Photographs by Kathy De La Torre
Up, Up and Away: Presentation's Caitlyn Foley (left) and Julie Hiura helped the Panthers to back-to-back wins to open the CCS playoffs.
Tough loss for WG soccer team
Panthers playing for soccer title
By Dick Sparrer
It was tough game to lose.
The Willow Glen boys soccer team was going up against powerful Bellarmine in a regular David and Goliath scenario on Saturday in the Central Coast Section Division I semifinals. But this time, there was no upset victory for David.
The Rams lost a tough 2-1 decision to the Bells to see their season come to an abrupt stop.
But what a season it was. The Rams were 18-2-3 for the year and won the championship in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. Their only two losses came against Bellarmine and Watsonville, the teams seeded No. 1 and 2 in the CCS playoffs.
"My boys went out there and played hard," said Willow Glen coach Sue Parisi. "It wasn't our best game, but 2-1 is not bad against a team that has won 48 games in a row."
Willow Glen could get off just three shots against the Bells, but Hugo Sigala made one them good for a goal in the first half.
"He beat two of their players and, as he was falling, he took a shot from outside the box," said Parisi. "It hit the upper left corner of the net."
The goal by Sigala helped the Rams tie the Bells at the half, but Bellarmine scored a second-half goal to claim the victory.
Still, junior goalkeeper Christian Jimenez kept the Rams in the game until the end with a solid effort.
"He did an awesome job," Parisi said of Jimenez. "He had three outstanding saves."
The coach also singled out senior Ramon Duran and sophomore sweeper Saul Villatoro for solid efforts in the game.
The loss brought an end to an outstanding season for the Rams.
"To come from nowhere and do what we did is pretty darn good," said Parisi. "I'm very proud of them ... very proud."
Panthers win
The Presentation girls will square off with Mitty this week in a battle for the CCS Division II soccer championship.
The teams, who played for the title last year, will battle it out on Feb. 29, 5:15 p.m., at PAL Stadium.
The Panthers moved into the title game with a 2-1 overtime win over Carlmont last week.
Ching Selena knocked in a second-half goal off assists from Kelly Sweitzer and Rachel Field to help the Panthers tie the Scots 1-1 in regulation.
Jaime Moore scored off a Field assist in the first overtime to give the Panthers the lead, then Presentation blanked Carlmont in a final period to clinch the win.
The Panthers are 16-2-5 as they face off with Mitty on Tuesday.
Rams split
The Willow Glen boys split in CCS Division II play last week.
The Rams opened the tournament with a 52-50 win over Yerba Buena, but they were eliminated from postseason play on Saturday when they lost 62-50 to Woodside in the quarterfinals.
Senior guard Casey Keegan capped his Willow Glen career with a couple of big games, pouring in 25 points in the win over YB and tossing in 24 more against Woodside.
Keegan had three three-pointers among his nine field goals and he added three free throws to finish with 24 points, but the Rams still lost by 12 to the Wildcats.
Guy Beahm, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, scored 21 points in his final high school game and David Macchi added five points. Both Beahm and Macchi hit three-pointers.
The Rams, who wrapped up the year 16-11, had opened the tourney with a tight two-point win over the Warriors. Keegan had a three among his 25 points and Beahm hit two threes on the way to 19 points.
Macchi added four points in the win and Pete Watts and Jon Williams had two apiece.
Fernandez stars
Briana Fernandez poured in 14 points to lead the Presentation girls basketball team to a 51-42 win over Los Gatos and into the CCS Division III semifinals against Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The Panthers will take on Sacred Heart on March 1 at Leland. The time had not been announced at presstime.
Fernandez popped a pair of threes among her four field goals, and she had four free throws to lead the Panthers to the win. Katie Passalacqua supported with 12 points. Katherine McLaughlin and Sara Werner hit nine apiece, Caitlyn Foley had six and Julie Hiura added one. McLaughlin also hit a three.
The Panthers, 13-12 for the year, had opened the playoffs with a 63-37 win over Mercy of San Francisco.
Werner topped the club with 14 points and Foley added 11, each hitting a three. Passalacqua had nine points.
Wrestlers finish
There were no placers for either Willow Glen or Pioneer at the Central Coast Section wrestling finals last weekend.
Competing for Willow Glen at the tournament were Daniel Lopez (114), Michael Jaramillo (121), John Belveal (132), Henry Chavez (137), Joe Parisi (147), Kurt Watkins (173), Jessie Hendricks (191), Fernando Betancourt (217) and Erick Lupercio (277).
Pioneer's Dahn Nguyen (127), Matt Mallon (162) and Travis Murdock (191) also took part in the tourney.
Alumni Baseball Game
The Willow Glen baseball team will host an alumni game on Sat., March 4, at the school's baseball diamond.
The day will begin with the frosh-soph team going up against graduates from 1980 and earlier at 11 a.m. At 1 p.m., the varsity will take on all other graduates.
For more information on the game, call Willow Glen varsity head coach Gary Rose at 408.535.6330, ext. 663.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
