The Cupertino Courier
Sports
Underwood defends one title, not the other
Robinson sprints to win in 50-yard free
By MIKE BARNHART
Monta Vista senior Russell Underwood, seeking to defend his short sprint titles at the Central Coast Section swimming and diving championships last weekend, only achieved half of his goal.
Underwood repeated as the champion in the 100-yard freestyle and anchored the victorious 200 free relay team, but--in a role reversal from 2005--finished second to Lynbrook junior Brandt Robinson in the 50 free during the CCS meet, May 12-13 at Stanford University.
Meanwhile, Lynbrook senior Nilasha Ghosh and Monta Vista freshman Megan Fischer-Colbrie were among the event winners in the girls competition. Two other Matador freshmen, Emma Drysdale and Audrey Kwong, along with senior Dominique Lazarovichi, were key point earners as Monta Vista placed third in the team standings behind champion Mitty and runner-up Palo Alto.
With tremendous depth, Bellarmine easily won the boys' team championship with 402 points. Monta Vista was fifth with 143 points and Lynbrook 13th with 62.
Underwood, whose AAA (Automatic All-American) time of 21.21 seconds was the top time in Friday's trials, was a wee bit slower (21.59) in Saturday's finals, creating opportunity for Robinson (21.52) to claim his first CCS gold medal.
Underwood bounced back to win the 100 free in an AAA time of 46.43. Senior teammate Tyler Fischer-Colbrie (48.14) was 12th and Homestead freshman Paul Kim (48.59) was 13th.
Underwood and fellow seniors Kevin Leonard, David Wong and Fischer-Colbrie, blazed past the competition in the 200 free relay, finishing in an AAA time of 1:26.53. Later, Underwood and Fischer-Colbrie combined with senior Onur Erbilgin and sophomore Arthur Lam for an AAA time (3:12.80) and third place in the 400 free relay.
Junior Larry Wen, placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke with an AAC (All-American Consideration) time of 59.79 and 14th in the 100 butterfly, two spots behind senior Simon Iacob (54.48) of Homestead.
Iacob's 12th-place effort was the best finish for the Homestead boys, who placed 25th with 17 points, one place and one point behind Wen and Fremont.
In the girls contest, Lynbrook's Ghosh put together an AAA time (2:04.72) in the 200 individual medley, but still finished second, three seconds behind Presentation sophomore Danielle Gong's fantastic winning effort. The first six placers in the furious race posted AAA times, including Fischer-Colbrie's sixth-place mark of 2:06.47.
Ghosh bounced back to take the 100 free in an AAA time of 51.13. Monta Vista's Drysdale was fifth in 53.21.
Earlier, Drysdale placed third in the 50 free at 24.36. Lazarovichi placed fourth in the 100 backstroke at 58.23, Kwong took sixth in the 200 free (1:54.63) and 10th in the 500 free (5:09.67). Kwong, Drysdale, Lazarovichi and Fischer-Colbrie combined for third place in the 400 free relay with an AAA time of 3:35.18.
Homestead junior Michelle Camburn scored a sixth place in the 500 free (5:11.06) to go with a 14th in the 200 individual medley, leading the Mustangs to 18th place. Camburn also anchored the 400 free relay team that placed 14th, following junior Emily Pool and seniors Yoshiko Shimizu and Megan Meadows.
In girls diving, Monta Vista's Courtney Rudolph placed fifth and teammate Yaroslava Ryazanova13th. Rudolph earned 414.25 points for her 11 dives, while Ryazaanova scored 329.25. Homestead's Christina La placed ninth with 388.75.
Homestead falls in volleyball
After scoring a first-round victory in the CCS boys volleyball playoffs, top seed Homestead was stunned and eliminated in the quarterfinals.
The Mustangs, who captured a 25-20, 25-18, 25-20 home victory over Monterey on May 11, lost a five-game match two nights later to Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco.
After dropping the first game, 25-22, Homestead took the next two, 25-15 and 25-23. However, Cathedral won the fourth game 25-20 and the finale 19-17.
Homestead, which went unbeaten while winning the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League championship, ended the year 26-5.
CCS softball playoffs
After pitching ace Kendra Wood tossed a 3-hit shutout against Monta Vista to close out Lynbrook's championship season in the SCVAL's De Anza Division, the Vikings received the top seed in the CCS Division I softball playoffs.
After winning the rugged De Anza Division with an 11-1 record and going 16-2 overall, Lynbrook's competition in the 13-team, single-elimination bracket includes three De Anza foes, No. 4 seed Monta Vista (18-6-2), No. 7 Homestead (15-10) and No. 8 Milpitas (15-11).
Much of the first two rounds will be played at Salinas Sports Park, including the openers for the Mustangs and Matadors on May 17. Homestead will take on No. 10 Piedmont Hills (22-5) of San Jose at 4:15 p.m. Monta Vista's first assignment is No. 13 Andrew Hill (14-3) at 5 p.m.
After a first-round bye, Lynbrook will play either Milpitas or Evergreen Valley in Salinas on May 20 at 10:45 a.m.
The Homestead-Piedmont winner must take another road trip May 20 to Hawes Field in Belmont for a 10 a.m. game with No. 2 seed Carlmont (23-6). If Monta Vista wins its opener, it will return to Salinas to oppose either Watsonville or Alvarez in a 1 p.m. contest.
In Division II, No. 12 seed Cupertino (13-12-1) and No. 5 Westmont (18-8) will collide in a first-round contest at Hawes Field, May 17 at 7 p.m. The winner will return May 20 for a 12:30 p.m. tilt against either No. 13 Monterey or No. 4 Notre Dame of Belmont.
Cupertino earned a spot after finishing as co-champion of the SCVAL's El Camino Division. After winning their first 10 division games, the Pioneers lost a pair last week to finish 10-2 and in a first-place tie with Wilcox.
The semifinals (May 23-25) and championship games (May 27) in all three divisions will be held at San Jose's PAL Stadium.
