The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Fremont's Theresa Phan, pictured in action last fall against Palo Alto, won at No. 1 singles to help the Firebirds to a tight 4-3 win over Santa Clara last week. The 'Birds also turned back Wilcox 4-3 to improve to 3-3 in division play.

Bae lifts Mustangs to win

Firebirds net two girls tennis wins

By Dick Sparrer

Daniel Bae ran for 79 yards for Homestead last Friday night.

But none of those 79 yards were more important than the last 33. They came in the final minutes when the senior running back broke free for the only touchdown run of the game in Homestead's tight 7-0 win over Palo Alto.

The win couldn't have come at a better time for the Mustangs. They had opened the season with three straight losses, but won in the first game of the year in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Homestead will now go head-to-head against another first-round De Anza Division winner when the Mustangs host Saratoga on Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m., at Fremont's Diesner Field. The Falcons are 1-0 in the division and 3-1 for the year after pounding Monta Vista 28-0 last Friday night.

Saratoga head coach Kurt Heinrich is wary of his club's Friday night foe, despite the difference in the records of the two clubs.

"They run the ball in much the same fashion that Soquel did," said Heinrich, referring to his club's season-opening loss to the Knights. "So we're going to have to hunker down."

"And defensively, they've got quite a few good athletes," added the coach. "It should be quite a challenge for our offense."

The Mustangs certainly challenged the Palo Alto offense last Friday. Homestead blanked the Vikings, holding Paly to 171 yards of total offense.

Senior defensive back Jessie Nickels, who had two interceptions for the Mustangs, led the Homestead defense that stopped Palo Alto cold in the win.

The clubs battled back and forth without a score until the final two minutes of the game. A bad snap on a punt attempt forced the Vikings to turn the ball over deep in their own territory, and Bae made it hurt.

The senior back dashed 33 yards for a touchdown, and Neal Mudgett's extra point kick gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead with just over a minute and a half left to play.

The Vikes started to move after the kickoff and threatened to score. But Nickels picked off a pass in the end zone, and the Mustangs clinched the win.

In other local action last Friday, Lynbrook suffered its first loss of the season, falling 42-14 in a nonleague game against Milpitas.

The Vikings, now 3-1 for the year, will try to get back on the winning track this week when they visit Cupertino on Oct. 9, 7:30 p.m. The game will be the league opener for the Vikes in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

The Pioneers opened division play last week, dropping a 42-13 decision to Los Altos.

Fremont was blanked 17-0 by Gunn in another El Camino Division game last Friday night.

The same night, Monta Vista was blasted 28-0 by Saratoga in De Anza Division play. The Matadors slipped to 2-2 for the year with the loss. They'll be back on the field Thursday when they host Milpitas at 7:30 p.m. at Cupertino High.

Firebirds net wins

The Fremont girls tennis team pulled out a pair of tight victories in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL last week.

The Firebirds edged Santa Clara 4-3, then nipped Wilcox 4-3 to even their record at 3-3.

Theresa Phan nailed a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 1 singles to start the 'Birds on the road to the win over the Bruins to open the week. Virginia Li supported with a 7-6, 6-3 victory at No. 4 singles.

Li came back with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles to help the Firebirds claim the 4-3 win over Wilcox two days later.

Mustangs split

The Homestead girls volleyball team split a pair of matches in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL last week.

The Mustangs handled Santa Clara 15-4, 12-15, 6-15, 15-7, 15-11, but only after losing 15-10, 15-9, 8-15, 15-8 to unbeaten Gunn to open the week. Homestead is now 2-2 in division play and 9-7 for the year.

Fremont lost 15-2, 15-3, 15-8 to Cupertino in its only league match last week. The Firebirds are winless in four El Camino Division matches and they are 2-10 for the year.

The King's Academy opened play in the Christian Private Schools League with a couple of wins last week. The Knights whipped Mid-Peninsula 15-0, 15-1, 15-5 and beat San Francisco Christian 15-7, 15-5, 15-9. The King's girls are now 2-0 in league play and 9-8 for the year.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 7, 1998.
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