February 4, 2005

Raiders hang on for win and onto first place in 48-44 decision over Del Mar

Fourth-quarter run by Dons nearly sinks Silver Creek

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

The Silver Creek boys’ basketball team hung on to first place by the slimmest of margins, fighting off a comeback by the Del Mar Dons to take a 48-44 win on Feb. 1.

HIGH FLIERS. Silver Creek forward Nik Nott (4) goes strong into the paint with Del Mar’s Randy Barnes (31) defending him closely. Silver Creek came out a winner, taking a 48-44 decision from Del Mar in a battle for the top of the West Valley Division standings. Photo by Dan Miranda.

Coming into the contest, the Raiders, at 7-0, held first place in the West Valley Division by one game over the Dons. The win over Del Mar gave Silver Creek a little elbow room and a two-game edge in league standings with only four games left to play in the season.

“This is basically playoff basketball, and that’s what we’re getting ready for,” Raiders head coach Cliff Warren said of the game. “They’ve proven they are ready for the playoffs because when they’re up, teams are coming at them and they’re hanging in there and they battle until the end.”

With the Raiders holding a 38-26 lead, the Dons began their comeback at the start of the fourth quarter by going on a 12-2 scoring run in just over four minutes. Leading the way for the Dons during that stretch were Dyante Kirksey with six points, and Randy Barnes, who chipped in four more points on lay-ups.

But the Raiders found their offense right after calling a timeout toward the end of Del Mar’s run, beginning with a lay-up from Ruben Loya at 2:58. Loya’s basket started a modest 6-3 scoring advantage for the Raiders, stretching a two-point lead to a 46-41 edge with just 23.4 seconds to go in the game.

“We went into the timeout and got our acts together,” Loya said. “Basically, if we wanted it, we needed to go and get it. We wanted a win and we just got our act together and we pulled it off.”

The Dons didn’t go quietly however, as Barnes took the ball and drained a long three-pointer from the left wing with 14 seconds left, cutting the Raiders’ lead back down to two. The Dons then went a fouling strategy in the hopes of saving some time on the clock for another scoring opportunity. With 12.9 seconds left, the Dons fouled Chigozie Ndekwe and sent the junior guard to the free-throw line. Ndekwe sank both of his shots from the line, bumping the Raiders back up by four.

The Dons, down to their last possession, took the ball back up court and tried to make another quick basket. After Kirksey missed a 10-foot jumper, Barnes rebounded and shot a turnaround jumper in the paint, but the attempt fell short of the rim, sealing the win for the Raiders.

“I thought both teams gave everything they had,” said Del Mar head coach Eric Ostrowski. “It was just a great game. It was a great game to be a part of, but unfortunately, we just came out on the short end of it.”

The game started out anything but close for the Raiders, who put together an early scoring run in the second quarter to take a 17-6 lead. During the run, Loya chipped in seven of his game-high 20 points, including a 5-for-5 performance from the free-throw line.

“Ruben’s our ace in the hole,” Warren said of Loya. “When we can’t get the other guys working, then we go to Ruben. Ruben’s like that ace of spades you got. You know you got it, but you just want to make sure you’ve got something to go around it to make it work.”

Later in the second quarter, with the Raiders holding a 26-12 lead, the Dons began to show signs of life on offense, ending the first half on a 6-0 run in the final 1:12 to cut their deficit back down to eight.

The Dons continued to revive the offense in the third quarter, opening up with a 7-2 run to cut the Raiders’ lead to 28-25. But the Raiders responded with a run of their own, piecing together a 10-1 run to end the third quarter. Silver Creek reserve forward David Carranza proved clutch during the run with two three-pointer for six of his game-total 11 points.

“Carranza is our energy man,” Warren said. “He doesn’t start, but comes off the bench. When there’s a lull, we just turn it over to him.”

For Del Mar, the loss was significant but not without a few bright spots. Despite a 6-for-12 performance from the free-throw line, Barnes led the Dons with 17 points, including his three-point shot with 14 seconds left in the contest.

“That was a huge shot,” Ostrowski said of Barnes’ three-pointer near the end of the fourth quarter. “Randy is just a huge player. He’s a gamer and he’s definitely our team for us. We love the guy and that’s just the way he steps up.”

Four-goal night from Rosyski propels San Jose to 12-10 win over Colorado

Veteran forward scores four goals and collects
two assists for third consecutive hat trick

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Stealth forward Gary Rosyski collected his third straight hat trick with four goals and two assists in a 12-10 win over the Colorado Mammoth in National Lacrosse League action at the HP Pavilion on Jan. 29.

Rosyski, who came into the game leading the Stealth with 10 goals and 12 assists, also notched hat tricks against Arizona on Jan. 21 and Minnesota on Jan. 22.

