Willow Glen Resident

Sports

Rams set to open league basketball play

By Kevin Sparrer

They've been playing since Thanksgiving, but now the basketball teams at Willow Glen High School will start playing games that count in race for the league championships.

The Rams were to open play in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League this week, and both clubs are likely looking forward to start fresh after rocky preseasons.

Returning all-leaguer Hayley Tharp will lead the Willow Glen girls into division play. The hot-shooting senior guard was named to the all-league first team in the Santa Teresa Division for coach Amy Gannon's girls team last winter.

The girls were to open league play at home against Branham on Jan. 8 and will be back on the Willow Glen floor on Jan. 10, 7 p.m., to host Silver Creek. The Rams hit the road to visit Pioneer on Jan. 15, 7 p.m. Willow Glen topped the Mustangs 54-49 earlier this year.

The girls opened the season with back-to-back losses to Monta Vista and Piedmont Hills but then strung together three consecutive victories. The Rams topped Pioneer, then beat Live Oak 38-35 and Los Altos 42-38. Since that time, though, Willow Glen has stumbled, losing to Westmont (45-39), Lynbrook (45-41), Cupertino (47-39), Los Gatos (49-33) and Mercy of San Francisco (52-22).

Tharp and the Rams will welcome the opportunity to get a fresh start in the league season. The senior is joined on the Willow Glen squad by seniors Daisy Quintero and Brittany O'Brien; juniors Odette Overton, Meghan Wilson and Anna Russa; and sophomores Alyssa O'Brien, Huong Bui and Alyssa Terrazas.

The Willow Glen boys are also looking forward to the Santa Teresa Division campaign after struggling through a 3-9 non-league season.

Coach Todd Meeker's Rams recorded two wins over Live Oak (56-32 and 44-41) and knocked off Del Mar 45-38, but dropped decisions to Westmont (77-53), Leland (48-36), Los Gatos (75-46), Branham (51-40), Lynbrook (45-44), Prospect (53-41), Leland (55-45), Cupertino (54-29) and Gunderson (57-41).

The Rams are starting anew this week with the beginning of the Santa Teresa Division slate. Willow Glen was to visit Andrew Hill on Jan. 9 and will head to Silver Creek on Jan. 11, 7:30 p.m. The Rams will play their league home opener against Overfelt on Jan. 15, 7 p.m., and they're home again on Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m., against Del Mar, a team they beat in the preseason.

Seniors Shawn Rooney, Jake Goetz, Matt Ward, Tyler Heinkel, Ricky Huynh and Nikko Camp join with juniors Kay Groft and Linh Pham and sophomores Andy Bruening and Jimmy Renneke to make up the Willow Glen squad this winter.