By DICK SPARRER
The football players and cheerleaders that make up the Sunnyvale Black Knights were looking for a little luck on their recent trip to Reno.
But as it turns out, they didn't need it. Both teams came home winners, and luck had little to do with it.
The football players and cheerleaders put their talents to good use to win in regional action in Nevada.
The football team edged the Ukiah Lions 22-16 to win the Regional Invitational Bowl played at Sparks High School, and the cheerleaders finished first in the regional finals at the University of Nevada-Reno to earn a trip to the nationals in Florida.
In football action, the Black Knights were tied 16-16 at the half against Ukiah, but Douglas Dunbar scored on a 2-yard run in the second half to break the tie and lift the Knights to the victory.
The win was the culimination of an outstanding 1995 season for Sunnyvale's team of 10-, 11- and 12-year-olds.
The Black Knights posted a 10-1 regular season record, but had to settle for second place in their division after losing a tough tiebreaker to the Oak Grove Rhinos.
It was a balanced offense and a solid defense that sparked the Knights to victory in 1995.
"We had 13 different people score touchdowns for us," head coach Dolf Placencia said. "We spread it around pretty well."
Quarterback Aaron Mansfield and his backup, Brandon Trujillo, led the offense for the Knights, throwing to Anthony Baza, Joshua Murphy and Victor Lopez.
Marcus Harper, Steven Nichols, Mike Mattman and Neal Cornell led the ground attack running behind the front wall of center Robert Morales, guards Javier Eredia and Sean Mattada, and tackles Michael Ball and Daniel Sanchez.
"That was our main force, our line," Placencia said.
Mansfield doubled as the Black Knights' place-kicker, and "he was one of the best kickers in the league, if not the best," the coach added.
But it was more than a solid offensive attack that led this team.
"We had a heckuva defense," the coach said. "In 12 games we only gave up two touchdowns on defense. But we came out a little flat [against Ukiah] and gave up two touchdowns in the first quarter."
"In my opinion, we were a much better team," he added. "We just didn't play well in the first quarter."
Linebackers Baza, Trujillo and Cornell were defensive standouts for the Knights all year.
"They were the best [linebackers] I've ever had," said Placencia, who has been coaching for seven years.
Eredia and Dunbar were the club's defensive ends and Brian Beres, Michael Marr, Murphy, Mattman and Craig Smith shared time up front. Harper, Mansfield, Lopez and Nichols handled things in the secondary.
"We were a real physical team with a lot of team speed," Placencia said. "Everybody pursued the ball real well, and we were definitely physical."
Not only did the Black Knights excel on the field, but they also had a good year in the classroom.
"Sunnyvale has one of the highest ratings in the league scholastically," the coach said, speaking for all of the Sunnyvale teams in the Pop Warner Football program.
Cheerleaders win
The Black Knights' cheerleading squad will be on stage at Disney World in Florida Dec. 9 to compete in the nationals that will be televised over ESPN.
It all started when the girls won a qualifying berth in the North-South qualifying round at Foothill College in early October. They went on to win the conference title in competition at Independence High School to advance to the regionals.
Teams from all over the West Coast were on stage in Reno for the regionals, but the Black Knights won their division title to advance to the nationals.
Members of the championship squad include Kelly Lugea, Evita Marquez, Lauren Runk, Stephanie Scelzi, Maria Zonic, Olubukola Akanbi, Arleigh Bailey, Reguia Binion, Jenna Broker, Stacy Castanola, Kristen Eckley, Cynthia Griffin, Whitney Harper, Kristina Hayes, Alyssa Murphy, Sara Placencia, Karina Puenta, Emily Quinones, Kelly Rogers, Darcy Smith and Jessica Waler. The team's mascots are Jessica Aragon and Veronica Vargas.
Diane Puckett is the team's head coach and Stephanie Loya, Maria Vargus, Nola Eckley and Celia Rogers are her assistants. Jennifer Eckley, Sarah Laccabue and Sarah Prescott work as trainers.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, Wed., December 6, 1995.
©1995 Metro Publishing Inc. All rights reserved.