March 8, 2006

Reigning champ Longhorns vow renewed approach, similar result

Can Leigh repeat as MHAL diamond masters?

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Returning Mount Hamilton Division MVP Tyler Derby and company swear camaraderie will fill the void left by graduated talent on the Leigh baseball diamond this spring.

The reigning MHAL champion Longhorns lost rights to seven all-league seniors who proceeded into junior college ranks this year. However, spirits are raised in the clubhouse, where key teammates vow that a reborn togetherness will spark unprecedented success on the field.

“I expect the same result as last year,” said second team all-league first baseman Adrian Mull. “We’ve played together longer, and we like each other more. We’ve been playing on the same teams since Union Little League.”

Though projected starters such as sophomore outfielder Michael Pittman and senior short stop Ryan Tregoning possess little real time varsity experience, the players know how to win, according to Leigh Coach Noe Ochoa. The same group captured a league title as sophomores on junior varsity two years ago.

The reportedly brash class of 2005, left the hungry underclassmen on the bench last season.

“We had a strong junior class last season, but the seniors were something special,” said Ochoa. “Any other year they probably would have started or at least played at lot, but they didn’t get a chance to. I am hoping that it returns to when they were sophomores.”

Leigh is, in fact, a frosh-soph dynasty, having won four consecutive titles at that level. Rarely lost for talent, the Longhorns shoot for league titles, even on down years, according to Ochoa.

“There’s no getting on each other this year,” said Ochoa. “They don’t get on each other about little things. Everybody is encouraging, even if we are not hustling through our stations at practice. Instead, they pick each other up and say, ‘work harder.’”

Ochoa noticed a difference during summer ball, mere weeks after graduation.

“It was a fun time,” he said. “Everybody enjoys playing with each other a lot more than the team did last year. Last year we were dealing with some egos and attitudes. Win or lose it’s going to be a pleasant year.”

Ochoa will rely on versatile lefty Derby, touted as the ace in a three-man rotation, which also features seniors Blake McFarland and Kevin Negada, to carry the brunt of hurling duties.

“We have three really good starters,” said senior catcher Adam Wells. “All three starters can come in and win a game for us.”
Common target Wells lauds Der-by’s ‘good lefty fastball that slices to outside part of the plate,’ as well as McFarland’s power.

“Derby’s fastball is really hard for both left and right handed batters to pick up, while Blake has a good fastball, but also has a really good change up and he can always get the hitters with his curveball,” said Wells.

The batting order remains to be set; however, Ochoa inferred that speedy junior Greg Loper will likely lead off, followed by Mull, Derby and Blake. Pittman, he said, may move up to a fifth spot later in the season, but will likely begin at number eight.

“The big goal is honestly to try and defend the league title,” said Ochoa. “Leland and Santa Teresa are the two favored teams. Santa Teresa has got one of the better pitching rotations in the league. Leland has got awesome pitching and hitting.”

Adam Wells, catcher Batted .214 with 70 at-bats in 2005	Ryan Tregoning, SS Batted .227 with 22 at-bats in 2005	Adrian Mull, 1B 2nd team all-league performer Batted .381 with 63 at-bats in 2005	Tyler Derby, SS/P MHAL Most Valuable Player 5-1, 1.690 ERA Batted .387 in 75 at-bats in 2005	Blake McFarland, P/1B 1-1, 3.50 ERA Batted .222 with 1 home run in 2005

Leland downed in opening round of CCS

Charger hoops done, despite 25-point farewell from Farsai

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

David Farsai’s 25-point effort in his final Charger contest was not enough to lift 14th seed Leland over host Westmont in CCS first round action Feb. 23.

Leland senior David Farsai challenges Westmont standout Chantz Staden late in a first round contest of the CCS playoff Thursday. Farsai finished with 25 points in his final effort as a Charger. Photo courtesy of www.mikejanes.com

The 4th-seed Warriors outscored three-year starter Farsai’s Chargers’ 11-4 in an overtime period, which followed a heated ascent to 53 points apiece during regulation. The Chargers, paced by Farsai and fellow senior Scott Lucas, who finished with 12 points, shot an impeccable 60 percent from the field.

“Emotions are high during playoff games,” said Westmont Coach Bill Gerth. “Leland came in ready to play. They didn’t want that to be their last game. Farsai, in particular, was unstoppable for Leland. It felt like he hit every shot he took.”

Farsai, who has led the Chargers in scoring three times since Coach Dave Frandsen snatched him from junior varsity ranks as a sophomore, ran loose on the Warriors throughout the first half, dropping in 17 points.

“About the last five games, David had been battling this cold like everybody else, but it didn‘t matter. His play was geared way up,” said Frandsen.

Westmont junior Michael Weimer, a 6-foot, 5-inch junior center, posed the greatest offensive threat to the Chargers. The Mount Hamilton Division Junior of the Year arrived, averaging 18.2 points per game and boasting an equally lethal attack shooting from the outside as he did moving men in the key.

Frandsen ordered posts by committee, which included Lucas and juniors Adam Munoz, Daniel Ortiz and Colin Gootee to harass Weimar in diamond and one sets, isolating the post from the Warriors’ motion offense.

“It was harder to score points, but towards end of game we succeeded,” said Weimer. “In overtime, we ran our offense right and we were able to score. I guess we were not prepared at first.”

