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Brad Sanfilippo knew it wasn't going to be easy when he took over the baseball program at Willow Glen High School as a first-year varsity coach. After all, his club was to compete in one of the toughest leagues of them all—the Mt. Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
So Sanfilippo knew that he would have to look for small victories as he started to rebuild the Willow Glen program.
Well, he got one last week, and there was nothing small about it.
Willow Glen knocked off Oak Grove 9-5 in the second game of a Friday double-header. The Rams had lost 6-5 in eight innings in the first game but came back with the impressive win in the nightcap against the school that boasts one of the best programs in the area.
Keith Doleshel ripped three hits and Justin Jeffrey and Jim Garcia each singled and doubled to drive in two runs apiece, leading the Rams to the victory.
Doug Dionne had two hits to drive in two runs, and Steve Rebagliatti also knocked in a pair of runs.
Justin Johnson had two hits and was also the winning pitcher, pushing his season record to 2-1.
The Rams trailed 5-4 heading into the sixth but picked up two runs and came back with three more in the seventh to clinch the win. Willow Glen is 5-13 for the year and 4-9 in the division.
In the first game, Willow Glen outhit Oak Grove 10-9 but lost a tough 6-5 decision in eight innings. Garcia homered and singled and Carlos Torres homered for the Rams.
Jeffrey singled and doubled and Johnson had two hits in the game. Kevin Tollner knocked in two runs.
Willow Glen had opened the week with a 7-5 league loss to Mt. Pleasant. Dionne had two hits for the Rams, and Garcia and John Gibilisco each doubled.
Gibilisco doubled and tripled and Johnson doubled home two runs, but Willow Glen lost a 12-7 non-league decision to Leigh last week. Doleshel also doubled for the Rams.
Still rolling
The Willow Glen badminton team continues to roll through the Blossom Valley Athletic League's West Valley Division. Coach Nancy Williams' crew pounded Lincoln 12-3 and edged Pioneer 8-7 last week to improve to 12-0 for the year.
"We had especially outstanding play by our frosh girls third doubles team of Vicky Chow and Diem Ly Vo," said Williams. The two came through with a clutch 15-7, 15-4 win to all but clinch the team victory over Pioneer.
Boys singles standouts Tue Tran, Long Nguyen and Tung Tran swept their matches in straight sets in both wins last week. Nancy Vu won 11-15, 15-12, 15-13 at No. 1 girls singles against Lincoln.
Tough golf losses
The Willow Glen golf team lost a pair of tough one-stroke decisions to first-place Pioneer in Santa Teresa Division action last week.
Nick Barreto carded a two-over par 38 at The Villages, but the Rams lost 177-178 to the Mustangs.
Two days later, Nick Barreto, Ryan Radjabi and Will Howsman each fired five-over 40s at Santa Teresa, but the Rams lost 164-165 to the Mustangs.
Willow Glen slipped to 10-4 in the division, while Pioneer improved to 14-0.
Sarinana stars
Frank Sarinana buried 14 kills to lead the Willow Glen boys volleyball team to a 15-3, 15-2, 15-10 win over Pioneer last week. The Rams are now 5-2 in the Mt. Hamilton Division and 16-10 for the year.
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Photograph by George Sakkestad