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Shanker, Chase win honors
By Dick Sparrer
Don Ardissone was pleased.
All right, so his Los Gatos baseball team didn't win the division championship this past spring. Hey, the Wildcats didn't even content for the title in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.
But the Wildcats did finish well enough in the division to earn an at-large berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs. And in his first year as the Gatos head coach, Ardissone was rather pleased with his club's showing.
The Cats backed up a solid league showing by reaching the quarterfinals of the CCS tournament before losing a tough game to Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Ben Shanker and Steve Chase starred for the Wildcats this past season, and were honored for their efforts when the De Anza Division coaches named their all-league team.
Shanker was named to the all-league first team after an impressive junior season for Gatos. He was also selected as the team's most valuable player after leading the Wildcats in batting average, hits, home runs and on-base percentage.
Chase, a senior left-hander, was picked to the all-league second team. The southpaw, who pitched the game of his career in the opening round of the CCS playoffs when he allowed just a single run in eight and a third innings, was also named as the club's most inspirational player.
Chris Denevi and Matt Torres were other seniors who won special honors this spring. Denevi was tabbed to the all-league honorable mention list, and Torres as selected as the Gatos team captain.
Alex Burda, Frank Alioto, Brandon Chapatte and Ben Winkelman were other seniors who played their final season for the Cats.
Juniors Matt Swanson and Markus Willard joined Denevi on the all-league honorable mention chart. Sophomore Chris Eagen and junior Joey Warren were picked as the club's co-most-improved players.
Junior Brandon Burke and sophomore Steve Sweeney join the talented crew of lettermen that Ardissone will greet when he begins his second season at the helm next spring.
Along with the top returners, the coach will welcome newcomers moving up from the championship Los Gatos frosh-soph team.
The young Cats posted a 17-6 record overall on their way to winning the De Anza Division title.
Sophomore Daniel Holtzman won the league's most valuable player award and was also honored as the team mvp.
Alex Anderson, Jayson Furia, Trevor Howell and Alex Rollin were Gatos players named to the all-league first team, and Matt Cooke and Adam Nelson were picked to the second team. Tyler Wilson was tabbed to the honorable mention list.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
