Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Leigh's Kimberly Schlief and Kristin Ozawa of Los Gatos battle for the basketball in nonleague action earlier this year. Both the Longhorns and Wildcats lost in league play last week.

Los Gatos and Leigh girls slip to 0-3 in league season

By Dick Sparrer

The girls' basketball teams at Los Gatos and Leigh have been following similar paths in the 1997-98 season. But lately the scenery hasn't been all that great for either the Wildcats or Longhorns.

Gatos opened the year with eight wins in 10 games, one of the two losses coming against the Longhorns, and Leigh started the season with 10 straight victories.

But things have turned dismal for the two clubs in division play. Both are 0-3 after the first two weeks of the league season.

Los Gatos lost to St. Francis and Palo Alto last week to slip to 0-3 in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, and Leigh lost 36-24 to Presentation to drop to 0-3 in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

The Wildcats, who lost to Monta Vista to open division competition, gave league favorite St. Francis a battle before losing by nine to open play last week.

The Cats fell back by six after a period, 14-8 but jumped out to a two-point lead by intermission, outscoring the Lancers 15-7 to take a 23-21 lead.

But St. Francis topped Gatos 14-9 in each of the last two periods to pull out the victory.

Senior forward Liz Coughran led all Gatos scorers with 19 points. She buried a three-pointer among her seven field goals and added four points at the free-throw line.

Seniors Niki Bumbaca and Christy Zebb and junior Trina Mills supported with six points each for the Wildcats. Bumbaca buried a three.

Sophomore Kristin Ozawa hit two points for the Cats in the loss, and junior Erin Cushing added one.

Los Gatos dropped to 8-5 for the year two days later in a 62-47 loss to Palo Alto.

The Cats lost this one in the second half, too. Gatos led 15-12 at the first buzzer and it was tied 26-26 at the half. But Paly topped the Cats 18-11 in the third quarter and 18-10 in the fourth to win it.

Coughran had the hot hand for the Wildcats with 20 points, and Bumbaca joined her in double digits with 12.

Ozawa finished with six points, Mills had four, Cushing and junior Gillan Waddas added two each and Mariko Yuki hit one.

The Wildcats were looking for their first De Anza Division win this week when they hosted Homestead on Jan. 20, 7 p.m. The Cats will visit Lynbrook on Jan. 22, 7 p.m.

Leigh falls to 0-3

Leigh held powerful Presentation to just 36 points, but the Longhorns could score just 24 of their own in a 36-24 loss to the Panthers in Mt. Hamilton Division action last week.

The 'Horns were down just 7-4 after a period and trailed just 17-10 at the half, but Presentation managed to outscore Leigh in every period edge away for the win.

Kathy Zehrbach finished the night with just eight points but was the scoring leader for the Longhorns. Melody Page supported with seven; Dana Nisich added four; Melanie Hohlfield, three; and Lauren Griswold, two.

Leigh entered league play with a 10-0 record, but head coach John Henry Mackey knew tougher days were ahead when the Longhorns entered the tough Mt. Hamilton Division. What's more, the 'Horns were to open the season against the three co-favorites--Mitty, Leland and Presentation.

The Longhorns will visit Prospect on Jan. 21 before visiting Westmont on Jan. 23 for a pair of 7 p.m. games.

Los Gatos boys lose

The Los Gatos boys know just how the girls feel at Gatos and Leigh. The Wildcats lost twice last week to slip to 0-3 in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

The Gatos boys fell 53-26 to Milpitas and 73-48 to Palo Alto. The Trojans and Vikings appear to be the title favorites in the division this winter, along with Wilcox, the team that defeated Los Gatos in the league opener.

No Los Gatos player could score in double figures in the tough loss to Milpitas.

The Cats took an early lead in a low-scoring first period. They were up 9-4, but Milpitas bombarded the Wildcats 19-7 in the second to take the lead, then outscored the Cats in each of the last two quarters.

Mike McSweeney led the Cats with seven points, including a three-pointer, and Aaron Jahn hit a pair of threes to finish with six points. Jonathan Groff finished with four points, Matt Gingery hit three and Pat Bartelmie, David Whiteside and Steve Bidermann added two each.

McSweeny came back with 13 points later in the week, but the Wildcats lost 73-48 to Paly, who outscored Los Gatos in every period on the road to the victory.

McSweeney had two three-pointers among his three field goals to lead the Cats. Darin Mills joined him in twin figures with 10 points. Whiteside tossed in eight; Gingery, six; Jahn, four; Collin Black, three; and Bartelmie and Groff, two apiece.

The Gatos boys, like the girls, will be out in search of their first De Anza Division win this week when they host Los Altos on Jan. 21, 7 p.m. The Wildcats will visit Lynbrook on Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m.

Leigh tops Leland

The Leigh boys, meanwhile, claimed their first win of the year in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL with a 58-47 victory over Leland.

The Longhorns, 5-10 for the year, were led by Adam LaBare, who pitched in 16 points in the win including four three-pointers.

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