Sulay has started this year's softball season with a bang. In Willow Glen's game against Los Altos, Sulay went 2 for 3, helping the Rams to a 2-0 victory. Michele McCollum got the first win on the mound for Willow Glen this season.

The Rams came back with a 9-0 victory over Santa Teresa thanks to a 1-hit shutout by McCollum. Aurora Donnelly was 2 for 3 in the game.

"With the amount of talent on this team, I'm confident that we should be able to compete for the league title," said Rams head coach Scott McCollum. "We're loaded with returning players. I look forward to a great season."

McCollum has reason to be excited about this season with four returning all-league players from last year. Donnelly, a senior shortstop, is returning this season after receiving first team all-league honors last year. Her counterpart in the middle infield is Sulay, who was also first team all-league in 2005. With Donnelly at short and Sulay at second base, Willow Glen will have a good deal of experience up the middle.

Willow Glen also has McCollum, who toes the slab as the pitcher for the Rams. She was Freshman of the Year and first team all-league in 2003, Sophomore of the Year and first team all-league in 2004 and Junior of the Year and first team all-league in 2005.

Another asset for Willow Glen is Lillian Smith, who was a second team all-league player in 2005 as a first baseman.

If that weren't enough, Willow Glen has a few more girls looking to help the cause. Senior Corina Lopez will be running down fly balls in the outfield grass, senior Angie Patton will go anywhere she is needed as a utility player and senior Debra Weaver will be splitting time between the hot corner and the outfield.

The other seniors on the team include Samantha Garcia and Sandra Zamudio.

"This should prove to be a very rewarding season," said the coach. Willow Glen is looking for a league title this year, which would be the first since 1976 for the Rams. After finishing 16-9 overall and 9-6 in league, the Rams are confident of their chances in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

McCollum also has a good connection with these girls. Most of them he has coached for years in traveling teams and some of them--Katie Joyce, Lopez and Smith--he has coached since they were 7 or 8 years old.

Willow Glen was to play Sacred Heart on March 6 before heading to Saratoga on March 7.

The Rams will open up division play against Independence at home on March 16 at 3:30 p.m.

Panthers top Rams

Presentation handed Willow Glen its first loss of the young season in the Dons Club Spring Classic. Senior hurler Jamie Lettire flipped a 1-hitter to lead the Panthers to the 14-1 victory. Sophomore Alicia Pizarro doubled and singled twice to drive in two runs in the win for the Panthers, who broke the game open with a seven-run rally in the second. They added four in the third and coasted from there to their first win of the season.

Presentation was to visit Santa Teresa on March 7 and will challenge Cupertino on March 10, 3:30 p.m., in the Dons Club tourney before hosting Mitty on March 14, 3:30 p.m., to open the West Catholic Athletic League season.

Rams off to 3-0 start

The Willow Glen baseball team has opened the season with three straight wins, including a 6-5 victory over Leigh to open the season in the BVAL's Mt. Hamilton Division.

The Rams opened the year with non-league victories over Mills and Mt. Pleasant, and interestingly enough, all three Willow Glen victories have come in 6-5 decisions.

The Rams fought back from a 4-0 deficit against Leigh with five runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh to pull out a 6-5 win over the Longhorns. Leigh scored a run in the bottom of the seventh, but came up short.

Sophomore Anthony Gotelli stroked a pair of singles to lead a five-hit attack for Willow Glen in the win and junior Cory Kingston was the winning pitcher. It was his second win in as many decisions this season.

Willow Glen opened the season with the 6-5 win over Mills. The Rams broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the third, then scored two in the fifth only to see Mills tie it 5-5 by the seventh. Willow Glen picked up a run in the bottom of the seventh to claim the win.

Senior outfielder Jason Gibilisco singled and doubled to drive in a pair of runs for the Rams in the win. Sophomore Charlie Findeisen was the winning pitcher.

The Rams had to battle from behind to get the win over Mt. Pleasant. The Cardinals scored four in the first and one in the second to lead 5-0, but Willow Glen started chipping away with one in the second, one in the third and two in the fourth. The Rams won it with two runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Junior Mike Roseland led the bat attack with a single and a double, and Kingston claimed the mound win.

The Rams will return to league play this week when they host Oak Grove on March 8, then visit the Eagles on March 10. Games begin at 3:30 p.m.

Tough tennis start

It's been a tough start this spring for the boys tennis team at Willow Glen. The Rams opened the year by suffering a 5-2 non-league loss to The King's Academy at the Sunnyvale Tennis Center, then lost 7-0 to Leigh a non-league match at Willow Glen. The Longhorns play in the BVAL's top bracket, the Mt. Hamilton Division.

Willow Glen will open play in the BVAL's West Valley Division on March 14 when the Rams host Silver Creek at 3:30 p.m.