Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Goals by Fensterwald, LaRocca drive Extreme to lacrosse crown

By Dick Sparrer

They were facing extreme conditions, and it just proved too much for the Burlingame Coyotes--at least, the San Jose Extreme turned out to be too much for the Coyotes to handle in the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association tournament championship game.

The Extreme managed to overcome a 7-5 deficit with 10 minutes left to play in the game to pull out a thrilling 8-7 victory on May 12 and clinch the title in the association's 13-team girls high school lacrosse club division.

The Extreme scored three times in the final six minutes of the game to claim the win. Molly Fensterwald, a sophomore at Presentation High School, tossed in a goal with five minutes left to play to tie the game 7-7, and co-captain Stephanie LaRocca, a junior at Notre Dame High, scored the game winner with 2:49 left to play.

St. Francis sophomore Kathryn Frazer, an Almaden Valley resident, and Los Altos junior Jesse Lappe shared time in the goal, combining for four saves to help the Extreme clinch the important win.

Adding goals in the San Jose win were Natalie Bonnepart, a sophomore at Gunderson; Vanessa Royle, a sophomore at Presentation; Katie Hubbert, a sophomore at Valley Christian.

The Extreme finished regular league play with a 12-0 record, marking its second straight undefeated season.

The San Jose Extreme, which fields two high school teams, placed seven players on the NorCal Junior Lacrosse Association all-star team this year.

LaRocca of the Extreme Alpha team was joined on the all-star list by teammates Carleah Angeles, a sophomore at Santa Teresa, and Jackie Ryan, a sophomore from Branham. Two San Jose Alpha players, Royle and Fensterwald, were named to the second all-star team.

Royle was also selected to plays for a team that will represent Northern California in the U.S. Lacrosse national high school tournament in Pennsylvania over Labor Day weekend. She was one of 20 high school players chosen from over 100 players nominated by their high school coaches from throughout the region.

San Jose Extreme Beta all-stars were Janine Sung, a junior at Presentation, on the first team and Bethany Nagid, a junior at Notre Dame, on the second team.

The Extreme fields lacrosse teams for girls from second grade through high school. For information on the club and summer clinics for girls from grades 3 on up, contact club president John Fensterwald at john@sjextreme.org or 408.265.2224.