, Puentes, Zach Tran, Zach Willis, Stahl, and 9-year-old phenomenon Brandon Campena.

"Stahl, Willis, Puentes, and Campena have all done so much for us this season," said Graham. "Everyone on this team can make plays in the field and from different positions."

According to Graham, Stahl, in fact, leads all league batters with a .724 batting average and has struck out just two times this season.

"Everybody always asks her why she doesn't play softball," said Graham. "I think that drives her internally because she is thinking 'why can't I just play baseball?’"

R.J. Lafala, Brandon Quintana, and Matt Espinoza were also all selected to Evergreen All-Star teams from the Pirate roster.

Chaboya’s Friday Night Basketball League shows moves

Gallagher’s Kings capture crown on shot by Crema

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Chaboya seventh grader Mathew Crema sunk the game winning shot in double overtime, and his Kings outlasted the Mavericks to capture the EASY Hoops Friday Night League title on May 26.

The Evergreen Area Sports for Youth organization’s (EASY) developmental basketball league, designed to expose sixth and seventh graders to pro-grade techniques, culminated in a showdown between the top two teams at Chaboya Junior High after seven weeks of bitter rivalry mounted between the co-ed competitors.

Eight teams slugged it out without fouls until the final two minutes of regulation, in a plan geared toward understanding the game by growing experience.

Kings’ coach Joe Gallagher said that players especially enjoy the Friday Night League because it’s like a hangout.
“Kids will stick around there in the gym all afternoon and evening to watch the other kids play,” he said. “They sit up there and watch two games, play their game, and watch the last game. Everybody has friends on the different teams.”
Gallagher said that he implemented a basic motion offense with the Kings, and that freedom helped inspire camaraderie.

“I gave them a series of four criteria to make decisions with,” said Gallagher. “The best way to set up a motion offense is spacing the kids in six squares. Once you have that in place, players just go down the list. Think, ‘is the shot in your range, where is the defense, check your balance, and shoot.’”

Chaboya seventh grader Madison Gallagher perhaps understood the coach’s orders most clearly. He took charge in the game and throughout the season as the Kings’ playmaker on either end of the court.

“He knows how to play basketball and brings a very solid all around game,” said coach Gallagher. “Madison has developed into a good shooter from the outside and a verbal leader on defense. He made sure kids were doing the right things on the court.”

Standout Kings also included Jansen Avellera—the rebound specialist, Crema—the second most well-rounded player on the team according to coach Alan Lee, and Casey Blum—the defensive dynamo.

Gallagher said Pradheep Khunkhun, Michael Shaver, Kam Sidhu, and Ryan Cuenca also made significant contributions throughout the season.

Crema’s game winner came after the Maverick’s forced a second overtime and managed to foul out Gallagher with the clock running down. With their go-to player relegated to the bench, the Kings rallied defensively and held the Mavericks scoreless from that point on, setting the stage for Crema’s dramatic triumph.

“It’s a great experience; the organizers do a great job of making it fun,” said Gallagher, whose credentials include a National Junior Basketball national title he earned coaching a local NJB outfit this past summer. “They make sure all of the kids actively play and participate. EASY Hoops is a good developmental league for kids who need to come along and get experience before middle school tryouts.”

League co-founder and Chaboya P.E. teacher Allen Ventura said that he and co-founder John Faranza attempt to divide talent up equally to maintain the outcome they desire—developing sound basketball technique.

“We don’t keep stats or individual points; the only thing we count are fouls, so we don’t have a kid hacking away,” said Ventura. “Everybody plays equal playing time. If a kid fouls, we just count the shot as a basket—no free throws until the very end, so they get more playing time.”

Ventura said EASY Hoops caters to the kid hoping to learn better basketball skills.

“It’s about fundamentals,” he said. “We focus on all fundamentals, so the kids will learn them and take them home to practice on their own.”

Evergreen Valley High hands out the hardware to 2006 athletes

On June 1, the Evergreen Valley High School Athletic Directors, coaches, Athletic Booster Club members, athletes and families celebrated the accomplishments of the Cougar Athletes with an awards ceremony in the Gymnasium.

The program was hosted by Herb Lee, EVHS Boys Athletic Director, and Frank Frausto, vice president of the EVHS Athletic Booster Club.

Frausto thanked the EVHS Athletic Booster Club officers, committee heads and Booster Club members for their support. The groups’ support in membership and participation in the concessions stands, Holiday Craft Fair, and golf tournament produced needed funds for the school’s athletic programs.

