Ditto on the junior varsity level.

Both schools may again field excellent teams. In fact, both varsity squads fared very well during non-league play, Homestead winning 11 of 15 games and Lynbrook taking nine of 13. However, any success in 2004 will not happen in the El Camino Division, because both teams have been promoted to the higher-caliber De Anza Division.

Homestead and Lynbrook will join Saratoga, Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Milpitas and Monta Vista in the De Anza Division title chase this winter. Meanwhile, Fremont, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Wilcox, Los Altos, Gunn and Mountain View will contend for the El Camino crown.

Interestingly, De Anza play began Tuesday with last year's co-champs tangling with who Lynbrook coach Darrin Garcia calls "the teams to beat in our league." Garcia's Vikings traveled to Palo Alto, while Homestead hosted Saratoga. The Mustangs resume division play Jan. 9 at Los Gatos, but Lynbrook is off until it hosts Milpitas on Jan. 14.

First-year Homestead coach Ruby Gulapa, who coached the JV Mustangs a year ago, has to like the way her team prepared for De Anza play. Led by the senior leadership of forward Mandy Wald and point guard Jenelle Kitasoe, the Mustangs won two of three games in each of the four tournaments they during December.

Wald poured in 57 points during a three-game stretch in the recent Del Mar Tournament, pacing the Mustangs to the consolation championship and earning herself a spot on the all-tournament team. After scoring 17 in a two-point loss to Pioneer in the tourney's first round, Wald tallied a season-high 23 to lead a 56-42 win over Independence. In the consolation title game against Santa Clara, Wald again delivered a 17-point effort.

A 20-point third quarter was not enough to overcome a 25-18 halftime deficit against Pioneer, which reached the tourney final before losing 55-54 to Saratoga. Wald was the only Homestead scorer in double digits. Sophomore center Becky Tratter, who gives the Mustangs inside scoring punch, tallied eight points and Kitasoe had seven. Christina Fukumoto and junior Mellissa Manuel both had six. Junior Shelley Baxter and freshman Cheryl Ichikawa added four each.

The next day against Independence, Homestead jumped out to a 20-13 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Supporting Wald's 23-point effort were Tratter with 14 and Baxter with eight. Kitasoe netted seven points, including a three-point basket, and Manuel had four. In the fifth place game, the Mustangs dominated Santa Clara 26-9 in the first half and rolled to a 53-30 win. Wald's 17 and Tratter's 16 led the Homestead offense.

Mustangs 3rd at HMB

It was the third consolation bracket crown for the Mustangs, repeating similar finishes at the Mills and Terra Nova tournaments. A week earlier, they placed third at the Half Moon Bay tournament.

The Mustangs opened the Half Moon Bay event by stunning South San Francisco 19-4 in the first quarter. Wald scored 18 and Kitasoe had 12.

Wells is optimistic

Fremont coach John Wells hopes the promotion of Homestead and Lynbrook to the De Anza Division improves his team's chances in the El Camino this year. The Firebirds, who finished 12-13 overall including a Central Coast Section playoff win last season, are "looking for a top-2 finish in league play" in 2004, says Wells.

Fremont, which began league play Tuesday at Santa Clara, has a bye Friday and hosts Los Altos on Jan. 14.

The Firebirds already are halfway to last season's win total, as they finished non-league play with a 6-9 record. Their most recent win was a 42-24 triumph over Watsonville in a tournament in Seaside. Senior guard Jessica Moore poured in 16 points for the Firebirds, who built a 29-11 halftime lead before coasting to the win.

Fremont also had a halftime lead last Saturday afternoon in Belmont, only to see Notre Dame rally for a 45-34 win. The Firebirds led the host school 10-7 after one period and stretched their lead to 25-20 at half. However, Notre Dame blitzed the Firebirds 15-4 in the third quarter to move ahead for good. Senior Shalainie Manuel, a transfer from Notre Dame of San Jose, topped Fremont scorers with 13 points. Freshman Carol Hoang had six. Junior guard Jessica Svoboda tallied four and Moore had three. Senior Tiffany Le, sophomore Marissa Cabana and sisters Alison and Kelly Bushnell all chipped in with two.

An early-season highlight for Fremont was winning its own tourney in early December. The Firebirds defeated division rivals Cupertino (42-29) and Wilcox (40-30), before toppling Willow Glen 42-32 in the finale.

In the championship game, the Firebirds stretched out a three-point halftime advantage by outscoring Willow Glen 19-6 in the third quarter. Manuel scored nine points and Le tallied eight to lead the scoring.

Senior 5-7 forward Erin Sturm sparked the first round win against Cupertino with 14 points. Aneta Pariaszevski, a 5-10 senior forward, and Moore added six apiece and Manuel had five. Svoboda and Hoang had four each.