The TC's top 10
The titles just keep on coming for local high schools. A slew of teams captured league titles, a handful won Central Coast Section titles and a few even claimed state titles in 1998.
This also was a banner year for Foothill College football. The area's new minor league soccer team opened some eyes, as well.
Here's how the Town Crier ranks the top 10 sports stories of the year:
10. St. Francis High girls soccer team wins back-to-back CCS titles. The Lancers (18-2-3) made mincemeat of the playoff field, out-scoring their three opponents 12-0 en route to the Division I crown. This included a convincing 3-0 win over Menlo-Atherton in the March 2 title game. St. Francis featured an array of stars, led by All-American Anna Kraus and all-leaguers Kati McBain and Kristi Candau. Coach Ricardo Hinojosa has won five CCS titles since 1989.
9. The Silicon Valley Ambassadors' first season a rousing success - at least on the field. The men's minor league soccer team, which played its home games at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, went 19-3 and won the Premier Development Soccer League's Southwest Division. The Ambassadors were even ranked No. 1 in the nation at one point. Their season ended July 1 with a tough 2-1 overtime loss to the Central Coast Roadrunners. Too bad owner Silvian Centiu's team only drew about 200 fans per game.
8. St. Francis boys basketball team beats Woodside for CCS title. The Lancers upended top seed Woodside 58-52 for the Division II championship March 7. St. Francis won with defense, forcing 33 turnovers and holding the Wildcats to just 28.6 percent shooting. CCS player of the year Senque Carey scored 18 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and had four assists. The Lancers finished the year with a 25-8 record under coach Steve Filios. The team has won six CCS titles in all.
7. Foothill football team has best season ever. This was a season coach Marshall Sperbeck won't soon forget. The Owls went 10-1 and ranked third in the state. They capped the year with a 40-26 win over West Valley in the Dec. 5 Kiwanis Silicon Valley Bowl. Foothill averaged 39 points and 440 yards per game, while yielding 17 points and only 240 yards per contest. The combination of quarterback Travis Cole and receiver Errol Johnson proved to be one of the most dangerous duos in the state.
6. St. Francis upsets Oak Grove in CCS football final. The Lancers spoiled Oak Grove's bid for an undefeated season with an exciting 14-13 win in the Dec. 4 Division I title game. St. Francis halfback Jeff Endaya ran for two touchdowns and the Lancer defense did the rest. The biggest play of the game may have been John Rebeiro's blocked extra point in the third quarter, which kept St. Francis (10-3) in the lead. This was the Lancers' 13th CCS title.
5. Los Altos High's Darren Marble crowned state high jump champ. The senior didn't reach his personal best, but he only needed to clear 6 feet, 8 inches to win the title June 6 in Norwalk. Marble's best jump of the year was 6-10 1/4, making him the top high jumper in school history. Marble, who now attends UCLA, also won the the CCS meet last spring.
4. St. Francis boys cross country team wins state. The Lancers won their first ever state title Nov. 28, beating defending Division III champ Bosco Tech at Woodward Park in Fresno. Eric Chaves, a sophomore, paced St. Francis by taking 10th overall with a time of 16 minutes even on the 5K course. His older brother Dan wasn't far behind, as the senior placed 19th with a time of 16:19. Also finishing in the top 30 were teammates Charles Darius (22nd, 16:21) and Jake Spangler (28th, 16:29). The Lancers won the CCS title two weeks before.
3. Los Altos football team qualifies for playoffs. Coach Ron Moser worked wonders with a program that's had more bad years than the Russian economy. The Eagles split the SCVAL El Camino Division crown with Santa Clara and earned their first CCS bid since 1985. Los Altos then lost at Terra Nova Nov. 20 in the first round of the Division IV playoffs to finish with a 7-3-1 record. Several Eagles landed on the all-league team, including Pete Bjorklund, Verdine Baker, Alex Ware and Eric Handa.
2. Pinewood School girls basketball team captures first CCS title. Revenge proved extremely sweet for coach Doc Scheppler and his Panthers. After losing the two previous Division V title games to Sacred Heart Prep, Pinewood finally got over on the rival Gators March 6 with a 56-28 rout. Junior point guard Lauren Smith-Hams led the Panthers (26-3) to the win, scoring a game-high 23 points and dishing out six assists. Senior Kacey Scheppler, who earlier set a new high school record for career three-pointers, added 15 points.
1. St. Francis girls volleyball team repeats as state champion. The Lancers won their second straight Division II crown and did so in convincing fashion. They beat Santa Margarita in four games in the title match, played Dec. 5 at Cypress College, to cap a 40-1 season. Senior outside hitter Stacy Millichap was named state tournament MVP by posting 23 kills, four blocks and 20 digs against Santa Margarita. Setter Julie Mariani and outside hitter Chrissy Hirsch, both seniors, made the all-state tourney team. Coach Dave Gambelin has now guided the Lancers to four state titles.