June 30, 2006

Evergreen Sports

Leo Olmscheid to head Evergreen football

Cougars look to extend football tradition despite Quinet’s departure

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Evergreen Valley hopes hiring defensive mastermind Leo Olmscheid will thrust its budding football program into the area’s elite, following the departure of legendary leader Dee Quinet in June.

New EVHS head football coach Leo Olmscheid has taken over the reigns of the football program from his former high school coach, Dee Quinet, who retired from coaching following the 2005-06 season. Photo by Jeff Frazee

The Cougars reportedly hired within by appointing Olmscheid, who was a longtime Quinet disciple, starring on Quinet’s first ever Mount Hamilton Division championship team in 1986, across East San Jose at Piedmont Hills, before joining him later on the sidelines.

“We left Piedmont together to coach Evergreen,” said Olmscheid.

Olmscheid coached defensive backs on Quinet’s inaugural Evergreen staff whose mission was simple: hand down winning tradition that helped build Piedmont Hills into a section power during the 1980s and 1990s to a brand new school on the same side of town.

The duo quickly developed Evergreen into a contender. The Cougars evolved from a green roster dominated by underclassmen during its first two years, into a Santa Teresa Division competitor and CCS playoff qualifier.

However, the job is not through, according to Olmscheid. He envisions Evergreen as a top public school, in terms of football talent, and said he hopes to guide the Cougars into the A-League Mount Hamilton Division within the next few years.

“The way they have it set up is good,” he said. “It lets the schools that can handle the extra pressure compete on the weekly basis. We want to compete every Friday night.”

Olmscheid said the team has already witnessed gains in the weight room and in 7-on-7 drills during daily summer workouts, which he holds.

“Right now we are out there everyday, five days a week, working out and lifting weights,” he said. “We need to get stronger and quicker. I have high expectations for these guys. I think they are going to step up to the plate.”

In the beginning
Olmscheid returned to Piedmont Hills after two seasons when the opportunity presented itself for him to control defensive schemes at his alma mater.

“I don’t honestly know if my work with Coach Quinet had anything to do with me getting the job,” said Olmscheid. “I can say that I learned a lot of stuff from him as a player and as a coach, but you also learn a lot of stuff from other coaches and by working with your players. I wouldn’t say I am a protégé, but he did give me my first coaching opportunity.”

Recalling his first interview as a football staffer, Olmscheid said Quinet left him a phone message after learning that his former star fullback and linebacker had left architectural school in Arizona and returned home to San Jose.

“I was working for a drafter and an architect up in Redwood City, and doing some stuff at West Valley,” said Olmscheid. “I came home and there was a message on the answering machine. Quinet called my house up and asked if I wanted to try coaching.”

Olmscheid determined that Quinet’s gesture was an opportunity to re-enter a world that he had adored as a kid, playing tackle football in the streets until the streetlights came on, and which had helped define his character in adult life.

“Football is about discipline and team work,” said Olmscheid. “Disciplined, meaning that there is a goal at hand and you know as a player and coach there are certain things that you need to get there. And team work: meaning that you rely on those you trust to help you along the way.”

He said camaraderie is in fact his favorite aspect of the game.

“It’s a special bond you share with the guys on the football team,” said Olmscheid. “Right now they are out there during the summer sweating hard. You look at league championships and playoffs: those are things you remember forever and ever. I still talk about those things. It’s a simple fact of the game. I just love that game. Without it, a lot of guys wouldn’t make it through high school.”

Nuts and bolts
Evergreen will rely on quickness of feet and mind to compete initially.

Olmscheid said he will import an attacking over-under scheme on the defensive side of the ball, which caters to anchor tenants Quentin Scott, Larry Lacotti, Nathan Goodrich and Gabe Delgado.

“We need a lot of speed,” said Olmscheid. “Even our defensive lineman will be faster, quicker guys. Usually we don’t have guys who are very big, so it’s about being able to win blitzing off the edge. We try to keep them guessing.”

Offensively, Olmscheid vows to make it interesting in the air, utilizing a pro-style passing attack. Currently two juniors, Derek Pauli and Gabe Rodriguez, are in the midst of a quarterback battle to be determined at the season’s start; however, Olmscheid said that no matter who wins the majority of snaps, wide receivers Lacotti and Goodrich will put up big numbers, as will running back Scott.

Delgado, meanwhile, is reportedly the heart and soul of the team on both sides of the ball.

“So far Gabe has been stepping up as a vocal leader on this team,” said Olmscheid. “We need to gel together. We graduated a lot of senior offensive lineman—Gabe is the only one coming back that had quality playing time. We are working out hard right now. I think Quinet did a great job of starting a great tradition. It’s my job to take it to the next level. Continuing the tradition is going to be big feat, and then reaching that next level.”

