The Sunnyvale Sun

Sports

Stingy defense puts Fremont boys on top

Girls soccer team remains winless

By Mike Barnhart

For Fremont goalkeeper Juan Carlos Magallon and the defense that plays in front of him, January has been a great month--nobody has scored against them.

Magallon and company started the new year with four shutout victories in a row, stretching the Firebirds' lead in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division.

The only other Fremont shutout came in the second game of the season, a scoreless deadlock against highly regarded Pajaro Valley of Watsonville on Nov. 27.

"Our defense takes pride in shutting down good offensive players," said coach Jose Garcia after Fremont's most recent blanking, 3-0 at Homestead on Jan. 18.

Paced by their senior goalie and senior sweeper Huy Hoang, the Firebirds opened 2008 with victories over Mountain View 2-0, Wilcox 8-0 and Monta Vista 1-0, prior to last Friday's win over the Mustangs. Now 6-1-1 and 7-5-2 overall, the Firebirds will try to maintain their four-point lead in the El Camino standings when they play at Lynbrook on Jan. 23, 3:30 p.m.

Cupertino, the only team to beat Fremont in division play, remained in contention with a 4-2, comeback win over Mountain View and helped the Firebirds in the process.

Through Jan.21, Fremont enjoyed a four-point lead over Mountain View (5-3-0, 15). Cupertino (4-2-1, 13) was third, one point ahead of Monta Vista (4-2-0, 12). Homestead (3-4-1, 10), stayed ahead of Lynbrook (2-4-1, 7) by knocking off the Vikings, 5-1.

"We must continue this play if we want to win league," said Garcia, who is trying hard to keep the Firebirds from looking ahead to a possible Central Coast Section playoff bid. "The next two games against Lynbrook and Cupertino are crucial."

Cupertino can tighten the standings with a home win over the Firebirds on Jan. 25, 3:30 p.m.

"If the Pioneers get the best of us they will really join the race, considering how they gave us our only loss so far," Garcia said. "Friday's game is huge!"

After losing to Cupertino 3-2 on their own turf on Dec. 21, the Firebirds took an 18-day holiday break, then went on their shutout streak.

Senior forward Victor Campos, the Firebirds' leading scorer, banged in both goals in the 2-0 win at Mountain View. Center midfielder Jairo Magana, who leads the division in assists, helped set up one of Campos' goals.

Senior Cesar Molina started the eight-goal barrage against Wilcox by converting a penalty kick. Forward Giovanny Luna and midfielder Sergio Aguilar, both sophomores, scored two goals apiece. Magana, senior defender Jose Ortiz and junior forward Jerry Ayound also found the back of the net.

Against visiting Monta Vista on Jan. 16, Luna's first-half marker was the difference. Two days later at Homestead, the Firebirds and Mustangs looked on track to repeat the 1-1 draw they earned in the first round of division play. After a scoreless first half, though, the division leaders busted loose in the final 40 minutes.

Campos, Magana and Ayound all scored goals for the Firebirds. Magana also picked up his fifth assist of the season, and Molina once again was solid in the midfield.

"Molina is tenacious, skilled, strong and has a vision for the whole field of play," Garcia praised. "He could be the best center mid in the league."

Senior midfielder Edgar Gonzalez, juniors Jorge Hernandez, Carlos Torres and Efrain Vasquez and sophomores Rodrigo Valencia and Jose Solorio all have made solid contributions to Fremont's successful season, the coach said.

Prior to its loss to Fremont, Homestead put together a 5-1 win at Lynbrook. After a 1-1 first half, the Mustangs scored four times in the second half.

Freshman Luis Martinez and sophomore Ryan Hu both scored a goal and an assist for the Mustangs. Senior Evan Harris, junior Jared Nishimoto and sophomore Michael Pegueros also scored goals. Juniors Gilbert Osaye and Lloyd Dixon and sophomore Chris Chung all registered assists. Freshman Dylan Martino had a good game as goalie for Homestead.

After a game at Monta Vista on Jan. 23, 3:30 p.m., the Mustangs will have just three more games. They will host Lynbrook on Jan. 30 and Mountain View on Feb. 6, sandwiched around a 7 p.m. night game at Cupertino on Feb. 1.

Girls soccer

While Fremont has had a tough season, 0-8 in the El Camino Division and 0-12-2 overall, Homestead and The King's Academy still are in contention for the CCS playoffs.

As of Jan. 21, Homestead (3-3-1, 10 points) shared third place in the De Anza Division with three other teams, trailing division leader Los Altos (5-2-0, 15) and second-place Monta Vista (4-0-2, 14).

The Mustangs (6-5-2 overall) enter a home match against Monta Vista on Jan. 23, 3:30 p.m., tied with Palo Alto, Los Gatos and Mountain View. In a previous meeting, Homestead and Monta Vista played to a scoreless draw.

Kristina Roome scored two goals and Diana Charrier added a penalty kick, as the Mustangs beat Gunn, 3-0, on Jan. 18.

Meanwhile, The King's Academy has jumped out to a 3-0 start in the Private Schools Athletic League, including a pair of home wins last week.

The Knights scored three goals in the first half against Pinewood and held on for a 3-1 victory on Jan.15. Tami Hays and Shelbi Andrion both had a goal and an assist. Amy Vergara added a goal, with an assist by Samantha Ting.

Three days later, Andrion scored two more goals in the Knights' 4-1 triumph over Valley Christian of Dublin. Ting tallied a goal and an assist. Elyse Williams scored the Knights' final goal, with an assist from Hays. Ting, Melisa Chin and Brianna Westwood also scored assists for TKA, which improved its overall record to 6-4-3.

After a rematch with Pinewood, the Knights will travel to Redwood Christian in San Lorenzo on Jan. 24, 3:30 p.m.