Today, Kevin Schneider is the CCS Division I champion and he's looking forward to competing in the CIF State Championships at Fresno's Woodward Park on Nov. 27.

A year after taking 17 minutes, 33 seconds to negotiate the 2.95-mile course at Crystal Springs in Belmont, a bigger and stronger Schneider outlasted 128 other athletes by zipping over the 3.0-mile course in Salinas' El Toro Park in 15:42. He was six seconds better than runner-up Evan Anderson of Menlo-Atherton.

Only St. Francis junior Ben Sitler, the Division II champion in 15:35, clocked a faster time than the Firebirds' hard-working junior.

"He did his running over the summer, and now it's all coming together," explained Fremont coach Pat Lawson after Schneider's win at the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division finals at Crystal Springs on Nov. 4.

Schneider was just one of eight Fremont runners competing at CCS. Six other Firebirds teamed with Schneider to garner 10th place out of 17 Division I boys teams. Competing as an individual in the Division I girls race, junior Nikki Kenney placed 40th out of 113 in 21:13.

Sophomore Elijah Carrillo (17:06) and senior Emmanuel Cristobal (17:29) ran 34th and 51st for the Fremont boys. Sophomore Travis McCleary, seniors Haruki Shimodo and Hugh Nelson and sophomore Ryan Staab also competed for the Firebirds.

Joining Schneider in Fresno will be The King's Academy's girls squad, after the Knights captured the Division V championship at CCS.

A third-place finish by sophomore Kristen Butelo (20:29) keyed the Knights' championship effort. Junior Jessica Butelo (21:27) was sixth, one second and place ahead of sophomore teammate Monica Monari. Freshman Kelly Cochran was ninth and sophomore Emily Henderson 11th for the Knights.

Football teams fall

All three area football teams closed out the 2004 season with defeats, Fremont and The King's Academy losing tight ballgames and Homestead bowing to De Anza Division champion Los Gatos.

Two fourth-quarter touchdown romps by junior fullback Joe Maes nearly helped Fremont hand Mountain View its first El Camino Division loss, but the Spartans recovered and won 20-15.

Fremont trailed 14-3 after three periods, but Maes scored on runs of 13 and 12 yards to put the Firebirds ahead 15-14. However, the Spartans added a 24-yard scoring pass, claiming the El Camino championship with a perfect 6-0 record. Fremont finished 2-3-1 in league play and 3-6-1 overall.

The King's Academy dropped a non-league contest to St. Elizabeth of Oakland 20-18, a week after closing league play 40-0 over St. Lawrence Academy.

The Knights finished their second season of varsity football with a 5-3-1 record.

Speedy senior J.T. Martin led the way against St. Lawrence with two touchdowns, a 38-yard run on a flanker reverse and a 94-yard return of the second-half kickoff.

The Knights scored four other touchdowns in the game, two by the defense. Jake Lassy stripped the ball from a ball carrier's grasp and returned it 32 yards for one score. Sophomore Sam Sussman returned an interception for another. Senior running backs David Norris and Josh Montoro added TD runs.

Homestead running back Chris Morris closed out his career with two more touchdowns, but powerful Los Gatos won 64-20 and finished league play with a 5-0-1 record.

Morris scored on a 94-yard kick return in the first quarter and a short run in the third.

The senior passing combination of quarterback Jake Mecchi and receiver accounted for the Mustangs' other score on an 18-yard pass.

Homestead finished the season 5-5.