Foothill Roundup
Men's Water Polo
Foothill assured itself a spot in the NorCal playoffs last Friday with a 13-12 win over first-place Solano in Los Altos Hills.
The game marked the end of the regular season for the Owls, who improved to 6-2 in the Coast Conference "B" Division and 11-6 overall. Foothill coach Dave Trollope said Brett Slayton and Los Altos High graduate Richard Dunn both "played great games," scoring four goals apiece.
The Owls open the playoffs against top seed West Valley Friday at Diablo Valley College.
Women's Water Polo
Behind the arm - and feet - of quarterback Travis Cole, the Foothill College football team beat Chabot 36-31 last Saturday in Hayward.
Cole had a hand in all five Foothill touchdowns, throwing for three and running for two. The sophomore completed 33-of-53 passes for 430 yards.
Fourteen of Cole's completions went to receiver Mike Rigell, who scored three times and racked up 227 yards. Grant Mattos, a St. Francis High graduate, caught eight passes for 89 yards.
The Owls, who improved to 2-1 in their division and 6-2 overall, didn't have the same luck running the ball. Johnnie Gray came into the game leading the nation in rushing and all-purpose yards, but the Gunn High grad was held to 76 yards on 23 carries.
The Foothill defense allowed just three points in the second half and forced a critical turnover late in the fourth quarter.
Dwayne Eison, a receiver playing cornerback for the first time this year, ended Chabot's hopes for a comeback by intercepting a pass at the Owls' 40-yard-line.
"It was one of our better team efforts," Foothill coach Marshall Sperbeck said of the game. "The kids played hard and they didn't let down."
Foothill plays Gavilan at 7 p.m., Saturday at Live Oak High in Morgan Hill.
Foothill concluded its regular season last Friday with a 14-9 home win over Laney.
Foothill's Elyssa Xavier "dominated the game," according to coach Bill Henderson. The sophomore scored five goals and assisted on four others. Laura Smith and Joanna Zenou added three goals each.
The Owls went 11-1 in the Coast Conference "B" Division and enter Friday's NorCal playoffs in Merced with a 15-6 overall record. Foothill's first-round opponent is No. 1 seed Sierra.