Almaden Resident

Sports

Chargers claim key win over Evergreen Valley

By Dick Sparrer

The season may not have started out exactly the way head coach Jason Tenner had hoped it would for his Leland football team with two losses to open the year. But the Chargers have certainly taken care of business ever since.

Leland made it seven straight victories, six of them in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, with a tight 7-3 win over Evergreen Valley last week.

Lance Gemette scored a first-quarter touchdown on a 5-yard pass from Ricky Battipede, and the Leland defense made that stand up for a key win over the Cougars.

Evergreen could manage just a third-quarter field goal as the Chargers pulled out the win to run their season record to 7-2 and their league mark to 6-0.

Leland clinched no worse than division title tie with the win over Evergreen and secured its place in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

The Chargers need a win this week to claim sole ownership of the division championship, though. Leland visits Silver Creek (3-3, 3-6) on Nov. 9, 2:45 p.m., and can finish league play with a 7-0 record with a win. A loss, though, would open the door for second-place Santa Teresa (5-1, 7-2) if the Saints can beat Evergreen (3-3, 5-3) on Nov. 9, 7 p.m., at Evergreen.