Cupertino's playoff berth was secured at Homestead, Feb. 4, when Kaoru Takada converted teammate Kevin Jin's corner kick into a goal midway through the second half. The goal gave the Pioneers a 1-1 draw and a title-clinching point in the league standings. With only a Feb. 9 home game against Milpitas left to be played, the Pioneers (eight wins, one loss, two ties) had 26 points. Going into the final week of league play Homestead (6-3-2) had 20 points and Los Altos (6-4-1) 19.

Meanwhile, Monta Vista claimed the El Camino girls crown with a 5-0 triumph over Lynbrook. Sophomore Jenny Kute found the net three times, raising her team-high scoring total to 22 goals. Kasha Sang and Jennifer Nguyen added one goal apiece, as the Matadors raised their league record to 10-0-1 heading into their final game, Feb. 9 at home against visiting Santa Clara.

First-round opponents for the two local championship teams will be determined at a seeding and scheduling meeting on Feb. 12. The boys event will feature two divisions of 16 teams and the girls event will consist of three 12-team brackets. First-round play begins Feb. 15. Boys championship games are set for Feb. 25 at Piedmont Hills High in San Jose. Girls finals are set for the next day at Valley Christian.

For the Cupertino boys, it will be their first entry in the CCS tournament since two appearances during the 1980s. As the old De Anza League's second entry in 1989, the Pioneers lost a first-round match against Blackford. Eight years earlier Cupertino was chosen as an at-large team, but lost in the first round to San Jose.

The tie with Homestead capped a week that included 2-1 home victories against Los Gatos and Los Altos. Jin and Yuki Tomimitsu scored goals against Los Altos on Feb. 2.

Monta Vista's girls, who lost 3-1 to Leigh in a Division I first-round game last season, began a three-game week on Jan. 31 by beating the Longhorns in a non-league match. Emily Rubin and Heather Lefevre scored goals as the Matadors earned a 2-1 win.

Two days later, Cupertino's girls gave Monta Vista its only blemish on its league record, a 2-2 tie. Stacie Boyle and Andrea Dolera scored for the Pioneers, while Lefevre and Rubin again accounted for Monta Vista's goals.

Wrestling

The SCVAL championships will take place Feb. 12 at Lynbrook. Monta Vista and Cupertino tuned up for the event with De Anza Division dual meets last week.

Pins by Dan Montanez (162 pounds), Nate Fung (137) and Moses Espinoza (132) keyed Monta Vista's 33-31 win over Palo Alto. A 10-3 decision by Ray Wakiama at 114 and forfeit wins at 105 and 277 also were crucial to the meet's outcome.

Sophomores Eric Katz (154) and Grant Kadokura (121) both competed well before losing one-point decisions. Junior Mike Lipp lost a 9-6 decision at 127.

Cupertino battled Fremont tough before bowing 43-33. Renato Sanchez (127), Steve Plotnikov (132) and Bronson Farr (277) all scored pins for the Pioneers. Cupertino's Paul Kim was a decision winner at 162.

Farr was one of just three Cupertino winners a week earlier in a 58-15 defeat to powerful Los Gatos. Farr's 8-5 decision at 217, along with a pin by sophomore Aris Harutyunyan at 142 and a forfeit win at 277 by junior Chris Koo, accounted for Cupertino's points. Kim competed well in the 162-pound bout, before dropping a 5-4 decision to Wildcat Jeff Wysuph.