The Cougars (7-3, 4-2) finished third in the B-league Santa Teresa Division in 2005.

SPORTS BRIEFS

Officials needed for high school sports
FERMAR Corporation, which contracts with high schools in Santa Clara County, is recruiting officials for high school athletics. Officials are needed for fall season sports such as football, volleyball and field hockey.

Men and women are encouraged to apply. No experience is necessary, as FERMAR will provide training through classes, clinics and tests. All training materials are provided.

Officials are paid $32-$61 per game, depending on the sport and level of competition. Additional opportunities to officiate youth and adult sports are also available.

Interested parties are encouraged to call FERMAR at (408) 567-1700.

Cheer coaches needed for South Valley Pop Warner
Cheer coaches are needed for South Valley Pop Warner. If you're interested in joining a team of outstanding coaches, please call Tiana Zarate at (408) 464-3285 or Teresa Smith at (408) 603-8280, or go to http://www.stpopwarner.org

37th Annual Evergreen Invitational Golf Tournament at the Villages Golf and Country Club set for July 21 and 22
The 37th Annual Evergreen Invitational Golf Tournament will be held at the Villages Golf and Country Club on July 21 and 22, 2006. This major annual event offers a unique opportunity to present your business to the entire Villages Community and to many other communities in the Bay Area through exposure to many invited guests.

The Villages is a Bay Area award-winning, active adult community, with over 4,200 residents and professional adults. Each year at this time, The Villages invites members of the local business community to assist in the sponsorship of this Villages event.

All sponsors will be prominently posted at the clubhouse and in our printed brochure. Individual sponsors are also displayed at various tee areas throughout the golf course. The Villages would like to invite you to become a sponsor of this event. The sponsor participation categories are:

Platinum Sponsor ($2500) - display located at practice and all 18 holes as well as a large listing in the sponsor's brochure

Gold Sponsor ($1000) - display located at practice Putting Green /Driving Range/Clubhouse area and a medium listing in the sponsor's brochure

Silver Sponsor ($500) - display located at practice Putting Green /Driving Range/Clubhouse area and a small listing in the sponsor's brochure

Bronze Sponsor ($200) - display located at a dedicated hole and a business card size listing in the sponsor's brochure
For more information, contact Ken Peters, Evergreen Tournament Chairman, at (408) 270-4002

Dance Theatre International Summer Showcase held June 11

Evergreen is home to a talented troupe of youth dancers.

Dance Theatre International held its Summer Showcase on June 11. The joy of the students and the delight of the viewing audience were evident in each of the more than 30 dances presented. From the tiny three-year olds doing their first plié to music in front of proud parents, to the ultra-modern piece choreographed by Yannis Adoniou of Kunst-Stoff, the audience was treated to the progression of training and a level of professionalism that took the Showcase well beyond “just a recital.”

It was a mixed performance showcasing the variety and depth of talent being developed in our local youth. The discipline and technique of classical ballet was evident in the grace of the smallest dancers, and even in the exuberance of the hip-hop performers. A variety of dance forms were represented: tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, and ballet.

Back Row: Lauren Trevino, Jessica Lind, Cody Gibson and Jackie Caine. Front row: Casey Krygier, Alyssa Friend, Christi Lind, Lindsey Sexton and Janey Lee.

For many of the dancers, the Showcase was their last time to be with their fellow dance students before going off for summer activities. Many dancers will study at Dance Theatre International in its world-class Ballet Intensive; others will go to San Francisco or New York to study with the San Francisco Ballet, the School of American Ballet, or the American Ballet Theater. They will return from their summer ready to audition for The Nutcracker – a magical performance also to be held locally in early December.

Evergreen Valley Performing Arts Center is a remarkable venue, a modernized version of the Montgomery Theater, large enough to hold a professional performance; small enough for all seats to be prime. The dancers were treated to a quality backstage experience, and the audience was treated to professional lighting, sound, and entertainment.

Dance Theatre International, located in Evergreen Village, is owned by Maggie Ferla and Xavier Ferla, who danced to acclaim worldwide and deliver their mission of fostering lifelong love for the arts through positive experiences building children's confidence, focus, artistry, and grace needed for success in their future years. Based on the performance on the 11th, they are achieving their mission.

Several Evergreen area athletes to play in 32nd Annual
Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game

A total of five graduated Evergreen area football players have been selected to represent their high schools in the 32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game on Wednesday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m. at San Jose City College.

They will join the South team, which is trying to add an 18th overall win against the North Squad, which currently holds 12 wins total. The teams are composed of the best graduating high school football players in the Silicon Valley.

