Photograph by George Sakkestad
Hustling Home: Willow Glen's Keith Doleshel slides safely into home in last week's game against Westmont. The Rams ended up losing the game 6-5, and lost 12-9 to Santa Teresa later in the week.
Panthers roll to win over Willow Glen
Linerud homers, flips shutout for winners
By Dick Sparrer
There was a win and a loss for the Presentation girls softball team last week. But if head coach Ray Malley and his Panthers had their choice, but would rather have won when they lost, and lost when they won.
The Panthers blanked Willow Glen 6-0 to record their sixth win of the season last week, but they lost 4-1 to Leland, and that game came in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League (BVAL).
The loss left Presentation 2-3 in league play and well off the pace being set by first-place Mitty. The Monarchs lead the pack at 5-0 with Santa Teresa second at 4-2 and Westmont third at 3-2.
Presentation will try to better its standing in the division with three games this week. The Panthers were to host Mitty on Monday and will entertain Piedmont Hills on April 17 and visit Westmont on April 19. Games begin at 3:30 p.m.
The Panthers salvaged the week with the 6-0 win over local rival Willow Glen. Senior Shannon Linerud whirled a one-hit shutout for the win.
Linerud helped her own cause with a triple and a home run to drive in three runs in the win. Sophomore Ashley Callaway also tripled for the Panthers.
Freshman Rachel Siehl threw for the Rams, but was touched for three runs in the third and three more in the fifth.
Things didn't go as well for the Panthers earlier in the week in the loss to Leland. Senior Nicole Rousseve tossed a six-hitter, but the Chargers picked up single runs in the first and second and added two runs in the sixth. Presentation had just two hits in the loss and could manage just a single run in the second.
Willow Glen, meanwhile, lost three games last week. Before losing to Presentation on Friday, the Rams lost 8-2 to Pioneer and 10-1 to Independence in Santa Teresa Division play.
Serina Anaya and Merina Mendez each doubled, but the Rams lost 8-2 to Pioneer to slip to 2-5 in division play.
Earlier in the week, the Rams gave up six runs in the second en route to the 10-1 loss to the Sixers.
Sarinana stars
Senior outside hitter Mark Sarinana buried 51 kills in two matches, but the Willow Glen boys volleyball team dropped a pair of decisions last week in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the BVAL.
Sarinana hammered 24 kills, but the Rams lost a tough 15-10, 15-4, 5-15, 16-14 decision to Branham.
Earlier in the week, Sarinana's 27 kills weren't enough for Willow Glen in a heartbreaking 3-15, 13-15, 16-14, 15-13, 15-10 loss to Leland.
The two losses left Willow Glen 4-3 in the division and 13-9 for the yar.
The Rams were coming off a sensational showing at the Alisal Classic in Salinas.
Willow Glen finished fourth in the 24-team tournament, playing against many of the top teams in Northern California.
The Rams swept through three matches in pool play, beating Aptos, San Benito and Pleasant Valley of Chico.
Willow Glen beat Fremont in two straight games in the playoffs to move on to the quarterfinals against Bellarmine. The Rams won 15-8, 15-10 to move into the semifinals.
"This was an incredible victory for the boys, who were outsized and out-experienced," said Willow Glen coach Jef Wind. "But their aggressive defense and quick attack held the Bells off."
Willow Glen lost to Central Coast Section powerhouse Los Gatos a match later to wind up fourth in the tourney.
Rams lose two
The Willow Glen baseball team dropped a pair of Mt. Hamilton Division decisions last week, falling 12-9 to Santa Teresa and losing a 6-5 heartbreaker to Westmont.
The Rams fell behind Westmont 4-0 in the first inning, but fought back with two in the second, two more in the fifth to tie it 4-4 and another run in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Westmont, though, scored two in the bottom of the seventh to pull out the come-from-behind win.
Junior Tista Perri doubled to lead a five-hit attack for the Rams in the game.
Willow Glen slipped to 1-8 in the division and to 4-12 for the year with the 12-9 loss to Santa Teresa later in the week.
Sophomore Steve Rebagliati doubled and singled twice and soph Chris Hobbs tripled to lead the Rams at the plate.
Willow Glen actually had the lead in this one, too. The Rams were down 3-0 after half an inning, but rallied for five in the home half of the first to take a 5-3 advantage. The Saints came back with four in the third and two in the fourth before Willow Glen picked up two in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the lead to 9-8. But Santa Teresa scored two in the sixth and one in the seventh, and Willow Glen could answer with just one in the seventh.
Willow Glen will take the field for three league games this week. The Rams were to visit Leigh on Monday, they will host Leland on April 17 and they will head to Valley Christian on April 19. All games begin at 3:30 p.m.
Wang wins
The Willow Glen boys tennis team split a pair of matches to move to 3-5 in the West Valley Division of the BVAL.
Sophomore William Wang posted a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles to lead the Rams to a 5-1 win over James Lick, but the Rams lost 5-2 to San Jose Academy despite a 6-4, 7-5 win by Wang at No. 1.
Golfers fall
Will Howsman fired a four-over par 40, but the Willow Glen golf team dropped a 219-235 decision to Pioneer at Cinnabar Hills.
The Rams slipped to 8-2 for the year a day later when they lost to Pioneer again, this time 217-235 at The Villages. Sophomore Nick Barretto shot a 42 on the par 36 links to lead the Rams.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
