So why is Leland coach Eric Rise smiling? Because the first-year coach took a team that had finished 8-11 a year ago and led them to a 21-8 season in 2003.

"It was a 13-game turnaround from a year ago," said Rise. "This ties the best finish the school has ever had. This is quite an accomplishment for these girls."

Leland finished second to Lincoln in the Blossom Valley Athletic League with an 8-2 record, losing to the Lions in the regular season, then again in the finals of the league tournament. But the Chargers still managed to qualify for CCS playoffs.

"They play with a lot of heart," said Rise. "The girls never gave up in any game this season. They fought to the last second every game."

Leland opened CCS at Menlo-Atherton last week, but dropped a tough 9-4 decision to the Bears.

Melanie Shahbaz tossed in two goals to lead the Chargers and Courtney Monsees and Danielle Rutgers added one apiece.

The Chargers and Bears were locked in a 2-2 tie after a period, but M-A topped Leland 2-0 in the second and 3-0 in the third to pull away. The Chargers matched Menlo-Atherton's two goals in the fourth, but it was too little, too late.

Casey Armstrong led the defensive effort with five steals against M-A.

"She did a good job of clamping down their best player," said Rise of the junior.

Sophomore goalkeeper had 10 blocks in the game to finish with an impressive 290 for the year.

"They were battling pretty good," said Rise of his club's effort in the CCS game.

The loss left Leland 21-8 for the year—quite a year for a team with so few seniors.

"We're real young," said Rise. "Quite a few sophomores played [against M-A]."

Monsees, just a freshman, ended up as the scoring leader for the Chargers with 86 goals. Senior team captain Lucy Engelter was second with 46 goals. Shahbaz and Rutgers are also seniors.

Sophomore Rebecca Pele was a starter all year for the Chargers.

"She's quiet, but she did what needed to get done," said Rise.

The coach also praised the efforts of sophomores Briana Barnette and Tina Revels.

Rise moved over to coach the girls team after four years as the boys junior varsity coach at Leland.

"I had coached a few of these kids in camps," he said. "It was a challenge."

And it appears that Rise and his Lady Chargers rose to that challenge in 2003.