The Willow Glen Resident Rams make jump to Santa Teresa Division By Dick Sparrer It was something of a preview of the 1999 league season. The Willow Glen girls soccer team moves up a notch to the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League this winter after winning the West Valley Division title last season. And the Rams got a look at what that level is like when they competed in the Del Mar Tournament last week. Willow Glen battled a couple of league opponents in the tournament, beating one and losing to the other, as the Rams got a taste of Santa Teresa Division competition. The Rams lost 3-1 to Oak Grove, but rallied for a 4-0 win over Del Mar to even their nonleague record at 2-2-1 as they prepare for the league season. And Willow Glen coach Michael Herauf is looking forward to the challenge. "We return to the Santa Teresa Division after a very successful season in the WVAL," said Herauf, whose club shared the West Valley title with a 13-1 record last year. "And Willow Glen is poised for success." The Rams return nine of their 11 starters with last year's West Valley Division player of the year, Colleen Wozny, topping the list. Wazny is a sophomore forward for the Rams. Other top returners include senior midfielder Melissa Ybarra, senior forward Kristen Rovai, senior fullback Carley Lawrence and sophomore center midfielder Lindsey Rovai (all-league first-teamers last season); senior goalkeeper Amber Molina, junior midfielder Kristina Gerard and junior forward Kellie Arnone (all-league second-teamers); and senior midfielder Amy Johnson (all-league honorable mention). Top players moving up from an unbeaten junior varsity team include junior sweeper Sara Bruni, sophomore forward Allison Lake, junior fullback Lucia Catania; freshmen Lindsey Herauf (midfielder), Jenny Holt (sweeper) and Aubrey Schatz (forward) are top prospects. Add to the list returners Tara Kroll (junior fullback) and Tina Catania (senior fullback) and newcomer Nicki Garcia (senior stopper), and the Rams have a solid nucleus of players for the winter season. Willow Glen came through with an impressive win last weekend, beating Del Mar 4-0 in the tourney hosted by the Dons. Arnone and Garcia knocked in two goals apiece in the win, and Wozny, Johnson, Herauf and L. Rovai had assists for the Rams. Johnson ended up earning a place on the all-tournament team. Willow Glen had lost 3-1 to Oak Grove earlier in the week despite a second-half goal by K. Rovai off a Wozny assist. Oak Grove is one of the clubs that Herauf picks as a league title favorite together with Valley Christian and Lincoln. But the coach adds that his Rams should finish "somewhere in the top three." [ Back to Contents Page | Willow Glen Resident Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Willow Glen Resident, December 16, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.