Some of the programs funded over the years included a year-round athletic trainer, medical supplies and equipment, championship banners, a gym floor cover, tournament travel and fees, volleyball standards and nets, a pitching machine, a baseball/softball fence, field maintenance equipment, and a swim starting system.

From left: Evergreen Valley Athletic Director Herb Lee, Pepsi Scholarship award winners Tony Luu and Melissa Gonzalez, and EVHS Principal Tim McDonough. Photos courtesy of Adele Frausto

In terms of performance on the field, Cougar Athletics had a dynamic 2005-2006 season. Girls’ and Boys’ varsity badminton earned a first place tie in the Mount Hamilton Division. In the Santa Teresa Division, the girls’ placed first in varsity soccer, varsity softball, and earned a first place tie in varsity volleyball. The boys’ also had first place championships in varsity tennis, track and field, as well as water polo.

With championship teams, Evergreen moved up in the standings in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s inaugural Best of the Best All Sports Award for 2005/2006. The award is presented yearly to the school that demonstrated the strongest varsity athletic program for the year. The award is based on league play.

The purpose of the program is to encourage schools to come together for a common goal and to promote interest throughout the program. Points are awarded based on a school’s finish in each varsity program as well as bonus points for sportsmanship. This year Evergreen Valley High School scored 368.037 points and placed sixth out of 22 schools. With this dynamic year, EVHS was named the Most Improved athletic program in the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

At the athletic awards event, Lee called each MVP honoree by sport to acknowledge their contributions to their teams and school.

MVPs
Cross Country - Jessica Gonzales, Cross Country - Jonathon Gragert, Girls’ Tennis - Michelle Nguyen, Boys’ Tennis - Anthony Racynski, Football - Jay Archie

Volleyball - Courtney Taku, Boys’ Water Polo - Klayton Tang, Girls’ Water Polo - Brittany Barry, Boys’ Basketball - Morgan Blakely, Girls’ Basketball - Krista Frausto,

Boys’ Soccer - Jorge Gonzalez and Sergio Romero, Girls’ Soccer - Jennifer Herrera, Girls’ Badminton - Marissa Chan, Boys’ Badminton - Phi Do, Wrestling - Oga Ogamba, Girls’ Swimming - Courtney Chin, Boys’ Swimming - Vincent Pham and Klayton Tang, Boys’ Track and Field - Nathan Goodrich, Girls’ Track and Field - Goldie Ibia, Baseball - Javier Martinez.

Lee took time in the program to acknowledge three outstanding individuals who were responsible for shaping the EVHS Athletic Program into what it is today. The first plaque was the Athletic Directors Award to Principal Tim McDonough for his outstanding leadership, dedication and commitment to the EVHS Athletic Program 2004-2006, the second and third plaques were Coaches Awards to Frank Slaton and Dee Quinet for their commitment and personal sacrifice to the athletes of the East Side Union High School District and Evergreen Valley High School.

The 2006 Evergreen Valley High School Athletes of the Year.

A highlight of the Cougar Athletic Awards are the prestigious Athlete of the Year Awards. Lee and McDonough had the honor of presenting each honoree a plaque to the following individuals:

Athletes of the Year
Freshman Athletes 2006 - Carolyn Pham and Ryan Thomas, Sophomore Athletes 2006 - Caitlin Brennan and Derek Pauli, Junior Athletes 2006 - Krista Frausto and Nate Goodrich, Senior Athletes 2006 - Courtney Taku and Javier Martinez

The evening then concluded with the announcement of the Scholarship awards:

Senior Scholar Athlete 2006
(Awarded a $500 scholarship from the EVHS Athletic Department)
Jennifer Gines and Morgan Blakely

Pepsi Scholarship
(Awarded a $500 scholarship from Pepsi)
Melissa Gonzalez and Tony Luu

Evergreen Valley High School Athletic Booster Club
(Awarded a $1000 scholarship)
Samantha Baker and Dominic Capizzi

Evergreen Valley High JV baseball team takes second place in league

In a rain-shortened season, the Evergreen Valley JV baseball team finished league in second place with an overall record of 15 wins and two losses.

Both defeats came against eventual league champion Piedmont Hills.

The EVHS coaches were very impressed with the players who made the team this season. Coach Skoti Matsui Lim felt “it was a great season of learning and growing together. The potential for the group is limitless.”

Coach Dave Williams echoed those sentiments, adding “the players have a bright future ahead of them at the top high school level of play.”

