Well, Coach Mike Monsees had a pretty good idea.

Still, even Monsees has to be a little surprised about the ease with which the Chargers are ripping through the competition in a division that's annually among the toughest in the Central Coast Section.

Leland figures to wrap up the league championship this week when the Chargers travel to Independence High School in East San Jose on Oct. 30 to take on Mt. Pleasant at 6 p.m. The Chargers entered the week with a 5-0 league record and 21-7 season mark and were to face Piedmont Hills on Tuesday.

How lopsided has it been for Leland in the league season? Well, the closest game for the Chargers in Mt. Hamilton play this year was a 20-7 victory over Pioneer. Leland also beat Willow Glen 21-4, Independence 19-4, Silver Creek 23-0 and Lincoln 19-3.

"Our first goal this year was to win the league, and we knew we were in good position to do that," said Monsees. "Then we wanted to try to move up the CCS ladder as best we could."

The Chargers made some major strides in that quest as well last weekend. Leland posted a 1-3 record in the rugged Sacred Heart Invitational Tournament, beating Serra while losing to Sacred Heart, St. Francis and Los Altos. The Chargers lost by just a single goal to both the Lancers and Eagles.

"We got to play the very best," said Monsees, "and the best preparation for CCS is to play the best teams."

The close loss to the Lancers was a moral victory for Leland. Earlier in the year the Chargers lost 10-2 to St. Francis, but this time they lost just 7-6.

"We've stepped up quite a bit," said the coach. "We're beginning to get closer to contention for CCS."

He'd certainly get no argument on that score from any of the coaches in the Mt. Hamilton circuit.

"The teams in our league just can't match our speed and size," said Monsees, in his sixth year at Leland.

Zac Monsees, the son of the coach, tops that list of speedsters. The senior is a four-time CCS swimming champion, winning the 200-yard freestyle and 500 free as a sophomore, and taking the 500 free and 200 individual medley as a junior. What's more, he qualified for the senior nationals in three different events last summer.

He's also a pretty fair water polo player. Monsees was the league's most valuable player last year and won All-American honors when he set a school record by scoring 117 goals. He's on pace to break that mark this week.

"He's doing quite well this season," said his coach and dad in something of an understatement. The younger Monsees had 107 goals before entering the four games of the tournament last weekend.

Senior holeman Nick Beene is another top player for the Chargers this season. Like Monsees, Beene was picked to the Mt. Hamilton Division all-league team a year ago.

The coach rates Mike Walters and Trevor Foote as "two good outside shooters" who give the Chargers more of an offensive threat. Walters is another comeback all-leaguer this season.

Goalkeeper Ryan Rodrigues is another senior returner for the Chargers who was an all-league pick in 2002.

"He practiced over the summer with the area zone team," said the coach. "So he played with the group that trains for national team selection. He did a lot over the summer to help himself improve."

Rodrigues is unique in polo in that his first sport was always baseball.

"So he has a strong pitching arm," said the coach. "He can throw the ball right to the hand of people at the other end of the pool."

Senior Tim McLinden was a back-up goalie last year, but moved into the field to become one of Leland's top defensive players this year.

"He's been a solid addition to our defense," said Monsees of the 6-foot-5, 215 pounder.

Speedster Steve Hoang is another key defensive player. "He puts himself on the line to play defense," said the coach.

Eric Burriss is the only junior starter for the Chargers. "He's a real good natural athlete and he has a lot of speed in the water," said Monsees.

The Chargers will take part in the BVAL tournament Nov. 7 and 8 at Independence and then advance to the CCS tourney.

Pioneer is also looking ahead to the league tourney. The Mustangs are 3-2 in division play and 11-9 for the season after beating Lincoln 17-12 last week.

Kyle Zondervan pitched in four goals and Chris Emert added three to lead the Mustangs past the Lions. Kyle Simpson, Greg Karis and Chance Vermilyea supported with two goals each and Kevin Zondervan, Cole Davis, Doug York and Craig Fergus each added one.

The Mustangs led just 5-4 after a period, but dominated Lincoln 8-0 in the second quarter to take control of the game.