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Fremont's Chaz Dixon carried six times for 53 yards and also hauled in a key 37-yard screen pass to help the Firebirds to a 32-13 win over Los Altos.

Firebirds power to victory

Banta-Cain scores two TDs in win

By Dick Sparrer

Three plays and a punt.

Three plays and a punt.

That was the story the first two times Fremont had the football against Los Altos last Friday night.

So Fremont coach Ron DeMonner decided he'd seen enough. He put two tight ends up on the offensive line, and the Firebirds were ready to play some power football.

The strategy certainly paid off for the Firebirds. The Fremont backs followed their big, powerful offensive line to the goal line, and the 'Birds were on their way to a 32-13 nonleague victory over Los Altos.

The win left the Firebirds 4-0 in the preseason as they prepare for their league opener this week. Fremont will open the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League at home against powerful Palo Alto.

The game was scheduled for Friday, but will be played Thursday night to avoid conflict with Yom Kippur. The 6:30 p.m. game will follow a 4:15 p.m. frosh-soph game.

Palo Alto opened league play with a 21-3 win over Saratoga last week. The Vikings are 3-1 this season.

"They have a couple of outstanding running backs, and they come right at you," said Fremont assistant coach Rob Swartz.

But Fremont knows a little about teams that "come right at you"--because they have one.

The Firebirds went right at Los Altos last Friday and nailed a lopsided victory.

But the game didn't start out that way. The 'Birds and Eagles played a scoreless first period, with neither team threatening to score.

"Then we lined up two tight ends and ran right at 'em," said Swartz. "Our big guys just overpowered them."

Fremont drove down the field behind its big offensive line--tackles Warren Rick (6 feet 7, 310 pounds) and Oswaldo Villagomez (6 feet 6, 320), center Domingo Garcia (6 feet, 306), and guards Justin Stichter (5 feet 10, 200) and Mike Mercado (6 feet 2, 250).

Tully Banta-Cain capped a 60-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run, and Gabe Duran's kick gave the Firebirds a 7-0 lead.

Fremont moved in for another touchdown before the half, Ray Loya blasting over from the 1. Duran's second extra-point kick gave the Firebirds a 14-0 advantage at intermission.

Los Altos scored first in the third period, cutting the lead to 14-7, but the 'Birds answered back on a 43-yard TD run by Banta-Cain. A 37-yard screen pass from Loya to Chaz Dixon set up the touchdown.

"That was a big play to get us out of a hole," said Swartz of the screen pass.

The Fremont defense took over in the fourth quarter. Gabe Atondo scooped up a Los Altos fumble and raced 55 yards for a touchdown. Then Bryan McCann snagged another Eagle fumble and rambled 71 yards for a score.

McCann was starting his first game at inside linebacker for Fremont.

"He really made a difference," said Swartz of McCann. "He was a real pleasant surprise."

Inside linebacker Manuel Maes also starred defensively for the Firebirds along with Rick in the defensive front and Duran at free safety.

"Our defense really played well," said Swartz. "This was a game where our defense was much improved."

Banta-Cain led the offensive attack with 98 yards on 13 carries, and Dixon supported with 53 yards on six tries.

Girls' volleyball

Fremont went four games before losing to Gunn in girls' volleyball action in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last week.

The Firebirds lost 15-2, 15-0, 13-15, 15-6 to the Titans.

In De Anza Division play last week, Homestead lost twice to drop to 1-2 in league play and to 6-7 for the year.

The Mustangs won the first two games against Palo Alto, but ended up losing a 9-15, 9-15, 15-9, 16-14, 15-10 heartbreaker to the Vikings. The fell 15-13, 15-8, 15-9 to Los Gatos later in the week.

Girls' tennis

Tarang Saini and Nina Nguyen nailed singles wins to lead the Fremont girls' tennis team to a tight 4-3 win over Milpitas in the El Camino Division of the SCVAL.

Saini posted a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles and Nguyen won 7-6, 6-3 at No. 4 singles for the Firebirds.

In doubles play, Julie Huang and Tri Hoang teamed for a crucial 6-7, 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1, and Cindy Ly and Angelique So came through with a tight 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 win at No. 3.

The win pushed Fremont's record to 2-4 in division play.

Water polo

Brendan Cable and Ryan Ashby combined for seven goals to lead the Fremont boys' water polo team to a 10-5 win over Wilcox, but the Firebirds lost 17-5 to ultimate champion Leland to fall out of the Rosenbrock Tournament played last weekend at Lynbrook.

Cable pitched in four goals and Ashby added three to spark the Firebirds to the win over the Chargers. Steven Pon tossed in two goals and Patrick Ohara hit one.

Fremont opened up a 4-2 lead at the half, the outscored the Chargers 3-2 in the third and 3-1 in the fourth.

The Firebirds had some trouble with the Chargers from Leland, though. Leland opened up an 8-4 lead by the half, then outscored Fremont 5-0 in the third on the way to the 17-5 win.

Ohara and Cable scored two goals apiece for the Firebirds and Chris Stockhaus added one.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 8, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.