“When Gary’s stick is on, he gets those opportunities,” Stealth Head Coach and General Manager Johnny Mouradian said of Rosyski’s performance. “… We need Gary to step up and score those three or four goals a game. That’s what we need from Gary game in and game out. He has the potential and the guys are working together, which gives him the opportunity and the space (to score).”

The Stealth (3-2) also received two goals apiece from rookie forward Ryan Boyle and forward Curt Malawsky.

With the game tied 9-9 in the fourth quarter, the Stealth managed to put together a 2-0 scoring stretch in less than a minute, taking a 10-9 lead on a Rosyski goal with 5:28 left before Boyle dropped in a shot while diving forward for a two-point lead at 4:31.

In the last minute of the quarter, the Mammoth took advantage of a power play opportunity with Stealth defenseman Jim Moss in the penalty box, getting a goal with 38.2 seconds remaining from forward Gavin Prout to cut San Jose’s lead down to one. But the Stealth offense caught Colorado napping soon after, as defenseman Matt Ogelsby took a breakaway opportunity for an empty-net goal with 18.3 seconds left, sealing the game for the Stealth at 12-10.

San Jose’s defense also played a pivotal role in the second half, limiting the Mammoth to just one goal in the third quarter, which allowed the Stealth offense to get back into the game on three goals to take an 8-7 lead. Stealth Goalie Anthony Cosmo was a clutch performer on defense, stopping 26 of 30 shots in the second half, en route to 49 saves for the night.

“I think he’s the best goalie in Canada and the best goalie in the NLL, in my personal opinion,” Malawsky said of Cosmo. “I think tonight he showed it. He stepped up when the game was on the line.”

Both teams came out firing on offense in the first quarter, as the Stealth took an early 4-2 lead through the first 10 minutes of play on goals from Brad Dairon, Cam Sedgwick, Rosyski and Malawsky. For Malawsky, it was his fourth goal as a member of the Stealth after being acquired in a Jan. 7 trade with Buffalo.

“He’s a very veteran ballplayer, him and his brother (Derek),” Rosyski said of Malawsky. “… We had a good practice Thursday, the first team practice since we added all the new guys, and we worked real hard on our offense and it paid off. He’s fitting in perfect.”

Just before the close of the first quarter, the Mammoth struck back, tying the game 4-4 on goals from Chris Prat and Gary Gait. The Mammoth then took their first lead of the night with 11:53 left in the second quarter on another goal from Gait.

The second quarter featured a stagnant offense from the Stealth, which scored only one goal by Moss on a breakaway with 3:37 to go to tie the game once more at 5-5. But the Mammoth managed to go into the half with a 6-5 edge, getting a goal from Dan Stroup at 2:08.

The Stealth also managed to improve in power play chances, getting three power play goals out of eight chances against the Mammoth after going 0-for-9 the week before in a 9-8 loss to Minnesota.

The Stealth will play their next game on the road in Philadelphia on Feb. 5 before returning home to face the Colorado Mammoth once more at the HP Pavilion on Feb. 18.

Leland drops Westmont 53-42 to stay undefeated in Mt. Hamilton

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

The Leland girls’ basketball team remained perfect in Mt. Hamilton Division play after taking a 53-42 home victory from the Westmont Warriors on Jan. 26.

For the Warriors, the loss dropped their overall record to 15-5 with an even 3-3 record in Mt. Hamilton standings, good for a three-way tie in third place. Leland, on the other hand, improved to 6-0 in league play, with an 11-6 record overall.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Leland Head Coach Wade Nakamura. “I mean, Westmont’s 15-4 (coming into the game) … so, they’re good. They play hard and they’re scrappy like we are. I knew they were going to give us a tough game and they did. I’m just happy that we pulled out a win.”

Down 17-11 in the second quarter, the Warriors made a small scoring run at the Chargers, going on a 6-2 stretch to cut Leland’s lead to 19-17. During the stretch, the Warriors received scoring contributions from Rachel Gellman, Krystal Wahl and Lynley Takaki, who finished the night with nine points.

“Lynley is a nice shooter,” said Westmont Head Coach John Mackey. “She’s got a nice touch. When she’s playing with confidence, she can hit threes, she can hit twos, and she can attack the basket. She really has a good all-around game.”

Following Westmont’s run, the Chargers put together a scoring stretch of their own, going on an 11-2 run to go up 30-19. During the Charger run, Leland center Jackie George chipped in eight of her game-high 23 points not only from the inside, but also by hitting a pair of jumpers from the right wing.

“She stepped up big when she had to for us,” Nakamura said of George. “I thought she played much more aggressive with more energy and much more deliberate. She hit some shots all over the court, inside and out. She showed that she can do more than just post.”

Later in the quarter, after a George lay-up gave Leland a 32-21 lead, Westmont center Chelsea Atkins hit a jumper with only seconds remaining on the clock, cutting Leland’s lead back to single digits at 32-23 at halftime.

