November 6, 2007

Sports

Chargers lose homecoming to Del Mar

By Daniel Miranda
Sports Coordinator

A home is considered by many a place one feels safe, comfortable and where nothing bad can happen. But that wasn’t the case for the Leland Chargers at last Saturday’s homecoming game. Despite a hard fight, the Chargers lost to Del Mar 35-21, dropping to 3-2 in league and 5-3 overall.

Leland's Nate Jones reaches over Del Mar's Eric Tilbury for a reception that led to a touchdown during their game on Saturday Oct. 27. Leland lost the game 35-21 but Jones had 4 catches for 113-yards. Photo by Jeff LaPlante

“What I was most impressed with was the boys’ ability to fight back.” Said Leland head coach Mike Carrozzo. “Del Mar is really good team.”

The Dons were able to stifle Leland’s leading rusher Kevin Krail, holding him to only 31-yards on eight carries. With the running game stifled, the Chargers turned to the air attack.

Charger quarterback Ricki Battipede had his best game yet, throwing for 253-yards on 10 completions with three touchdowns. Nate Jones was on the receiving end of Battipede’s throws catching four passes for 113 yards with his longest being a 42-yard touchdown.

Leland started the game with the ball on its own 20-yard line. But on second and seven, Krail fumbled the ball and the Dons recovered. With 1 and 10 and a short field, it did not take long for the Dons to score the first touchdown with a 4-yard run by Michael Toso with 10:01 left in the first quarter.

On Leland’s next possession, a Battipede to Jones 43-yard touchdown pass was called back on a penalty. After a Jeff Sommer’s run, Battipede went back to the air, this time finding Jones for a 35-yard touchdown to tie the game a 7-7 as the first quarter ended.

The second quarter saw the Dons score two more times, increasing their lead by 14 points. Toso scored the Dons’ second touchdown on another 4-yard run with 7:32 left in the second quarter. With 25 seconds left, Anthony Cukar found Stephen Salerno for the Dons’ third touchdown and a 21-7 lead at halftime.

The Dons took the ball to start the third quarter and marched down the field scoring on a 27-yard run by Salemo to widen their lead to 28-7 with 10:28 left to play in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Battipede found Jones for a 42-yard touchdown that brought the Chargers within two touchdowns at 28-13 as kicker Will Boring’s extra-point try failed, and there were just over 10 minutes left to play.

With the clock reading 3:44, the Chargers reached the end zone when Battipede found Sommer for a 17-yard touchdown pass. The Chargers then successfully tried for a two-point conversion, which Battipede achieved by sweeping around the right side for the touchdown. That left the Chargers with 7 points and a bit over three minutes to tie the game.

Del Mar resorted to the run to try to run some time off the clock but the Chargers’ fired-up defense stiffened and the Dons had trouble moving the ball. But on third down and 11, Del Mar’s quarterback Cukar found Bob Schooler, who ran a slant pattern down the middle and all the way to the end zone, for a 70-yard touchdown putting the Dons back up by 14 point with two minutes left to play.

Krail set up the Chargers on their 45-yard line with a great 35-yard return. Battipede tried to find Sommer, but Del Mar’s Cory Sullivan intercepted and the Dons ran out the clock.

Next up for the Chargers is Mt. Pleasant, which suffered a 17-14 loss to Evergreen Valley High School during in the last seconds of the game.

VCA Lions Win Historic Game

The Veritas Christian Academy Lions won their first ever six-man flag football victory on Oct. 13 against Willow Vale Christian School of San Jose. Veritas took the lead in the contest on a 52 yard run up the left sideline by Matthew Daniel. On the Lions next possession, Garrison Hardie ran a sweep up the right sideline for 27 yards and a 14–0 lead. In the second quarter, Willow Vale drove down to the Lion 12 yard line but Daniel picked off a pass and ran it back for the third VCA touchdown extending their lead to 20–0 at halftime.

Gabriel Flores blocks a Willow Vale defender to allow Chris Wallace to run for a touchdown.

Willow Vale opened the second half with a six-play, 64-yard drive for its first touchdown of the game cutting the lead to 20–6. Veritas answered quickly with a 58 yard pass from Gabriel Flores to Garrison Hardie to make the score 26–6. After a change of possession Chris Wallace, the Lions’ senior running back, caught a swing pass from Flores and took the ball 48 yards for another Lion touchdown extending the lead to 33–6. After an interception by Hardie, Wallace again scampered 32 yards for another touchdown making the score 40–6.

Willow Vale managed its second touchdown of the game on a 63-yard pass play making the score 40–13. On the following series Flores connected with Hardie again for a 45- yard touchdown catch and run. Moments later, Flores intercepted a Willow Vale pass and returned it 40 yards for the final touchdown of the game leading the Lions to a 54-13 victory.

“We executed our offense much better then we had in our first two games of the season,” said Coach Greg Hardie. “We got off to a good start and I think that helped our confidence as a team. We also played a solid second half which we had yet to do this season.”

Hardie credited Alex Mankarios and Adam Flores with a strong all around game offensively and defensively.

Sports Briefs

San Jose Strikkers 18u – 2008 Summer Tryouts
 
The San Jose Strikkers 18u will be holding their 2008 summer tryouts on the dates listed below.  Just in case you have not heard we have already qualified for the 2008 ASA Nationals in Moline, Ill.!  Our main objective is to develop softball excellence and to assist each young lady in the achieving their goals on the softball field and assist them with their dreams of obtaining college scholarships.  Come and be part of our exciting team!  To learn more about our team philosophy and goals please visit our website.  http://eteamz.active.com/sanjosestrikkers18u/

Dates;  Sundays, 11/18, 12/2, 12/16, and (if needed) 1/6/08

Place:  Oak Grove High School

Times:  9 a.m. Pitchers & Catchers / 10:30 a.m. Position Players

If you have any questions, please contact Richard Fangonilo (408) 439-7383 or Frank King (408) 406-8191. E-mail:  Richard Fangonilo rfangonilo@sjm.com  or Frank King fgking25@aol.com.

2007 Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot 5K run/walk and 10K run
This annual event scheduled for Nov. 22, is appropriate for all ages - kid fun run, too! Event proceeds benefit Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Clara Family Health Foundation, and the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. Confluence Meadow, Guadalupe River Park in downtown San Jose. For more information, visit http://www.svlg.net/events/TurkeyTrot2007.

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