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Photograph by Scott Lechner
Saratoga's Ryuta Saka ran to victories in the 65 and 330 hurdles, but the Falcons lost a frosh-soph decision to Gunn in the league opener for each squad.
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Ricketts back for final spring Saratoga senior is one of eight returners
By Dick Sparrer
Anne Ricketts is facing the final spring of her high school running career at Saratoga.
And what a career it's been for the Falcon senior.
Ricketts was a championship cross country runner who competed at the varsity level for all four of her high school years, and she returns to the track this spring for her fourth varsity season after finishing as a Central Coast Section finalist in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters last year.
But while this may be Ricketts' final spring at Saratoga, it's not time to get melancholy over what has been--it's time to get excited about what's about to begin.
The senior sensation has only just begun her winning ways in the spring of 1999, getting off to a quick start with a win in the mile in a dual meet against Gunn.
Ricketts is one of eight top varsity returns for the Saratoga track and field team this spring. She is a returning star in the distance events, running 5:22 in the 1,600 meters and 11:36 in the 3,200 meters.
Juniors Taylor Teerlink, Laura Birenbaum and Heather Finnecy are other top girls varsity returners for the Falcons.
Teerlink was a CCS finalist in the 100-meter hurdles in 16.2 and the 300 hurdles in 48.9 for the Falcons. Birenbaum was a CCS semifinalist in the 100 hurdles in 16.4, and Finnecy finished fourth in the discus at the league finals with a toss of 106-0.
Seniors Alex Daniels, Alex Shoor, Josh Glasser and Brent Colman are top 'Toga returners who join with senior transfer Joe Carter to give Saratoga a solid nucleus on the boys varsity.
Daniels and Shoor, like Ricketts, both cross country stars in the fall, are back after solid efforts in 1997. Daniels won the league title in the 800 meters last spring in 2:00.3 and Shoor was fifth in the league and a CCS semifinalist in the 1,600 meters with a season best 4:35.3.
Glasser was third in the league in the 100 meters (11.1) and fourth in the 200 (23.3), and Colman joins him as a top sprinter with a best of 11.1 in the 100.
Carter will give Daniels a run for his money in the 800 meters. The transfer boasts a lifetime best 2.00.0.
Lending depth to the Saratoga boys varsity this season will be a solid group coming up from last year's frosh-soph team.
Juniors Ian Jang, Eric Giannella and Jeff Verson and sophomores Jesse Alejandro and David Cheng are top prospects for the Falcons this season.
Jang was the league frosh-soph champ in the triple jump at 40-11 and was fourth in the long jump at 20-0, and Giannella was the frosh-soph shot put champ with a 45-5 heave.
Verson was third in both the 65 high hurdles (10.0) and the 300 intermediate hurdles (45.6).
Alejandro and Cheng were each solid performers as freshmen on the frosh-soph squad. Alejandro was second in the league in the 200 in 24.3, and Cheng was second in the 65 highs in 9.9 and fourth in the intermediates in 45.8. Cheng has also run 16.5 in the 110 highs.
Saratoga opened the year in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League with varsity losses to Gunn.
The Falcons will be back at it this week when they host Los Altos on March 18, 3:15 p.m., before participating in the West Valley Relays on March 19-20 at West Valley Community College.
Alejandro, Cheng, Giannella and Luke Anderson were the only winners for the Saratoga boys in the 73-53 loss the Titans.
Alejandro took the 440-yard run in 53.8 and was second in the 220 in 23.9, with Jang third in 25.1.
Cheng was tops in the 330 intermediate hurdles in 45.7, with Andrew Bosworth third in 46.8, and he was second in the 120 highs in 18.1.
Giannella whirled the discus 114-61Ž2 for a first, with James Jacobson third at 109-31Ž2, and he was second in the shot put at 39-111Ž2.
Anderson was a winner in the 880 in 2:13.9, with David Lin third in 2:23. The two teamed with Shoor and Alejandro for a win in the mile relay in 3:47.1.
Shoor was second in the mile in 4:50.8, Jang was second in the long jump at 19-3, with Bosworth fourth at 17-6. Josh Glasser was second in the 100 in 11.6, with Bosworth second in 11.9, and Colman third in 12.1, and Michael Nguyen was second in the 2-mile in 13:59.
Glasser added third in the triple jump at 34-1, and Bosworth was third in the high jump at 5-4.
The Saratoga girls lost 82-40 to Gunn, despite wins by Ricketts, Birenbaum and Teerlink.
Ricketts was a double winner for the Falcons, taking the mile in 5:25.1, with Brandi Tate fourth in 6:32.1, and winning the 880 in 2:30.3, with Tate fourth in 3:02.1.
Birenbaum also won two events for the Falcons. The junior was tops in the 100 hurdles in 16.5, with Teerlink second in 16.8, and she was first in the long jump at 15-81Ž2.
Teerlink was a winner in the 330 intermediate hurdles in 50.2, and she joined with Ricketts, Birenbaum and Ashley Ferreira for a win in the mile relay in 4:31.2.
Esther Chu was second in the triple jump at 29-10, and Karin Bencala was second in the shot put at 30-43Ž4, with Bridget Rutgers third at 26-31Ž4.
Thirds went to Rachel Urbano in the triple jump (25-8), Courtney Miyamoto in the 440 (73.5) and Melody Lee in the third 220 (30.2), and fourths went to Yasemin Denari in the high jump (4-4) and to Jamieson Pfeifer in the 220 (30.8) and 100 (14.1).
The Falcons didn't have any more success in the lower divisions. The Saratoga boys frosh-soph lost 82-45, and the girls junior varsity fell 80-45.
Boys frosh-soph winners included Ryuta Saka (65 high hurdles, 11.5; 330 intermediates, 50.6), Richard La (880, 2:15.9) and Arnold Chu (100, 11.7). The foursome of Chu, Casey Pack, Matt Yan and James Lii took the 440 relay in 48.0.
Girls junior varsity winners were Lindsey Moore (330 hurdles, 56.5; 65 hurdles, 11.7), Aubrey Weger (440, 70.7) and Nicola Rooke (high jump, 4-4). Weger, Laura Lin, Dernie Wang and B. Nguyen finished first in the mile relay in 5:01.4.
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Saratoga, California Since 1975
