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Published on 05/04/1998 All articles from this issue

The Cup runneth over with Los Altos area kids

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By Pete Borello / Town Crier Staff Writer

NorCal State Cup filled with local soccer players

If there was any debate about the Los Altos area being a hot bed for youth soccer, it should be settled now.

Four club teams featuring members from Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View played for Northern California Cup titles May 2-3.

The Central Valley Mercury, the Mountain View-Los Altos Fireballs, the Mountain View-Los Altos Force and the World United Futbol Clube all took part in the finals of their respective divisions at Robertson Park in Livermore.

The Mercury and Fireballs proved the most successful of these California Youth Soccer Association (CYSA) teams.

The Mercury won the under-18 girls division with a 5-0 rout of the San Juan Spirit of Sacramento. The Mercury dominated the contest from start to finish, out-shooting the Spirit 31-2.

Three of the Mercury's goals came courtesy of Los Altos Hills residents Kati McBain and Rachel Hoffman.

McBain, a sophomore at St. Francis High, scored twice. Gunn High senior Hoffman had one goal.

The other local player on the San Jose-based Mercury is St. Francis senior Anna Kraus, who will play at Santa Clara University next season.

The Mercury now advances to the United States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) Western Regionals, to be held June 21-28 in Albuquerque.

The winner of that event moves on to the USYSA Final Four July 27 to Aug. 2 in Phoenix.

If history has anything to do with it, the Mercury might as well start making travel plans for Arizona.

The team has captured back-to-back national titles and is showing no signs of slowing down.

The Mercury out-scored its four NorCal playoff opponents 26-1 this season.

"We're hoping for a three-peat," said Hoffman, who will head to Harvard in the fall. "I think we're stronger than last year and more experienced. All of our returning players have improved, and we've added two really good younger players."

The Fireballs look like a team to be reckoned with as well.

The under-18 boys team earned a trip to New Mexico by subduing San Juan of Sacramento 4-1 in the Northern California Cup final.

"We played a beautiful first half," said Fireballs coach Alberto Montoya, who's won nine Northern California Cups in 11 years. "We scored three goals early and then played some great defense."

The senior-laden Fireballs boast five high school league MVPs, including Los Altos residents Steve Gardner (Los Altos High), Galen Donaldson (Mountain View High) and Nathan Vargas (Homestead High).

Although the Force didn't win its division at the Northern California Cup, the under-19 girls team still has a chance at the national title.

The Force has earned an at-large bid to next month's regionals in Albuquerque. This marks the Force's first-ever invite to the tournament.

This may give the Force another shot at the A.C. Thunderbirds, the Fremont-based team that beat the locals 3-1 in Livermore.

The Force's goal came from St. Francis senior Kari Baumel of Los Altos early in the first half.

"We had hoped to perform better in the championship game," said Force assistant coach Russ Childrey, a Los Altos resident, "but the Thunderbirds are a good team no matter what."

Other team members from the area include Los Altos residents Sara LaBoskey (Castilleja School), Lindsay King (Palo Alto High) and sisters Devon and Lauren Miller (Los Altos High).

Although World United did not get invited to the regionals, the under-15 boys team did have a stellar season.

World United lost only one league game this season and won overtime thrillers in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Cup playoffs.

Los Altos Hills-based World United ran out of overtime magic in the Northern California Cup final, though.

The squad played the Santa Rosa Sharks to a 1-1 overtime tie, then lost to the defending champs on penalty kicks. The Sharks converted three penalty shots to World United's one.

Los Altos High sophomore Verdine Baker scored World United's lone goal of the game in the first half.

Three of Baker's Los Altos High teammates are also on the club: Jeff LaBoskey (Sara's brother), Rene Martinez and Leonardo Reyes-Vigil.

Other area players on the squad include Gunn High's Daniel Hoffman (Rachel's brother) of Los Altos Hills and Bellarmine Prep's Sean Mendy of Los Altos.

Since World United has only been together for two years, coach Vava Marques believes the best is still to come.

"Everyone should be back next year and we'll be even stronger," said Marques, who also coaches the men's team at Foothill College. "These guys work very hard."