Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Heads Up: Willow Glen's Tracy Harding looks toward the goal in action against Presentation. Harding scored a goal for the Rams in an important overtime win over Leland last week to help them on their way to the division championship.
Livak is all-tourney in Scramble
Hockey team is still unbeaten
By Dick Sparrer
Courtney Livak appears ready to have a big year in the pool for the Willow Glen girls water polo.
And it's not just because the junior star is coming off of an outstanding sophomore season when she was named the most valuable player in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, though that sure doesn't hurt.
No, it's because Livak is already off to a strong start in the 2000 season, and she proved it by winning a place on the all-tournament team at the Willow Glen Scramble.
The Rams finished 2-2 in the A division of the tournament they hosted Sept. 22-23, and Livak pitched in 10 goals in the four games to help Willow Glen to the solid finish in an impressive field.
Livak tossed in four goals in an 8-3 win over Hollister, then fired in four more goals in a 9-3 victory over Salinas. She had two goals in an 8-4 loss to Leland, and she was held scoreless in a 7-3 loss to Gunn.
Alicia Barreto, another junior returner for the Rams who won all-league honors last fall, scored two goals against powerful Gunn in the tournament and sophomore Brynne Kaubish added one.
Barreto, Kaubish, Allison Rice and Pam Morrow each scored goals to support Livak in the win over Hollister, and Barreto, Morrow, Kaubish, Jaime Watts and Rice all scored along with Livak in the win over Salinas.
Livak and Barreto tossed in two goals apiece in the 8-4 loss to Leland.
Soquel beat Hollister 15-0, Gunn 7-1, Live Oak 6-3 and Palo Alto 7-6 in the finals to win the championship in the Scramble.
The 2-2 effort was a good start to a season that started slow for the Rams.
"We got a late start, but we're making gains," said head coach Scott Kaubish. "Fortunately, we had some time before league play began."
"Look for this team to gell and find its strengths," added the coach.
The Rams open Mt. Hamilton Division play on Oct. 4, 3:15 p.m., at home against Mitty.
All-league returners Livak and Barreto will lead the Rams into action this fall. They top a list of 10 returners from last year's championship team.
Kaubish, Kara Buchanan, Morrow, Vanessa Butera, Amanda Horton, Lisa Woo, Claudia Villatoro and Gina Ravo all return from the squad that posted an 8-2 record in the division and a 19-11 mark overall.
Newcomers Watts, Rice and Katie Addington will give the Rams depth this fall as they attempt to defend their title.
Will they?
"It's too close to call," admitted Kaubish. "It's wide open."
Homecoming loss
The Willow Glen football team dropped a 41-6 decision to powerful Piedmont Hills on the Rams' homecoming day.
Only a 71-yard touchdown pass from Bobby Hobbs to Gabe Candelaria in the fourth quarter enabled the Rams to avoid the shutout in the game.
Willow Glen slipped to 0-4 for the year in the loss that came in the Santa Teresa Division opener for the Rams.
Willow Glen will try to get a notch in the win column this week when the Rams visit Prospect on Oct. 7, 1:30 p.m.
Rams split in tennis
Kelsey Giambruno and Aubrey Schatz won twice in singles play, but the Willow Glen girls tennis team could manage just a split in league play last week.
The Rams lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Pioneer, but came back to knock off Overfelt in a pair of Santa Teresa Division matches.
Giambruno nailed a 4-6, 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 2 singles and Schatz won 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3 in the loss to the Mustangs. Jovanie Barraza and Nhuchi Tran teamed for a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 3 doubles, but it wasn't enough for the Rams.
Kimmy Barnes pulled out a 6-2, 6-0 win over Jessica Hannon at No. 1 singles to lead the Mustangs to the victory.
Hannon came back with a 6-0, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles to start the Rams on the road to the 6-1 win over Overfelt.
Giambruno won 6-2, 6-2 at No. 2 and Schatz won 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3.
Stephanie Mansfield and Kristina Ravo pulled out a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles and Chen Huyhn and Erica Trevino won 6-0, 6-3 at No. 2.
Tran and Barraza won a thriller at No. 3 doubles, going to a tiebreaker in each of three sets to win 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-5).
The Rams are now 3-4 for the year.
Two hockey wins
The Rams continued their winning ways with back-to-back field hockey victories over Leland and Lynbrook last week.
Willow Glen opened play in the Mt. Hamilton Division with a tight 2-1 win over Lynbrook last Thursday. Samantha Bruni knocked in a first-half goal off an Allison Lake assist, and Lake broke a 1-1 tie with an unassisted goal in the second half.
The Rams, now 8-0 for the year, had opened the week with a 2-0 win over Leland. Stacey Santomauro scored both goals for Willow Glen, one off passes from Lake and Lindsey Rovai and the other off a Rovai assist.
Panthers win, Rams fall
The Presentation and Willow Glen girls volleyball teams each played two matches last week, but with very different results.
The Panthers rolled to back-to-back wins over Leland and Independence in Mt. Hamilton Division play last week, while the Rams lost to Piedmont Hills and Mt. Pleasant in the Santa Teresa Division.
Julie Harris sparked the Panthers to an easy 15-2, 15-1, 15-1 win over Independence last week to help Presentation improve to 4-0 in league play and to 14-1 for the year.
Earlier in the week the Panthers made short work of Leland, winning 15-0, 15-2, 15-3.
The Rams, meanwhile, lost 15-10, 15-12, 15-8 to Piedmont Hills, then fell 15-1, 15-5, 15-7 to Mt. Pleasant.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
