But the Falcons did what they had to do last week to stay alive in the title race in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL).

Matt Ashburn and Aron Mitsunaga threw in 17 points apiece to lead the Falcons to a week-opening 61-59 win over Mountain View, and sophomore center Dan Wallace came back with 14 points to pace Saratoga to a 53-51 win over Santa Clara two days later.

The two two-point wins helped the Falcons improve to 6-3 in the division, leaving them two games behind Los Altos (8-1) and in a virtual second-place tie with Mountain View (6-3) and Monta Vista (5-3).

The Falcons, 14-7 for the year, poured in 11 three-pointers on the road to the tight win over the Eagles. Ashburn led the way with five threes among his six field goals to finish with 17 points for Saratoga. Mitsunaga popped a pair of threes, five two-pointers and a free throw to wind up with 17.

Nima Rad joined the two in double digits with 11 points, including three threes. Lawrence Hui added five points.

Irving Chien popped a three and Frank Wallace and Greg Van Hoesen hit three points apiece. D. Wallace added two points.

The Falcons outscored Mountain View 19-9 in the second quarter to open a commanding 36-24 lead by intermission. But Saratoga had to hang on in the second half as the Eagles topped the Falcons in each of the last two periods, only to come up a bucket short.

It was more of the same two days later against Santa Clara. The Falcons jumped out to a 24-12 lead with a high-scoring first quarter, then hung on as the Bruins chipped away by five in the second and six in the fourth.

D. Wallace was the scoring leader for Saratoga with 14 points. Rad and Ashburn finished with eight apiece. Rad popped a pair of threes and Ashburn had one. Chien, Mitsunaga and Van Hoesen added five points each, and F. Wallace and Calvin Lin had four apiece. Chien and Mitsunaga each hit threes.


Nielsen stars

Bryte Nielsen poured in 18 points to lead the Saratoga girls to a 46-32 win over Milpitas and help the Falcons pull out a split in De Anza Division play last week.

Saratoga opened the week by losing a 58-39 nod to Palo Alto. The week's split left the Falcons two games behind the Vikings in the division standings. Paly leads the pack at 9-0, with Saratoga second at 7-2.

Nielsen kept Saratoga close with her big night on Friday. The 5-foot-10 sophomore forward popped four three-pointers among her seven field goals to finish with 18 points for the night.

Julia Anderson finished in double figures with 11 points for the Falcons, and Victoria Liu had a pair of threes among her seven points. Anderson nailed five of her points at the free-throw line.

Tiffany Tan and Jordan Henry chipped in with four points apiece, and Amy Yee had two.

The win was a big one for the Falcons. The clubs had entered the game even in the loss column, but Milpitas came out with a 5-3 mark and in third place in the division.

Saratoga, 17-6 for the year, was stuck with a 58-39 loss to Paly to open the week. Henry led the Falcons with nine points, and Nielsen added seven. Anderson added six points, Tan and Liu five apiece, Yee three and Hannah Gladwell and Katie Levinson two each. Yee hit a three-pointer.

Saratoga has just one game this week. The Falcons visit Gunn on Feb. 13, 7 p.m., before wrapping up the league season with two home games the following week—Feb. 19 against Monta Vista and Feb. 21 against Los Gatos.


Falcons win, tie

Ashley Louderback, Allie McAllister and Nicole Franchi each scored goals to lift the Saratoga girls soccer team to a tight 3-2 win over Monta Vista last week.

Franchi also had two assists in the Saratoga victory, and Alicia Follmar added the assist on Franchi's goal.

The win helped the Falcons improve to 3-7-1 in the De Anza Division and to 7-9-3 for the year.

Saratoga had opened the week by battling Los Gatos to a 2-2 tie. McAllister had a goal and assist for the Falcons. Susan York also scored a goal, and Paula McNally added an assist.


Boys lose two

Scott Elfving knocked in a second-half goal, but it wasn't enough for the Saratoga boys soccer team last week in a 3-1 loss to Los Altos.

The Falcons were blanked 3-0 by Mountain View two days later to slip to 0-9-2 in the De Anza Division.


Wrestling finals

Cupertino, Los Gatos and Fremont figure to be the favorites for the team title as the teams of the SCVAL prepare for the league wrestling finals coming up Feb. 15 at Fremont.

Leading Saratoga into the tournament will be sophomore Brent Walker and senior Greg Van Hoesen.