Javier Mejia, a 6-1, 230 pound offensive/defensive lineman, was named Second Team All League (Defense) Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Mount Pleasant Cardinals recognized him as their Most Outstanding Defensive Player. He will be attending De Anza College in the fall.

“Javier is a good lineman. He’s a tough offensive lineman with the ability to punish defensive lineman. He was definitely one of the standout players at Mount Pleasant,” said South head coach Jason Tenner.

David Carranza, a 6-0, 180 pound linebacker/ tight end, was named First Team All League in the Blossom Valley Athletic League. The Silver Creek Raiders awarded him Most Valuable Player and Mister Intensity. Carranza is also a Scholar Athlete. He is undecided in his plans for the fall.

“David is a natural athlete with an uncanny ability to defeat multiple blockers and find his way to the football,” said Tenner.

Chris Collins, a 6-1, 180 pound defensive back for Silver Creek, was named Second Team All League BVAL. He has received the Scholar Athlete Award for the past four years. He is undecided in his plans for the fall.

“Chris is a tough hard nosed corner capable of dropping the hammer and stopping the run as well as dropping back into man or zone coverage,” said Tenner. “He is aware of what is going on the field and responds well to the opposing offensive changes.”

Jake Manzano, a 6-1, 270 pound offensive/ defensive lineman, was named Second Team All Mercury News (OL), First Team All League (OL) in the Blossom Valley Athletic League for the third year in a row, and League Most Outstanding Lineman. The Evergreen Valley Cougars awarded him Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman for the fourth year in a row. Manzano also received the Certificate of Recognition for academics. He is undecided in his plans for fall.

“Jake is a talented big man who makes the man across from him disappear,” said Tenner. “He is one of those players that doesn’t give up on the play and battles it out until the whistle is blown.”

Joe Duran, a 5-10, 215 pound defensive lineman/ running back, received the Most Valuable Player award from the Cougars his sophomore year. He will be attending San Jose State University in the fall.

“Joe is an athletic down lineman, capable of defeating blocks and wreaking havoc in offensive backfields,” said Tenner. “He really gets in there and disrupts the offenses running game.”

Charlie Wedemeyer is a former college football player and the 1960’s “Prep Player of the Decade” in Hawaii. He attended Punahou Academy and Michigan State University on athletic scholarships.

In 1977, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and was give three years to live. He is still alive today and is the founder of the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach. The program’s mission is to fight ALS. He will be at the game to encourage players and show his support for this grand tradition.

Past stars include former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman; former San Francisco 49er Jeff Garcia, Brent Jones, and Carl Monroe; former Dallas Cowboy Doug Cosbie; and current 49er Jeff Ulbrich.

Tickets for the 32nd Annual Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game are $15 and can be purchased at the San Jose Box Office. All proceeds from the game will benefit the Charlie Wedemeyer Family Outreach and other local charities. For more information about this event, visit www.youthclassic.org.

New-look Evergreen Valley boys’ basketball team gears up for A-league challenge

Move to Mt. Hamilton Division, coupled with departure of six seniors leaves
Cougars with several questions to answer during summer league play

By Diego Abeloos
Editor

What a difference a few short months can make.

When the Evergreen Valley boys’ basketball season ended in February, the Cougars found themselves having completed another successful year with an 11-3 record in the Santa Teresa Division, good for second place, and another CCS Playoff run.

Now, with summer league basketball action underway, the Cougars are a vastly different squad with a horde of unfamiliar faces who have gotten off to a respectable 3-2 start this summer.

“The kids have been playing really well,” Cougars head coach Dennis Fernandez said following a loss to St. Francis on June 27. “Our (wins), we’ve won by 30 and two by 25. So, they’re doing things defensively that the team last year wasn’t doing. They’re a little more aggressive and there’s a little more anticipation happening.”

The upcoming 2006-07 season will feature almost an entirely new starting lineup, after the Cougars lost a total of six seniors, including four starters, in Morgan Blakely, Gurchet Sanghera, Thinh Nguyen, Steve Brass, Rishi Shah and Steven Yasutake. Of those, the Cougars also lost a combined average of more than 37 points in scoring per game in the departed trio of Blakely, Sanghera and Nguyen. Coupled with the Cougars’ move into the more competitive Mt. Hamilton Division, Fernandez said he’s hoping for a .500 season out of his new batch of players.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge,” Fernandez said of the move up to the Mt. Hamilton Division.

Still, Fernandez will see the return of starting center Derek Pauli, who as a sophomore last season posted 7.1 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. Fernandez said Pauli improved throughout the regular season last season, and sees the greatest change in the six-foot, seven-inch center’s defense in the low post.

