College Kudos
Several local athletes made an impact on the college level this past fall. Here's what a few of them accomplished:
Los Altos High graduate Willie Howard was recently named honorable mention All Pacific-10 for his play this season on the Stanford University football team. The sophomore defensive tackle finished second on the team in sacks (5.5), seventh in tackles (53) and third in tackles for losses (10).
Tom Becker of Los Altos helped the Duke University men's cross country team make the NCAA Championships for the first time since 1971. The team took 26th at the Nov. 23 finals, held in Lawrence, Kan. Becker, a Bellarmine Prep grad, placed 144th individually. A week before at the NCAA District II Championships in Greenville, S.C., the senior led the Blue Devils with a ninth-place finish.
St. Francis High grads Megan O'Brien and Elizabeth Jones recently capped stellar volleyball careers at Villanova University. Jones broke the Wildcats' all-time record for digs in an Oct. 31 game against Georgetown. Fellow senior O'Brien wound up third on the school's all-time kills list.
Mountain View High grad Katie Antypas in November helped the Wellesley College volleyball team take third at the NCAA Division III national championships. The senior setter had 72 assists in the third-place match against Juniata College Dec. 5, which Wellesley won in five games. Antypas was also named second team All-American this season. Her younger sister, Jodie Antypas, started at setter for the University of Pennsylvania volleyball team. The freshman helped the Quakers place fourth in last month's Ivy League Tournament.
Los Altos High grad Kasey Clark last month was named most valuable offensive player on the Colorado College women's soccer team. The sophomore led the team in scoring this season with 19 points. She had six goals - including two game-winners - and seven assists. Clark, a forward, also topped the team with 49 shot attempts.
The University of Hawaii football team went 0-12 in the fall, but the season wasn't a total loss for St. Francis High grad Charles Tharp. The Rainbows' starting halfback rushed for a team-high 679 yards and two touchdowns. Tharp, a sophomore, also caught 19 passes for 153 yards, which was fourth-best on the team.
Los Altos High grad Ronnie Fair, a midfielder on the Stanford women's soccer team, was recently named first team All-Pacific 10. The junior was the second-leading scorer on the Stanford women's soccer team this season. She had six goals - two of them game-winners - and a pair of assists. This gave her 14 total points, which was second best on the team.
Los Altos High grad Stephen Gardner made the UCLA men's soccer team as a walk-on this fall. The freshman was the only one of 40 hopefuls to make the Bruins. Gardner was Los Altos' MVP last year and earned top goalkeeper honors in the SCVAL De Anza Division.
De Anza College grad Tisha Villaseñor helped the Kent State women's soccer team to a 13-7-1 record this season. The junior was part of a defense that limited its opponents to 1.19 goals per game this year., down from 3.26 goals a game last year. "Tisha has solidified our defense," said Kent coach Colleen Marcum. "She is a great communicator on the field who came into our program with tremendous leadership skills and experience."