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Published on 10/12/1998 All articles from this issue

Big year for Blach Jr. High softball, volleyball

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VB teams make playoffs

Town Crier Staff Report

Blach Junior High's seventh- and eighth-grade girls softball teams swept the Valley Junior High School Athletic League championships last Thursday.

The seventh graders defeated Kennedy of Cupertino 5-3 and the eighth graders beat Sunnyvale 5-4. Both games were played at Crittenden Middle School in Mountain View.

The seventh-grade squad went undefeated this season. Coach Pat Koren said that in all her years of coaching, this is the first time she's had a team with a perfect record.

The Falcons were solid in all aspects of the game, boasting strong pitching, steady fielding and outstanding hitting. All 13 players contributed key hits during the season.

Team members included Marin Arney, Sara Bird, Amanda Butler, Jenny Cacioppo, Sandra Clark, Sarah Cutler, Samantha Edwards, Katy Greguras, Alyce Jorgensen, Kellie Kado, Denise Minton, Corinne Rutherford and Sally Schonhardt.

The eighth-grade team, coached by Jerry Gosland, placed second in the league to Sunnyvale with a 7-2 record. Sunnyvale soundly defeated Blach in league play, but the Falcons got their revenge in the playoffs.

Blach's three boys volleyball teams were also a smashing success this season. The eighth-grade, seventh-grade and C teams all made the VJHSAL playoffs, which ended last week.

"It was a real successful season," said Blach athletic director Steve Kane. "We had a strong group of kids try out and they had a never-say-die attitude."

The eighth graders won the league with an 8-1 mark, falling only to Egan Intermediate during the regular season. The Kane-coached Falcons paid Egan back in the playoffs by eliminating their cross-town rival in the semifinals. Blach then lost to Sunnyvale in last Thursday's championship match.

The seventh graders, coached by sisters Ruby and Rohan Galapa, took second in league with an 8-1 mark. The team reached the semifinals before falling to Kennedy, which went on to win the title.

The C team, coached by Erik Ehlers, went 8-0 in league to tie Columbia for first place. The Falcons then fell to eventual champion Columbia in the semifinals.