The third quarter saw stagnant offenses from both teams, with the Chargers outscoring the Warriors 10-6. For Leland, George continued to add to her game-high scoring totals, chipping in four points in the third quarter after ending the first half with 17 points.

“We were already up coming into the half and we knew we wanted to win by a lot, but we weren’t going to sit there and push it,” George said. “… Our defense was good and their defense was good, and we just weren’t able to score that much.”

After a quick basket from Leland’s Kelly Ricco opened up the fourth quarter, the Warriors began to make an offensive push, putting together a 10-2 run to cut a 44-29 deficit to 46-39. The scoring stretch started on a jumper from Megan Higbee, who ended the night with a team-high 10 points, and continued with the Warriors receiving four points from Gellman on a jumper and two free throws.

“We came out a little more aggressive in the fourth quarter,” Mackey said. “We really looked to take the ball at them harder, which is our normal style of play. We were really aggressive on the attack.”

The Chargers answered Westmont’s run with a scoring stretch of their own, piecing together a 7-2 run, all on free throws, to bring Leland’s lead back up to 53-41. Westmont went to fouling Leland players in an attempt to keep enough time on the clock for the Warriors to put together another scoring run. But the strategy only lengthened the Chargers’ lead, as guards Kristen Yoshioka and Mika Yanai combined to go 7-of-8 from the line down the stretch.

In the closing seconds of the game, the Warriors still had a chance to cut the lead once more, as Stacey Stenzel made two trips to the free-throw line in a five-second span, but the five-foot, four-inch senior dropped in only one of her four shots, ending the game at 53-42.

Got a great sports story? Let’s talk. Contact sports writer Diego Abeloos at 494-7000 x217 or email diego@timesmediainc.com.

Valley Christian football coach to be honored by Positive Coaching Alliance

Warriors’ head coach a National Youth Sports Award honoree following championship season

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Writer

Valley Christian High School announced on Jan. 20 that Mike Machado, head football coach and dean of students, has been selected by the Positive Coaching Alliance as a National Youth Sports Award honoree.

For Valley Christian Athletic Director Eric Scharrenberg, Machado’s achievement is a direct reflection of a man who has served in various roles as an administrator and coach during a 20-year career at both Valley Christian and Saratoga High.

“Mike is very deserving of this award for many reasons,” Scharrenberg said. “First, he has achieved tremendous success with his teams winning championships each of the past three seasons. More importantly, Mike is consistently an extremely positive role model to the youngsters in our program. He is a patient teacher who enjoys competition. More importantly, he loves each child in our program equally and is committed to teaching our kids life lessons.”

Machado, who recently finished his eighth year as head coach of the Valley Christian Warriors, is one of only six youth coaches across the United States named for the award. Machado led the Warriors to a 12-1 overall record and a 5-1 record in the West Catholic League in 2004, capturing the Central Coast Section Open Division Title.

For Machado, the award is a humbling tribute to his years as a coach, mentor and school administrator.

“It means more to me because this has something to do with your impact on your kids, on your players,” Machado said. “I think for every coach, when it gets right down to it, the winning is great, but the longer lasting impact that you have on the players that are in your charge for whatever period of time that you have them, is probably going to be the thing that stands the test of time.”

During his eight years at Valley Christian, Machado has compiled a career football coaching record of 77-18-1, guiding the Warriors to three consecutive championships with an overall record of 35-4 during that span. Altogether, his coaching career spans 20 years, beginning at Saratoga High as a JV coach before moving on to coach varsity football in 1995. Throughout his career at both Saratoga and Valley Christian, Machado sports a career coaching record of 154-41-3.

Off the field, Machado has also made his mark. As dean of students, Machado has guided several students to success beyond the halls of Valley Christian. His dedication is reflected in the way former students revere him to this day.

“Mike’s greatest contribution to our students often occurs after they graduate,” said Scharrenberg. “We like to say that no one ever leaves our program but we do send them out to be people of influence in their communities. Mike is always willing to make time to visit with kids after they graduate and some of his best coaching work occurs with the students who have graduated from Valley Christian and come back looking for advice or just some one to talk to and believe in them.”

The Positive Coaching Alliance, which was formed in 1998 and stresses teaching life lessons through positive coaching, will hold a ceremony honoring Machado and other coaches on March 11 at the Francis C. Arrillaga Alumni Center on the Stanford University campus beginning at 5:30 p.m. Among the guests and speakers at the ceremony will be former Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Phil Jackson, San Jose Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson and Olympic gold medalist Kerri Strug, to name a few.

As for Machado, he simply hopes to keep impacting the kids at Valley Christian High School in a positive way, much in the same way they have impacted his life over the years.

“When I die … I will be able to say that I’ve done exactly what I’ve wanted to do for the last 20 years,” Machado said.

“I don’t think a lot of people can say that. These kids have given me more than I’ll ever give them.”