With senior midfielder Nathan Tom leading the way, the Rams should rival Westmont for the division championship, says Llamas.

Willow Glen is coming off a 3-8-1 league season and posted a 7-11-2 mark overall last year, but that was in the Mt. Hamilton Division. Llamas is looking for the Rams to finish "first or second" in the Santa Teresa Division this year.

Tom, a returning all-leaguer who was the league's Sophomore of the Year two years ago, tops the list of returners for Willow Glen this winter.

Senior Alex Pena and junior Carlos Zarate are other top prospects for the Rams this year. Tadyous Assera, Antonio Borrayo, Milton Diaz, Miguel Godinez and Olaf Herrera are other seniors on the Willow Glen squad.

The Rams wrapped up non-league play last week by battling Cupertino to 1-1 tie. Pena had a goal and an assist in the game for Willow Glen. Gilbert Rosales scored off a Pena assist in the first, then Pena scored off a Zarate assist in the second half. Cupertino matched each goal to secure the tie.

The Rams return to league play this week when they host Independence on Jan. 7, 3:15 p.m., before visiting Lincoln on Jan. 9, 3:15 p.m.

Rams net win

The Willow Glen boys basketball team pushed its non-league record to 6-4 with a tight 45-44 win over Santa Clara last week.

The Rams outscored the Bruins in each of the first three periods to open up a 13-point lead, 38-25, then held on in the fourth as they were outscored 19-6.

Steve Rebagliati had the hot hand for the Rams, pitching 12 points on five field goals and a couple of charity throws. Nick Ward had a pair of three-point buckets among his four field goals to finish with 10 points in the win and Justin Ble dropped five shots from the field to wind up with 10.

Max Gourd and Will Robinson added five points apiece and each had a three-pointer. Sophomore Hienock Habte chipped in with three points.

The Rams will open the Santa Teresa Division season in the BVAL this week when they visit Prospect on Jan. 7, 7 p.m. Willow Glen will head to Mt. Pleasant on Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.

The Willow Glen girls, meanwhile, were to open the season at Lincoln on Tuesday and will visit Prospect on Jan. 8, 7 p.m. The Rams will be home on Jan. 13, 5 p.m., to meet Evergreen Valley.

Panthers win

The Presentation girls basketball team outscored Del Mar in each of the first three quarters, building up a 44-21 lead on the road to a lopsided 50-31 non-league win last week.

The Panthers, now 8-3 for the year, were led by Kirian Ishizaki and Cassie French, who buried 11 points apiece. French canned a couple of three-pointers. Kelly Bertoldo supported with six points and Hayley Farb added five, including a three.

The Panthers were coming off of a fifth-place finish in the Gold Division at the Archbishop Mitty New Year's Classic. Presentation handled Bishop O'Dowd 35-26 in the fifth-place game. French earned a place on the all-tournament team for the Panthers.

Farb led the Panthers to the win over O'Dowd with 11 points and Ishizaki supported with 10. Farb had three three-pointers in the game. French added six points.

Presentation had beaten Pinewood 38-31 earlier in the tournament. Katie Riley led the Panthers with 10 points, including a three, and French had a three among her eight points. Bertoldo and Ishizaki supported with seven points apiece, Ishizaki hitting a three, Farb hit a three-pointer.

The Panthers lost a 49-48 heartbreaker to Santa Cruz. French finished with three threes among her five field goals for 13 points. Ishizaki and Riley had eight points apiece, Bertoldo popped six and Farb had five. Riley and Farb each hit three-pointers.

Panthers are all-league

Presentation athletes won top honors in the recently completed season when it came time to select the all-league teams in the WCAL.

In girls volleyball, junior Darcy Carroll and seniors Nicole Bowland and Therese Vinal were named to the all-league first team for the Panthers. Picking up an honorable mention berth was junior Zoe Beltz.

Julie Oreglia won a place on the all-WCAL girls water polo team. The junior driver was the lone Panther named to the all-league first team.

Winning all-league second team spots for the Panthers were senior driver Kristin Gause and senior goalkeeper Randahl Capurso.

Brielle Rajkovich of Presentation earned a place on the all-league second team in girls tennis. Lauren Brown and Monica Anzoategui won all-league honorable mention spots. Brown and Rajkovich had finished fourth in the league tournament in doubles play.

Jennifer Perisho of Presentation was a member of the all-WCAL team in girls golf.