The Cupertino Courier

Sports

Underwood, Ghosh star at Lynbrook meet

Wood tosses three shutouts for Vikes

By MIKE BARNHART

A week after competing against many of the nation's best swimmers at the long course nationals, Russell Underwood of Monta Vista and Nilasha Ghosh of Lynbrook returned home and exhibited their local supremacy at the Lynbrook Invitational on April 8.

Underwood, the Central Coast Section's reigning freestyle sprint champion, captured the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 free races, and he swam a leg of the victorious 200 free relay, leading the Matadors to second place in the seven-team event.

Ghosh, like Underwood a two-time CCS champ last year as a junior, won two events and helped Lynbrook capture the medley relay and second place in the six-team girls' portion of the invitational.

After winning the 50 free in 21.47 and the 100 in 47.37, Underwood combined with Tyler Fischer-Colbrie, David Wong and Dustin Chien to take the 200 free relay in 1:31.0. The three events Monta Vista won were the only ones that Bellarmine didn't. The Bells ran away with the event, totaling 1,092 points. The Mats were second with 890, Saratoga third with 648 and Lynbrook fourth at 590. Cupertino (462) edged out Santa Teresa for fifth by four points, and Los Altos was seventh.

Ghosh led off the victorious medley relay, then zipped 1:53.97 in the 200 free and 58.57 in the 100 back, pacing the Vikings' second-place total of 832 points. Monta Vista claimed the team title with 981 points. Santa Teresa (825) was third, followed by Cupertino (601), Los Altos (398) and Pacific Collegiate (351).

Four Monta Vista athletes grabbed individual events. Emma Drysdale sped 25.45 in taking the 50 free, Mao Ueno won the 500 free in 5:27.68, Megan Fischer-Colbrie was tops in the 200 individual medley with 2:16.11 and Jessica Kwong captured the 100 free in 54.82.

Drysdale and Kwong also took part in the Matadors' triumphs in both free relays. Drysdale, Nareen Bagdasarian, Christine Whitehill and Kwong churned 1:46.21 in the 200. Dominique Lazarovici anchored the 400, following Fischer-Colbrie, Drysdale and Kwong and touching at 3:44.11.

At the USA Swimming Spring Championships, held March 28-April 1 in Federal Way, Wash., Ghosh and Underwood both competed in several events. Ghosh's finest finish was in the 200-meter free, when she reached the B final and clocked 2:04.48 for 14th out of 104 competitors. Underwood's 24.17 in the 50 free preliminaries was 25th out of 63, just one place out of the C final.

Wood throws shutouts

Junior pitcher Kendra Wood and her Lynbrook teammates scored three shutout victories during pool play of the Mission City softball tournament April 9 at Mission College.

Wood allowed just four hits and struck out a combined 35 batters, while pitching the distance during wins over Piedmont Hills, Wilcox and Harbor of Santa Cruz. The Vikings now are 7-1 overall, and Wood has all of the decisions.

Lynbrook had just four hits in a 4-0 win against Piedmont Hills, two by freshman Jamie Wallis, but Wood allowed just one. Senior Briana Downey had two hits and an RBI in the Vikings' 6-0 triumph over tourney host Wilcox. The Vikes played errorless defense behind Wood, who allowed just one hit and struck out 12.

Kelsey Wood, Kendra's twin sister, sparked a 10-hit attack with two doubles and three RBI in a 6-0 win over Harbor.

In other tourney action, Homestead (6-6) bounced back from a tough 3-1 loss to Santa Teresa with a 1-0 decision over Fremont sophomore Becca Gularte, who combined with older sister Melanie to one-hit the Firebirds, drove in the only run in the top of the fifth inning.

Jessica Iwasaki led Monta Vista to three victories in the Steinbeck Tournament in Salinas.

Monta Vista, paced by Iwasaki's hitting and pitching, spanked North Salinas 5-1 and Aptos 8-1 on Saturday. The senior had three hits and two RBI against North Salinas, while running her pitching record to 11-2 with a 3-hitter.

She drove in two more runs with a two-hit game against Aptos. Senior Jennifer Sparks was the winning pitcher, but Iwasaki closed out the game against the Mariners and picked up her first save.

The Matadors opened the event on Friday with a 12-0 whipping of Notre Dame of San Jose. Sophomore Kelly Martino had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.

With the three wins, Monta Vista improved its overall record to 13-2-2.

Homestead wins two

The Marshall Plan continues to work for coach Chuck Camuso and the Homestead baseball team.

Because of the continuous rains and quirks of the schedule, Camuso has been able to pitch sophomore ace Evan Marshall in each of the team's Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division games, including a 7-2 win over Santa Clara on April 6.

Marshall allowed just one hit and struck out six in five scoreless innings. Senior Derek Hargis drove in three runs with a triple and single for the Mustangs, who broke open the game with four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

Two days later at PAL Stadium, in the first round of the Cupertino Lions Tournament, Homestead improved its overall record to 8-4 with a 6-1 triumph over Lynbrook. Marshall had three of the Mustangs' 12 hits in support of winning pitcher Kevin Labadie. In other Lions openers, Monta Vista beat Cupertino 8-7 and Archbishop Mitty spanked Prospect 11-2.

Homestead's tourney schedule included Mitty on April 10, before a match-up with Prospect under the PAL Stadium lights April 12 at 7 p.m. El Camino play resumes on April 17 with a home game against Saratoga.

Volleyball team is tops

Paced by Ryan Dedrick's 12 kills, Homestead ran its SCVAL boys volleyball record to 8-0 by beating Fremont. The Mustangs improved to 18-4 overall with a 25-17, 25-16, 25-17 victory over the visiting Firebirds on April 6.

Mark Pariaszevski, who led Fremont (3-5) with nine kills at Homestead, had eight two nights earlier during a 25-19, 25-23, 25-21 win over Wilcox. Meanwhile, Weston Buckner's eight kills helped Homestead beat Mountain View, 25-12, 25-17, 25-17.

Fukumoto wins scholarship

Christina Fukumoto of Homestead, an outstanding setter on Homestead's girls volleyball team last fall, is one of six high school seniors chosen to receive a $3,000 scholarship from the Bay Area All-Star Scholarship Team, a collaborative effort by the Oakland Athletics, San Jose Sharks, Golden State Warriors, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and San Francisco Giants.

Fukomoto, who also played varsity basketball, track and field and softball, was honored with the other awards winners on April 9 during the Sharks-Dallas Stars game at HP Pavilion.

The Oakland A's will recognize the scholarship winners at McAfee Coliseum on July 7, prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The six winners were selected from high schools within nine Bay Area counties, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. Public high schools nominated candidates who have at least a 3.0 grade point average, display leadership qualities in the classroom and/or

inspirational qualities on the athletic field, and demonstrate the value of education, good work ethic and community outreach.