Almaden Resident

Sports

Leland girls break out for first league win

By Mike Barnhart

Having won a game against Gunderson during a late December tournament, the Leland girls basketball team knew it was capable of beating the Grizzlies when the two San Jose Unified schools squared off during a recent league contest.

But, because both teams were winless after their first six Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division games, neither squad was brimming with confidence when they met in the Chargers' gym on Jan. 24. The Leland players broke through for their first division win and finished the three-game week with a 1-6 record, while Gunderson dropped to 0-7.

The busy week started Jan. 22 at Westmont, where the Chargers lost 52-39 and ended with a home defeat to Santa Teresa on Jan. 26.

The Chargers built a 7-5 lead in the first quarter at Westmont (4-3), but the host Warriors bounced back in the second quarter for a 24-13 halftime advantage, and they stretched their lead in the third period.

Junior guard Mari Yanai paced Leland with 16 points, and sophomore Samantha Wilson had seven. Senior Ana Bushman added six for the Chargers, senior Jennifer Ricco had five and junior Jennifer Egelston tossed in four. Junior Ana Castillo rounded out the scoring with one point.

Against Santa Teresa (5-2), the Chargers fell behind early and trailed 20-9 at halftime. The Saints added to their lead in the second half and won 47-21. Junior Kelly Nakamura was the Chargers top scorer with eight points. Senior Janice Chen and Wilson both scored four points, Bushman and Yanai chipped in with two apiece, and Egelston scored one.

The Chargers began another three-game week with a game at Prospect (5-2) on Jan. 29. After returning home for a game with Leigh (2-5), Jan. 31, 7 p.m., the Chargers close out the week by hosting Piedmont Hills (5-2), Feb. 2, 7 p.m.

While Leland found its first Mt. Hamilton Division victory, Pioneer had no such luck in the Santa Teresa Division. The Mustangs fell to 0-7 with losses at Branham (2-5) and Mt. Pleasant (4-3) sandwiched around a home defeat to Sobrato (5-2).

Junior Haley Schorr scored a team high of 10 points in the Mustangs' 54-33 loss at Branham. Sophomore Mandy Swearingen and freshman Collen Bush scored five apiece, sophomore Marie Barlaan and junior Tiffany Lee both had four, freshman Marisa Sarabia chipped in three and senior Amy Kothari had two apiece.

The Mustangs were looking for their first win against visiting Lincoln (1-6) on Jan.29. The remainder of Pioneer's three-game week includes a home game against Mt. Pleasant, Jan. 31, followed by a game at Willow Glen two nights later. All the contests are set to tip off at 7 p.m.