Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by Gary Nougue

Ready to put the tag on a sliding runner at second in the CCS playoffs is Los Gatos shortstop Mike Cook. Cook was one of five Los Gatos varsity baseball players to earn a place on the all-league team in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

Van Biene, Barrera are all-league

Los Gatos, Leigh stars compete at Junior Olympics

By Dick Sparrer

The pitching of Nick Van Biene and the hitting of Tom Barrera helped drive the Los Gatos baseball team into third place in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, and into the Central Coast Section playoffs.

So when the De Anza coaches got together to select their all-league team, it came as little surprise to find Van Biene and Barrera with prominent places on the prestigious list.

Van Biene, a senior pitcher for the Wildcats, earned a place on the De Anza Division all-league first team, and he was also an honorable mention pick on the all-CCS squad.

Barrera, a senior infielder, joined teammate Van Biene on the all-league first team.

Van Biene posted a 6-3 mound record in division play for the Cats, and Barrera boasted a team-leading .395 batting average for the year. The first-sacker hit .407 in league play.

Ryan Boyd, a senior second baseman, also hit .407 in league play for Gatos and earned a place on the all-league second team.

Catcher Brandon Fennema and shortstop Mike Cook were named to the all-league third team. Fennema, a junior, hit .286 for the year and .241 in league play, and Cook, just a sophomore, hit .314 for the season and .298 in the division.

Van Biene was honored as the team's most valuable player for the recently completed spring season, and Barrera was picked the team captain. Boyd won the squad's most improved player award, with Fennema named the outstanding defensive player and senior center fielder John Stengele the most inspirational player.

F-S All-Leaguers

The Los Gatos frosh-soph club was well represented on the all-league list in the De Anza Division of the SCVAL.

Gatos star Casey Neale was named the league's most valuable player after leading the Wildcats to the division championship. He was joined on the all-league first team by Brandon Chapette, Chris Denevi, Steve Chase and Ben Shanker.

Earning all-league second team honors were Marcus Willard and Dan Reaugh.

Hanson best in BVAL

Ryan Hanson was tabbed the co-most valuable player in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League after an outstanding senior season for Westmont. The star hurler shared the award with Del Mar's Casey Minister.

Hanson, who also earned a place on the all-CCS honorable mention list, was joined on the all-league squad by teammate Seth Zajac, a junior catcher.

Leigh was well represented on the squad. Seniors Kyle Padia and Brian Giangreco and junior Brian Sanfilippo were named to the all-league first team, Josh Kreuzer was tabbed the league's sophomore of the year and Jeremy Roulin was named the league's freshman of the year.

Junior Olympians

The high school year may have ended, but the baseball season is still going strong for a number of Los Gatos and Leigh players who were picked to the NorCal Baseball Club's select team that is currently participating in the USA Baseball Junior Olympics in Tucson, Ariz. Neale, Shanker and Chase, the stalwart pitching trio for the championship Los Gatos frosh-soph squad, are all members of the team along with Leigh's Roulin and Kreuzer.

All-league volleyball

Keith Busam of Los Gatos and Steve Evans of Leigh won MVP awards when coaches named BVAL all-league squads.

Busam, a senior swing hitter for the Wildcats, was picked the most valuable player in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL. He was joined on the all-league squad by teammates Jason Cardoso, a sophomore setter, Grant Schlink, a junior middle blocker, and Marco Baer, a junior opposite and setter.

Evans, a junior outside hitter, was tagged MVP in the Santa Teresa Division. Teammate Brian Prowd, a sophomore setter, joined him on the all-league squad.

Charles Meyers, a senior setter from Westmont, was also named to the squad.

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