The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Fremont's Darren Lang plays tight defense against Piedmont Hills in the first round of the CCS Division III playoffs. The Firebirds ended up losing the game, though, to see their 1997-98 season come to an end.

Wald leads Mustangs to win

Homestead moves on to CCS semifinals

By Dick Sparrer

They say that charity begins at home.

But Michelle Wald of Homestead proved that charity can come in pretty handy on the road, too.

The Mustangs were visiting Leland in the quarterfinals of the Central Coast Section Division II playoffs, and it was Wald's 11 points from the charity line that helped Homestead to an important 43-35 win over the Chargers.

The victory helped Homestead, now 19-8 for the year, move on to the CCS Division II semifinals against Soquel (12-13) on March 4, 8 p.m., at Mt. Pleasant High School in San Jose. The winner of that game will play for the CCS championship on March 7, 6 p.m., at the San Jose Events Center.

Wald tossed in only one bucket from the field, but her 11 free throws helped her finish with a team-high 13 points in the win over the Chargers last weekend.

Homestead had to battle from behind to claim the victory over Leland. The Chargers outscored the Mustangs in each of the first three periods to lead by six heading into the fourth, 31-25.

But Homestead outscored Leland 18-4 in the final period, largely because of Wald's effort at the line.

Vicki Chiang supported with nine points for Homestead in the win. Shelley Mellberg buried three buckets, including a three-pointer, to finish with seven points.

Marie Levey and Julie Speckels pitched in six points apiece for the winners, and Tanya Green rounded out the scoring with two.

Homestead had opened the play-offs with a 49-32 win over Salinas. Wald drilled 14 points and Speckels hit 11 to lead the Mustangs to the win. Speckels dropped a pair of threes for Homestead.

Green chipped in with nine points, Mellberg and Chiang hit four apiece, Levey had three and Diana Lee and Chris Strombel had two each.

Homestead outscored Salinas in every period on the road to the 17-point victory.

Woo goes wild

Senior Natalie Woo went wild, but not even her 24-point effort was enough to lead the Fremont girls to a win over North Salinas in the CCS Division II playoffs.

The Firebirds lost 50-47 to North Salinas to see their season come to an end. Fremont finished the year with an impressive 17-9 season record.

Woo bombed a couple of three-pointers among her nine field goals, and she added four points at the free-throw line to finish her high school career with a 24-point night.

Chi Tran, another senior, wrapped up her high school playing days with 11 points in the loss.

La Nolia Ufondu tossed in four points for Fremont, Kristie Larkin and Kim Johnson hit two apiece, and Charlotte Salvacion and Shade Akanbi had one each.

Fremont fell behind 13-8 in the first period, but roared back to outscore North Salinas 15-7 in the second to take a three-point lead by intermission, 23-20.

The Firebirds added to their lead by two more in the third quarter, but lost the game when they were outscored 17-9 in the fourth.

Fremont falls

The Fremont boys, meanwhile, lost 69-47 to Piedmont Hills in the CCS Division II opening round.

Melvin Rabena bombed 18 points to lead all Fremont scorers in the game. The junior star had four three-pointers among his six field goals.

Darren Lang joined Rabena in twin figures with 12 points. Ben Skinner hit four, Michael Harris and Steve McNell added three each, Erwin Tugadi, Reynold Carlos and Manuel Mendoz had two each and Michael Hardwick popped one.

Fremont ended the season with a 13-15 record.

King's in semifinals

The King's Academy boys' basketball team will advance to the CCS Division V semifinals this week after winning big last week.

King's pounded Redwood Christian 84-68 to move into the CCS semis against Fremont Christian. The Knights, now 17-8 for the year, will take on Fremont Christian (19-5) on March 3, 6 p.m., at Piedmont Hills High School in San Jose. The winner moves on to the CCS Division V finals on March 6, 4:45 p.m., at the San Jose Events Center.

Daniel Hazley jammed 26 points to lead the Knights to the big win over Redwood Christian last week. Nate Morrow supported with 14 points, and Hank Spates pitched in 11. James Terada and Tony Castillo dropped 10 points apiece in the win. David Jones was close behind with nine points, and Dan Leong and Dan Friske added two apiece.

The King's Academy girls, meanwhile, lost 74-45 to Fremont Christian in their CCS Division V opener. The Knights ended the season with a 19-9 record.

Mats, Mustangs out

The Monta Vista and Homestead boys' soccer teams each lost to drop out of the CCS Division I play-offs.

The Matadors lost 2-0 to Leland last week, but only after winning a thriller in their CCS opener. Monta Vista went to penalty kicks to beat Oak Grove in the first round of the play-offs.

Jacques Marriott knocked home a penalty kick and assisted Brian Fishbein on a goal to help the Matadors fight the Eagles to a 2-2 tie in regulation in the CCS opener.

The clubs fought through four scoreless overtime periods before the Mats pulled out the win 3-2 on penalty kicks.

Homestead lost its CCS opener 3-0 to Bellarmine. The Mustangs wrapped up the year with a 9-8-4 record.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, March 4, 1998.
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