And why wouldn't the Willow Glen coach be hopeful as she leads the Rams into the winter season? After all, she has two returning all-leaguers on the floor leading the Willow Glen effort.

Senior guards Sequeena Holmes and Edna Sison both are back on the hardwood for the Rams after winning league honors last season. Holmes was an all-league first team player, and Sison won an all-league second team spot.

With 5-foot-9 senior Crystal Salazar back in the post and newcomer Maja Johnson (5-foot-9 junior) on the front line, the Rams have the nucleus of a talented ball club—at least, that's how Gannon sizes things up.

The coach is looking for her Rams to contend for the title with Andrew Hill and San Jose in the West Valley Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League this season. The Rams, who last won a league title in 2000, were 5-9 in league play a year ago and posted a 6-19 record overall.

They'll likely do better than that this year, since they're already out to a 5-1 start in the young season. The Rams picked up their fifth win of the year last week when they knocked off Prospect 42-34, fighting back from a 19-11 halftime deficit by outscoring the Panthers 20-7 in the fourth quarter.

Johnson led the Rams with 17 points, including seven at the free-throw line. Sison joined her in double figures with 13 points.

Salazar and sophomore Diana Schnabel tossed in four points apiece, junior Candace Gallegos drilled a three-pointer and junior Marina Mendez hit a free throw.


Panthers perfect

The Presentation girls are off to a 6-0 start this season, beating Los Gatos 39-29 and Los Altos 66-31 in a couple of non-league games last week.

But head coach Rich Brown is quite sure what to expect from his Panthers in the rugged West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL). He knows one thing, though: "In the WCAL, every game will be a tough one."

Returning all-leaguer Nicole Yarwasky leads the Presentation attack this winter. The 6-foot-2 senior center, who has already accepted a full scholarship to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, returns for her fourth varsity season.

Katie Mello, a 5-foot-10 senior forward who was an all-league second team pick last year, is also back on the floor for a fourth varsity campaign.

Sophomore guard Kirian Ishizaki returns after winning the league's freshman of the year award last winter, and junior guard Hayley Farb is back after an all-league honorable mention season.

Junior forward Kelly Bertoldo is another varsity returner for the Panthers.

Sophomore guards Arianna Corona and Laura Jordan are two talented newcomers on the Presentation varsity. Corona was the league's most valuable player on the junior varsity, last season and Jordan was an all-leaguer.

Yarwasky poured in 14 points and Ishizaki added 11 to lead the Panthers to the 10-point win over Los Gatos. Bertoldo supported with eight points.

Yarwasky came back with 19 points and Mello and Bertoldo popped 12 apiece in the win over the Eagles. Murray tossed in eight points.


Presentation wins

Two goals by Aubrey Ellzey off assists from Nicole Moyen and Amanda Brandt sparked the Presentation girls soccer team to a 2-0 win over Valley Christian in the WCAL opener for each team last week. The Panthers improved to 3-1 for the year with the win.

Ellzey, a senior midfielder, is one of four talented returners on the Presentation varsity this winter. Senior forward Jennifer Tuttle, junior goalkeeper Andrea Lee and sophomore fullback Taylor Numann round out the list of Panthers back from last year's team.

With the addition of standouts Danielle Cifelli, a junior midfielder, and Samantha Kountz-Edwards, a freshman forward, veteran coach Mani Hernanadez sees this club as a league title contender.

"This is a well-balanced team," said Hernandez, who also rates his team as a potential Central Coast Section championship contender. "We're very strong in every position."

The Panthers will get a little international competition later this month when they take a trip to Yokosuka, Japan, on Dec. 26.

"We're looking forward to going to Japan for the fourth time," said the coach. "It's a culturally rich trip. We play two days and we travel for nine days."


Rams fall

The Willow Glen boys soccer team dropped a tough 1-0 non-league decision to Yerba Buena last week, but first-year head coach John Llamas is still optimistic heading into the new season.

"We have a very positive outlook," said the coach, who rates his Rams and Leland as the league title contenders.

Leading the effort for the Rams will be varsity veterans Nathan Tom and Gilbert Lozoya. Tom was the sophomore of the year in the Mt. Hamilton Division for the Willow Glen team, which finished second with a 9-7 record. Lozoya was on the all-league first team.

Newcomers Uriel Valencia and Kurt Pinelli are top prospects in their first year on the varsity.