The senior forward, a first-team all-league performer last season, scored all of his team's goals last week, helping the Pioneers remain unbeaten in the Santa Clara Valley League's El Camino Division.

First, Minematsu drilled Cupertino's lone goal in a 1-1 tie against Homestead on Jan. 12, then he scored two more in the Pioneers' 2-1 triumph over Milpitas two days later.

The week's action concluded with the Pioneers sharing the El Camino's top perch with Los Altos and Los Gatos. All three squads had 13 points, but Cupertino had played one less game. The Eagles and Wildcats were both sitting at 4-1-1, and both had suffered home losses to the Pioneers.

Minematsu, named Cupertino's Outstanding Offensive Player at the end of last season, is even better this year, leading the division with seven goals in five games. Overall, he has scored a team-high of 11 goals.

After winning just two of seven non-league games, the Pioneers have put together a 4-0-1 division record by outscoring their foes by a combined 11-3.

During a 3-1 win at Los Gatos on Jan. 5, Minematsu contributed a pair of assists, setting up goals by senior Antrom Kury and freshman Thorin Duffin. A pair of senior midfielders accounted for the team's third goal, Kaoru Takada finishing a play started by Kevin Jin.

The Pioneers, who have benefited from the leadership of their three senior co-captains, Jin, midfielder Vito Tanton and defender Tai Mitchell, conclude the first round of league play at Saratoga on Jan. 21, at 3:30 p.m.

After the tie with Cupertino, Homestead (3-2-1) began a crucial stretch of four consecutive home games. Alex Plancarte sparked Homestead's 2-1 victory over visiting Saratoga on Jan. 14. Plancarte, just a freshman, assisted on a goal by Craig Moberg, then scored the decisive goal in the second half.

The Mustangs, just three points behind the co-leaders, host Los Gatos (Jan. 19), Wilcox (Jan. 21) and Los Altos (Jan. 26). To remain in the thick of the El Camino race, coach Luis Comesana's Mustangs need to avenge earlier losses to Los Gatos and Los Altos.

Last year's El Camino champ, Lynbrook, improved its De Anza Division record to 3-2 with wins over Monta Vista and Fremont. Senior Greg Adams scored a goal and assisted Jason Kaye on another in the Vikings' 2-1 win over Monta Vista. Senior Mike Thurman's two goals paced the 3-1 win over Fremont.

Adams and senior Steven Khong assisted on Thurman's first goal, and Tim Nicholas set up Thurman's second. Khong picked up another assist on a goal by sophomore Asato Nagata.

League wins have been hard to come by for Monta Vista, but the Matadors were able to beat Fremont, 2-0, on Jan. 5. Yonni Nattiz scored both goals for the Matadors.

Girls soccer

Monta Vista maintained its first-place standing in the El Camino Division by blanking Santa Clara 2-0 on Jan. 14. Sophomore Erin Hoxsie and senior Sarah DeWath scored goals for the Matadors, who improved to 5-0 in league play and 9-2-1 overall.

Meanwhile, Homestead raised its De Anza Division record to 2-3 with a 2-0 win over Saratoga. Katie Kimure and Michelle Grabau both scored for the Mustangs (5-5-1 overall).

Cupertino pins Mats

Six pins lifted Cupertino to a 45-31 De Anza Division wrestling victory over Monta Vista on Jan.13. With the triumph, the Pioneers claimed the Lawson Cup, a perpetual trophy named after longtime coach Jay Lawson last season. Monta Vista won the 2004 match.

Steve Plotnikov (130 pounds), Aris Harutyunyan (140), Renato Linares (152), Paul Kim (171), Gonzalo Garcia (189) and Chris Koo (215) all recorded pins for the Pioneers.

Other Cupertino winners were 125-pounder Renato Sanchez and heavyweight Bronson Farr. Sanchez outlasted Mike Lipp 13-9 and Farr won by forfeit.

Grant Kadokura (112), Nate Fung (135) and Eric Katz (145) scored pins for Monta Vista and Matador leader Dan Montanez (160) won by forfeit.

Matador Eaden Valent (103) edged Shamir Shahriyar 6-4 in overtime, and teammate Alex Kadokura (119) won 14-0.

Boys basketball

Fremont and Homestead squared off on Jan. 14 with a predictable result--an outcome that wasn't decided until the final seconds. Fremont won this time around, 55-54.

Last season the two De Anza Division teams split two games, Fremont winning the first 55-50 and Homestead taking the other 57-55.

Seniors Dan Bergeron (19 points) and Giovanni Conner (17) paced the Firebirds, who led 27-19 at halftime then held on. Lance Turner added nine points, Leo Janisse and Kevin Julian four each and Chris Gokey two.

Mark McLaughlin was Homestead's top point producer with 19. William Tsai had nine and David Ostrow added eight. Min Park scored six points, Alex Mrozack five, Shamir Ross four and Ryan Dedrick three.

Fremont improved to 2-1 in De Anza play and 16-2 overall, while Homestead dipped to 2-2 in league and 13-5 overall.

Homestead was coming off another close game two days earlier, a 43-42 win over Los Gatos. McLaughlin scored 11 and Dedrick eight in the defensive struggle. Tsai and Ross added seven points apiece and Mrozack tallied four.

After a Jan. 18 game against league co-leader Palo Alto (3-0), the Mustangs will travel to Gunn on Jan. 21 for a 7:30 p.m. contest.

Cupertino had three players in double figures, but the Pioneers dropped their first El Camino contest in three outings, 53-52, to Santa Clara in overtime. Junior guard Ehson Mortezaie (16 points), senior forward Greg Thacker (13) and senior center John Hiley (10) paced Cupertino.

A week earlier, the Pioneers started El Camino play with wins over Lynbrook and Los Altos. Hiley scored 15, Mortezaie 13 and senior Dane Sakino 12 in a 67-52 triumph over Lynbrook. Mortezaie poured in 24 as Cupertino thumped Los Altos 57-30.

The Pioneers host Monta Vista on Friday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

The Monta Vista boys also won two of its first three division games, including a 48-43 triumph over Los Altos. Junior Jeff Mo led the Matadors with 12 points. Seniors Garrett Peters and Jeff Clewett and sophomore Marcus Woo all added 10.