The Cupertino Courier

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Monta Vista's Brandon Douglas (34) cuts around a block by Nick Jackson (7) in last Friday night's clash with Saratoga. The Matadors lost 28-0 to the Falcons, but will try to get back on the winning track Thursday against Milpitas.

Bae lifts Mustangs to win

Vikings net another girls tennis victory

By Dick Sparrer

Daniel Bae ran for 79 yards for Homestead last Friday night.

But none of those 79 yards were more important than the last 33. They came in the final minutes when the senior running back broke free for the only touchdown run of the game in Homestead's tight 7-0 win over Palo Alto.

The win couldn't have come at a better time for the Mustangs. They had opened the season with three straight losses, but won in the first game of the year in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Homestead will now go head-to-head against another first-round De Anza Division winner when the Mustangs host Saratoga on Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., at Fremont's Diesner Field. The Falcons are 1-0 in the division and 3-1 for the year after pounding Monta Vista 28-0 last Friday night.

Saratoga head coach Kurt Heinrich is wary of his club's Friday night foe, despite the difference in the records of the two clubs.

"They run the ball in much the same fashion that Soquel did," said Heinrich, referring to his club's season-opening loss to the Knights. "So we're going to have to hunker down."

"And defensively, they've got quite a few good athletes," added the coach. "It should be quite a challenge for our offense."

The Mustangs certainly challenged the Palo Alto offense last Friday. Homestead blanked the Vikings, holding Paly to 171 yards of total offense.

Senior defensive back Jessie Nickels, who had two interceptions for the Mustangs, led the Homestead defense that stopped Palo Alto cold in the win.

The clubs battled back and forth without a score until the final two minutes of the game. A bad snap on a punt attempt forced the Vikings to turn the ball over deep in their own territory, and Bae made it hurt.

The senior back dashed 33 yards for a touchdown, and Neal Mudgett's extra-point kick gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead with just over a minute and a half left to play.

The Vikes started to move after the kickoff and threatened to score. But Nickels picked off a pass in the end zone, and the Mustangs clinched the win.

In other local action last Friday, Lynbrook suffered its first loss of the season, falling 42-14 in a nonleague game against Milpitas.

The Vikings, now 3-1 for the year, will try to get back on the winning track this week when they visit Cupertino on Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. The game will be the league opener for the Vikes in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

The Pioneers opened division play last week, dropping a 42-13 decision to Los Altos.

Fremont was blanked 17-0 by Gunn in another El Camino Division game last Friday night.

The same night, Monta Vista was blasted 28-0 by Saratoga in De Anza Division play. The Matadors slipped to 2-2 for the year with the loss. They'll be back on the field Thursday when they host Milpitas at 7:30 p.m. at Cupertino High.

Vikes win, Mats split

The Lynbrook girls tennis team improved to 5-0 in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL with a 7-0 shutout win over Milpitas last week.

Belinda Rungsea won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles to start the Vikings on the road to the lopsided win. Melinda Zimmerman won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 singles, Cynthia Ratnakumar won 6-4, 6-0 at No. 3 and Anne Sternin won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 4.

Elizabeth Nelson and Annie Chang teamed for a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 1 doubles, Olivia Tsai and Alison Choi won 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) at No. 2 doubles and Amanda and Amber Shigihara won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3.

Monta Vista, meanwhile, split a couple of matches last week, beating Los Gatos 5-2 before losing a 4-3 heartbreaker to St. Francis. The Matadors are now 2-3 in De Anza Division play and 7-3 for the year.

Liora Gelblum won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Liz Yu won 6-1, 6-0 at No. 2 singles to start the Mats on the road to the win over the Wildcats.

Cari Nicholson posted a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 3 and Aileen Chen won 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4 to lead the Matadors to a sweep in singles play.

Jennifer Tran and Kelly Kang teamed for a 6-3, 7-5 victory at No. 2 doubles to complete the win for the Mats.

Later in the week, Gelblum won 7-5, 6-2 at No. 1 singles and Nicholson won 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3, but the Matadors dropped the 4-3 nod to the unbeaten Lancers. Katherine Fustar and Calvina Chang combined for Monta Vista's only other win of the day, a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles.

'Tino wins

Brynn Zinsman hammered 17 kills and Erica Boss added 14 to lead the Cupertino girls volleyball team to a 15-5, 8-15, 14-16, 15-7, 16-14 win over Santa Clara last week.

Katlyn Moran finished the day with 23 assists and Amy Liao supported with 18 in "her best game as a varsity player," said Cupertino coach Marty Redman of Liao.

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