“I think defensively he’s improved immensely, no question,” Fernandez said of Pauli. “Now he’s closing out on people. Before, he was trying to jump up in the air and block shots, and people would go by him. Now he’s closing out and he’s making them either adjust their shot or pass it to somebody else. Those are intangibles. The people in the stands, they don’t always get that, but I’m looking at it and saying, ‘okay, that guy would’ve scored last year on him. Now he’s not. Now he’s kicking the ball out or shooting an errand shot.’”

Still, despite the changes and with no set starters aside from Pauli established, some holdovers from last year’s squad remain in Billy Miller, Andrew Kim and Domingo Candelas. Coupled with a plethora of new blood from the frosh/soph team, Fernandez expects his team to run a fast-paced, up-and-down tempo on both defense and offense throughout the season.

“We’ll be a little more aggressive this year, both offensively and defensively,” Fernandez said. “But we’ll try to play under control as much as we can.”

Of the players new to the varsity level for the Cougars is a familiar name in Khoi Nguyen, the younger brother of standout point guard Thinh Nguyen. Khoi Nguyen, according to Fernandez, will be looked upon as an eventual consistent scoring threat for the Cougars. In summer league action so far, the incoming junior has acquitted himself well, scoring 31 points in his first game. Fernandez said he sees some similarities with Khoi’s older brother, but also some differences.

“He’s not as aggressive defensively, but offensively, he’s very demanding of the ball,” Fernandez said of Khoi. “He makes things happen. He’s very creative on the court.”

Fernandez said he hopes to be able to groom Khoi into the on-court leader Thinh was for the varsity team.

“You’d hope there’s some of genetics working there,” Fernandez said. “I already know he works hard, so it’s just a matter of how aggressive he’s going to be.”

Cudas come through swimmingly with another win

By Ralph Nichols
Special to the Times

A devoted group of soccer fans huddled around a small TV set. Mexico and Argentina were tied 1-1 in an all-important game at the World Cup Soccer Finals.

Oblivious to the soccer game, fans of the Creekside Cudas cheered their favorite swimmers on to a lopsided 324-156 victory over the CrossGate Gators.

The win keeps the Cudas undefeated in their quest to win their second straight Cabana Swim League title and their third championship in the last four years.

With this weekend off, the Cudas have extra time to prepare for their pivotal dual meet against rival Almaden Dolphins on July 8. Creekside defends its title July 15 at the Cabana League Swim Championships at Saratoga High School.

Creekside’s win over the Gators was decided early after the Cudas compiled a decisive lead. The final result was not in question, only the final score.

“They had some very good relay teams,” said Cuda coach Leslie Schafer.

The Gators came to Creekside having pulled off an upset over Almaden. The Cudas were not intimidated, however, and turned in a variety of record-setting performances.

Connor Stilwell set an all-time Creekside record of 27.06 in the boys’ 11-12-year-old 50-yard freestyle. Schafer’s son, Jake, came close to a record in the boys’ 11-12-year-old 50-yard backstroke and Melissa Madrid turned in a strong showing in the girls’ 9-10-year-old 25-yard butterfly.

“We had some of our best times Saturday which is unusual because we are in the middle of our schedule and it’s summer and some are on vacation,” Schafer said.

Soccer fans divided their time between portable TV sets and the swimming pool. Cuda fans had plenty to cheer about, even more than Mexico fans, who saw their team lose 2-1 to Argentina.

Jennifer Oparowski set a record of 30.72 in the women’s 15-18-year-old 50-yard butterfly while Isabel Velez set a record of 31.16 in the girls’ 6 and younger 25-yard backstroke and Mason Stride set a season record in the boys’ 6 and younger 25-yard backstroke.

First Tee of San Jose Parent/Child Golf Tournament a rousing success

Windermere Town & Country Properties and the East Valley FamilyYMCA kicked off the First Tee of San Jose Parent/Child Golf Tournament on Father’s Day as sponsors of this charitable event.

Taking place at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course in San Jose, the event began with a putting contest for the parent/child teams following with the main tournament beginning at 11a.m.

Hosting 24 teams, each received goodie bags from the East Valley YMCA and polo shirts courtesy of Windermere Town & Country Properties. Event winners for the tournament were the Gordon twosome (Shaun and Mike) in third place, the Lopez twosome in second place, with the Gonzalez twosome rounding out the day finishing first.

Proceeds from the tournament went to help The First Tee of San Jose provide low cost golf instruction to youth in the community, ages 7 – 18 years of age. The total amount fundraised has not yet become available.

About The First Tee of San Jose
A chapter of The First Tee, a World Golf Foundation initiative, The First Tee of San Jose is dedicated to providing young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop through golf, character, education and life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. Low cost Instructional programs are offered to youth at Rancho del Pueblo Golf Course, a nine-hole course owned by the City of San Jose. Scholarship aid is also available to those who need financial assistance. For more information, go to www.thefirstteesanjose.org