June 5, 2007

Sports

Longhorns appear in CCS softball final

Leigh team overachieves, solidifies future promise

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Leigh High School’s softball team found its way to the Central Coast Section division II final game at PAL Stadium on May 26.

Despite falling 10-0 to 2007 champion Archbishop Mitty, the overachieving Longhorns laid the road map for the next several years, in a program that has become one of the finest by public schools in the section.

Leigh reached the final fielding with just two seniors in the lineup, relying on seven sophomores and two freshmen to pave the way.

“We didn’t go in with a defeated attitude,” said Leigh head coach Clovis Mirrasou. “There was no doubt in our mind that we could beat them; we had come from behind all year long.”

Mirrasou said that last year was actually the year many familiar with the program expected that Leigh would trek deep into the postseason, all riding the feats of prized pitcher Jackie Hill—currently starring at Penn State University.

However, youth in 2007 made the difference for Leigh. “We were young enough that we didn’t think we could be beaten,” said Mirrasou. “We’d be down three or four runs and come right back. We won quite a few like that.”

The Longhorns’ most meaningful comeback occurred in a first round match-up with Aptos. Trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, Leigh rallied to extend its season, racking up six runs to win 6-5.

The club advanced to face Fremont in the semifinals, winning handily on the road 8-2 on May 23.

“When we first started the season, we really didn’t expect too much,” said Mirrasou. “We were hoping to get at least as far as the CCS playoffs, mostly for the sake of experience.”

As it turned out, Leigh received the No. 3 seed in Division II, after clawing and scratching through the trenches of A-league, Mount Hamilton Division play. The team finished in second place behind only Live Oak, with a record of 19-11, 8-7. Yet, Leigh had amassed enough power points for a top seed in the playoffs.

“We really got a good draw,” said Mirrasou.

Coach called the Longhorn effort versus Fremont the best executed hitting that his team produced all season long, the outcome setting the stage for the appearance versus Mitty.

Standouts this season included senior shortstop Jessica Freedman, who led the young Longhorn group by example and with stellar play in the field. “Nothing went through her,” said Mirrasou. “She could reach anything up the middle and between the 5-6 hole. She turned into a really great shortstop in her time at Leigh.”

Mirassou explained that Freedman did not come to Leigh as a true shortstop; however, she filled a need as a freshman, and the position stuck. “At public schools, a lot of times, you have to make kids into the players that you need,” he said.

Sophomore Carissa Theis, meanwhile, filled the void on the mound, left by Jackie Hill’s departure. “Hill was just a rock at Leigh and everybody tried to compare Carissa her,” said Mirassou.

Despite the comparisons, Theis built her own reputation, winning 14 games this season, while holding opponents to just 36 runs scored in 146 innings pitched.

Kayla Pisano and Shelby Ford were outstanding at the plate all season long, according to Mirassou.

Pisano batted.370 room her leadoff spot, while Ford built a .338 batting average from the number-five position.

“In the next couple of years, I expect us to be right back where we were this season,” said Mirassou. “Our league is so tough; you really have to have a lot of luck to run the table. But we will have the horses to stay with them.”

Leigh’s trip to the finals was its first since 2004 when the Longhorns captured their second CCS title in the school’s history. The first title occurred in 1995.

School board approves permanent stadium lights for Willow Glen High

The San Jose Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of constructing permanent football stadium lights at Willow Glen High School during a May 24 public meeting.

The board also voted unanimously in favor of constructing stadium lights at Lincoln, Gunderson, Leland and Pioneer high schools. Light construction, according to SJUSD, is tentatively scheduled to begin and be completed in August, in time for the start of the 2007 high school football season.

The vote brought to an end months of study and community input regarding the stadium lights proposal. Willow Glen High, in coordination with SJUSD officials, held onsite community meetings earlier during the school year to discuss the projects with neighbors while relaying information about potential impacts—traffic, parking, noise, etc.—the permanent lights may bring to the surrounding area.

As part of the overall agreement with all of the schools approved for permanent stadium lights, night events will be limited to a maximum of 10 per school year, with an additional maximum of 10 night practices for school teams per school year. All of the schools will also have new public address systems in place with narrow dispersion speakers to focus sound more directly within the confines of the stadiums, as well as sound compression systems to limit the level of sound, as part of the agreement. Notices of night events will also be posted on the schools’ Web sites.

–By Diego Abeloos

Sports Briefs

Cambrian Valley Longhorns Sign Ups
Pop Warner Youth Football and Cheerleading sign-ups are going on NOW! Ages 5-15 years only! For more information, call Julie Gilbert at 408-279-2265 or visit our web site at CVYF.org.

FitCamp Sign – Ups Going On Now
TotalFit Solutions is registering participants for their Summer FitCamp programs at Evergreen College, Los Gatos and Mt. Pleasant High School.  You can sign up for a 6 week session, or chose 2 or 3 day a week programming.  You can get started today!

FitCamp is a fun filled exercise program that is open to all ages and abilities.  FitCamp meets everyday and is designed to be a total fitness solution for kids and parents alike. Every day has a different workout which not only keeps our participants excited and challenged, it keeps your body moving in a way that guarantees results.

Whether you are looking to better your sports conditioning, lose weight or just get in shape; FitCamp is a great alternative to commercial fitness centers and gyms.

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The City of San José Department of Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services
offers a wide variety of classes designed to keep your child active and engaged. Summer offerings include: soccer, basketball, tennis, volleyball, lacrosse, sport camps and aquatics programs. Get complete class listings and see what is happening in your neighborhood by picking up a copy of the Citywide Activity Guide at the Willows Community/Senior Center located at 2175 Lincoln Avenue, the Camden Community Center located at 3369 Union Avenue, or go to www.sanjoseca.gov/prns/cagindex.asp. Don’t delay - Summer registration begins May 29th.

Bay Area Starters Softball Program
Competitive "A" Ball Program has a few openings for 15U/16U 2007 Summer Roster.  Bay Area Starters' goal is to provided Talented, Committed, Hard Working Student/Athletes further opportunities to better their Softball Skills through training and aggressive work-outs, while introducing Age-Appropriate High School Athletes to the College Environment and Scouting Events.   For more information, visit our website www.BayAreaStarters.com or e-mail BayAreaStarters@aol.com.

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