On offense, Simas wanted his team to get the ball to attacking midfielder Chris Deal. And the Vikings did that often. Four times Deal scored two goals a game—on two other occasions, he scored three goals. In all, the strong, speedy senior tallied an extraordinary 17 goals.

On defense, if in a game which Simas believed "it was important to not give up any goals," he adjusted his lineup. He would sacrifice Deal's uncanny scoring knack by moving him to center fullback. Such a game was against Homestead during the last week of the season.

After a scoreless tie, which at the same time boosted Lynbrook's title hopes and all but erased Homestead's, Mustangs coach Luis Comesana said, "Deal is the MVP of the league. He is such a force. He does so much; he makes the other kids better."

Comesana's post-game remarks that Saturday afternoon obviously made sense to the other coaches in the league, as Deal recently was named the Most Valuable Player of the SCVAL El Camino Division.

Cupertino junior Vito Tanton was declared the Most Valuable Offensive Player in the division, and Monta Vista senior David Hodges was named the Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Lynbrook and Monta Vista both had four players picked to the all-SCVAL first team. Senior Taimur Khan and juniors Greg Adams, Steve Khong and Tim Nicholas were tabbed from the league champion. Matadors selected were seniors Kevin Laumann, Nick Bedell and Donald Chang and junior goalkeeper Ben Lovelace.

Other members of the 19-player first team are Michael Roos, Jason Anthony and Craig Moberg of Homestead, Yuki Minematsu, Tristan Egusa and Ardy Barger of Cupertino, and Kevin Courtoy and Kevin Lee of Saratoga.

The second team includes James Lustanader and Ken Douglas of Saratoga, Danny Hawanini and Michael Charrier of Homestead, Kevin Jin and Yuki Tomimitsu of Cupertino, Morgan Katz and Brendan Hummel of Lynbrook, and Kevin Camilleri and Nat Hamada of Monta Vista.

De Anza girls

Just like a year ago, the Offensive Most Valuable Player Award belongs to Saratoga co-captain Annie McAllister.

A four-year varsity player, McAllister's scoring helped lead the Falcons to fourth place in the rugged De Anza Division and a spot in the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs. McAllister, who blasted 21 goals and tallied five assists for a league-high 47 points, scored Saratoga's lone goal in its 4-1 playoff loss to St. Francis.

McAllister's teammates, senior co-captain Kira Noodleman and juniors Gwen Belomy and Amanda Van Hoesen, all were honored on the all-SCVAL De Anza first team. Homestead's Katie Kimure and Katie Wilcox and Cupertino's Danielle Menard also were first-team selections.

Twelve players were named to the second team, including Falcons Alicia Follmar and Suzanne Lessack, Mustangs Michelle Grabau and Jenny Phan and Cupertino's Andrea Dolera.

El Camino girls

With the exception of two one-goal losses to league champion Mountain View, Monta Vista was perfect in league play. Many players sparkled for the Matadors on both ends of the field this season, as they outscored opponents 41-7 en route to a 10-2 record, a second-place finish and an appearance in the CCS Division I playoffs.

Acknowledging Monta Vista's dominant play, the El Camino coaches handed out post-season accolades to 10 Matadors, including special honors to four players.

Senior Nicole Ley, who tallied nine goals and three assists during Monta Vista's 15-6 season, made a big enough of an impression during the games she played goalkeeper to earn the Goalie MVP award.

Junior Sarah DeWath shared the co-Defensive MVP honor with a Mountain View player.

Jill Blake-Burke, the Matadors' top scorer, was named Senior of the Year after producing 16 goals and three assists this season. Jessica Lau, a defensive sweeper in some games, also was a top point-producer with seven goals and seven assists. She was named co-Freshman of the Year.

Senior Erin Gatley, juniors Katie Sang and Katie Cummings and sophomore Deanna DesCamp all were first team all-SCVAL selections. Freshmen Jenny Kute and Emily Rubin were second team picks.

Four Lynbrook seniors were recognized, two players on each team. Allie Seiff and Stephanie McShirley gained first team mention, while Evan Smith and Diana Sartori earned second team. Smith also played on the Vikings' varsity basketball team this winter.