A number of players on the team are sophomores and because of that, they will likely try out for the varsity team next season.

Creekside Cudas Swim Season Overview

Cudas strive for championship glory once more in 2006

By Ralph and Dona Nichols
Special to the Times

Almost hidden between the postings about life and lost loves on the popular teen website myspace.com is a short, succinct message that sums up the philosophy of many east San Jose families, “Creekside Cudas are awesome.”

Creekside swimmer Alexis Nichols (foreground) and Catherine Westmoreland (red Cudas' swim cap) get ready to perform the backstroke during competition.

All six members of the Walker family are believers. Over the last 15 years, four Walker children have competed on the Cudas’ swim team. Swimming is a family affair for the Walker children who spent their Saturday afternoons crowded around the pool at the Creekside Cabana Club competing in swim meets.

The Walker family is typical of dozens of families who devote the months of June and July to the neighborhood swimming league. Kids start competing before they’re 6 and don’t leave the pool until they’re 18 and ready to go to college. Parents and well-wishers huddle poolside every Saturday to cheer on the kids with religious fervor.

“It’s a great sport, a team sport,” said Steve Walker, who supports the team with wife Diane, the Cudas’ parents’ representative. “The younger kids are as much a part of the team as the older kids.”

Many swimmers have grown up swimming for the Cudas. For example, Leslie Schafer started competing at 11 before coaching the Cudas during college. She took time off to get married and recently returned to coaching the team.

Today, Schafer coaches both boys and girls from 6-and-under to the 15- to 18-year-olds. All of Schafer’s assistant coaches are also Cuda alumni, including Kim Boyer, Paul Santos, Laura Firchow and Yvonne Peredo.

Schafer returned to coaching the team in time to see the Cudas regain their league championship after being shut out for 30 years. The Cudas won the Cabana Swim League title in 2003, the team’s first league championship since 1973.

The Cudas defeated the Almaden Dolphins last year to win their third championship and second in the last three years.

Almaden is the team to beat again this year if the Cudas are to defend the title.

“Almaden has always been our rival,” Schafer said. “Our real competition is against Almaden.”

Almaden posted an undefeated season in 2004 en route to a league championship in a year the powerful Dolphins had 220 swimmers ages 6 to 18 and an experienced coaching staff.

With 150 swimmers this year, the Dolphins are getting a “late start” after a pool renovation cut into the team’s practice time, according to team/parent coordinator Cindy Griffeth.

Despite the lack of practice time, the Dolphins are off to a 2-0 start led by strong swimmers in the older age groups, Griffeth said.

The Cudas have an excellent chance of defending their title this season, according to Schafer.

“We don’t have a weak age group this year as we have in the past,” Schafer said.

The Cudas are on their way to defending their title with a 2-0 record in league competition. They handily defeated the Shadow Brook Sharks on June 10 by more than double the Sharks’ score.

Sean Gray and Claire Karlsson stood out for the Cudas with record-setting performances against the Sharks.

For 13-14 boys, Gray set a record in the 50-yard butterfly of 26:34. In the girls’ 11-12 group, Karlsson set a record of 31:96 in the 50-yard butterfly, breaking Shannon Simonds’ mark of 33:03 set in 2000.

Schafer expects to see lots of record-setting performances this summer for the Cudas, led by team captains Philip Walker, 15-18 group, and Caitlyn Moyles, also in the 15-18 group. The Cudas also have a strong 9-to-10-year-old
girls’ relay team that’s undefeated.

The Cudas also have a secret weapon that may make the difference against rival Almaden. That’s a devoted group of parents and coaches who work tirelessly organizing team events and supporting the swimmers.

“We have a really good coaching staff,” Schafer said.

The Cudas have their largest team in Creekside history with 176 swimmers. Having such a large team is often intimidating to opponents, according to assistant coach Laura Firchow.

Firchow, 19, said this year’s team was so big that she was initially worried the younger swimmers would not get enough practice time in the pool. They are proving her wrong, however.

Firchow started swimming for the Cudas at 7 and competed for 11 years. She was team captain in 2003 before becoming intern coach in 2004.

It’s hard for the veteran swimmer to watch from the sidelines when she’d rather be competing.

“Every swim meet I want to get in the water,” Firchow said.

Firchow’s family has spent plenty of time in the water. Her brother, Kevin, 16, competes on this year’s team, while her mother, JoEllen, volunteers as a parent coordinator.

The Cudas finish their season against Almaden on July 8 followed by the Cabana League Swim Championships on July 15 at Saratoga High School.