Both Adrian Morales and Amir Faraj-Perry qualified for the March 7­8 state tournament at the University of the Pacific's Stanos Center by placing third at the Feb. 21­22 Central Coast Section tournament.

"It's the first time in 10 years that Willow Glen has had a state qualifier," said Willow Glen mat coach Phil Luna, "and the first time ever that we've sent two guys to state."

Morales finished third at the Central Coast Section tournament two weeks after winning the 171-pound title at the Blossom Valley Athletic League finals. An injury forced Faraj-Perry to settle for second at the league tournament, but he recovered in time to finish third at the Central Coast Section tourney and clinch a state berth.

The two Rams will head up a contingent of nine Blossom Valley Athletic League wrestlers advancing to the University of the Pacific. Bobby Rivera (first at the CCS tourney at 112 pounds) of Overfelt, Anthony Darino (first at 130) of Oak Grove, Ron Raquino (first at 135) and Jerry Arreola (first at 275) of Santa Teresa and Joe Rico (first at 140), Elias Castillo (third at 189) and Brandon Hester (second at 215) of Silver Creek will also make the state trip.

Bellarmine's Daniel Summers and Armando Palomo are other local state qualifiers. Summers was third in the Central Coast Section tourney at 103 pounds, and Palomo was third at 135.

Barely missing state qualification was Mike DeSmidt of Bellarmine, who finished fourth at the CCS tourney at 171 pounds. He lost his last match to Willow Glen's Morales. Justin Harrigan was sixth at 152 pounds at the Central Coast Section tourney for the Bells.


Panthers tie for title

It's officially a co-championship in the Central Coast Section Division II soccer tournament after Presentation and Notre Dame­Belmont battled to a scoreless tie in the title game last Saturday.

The Panthers, 14-4-5 for the season, had edged Palo Alto 1-0 in the semifinals to move into the championship round. A second-half goal by senior forward Jessica Mason off an Aubrey Ellzey assist proved the difference in the game.

Ellzey, Sara Hines and Jennifer Tuttle were senior co-captains for the Central Coast Section champion Panthers this season. Along with Mason, other seniors included Elena Bautista and Shannon Lewis.

Juniors Amanda Brandt, Danielle Cifelli, Jane Dougherty, Laura Gutto, Andrea Lee, Nicole Nigos, Angela Nunez and Christina Siadat head up a solid cast of returners for Presentation next year. Others include freshman forward Samantha Kountz-Edwards and sophomores Danielle Alongi, Nicole Butler, Laura Keenan, Brittni Marciano, Nicole Moyen, Taylor Numann and Lauren Vu.


Panthers win two

The Presentation girls basketball team, meanwhile, remains in the hunt for the Central Coast Section Division III championship. The Panthers crushed Mountain View 66-33 and whipped Burlingame 53-42 last week to advance to the quarterfinals on March 5, 8 p.m., against Notre Dame­Belmont at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. The winner will play for the Central Coast Section title on March 8, 2 p.m., at Santa Clara University's Leavey Center.

The Panthers, 23-7 for the year, earned the spot in the semifinals with an 11-point win over Burlingame on Saturday.

A 14-point effort by Hayley Farb sparked Presentation to the win. The junior guard had four three-point buckets among her five field goals.

Katie Mello drilled a pair of threes on her way to an 11-point night, and Nicole Yarwasky and Kirian Ishizaki supported with 10 points apiece. Ishizaki also drained a couple of threes.

Kelly Bertoldo and Arianna Corona rounded out the scoring with four points each.

Presentation had destroyed Mountain View by 33 points in the first round of the playoffs. The Panthers outscored the Spartans in every period and opened up a 24-point lead by intermission at 37-13.

Yarwasky had the big game for the Panthers with 23 points, and Mello joined her in double digits with 10, including a three. Bertoldo added eight points, Ishizaki and Corona six each, Francesca Farinacci five (including a three), and Farb, Laura Jordan, Jackie Murray and Nina Hasbany two each.

Meanwhile, the Willow Glen girls lost their Division III opener 72-26 to Sacred Heart Cathedral. Despite the loss, Amy Gannon's girls managed a sensational 19-6 season record in 2002­03.

Senior post player Crystal Salazar finished her Willow Glen career with a nine-point night. She had a three among her four field goals. Senior guard Edna Sison had five points, including a three, and Diana Schnabel, Candace Gallegos, Mikka Dixon and Maja Johnson had three points each. Schnabel and Gallegos each popped threes.

Seniors Salazar, Sison and Sequeena Holmes were each playing their final game for the Rams. Schnabel, a sophomore, joins juniors Dixon, Gallegos, Johnson, Dynasti Brown, Brook Cook, Kiley McKown and Marina Mendez as top returners for Willow Glen next season.


WG boys fall

The Willow Glen boys basketball team lost 55-42 to Soquel in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs. The Rams, co-champions in the West Valley Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League, finished the year with a 13-12 record.

Keith Doleshel led the Rams with 19 points in the loss to Soquel. The senior center tossed in five field goals and added nine points at the free-throw line.

Senior guard Justin Johnson canned 12 points in his final game for the Rams. Max Gourd had a three-pointer among his seven points, and Will Howsman added four points.