The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Charge It! Presentation's Danielle Slaton races down the field with the soccer ball in last week's clash with Leland. Slaton and the Panthers cruised to a 3-0 win over the Chargers.

Panthers begin title defense

Rams open league play with victories

By Dick Sparrer

Mani Hernandez wouldn't be surprised to see his Presentation girls' soccer team win the league championship this winter.

Heck, he wouldn't even be surprised to see his Panthers win the Central Coast Section crown.

But then, why would he be surprised? After all, Presentation won the league and CCS titles a year ago, and eight players from that winning team return this season.

"Experience should take us to the CCS and league titles," Hernandez says as he looks ahead to the 1997-98 season.

The Panthers are already off to a good start in the quest for those goals. Presentation beat Leland 3-0 and Leigh 3-2 in the first week of the season in the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, and the Panthers are 5-1 in the young soccer season.

Returning all-leaguers Shaelyn Fernandes, Krista Boling, Brea Boling, Danielle Slaton and Aly Wagner head up Presentation's hopes for an outstanding winter season.

Kelly Prior, Erica Timiraos and Jacy Giles are other top returners for the Panthers, and freshmen Megan Gurney, Megan Chimenti and Kelly Sweitzer are top newcomers.

Presentation opened the league season in impressive fashion with a 3-0 win over Leland. While Fernandes, the Panthers' talented senior goalkeeper, blanked the Chargers on one end of the field, junior Stephanie Neustadter led the offense with a goal and an assist.

B. Boling and Rachel Neustadter also scored goals for the Panthers, and Slaton gave out an assist.

Wagner came through with a goal and an assist, and B. Boling and R. Neustadter also scored goals for the Panthers in the 3-2 win over Leigh later in the week. Annie Griffith and Chimenti added assists in the win.

Rams win two

While Presentation was getting off to a fast start in the Mt. Hamilton Division, Willow Glen was getting off to a similar start in the West Valley Division of the BVAL.

Melissa Ybarra knocked in two goals and dished off two assists, and Kristen Rovai drilled two goals and had one assist to lead Michael Herauf's Rams to a 5-3 win over Mt. Pleasant to open the league season.

Colleen Wozny also knocked in a goal for the winners, and Kristina Gerard added an assist.

Willow Glen punched its league record to 2-0 and its season mark to 3-5 with a 5-2 win over Gunderson later in the week.

C. Wozny and Kellie Arnone led the Rams to the victory. Wozny and Arnone buried two goals apiece and added an assist each to drive Willow Glen to the victory.

Freshman Lindsey Rovai chipped in with a goal and an assist for the winners, and Ybarra and K. Rovai each had assists.

Rams win at Wildcat

Dion Saunders poured in 19 points, and Rayvon Jackson added 15 to lead the Willow Glen boys' basketball team to a 49-37 win over Saratoga in the finals of the Wildcat Shootout.

Jackson dumped 60 points in the three Shootout games on his way to earning the tournament's most valuable player award. Saunders chipped in with 54 points and won a spot on the all-tournament team.

Guy Beahm supported with eight points in the tourney championship game, and Manny Myers added seven points, including a three-pointer.

Jackson and Saunders combined for 48 points in Willow Glen's 62-47 win over Live Oak in the tourney opener. Jackson led the Rams with 26 points and Saunders was close behind with 22. Myers joined the two in double digits with 10 points, and Beahm added four. Myers canned a couple of three-point buckets and Jackson hit one.

Jackson came back with 19 points to lead the Rams to a tight 58-53 win over Soquel in the semifinals. Beahm bombed 16 points, hitting two threes among his seven field goals.

Saunders tossed in 13 points for the winners. Myers drained a pair of threes to finish with six points, and Cory Warren and Eric Dean had two points apiece.

Pioneer ended up sixth in the Wildcat Shootout, thanks to a 64-59 overtime win over Leland in the second round.

Jeff Luu buried 17 points to lead the Mustangs to the win. Bryce Hall pitched in 15 points for Pioneer, and Todd Scudder jammed 11 points. Greg Haskell hit a pair of threes on his way to 10 points, Brian Darrow added nine points and Kevin Gray hit two.

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