While the tactic slowed Weimer, foul trouble ultimately cleared Leland’s posts, and Weimer finished with 21 points.

“I thought it was pretty effective until we looked at Weimer‘s stats after the game,” said Frandsen.

With Weimer initially occupied, Leland outscored Westmont in each period, excluding the fourth quarter and overtime when Gerth finally assigned Farsai’s defense to senior Chantz Staden, an All-league basketball performer and speedy two-time All CCS utility player on the Warrior football team.

The two exchanged flashy tactics, Farsai charging the basket, while Staden prowled the 3-point line. However, while Farsai darted by Staden on several occasions, navigating his way to the basket and free throw line, it was Staden’s long-range marks that decided the game.

Staden finished with 24 points.

“That move waged an interesting duel,” said Frandsen. “Farsai is a little longer. He’s deceptively fast and he gets by you before you know where he is going. After the game they talked to each other. They enjoyed the effort that each one put forth. That’s what athletics are all about.”

Staden nailed his third 3-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation and the Warriors went on to score six unanswered points to open overtime. Leland never recovered.

The Chargers, however, took solace in collective efforts to resurrect the year during the back half of a tough league campaign, according to Frandsen. The group won four of their final six league contests to land in the playoffs for a second consecutive season.

“I think the last seven games, from the time Jimmy Kogura came back, were very encouraging,“ he said.

Frandsen described four-year varsity starter Kogura as a tough and inspirational leader, which the team missed early in the season.

“He made us play better,” said Frandsen. “As he got better, we got better.”

Leigh softball holds third annual clinic
for Branham Hills Softball League

March 4 event teaches softball fundamentals to
youngsters, raises funds for Leigh softball program

By Diego Abeloos
Sports Editor

The Leigh softball team turned into softball coaches for a day last weekend.

That’s because for the third straight year, the Longhorns held a softball clinic for a large group of Branham Hills Softball League players, teaching the future high school softball stars the fundamentals of how the game is played.

The clinic, held on the morning of March 4, also served as a fundraiser for the Leigh softball team, which is trying to raise funds for a new pitching machine, among other things. Last year’s event raised about $600 for the Leigh softball program, which went toward new uniforms for the JV squad and other much-needed items.

Leigh softball player Kat Pisano tosses a ground ball during softball drills to a Branham Hills Softball League youngster on March 4. Leigh softball held its third annual clinic to help raise funds for a new pitching machine while teaching young softball players some of the game’s finer points. Photos by Diego Abeloos

“Most of the (Leigh) girls who are putting the clinic on are girls that went through the Branham Hills chain,” said Leigh head coach Clovis Mirassou. “…They like to give back and they enjoy being with these kids. It’s a fun thing for everybody. It helps us because the school can only afford to give so much money to each program, and we need extra things that we don’t have to hit the parents up for. This way here, it’s fun thing where the kids benefit from it, and we benefit from it.”

“I love it,” added Patti Hill, one of the organizers of the event and mother to Leigh ace pitcher Jackie Hill. “I love the whole idea of our girls giving back to the young girls.”

In total, approximately 50 Branham Hills Softball League players ranging from ages 6 to 14 took part in the event, going through fundamental softball drills such as running bases, shagging fly balls, taking ground balls on the infield, and getting some helpful batting tips from JV and varsity Leigh softball players.

“Some of them, it might be little over their heads at first,” Mirassou said of teaching softball fundamentals to the youngsters, “but it’s never too late to learn to do the right things. …We like to start them out learning to do it the right way, instead of somebody having to turn them around later on in life.”

The event is also a natural marriage between two local softball programs for Mirassou, who has spent nearly 30 years coaching softball in the area, beginning as a coach in the Branham Hills Softball League, where his two daughters, Karin and Kelli, played. Both of his daughters are currently coaches in the Leigh softball program and teach at the high school as well.

“It’s a good feeder program for both Leigh High School and Branham High School,” Mirassou said of Branham Hills Softball League. “They’ve got good coaching at that level. …It’s a good program to start with and about 80 percent of my girls have come through the program.”

But the good works by Leigh on the softball diamond has also translated into another opportunity for one Leigh player.

Hill, Leigh’s top starting pitcher, was among those in the Leigh softball program taking part in instructing the kids. A senior, Hill recently received a scholarship to Penn State University, where she plans on studying architecture and playing softball. Although Patti Hill wouldn’t go into specifics, she called Penn State’s offer a “nice package.” Needless to say, Patti Hill is a very proud parent upon hearing the news of her daughter’s offer.

“I’m very proud,” she said. “She’s worked really hard for this. It’s been a life for her. That’s all she really does. She eats and breathes softball.”

“Jackie Hill has just been a godsend to me,” added Mirassou. “She started her freshman year and she was a freshman who could walk right in and take over the program. I didn’t have a pitcher, so it was perfect timing. She’s just a sweetheart. No ego trip; she’s probably if not the best, then one of the best pitchers in the valley right now.”

Above all else, the clinic is about having a good time doing something all the participants and instructors have in common – playing softball – said Mirassou.

“The girls really looked forward to this,” Mirassou said of his squad. “They each have to fight over who gets a group and who does the different (instructional) stations. They all really enjoy this a lot.”