Photograph by Lea Tauriello
Westmont's Shanon Adams, making a play during regular season action, was one of a handful of talented seniors who played their final high school softball game in a 3-0 CCS playoff loss to Leland last weekend.
By Dick Sparrer
Todd Combellick has ranked among the Central Coast Section leaders all season long in the 50-yard freestyle.
And it was no different at the CCS swiming championships held last weekend at the De Anza Aquatics Center in Cupertino.
The Saratoga swimming star breezed to a fifth-place finish in the championship finals at CCS, sprinting the two laps in 21.85 to place for the Falcons.
Combellick also made it to CCS championships in the 100 free, but was disqualified in the finals.
Earlier, Combellick had finished second in the 50 free at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division finals. The junior covered the distance in 22.45 to finish second to Chris Park of Los Gatos.
Saratoga sophomore David Breitenbach also qualified for CCS in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly and the Falcons sent 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relay teams.
Lynbrook sent four swimmers to the CCS finals. Qualifying for the Vikings were David Martin in the 200 free and 500 free, Michael Martin in the 200 free and 100 butterfly, Chris Spencer in the 50 free and 100 free and Lance Morill in the 100 free.
D. Martin had nailed a second in the 500 free (5:04.81) at the De Anza Division championships the week before.
Westmont divers Matt Talluto, Amador Colin and Olaf Gonzales also competed at the CCS finals along with Prospect diver Jim Giangregarios.
Falcons top Vikes
In dual-meet action earlier in the year, Saratoga pulled out a tight 86-77 win over Lynbrook.
Combellick was a double winner in the sprints, taking the 50 free in 22.44 and the 100 in 50.52, and Breitenbach was tops in the 200 IM in 2:16.51.
The two teamed with Jaison Carter and Gur Doitel for a win in the 200 medley relay in 1:41.50 and with Carter and David Prendergast for a first in the 200 free relay in 1:36.67.
D. Martin took the 200 free in 1:51.65 and the 500 in 5:05.05 to lead the Lynbrook effort in the meet.
Westmont's season ends
The season came to an abrupt end for the Westmont girls' softball team in the second round of the CCS Division I playoffs.
The Warriors dropped a tough 3-0 nod to top-ranked Leland in the second round of the playoffs. The Chargers were seeded No. 1 in the tournament, and now advance to the semifinals with a 24-4-1 season record.
Westmont dropped to 18-7-2 for the year, and the Warriors are out of the playoffs.
It's a disappointing finish for the Warriors and hurler Renee Sease, who was hampered with injuries in her senior season.
Standout seniors Carolyn Vye, Lynee Velasco, Genny Nickerson and Shanon Adams were also playing their final high school game for the Warriors.
Panthers fall
In baseball action, Prospect lost a first-round decision to Carmel in the CCS Division II tournament.
The Panthers were trailing just 3-1 in the fifth when Carmel broke the game open with a five-run rally.
Bruce Morrow and Victor Chang each doubled for the Panthers and Paul Solis was tagged with the tough pitching loss.
With the loss, Prospect finished the season with an 11-10 record, but what a season it was. The Panthers won the championship in the West Valley Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.
Panthers place
A pair of Prospect doubles teams placed high at the recent finals in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Tin Ha and Cindy Sharpe teamed for a second in the mixed doubles division and Tran Loang and Duy Nguyen combined for a third in boys' doubles action.
Matadors fall
The Monta Vista boys' tennis team lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Pinewood a match short of the Central Coast Section finals.
Vijay Sekhon posted a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles, Gene Yu won 6-2, 7-5 at No. 3 and Richard Lu won 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5, but those were the only victories the Matadors could muster.
It was the first and only loss of the year for the Mats, who finished the year 23-1.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, May 22, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved