By DICK SPARRER
It's been a long time since Fremont has dropped a team into the water that could contend for a league water polo championship.
But first-year head coach Mike Lee thinks the days of waiting just may be over.
Lee figures that his Firebirds could contend for the crown in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, even though they have just one senior starter in 1996.
The season is already off to an interesting start. The Firebirds opened league play with an 11-7 win over Mt. Pleasant last week, and they boast a 3-2 record overall for the year.
"Our key matchups should be Saratoga [Oct. 15], Homestead [Oct. 21] and Los Altos [Oct. 28]," the coach added.
Senior Dan Moulds leads the Fremont attack this fall along with juniors Brendan Cable, Paul Fukuma, Patrick Ohara, Ryan Ashby and Chris Stockhans.
Sophomores Misha Guiffre and Steve Pon, seniors Rich Lockmanese and Dominic Watkins and junior goalie David Kim are other top varsity prospects.
Sophs R.J. Beck and Teodd Schwichtenberg and freshmen Michael Coates, Patrick Hoskins, Justin Kirk and Michael Yim are other top young players in the Fremont program.
It was Moulds and Cable leading the scoring in the win over Mt. Pleasant last week. Each of the Firebirds tossed in five goals in the victory and Ashby added one.
The 'Birds were trailing 3-1 after a period and 5-3 at the half, but tied the game 6-6 after three quarters and outscored Mt. Pleasant 5-1 in the fourth to pull out the victory.
In other local action, Homestead lost twice last week, falling 23-7 in league play to Saratoga and 12-3 to Pioneer in the Monterey Bay Tournament.
Firebirds' tennis team falls
The Fremont girls' tennis team dropped a 4-3 heartbreaker to Cupertino in El Camino Division play last week.
Nancy Bui came through with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 1 singles and Tarang Saini posted a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 4 singles, but the Firebirds lost two singles matches and two of three doubles matches to fall to the Pioneers.
Theresa Phan and Tri Minh Hoang came through with an exciting 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles, but the 'Birds lost the final two doubles bouts to lose the decision.
Fremont slipped to 1-2 with the tough loss.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 2, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.