For the Mustangs and the Matadors, both resuming play this week two games out of first place with five to play, underclassmen provide the leadership. Most of their key players are sophomores or juniors. In fact, the Mustangs have just four seniors and the Mustangs only two.

Both teams' top pitchers are sophomores, Jessica Iwasaki for Monta Vista and Melanie Gularte for Homestead. When the teams met in the Mission City Invitational on April 10, Iwasaki pitched a three-hitter and struck out eight Mustangs to lead a 6-1 win. It was the type of pitching effort that coach Sheri Spackman and the Matadors have learned to expect.

Iwasaki has recorded several shutouts, including a perfect game against Gunn in the second game of the season on March 4. In two of the Matadors' division losses, 1-0 to Mountain View in 11 innings and 2-0 to Los Gatos in eight innings, Iwasaki actually threw 17 shutout innings.

When Iwasaki isn't striking out opponents, she is getting solid support from her infielders, senior second baseman Jamie Sibilia, junior shortstop Sarah Taylor, junior third baseman Danni Brown and sophomore first baseman Katie Camilleri.

Other team members are senior Sarah Chamberlain, juniors Shauna Shepard, Elizabeth Valdez and Katherine Yee, sophomores Jennifer Sparks, Britney Sanford and Amanda Cagan and freshman Anneliese Fetterman.

The Matadors entered its game on April 28 at Mountain View with a 4-3 record in the De Anza Division and a 15-7 overall mark. They host Wilcox on April 30. The Mustangs take a 5-2 El Camino mark and 10-10 overall slate into their April 29 game with division rival Cupertino.

Homestead's Gularte also pitched a gem against Gunn, striking out nine in a five-inning no-hitter on April 13. The Mustangs also put on quite an offensive display in the 11-1 win over the Titans.

Although they benefited from four Gunn errors, the Mustangs helped themselves with 11 hits. Sophomore catcher Jessica Allemandi had two hits, including her team-leading fourth home run. Senior first baseman Allison MacKay singled twice, scored twice and drove in a run. Freshman third baseman Lauren Gniadek ripped a solo home, her third four-bagger of the season.

Senior outfielder Kristel Colvin and junior second baseman Tegra Lillie both had two RBIs for the Mustangs, who blew the game open with six runs in the second inning.

Homestead's biggest win of the season may have been against Saratoga on April 8. Although they struck out 16 times and connected for only two hits against Saratoga's excellent pitcher, Nikki Franchi, the Mustangs scored a 1-0 decision.

Gniadek singled home Allemandi, who had followed a lead-off walk with a steal of second. Gularte allowed Saratoga just one hit. She struck out five batters.

Perhaps the toughest loss for Mike McKinley's Mustangs was against El Camino leader Fremont on April 6. Fremont, which resumes El Camino play with a 7-0 mark, scored three runs in the top of the first against Homestead and held on for a 3-2 win.

The Mustangs outhit the Firebirds 9-5, but helped out the Firebirds with three errors. Gniadek drove in both Homestead runs, one on a solo homer.

Junior center fielder Stephanie Kruckenberg, who had 15 hits and a .326 batting average despite missing six games, had two hits against Fremont. Lillie and Colvin had two hits apiece for the Mustangs, who are looking toward a rematch with Fremont on May 11.

Allemandi and sophomore shortstop Courtney Gosnell have been the biggest offensive producers for the Mustangs during the first 20 games.

Allemandi has amassed a Bondsian slugging percentage of .700 while posting team highs in homers and triples (three), runs (14) and RBIs (20). She had banged out 23 hits for a batting average of .383. Meanwhile Gosnell had team highs in hits (26) and batting average (.400).

Seniors Lydia Hug and Katie Broadbent, junior Jillian McLaughlin, and sophomores Rachel Nishimoto, Bre Gildea and Stephanie Edwards also have contributed to Homestead's efforts this season.

Khan breaks old record

Lynbrook senior Taimur Khan broke a 27-year-old school record during the Arcadia Invitational track and field meet on April 9.

Khan became the fastest Viking ever to run 400 meters when he dashed around the Arcadia track in 48.67 seconds. Scott Seely, who ran 49.04 in 1977, owned the previous best. Khan's time is the fastest among Central Coast Section runners this season.

Khan was part of the Vikings' victorious 400-meter relay team at the CCS Top 8 Classic at Los Gatos High on April 23. Khan, Garrick Wong, Chris Deal and Durrell Roberts raced around the oval in 42.83, four-tenths of a second better than the unit's winning time a week earlier at the Hampton-Phillips Invitational at San Jose City College.

Also at the Top 8, Khan (22.37) and Roberts (22.80) ran two-three in the 200 behind North Salinas sprint sensation Ronnie Drummer, whose winning time was 21.56. Wong won his 100 heat in 11.07, which earned him fourth place overall. Bobby Kritzer of Monta Vista took fourth in the long jump (21-9).

Lynbrook's Julie Chen placed third in the girls 100 hurdles in 15.88. Cupertino sophomore Erica Buchinski finished third in her heat, ninth overall, with a personal record of 16.46.

Sisters Stacie and Melanie Boyle combined with Kim Chew and Page Dickson as Cupertino ran the 1,600 relay in 4:15.65 for the second straight week. Stacie Boyle ran a personal best 47.71 while placing sixth in the 300 hurdles.

Ian LaForm of Monta Vista was fourth in the frosh-soph 800 with 2:07.91. Lynbrook's Ari Fine took fourth in the frosh-soph high jump with a leap of 5-8. Monta Vista's Patrick Lee was sixth at 5-6. Cupertino's Travis Scibetta took sixth in the frosh-soph triple jump with 40-8.

Mats swim past Vikes

Shasha Brophy of Monta Vista won two freestyle races and swam a leg of a winning relay, leading Monta Vista's girls swimming team to a 95-73 non-league win over Lynbrook on April 22.

Monta Vista also won the boys competition, as Kevin Luu took two individual events and handled the first leg for the winning 400-meter free relay team. The Matadors won 112-58.

Brophy won the girls 200 free in 2:03.45 and took the 500 free with 5:36.49. She combined with Andrea Pang, Nicki Ngo and Dominique Lazarovici to speed through the 400 free relay in 3:56.06. Lazarovici won the 100 backstroke in 1:00.56 and teammate Queenah Dai placed first in the 100 breast.

Nilasha Ghosh was the big winner for Lynbrook, taking the 200 individual medley in 2:03.11 and the 100 butterfly in 1:01.21. Ghosh also helped the Vikings take the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay.

Jessica Chen and Jenny Wei also won events for Lynbrook, Chen taking the 50 free in 27.23 and Wei the 100 free in 58.52. Chen, Wei and Song Qian Li joined Ghosh on the winning Lynbrook relay units.

Luu took the boys 200 IM in 2:03.73 and the 100 breast in 1:01.84. Other Monta Vista winners were Michael Ahn in the 200 free (2:03.73), Trinh in the 500 free (5:41.02) and David Wong in the 100 fly (58.68).

Michael Wang was a double winner for Lynbrook, zipping 23.50 in the 50 free and 50.22 in the 100 free. Viking freshman Brandt Robinson blazed 58.10 in the 100 back.

Robinson, Andrew Wu, Jason Hsieh and Wang joined forces to win the medley relay in 1:47.90.

Monta Vista won the 200 free relay, as Wong, Vane Markosian, Cameron Pangrle and Russ Underwood teamed to clock 1:38.41. The Matadors also won the 400 free relay, with Luu, Tyler Fischer-Colbrie, Young and Sean Shi going 3:34.09.