Good week for the Rams

By Dick Sparrer

A week that started out on a dismal note ended up pretty good for the Willow Glen girls softball team.

The Rams opened the week dropping a tough 6-5 decision to Pioneer in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League. But Willow Glen came back to blank Piedmont Hills 1-0 in 10 innings, then beat Mt. Pleasant 4-2.

The two wins helped the Rams improve to 3-1 in the division and to 7-3 for the year.

Willow Glen didn't realize it at the time, but it could have been a three-win week. The Rams took a comfortable 5-2 lead into the last of the seventh against Pioneer, but the Mustangs rallied for four runs in the home half of the seventh to pull out the victory.

Senior Erin Booth slapped three hits to knock in two runs for the Rams against the Pioneers. Kelly McCloskey had two hits, and Angel Ocampo ripped a double.

The Rams jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first, but Pioneer answered back with two in the home half of the inning. Willow Glen added to its 3-2 lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, but the Mustangs came through with the game-winning rally in the seventh.

Nicki Garcia, who was tagged with the tough loss against Pioneer, came back with a gem later in the week against Piedmont Hills. Garcia tossed a 10-inning no-hitter to lead the Rams to the 1-0 lead over the Pirates.

The clubs matched zeroes for nine innings before Willow Glen pushed a run home in the top of the 10th to end the scoreless tie. Garcia put down the Bucs in the bottom of the 10th to secure the victory.

Garcia, now 7-2 for the year, came back with a 4-hitter in Willow Glen's 4-2 win over Mt. Pleasant a couple of days later. Booth drove in two runs for the Rams in the game.

The clubs were scoreless through three innings before the Rams scored a run in the fourth. The Cardinals took a 2-1 lead with two runs in the sixth, but Willow Glen responded with three in the bottom of the sixth to take a 4-2 advantage. Garcia shut down the Cards in the seventh to clinch the win.

Presentation lost in its only softball try last week, falling 11-0 to Mitty in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL. The Panthers are now 1-1 in the division and 15-4 for the year.

Rams run to wins

The Willow Glen girls ran a pair of track and field wins in the West Valley Division of the BVAL last week, beating San Jose 54-46 and Yerba Buena 87-19.

Janette Najera breezed to wins in the mile in 6:01.78, the 800 meters in 2:44.0 and the 2-mile in 13:13.0 to lead the Rams to the win over the Bulldogs.

Denise Yabes was a double winner in the weights with a first in the shot put at 25-0 and a first in the discus at 87-8.

Shannon Donovan supported with a first in the 100 hurdles in 19.46.

The Rams, 2-0 in the division, took the easy win over Yerba Buena two days later.

Najera took the mile in 6:07.0, the 800 in 2:51.5 and the 2-mile in 13:29.6, and Yabes was a winner in the shot at 25-4 and the discus at 83-6.

The Willow Glen boys, meanwhile, split against San Jose and Yerba Buena. The Rams lost 66-61 to the Bulldogs, but came back to beat the Warriors 64-54.

Eyasu Kebede won the mile in 4:52.5 and the 2-mile in 10:31.8 and Seth Andrews took the shot put at 40-0 and the discus at 113-0, but the Rams lost a close decision to the 'Dogs.

Leo Garcia supported with a first in the 800 meters in 2:09.4. Garcia and Kyle Martinez were each double winners and Kebede and Andrews each won events to lead the Rams to the team win over Yerba Buena.

Garcia took the high jump at 5-0 and the long jump at 16-4, and Martinez won the 100 hurdles in 17.2 and the 300 hurdles in 47.8.

Kebede was first in the 2-mile in 10:39.9, and Andrews took the discus with 118-5.

The Willow Glen boys are now 2-1 in the division.

Buchanan stars

Sophomore speedster Kara Buchanan won a pair of individual events and helped two relay teams to victories to spark the Willow Glen girls swimming team to an impressive 96-87 win over Oak Grove last week. The win evened Willow Glen's record at 1-1 in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.

Freshman Courtney Livak and junior Whitney Gregg were other double winners for the Rams against the Eagles.

Buchanan took the 200-yard individual medley in 2:34.22 and the 100 butterfly in 1:08.86. She teamed with C. Livak and juniors Allison Woodside and Kristan Livak for a win in the 200 medley relay in 2:13.03, and joined Gregg, Woodside and K. Livak for a first in the 200 free relay in 1:56.26.

Gregg won the 200 freestyle in 2:06.17, and she also took the 100 free in 57.46, and C. Livak was first in the 500 free in 6:06.66, and she won the 100 breaststroke in 1:21.44.

The Willow Glen boys lost 111-19 to Oak Grove the same day. The Rams are 0-2 in the division.

Bucs top Rams

Piedmont Hills jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead and from there to a 7-3 victory over the Willow Glen baseball team last week. Mark Arreola belted three hits for the Rams, who had just five hits against the Pirates. The loss left the Rams 1-5 in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL and 2-9 for the year.

Willow Glen opened the Soquel Tournament with a 6-5 loss to Monterey last Saturday. The Rams led most of the game, but Monterey rallied for four runs in the top half of the seventh to claim the victory.

Matt Segerstrom and Gilbert Maldonado had two hits apiece for the Rams, who finished the game with eight singles.

Staton on par

Matt Staton was right on par for the Willow Glen golf team last week...literally right on par. Staton fired an even-par 33 at the Spring Valley Golf Course in Milpitas to lead the Rams to a 187-210 victory over Piedmont Hills in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL.

Volleyball Split

The Willow Glen boys volleyball team split a pair of matches last week, falling in five games to San Jose Academy before beating Pioneer in four.

The Rams, 3-3 in the Santa Teresa Division of the BVAL, knocked off Pioneer 15-5, 11-15, 15-12, 15-5 two days after losing a 15-17, 15-5, 12-15, 15-11, 15-8 decision to San Jose.

The Rams are 3-4 for the year.

Nguyens win

Sophomores Loc and Alex Nguyen teamed for a 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win at No. 2 doubles, but the Willow Glen boys tennis dropped a 6-1 decision to Santa Teresa last week in Santa Teresa Division play.

Earlier in the week, the Rams were blanked 7-0 by Prospect. The Panthers are unbeaten in division play.

The Rams are now off for spring break. They'll return to the court April 13 against Silver Creek at Willow Glen.

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