"Last year we finished in third place," said Lyles. "This year our goal for CCS is the finals."

The coach is looking for a championship repeat in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League, and the Cats are off and running toward that goal with four wins to open league play.

Gatos ran its league record to 4-0 with a hard-fought victory over Mountain View last week. Junior outside hitter Fletcher Anderson hammered down 21 kills to lead the Cats to the win.

The Wildcats actually lost the first game 15-10 but battled back to win three straight 15-11, 15-8, 15-13 to take the match. Earlier in the week, the Cats had whipped Santa Clara.

Gatos had opened league play with a 15-5, 15-7, 15-13 win over Wilcox, then beat Saratoga 15-7, 15-0, 15-7. Anderson was the kill leader against the Chargers, and junior middle blocker Drew McDowell and junior outside hitter Keith Catanese shared team-high honors in kills.

The Wildcats were to host St. Francis on April 1 and will entertain Fremont on April 3. The Cats head to Concord for the DeLaSalle Tournament on April 5 before hosting Homestead on April 8 in a league match.


JV boys win

The Los Gatos boys junior varsity volleyball team blanked Camarillo 15-0 to win the championship in the San Marcos JV tournament.

The Wildcats, third in the tourney a year ago, lost to host San Marcos in their first game of the day but swept through the field to win out the rest of the way to take the title.

The Cats matched San Marco 12-15, 17-15 and knocked off Righetti 15-5, 15-0, Oxnard 15-5, 15-4 and Buchanan 15-9, 15-9 in pool play, then beat Ventura 15-10 in the semifinals to advance to the title game.

Cody Stewart was the kill leader for the Cats, and Rob Couchee was outstanding as the club's setter. Brian Register, sidelined much of the tourney with a knee injury, came back to play well for the squad in the finals.


Henry, Laubach star

Nat Henry and Kyle Laubach have been trading medalist honors as the Los Gatos boys golf team has jumped out to an impressive start in the spring season.

The Wildcats are 7-3 for the season and 4-3 in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Gatos rolled to a couple of recent non-league wins, beating Santa Teresa 164-166 at Cinnabar Hills and topping Pinewood 173-188 at La Rinconada. Henry fired a five-over par 39 to lead the Cats to the win over Pinewood.

Laubach had taken top honors in a couple of league wins over the teams from Santa Clara. He finished with a one-over 35 at La Rinconada to lead the Cats to a 155-203 win over Santa Clara, and he came in with a two-over 38 at the Santa Clara Golf Course in a 164-169 win over Wilcox.

Henry starred with a blistering one-under par 34 at Palo Alto Country Club in a 165-171 non-league win over Pinewood, and Laubach's two-over 36 at La Rinconada led the Cats to wins over Lynbrook (149-168) and Wilcox (149-159).

Los Gatos lost for the first time in league play and the first time for the year in a match against both Saratoga and Monta Vista at La Rinconada. The Falcons finished with a low 160 strokes to beat both the Matadors (162) and the Wildcats (166).

In action last week, the Cats fell 159-184 to Milpitas.


Tough split

The Los Gatos girls softball team split a pair of tight decisions last week, edging Monta Vista 2-1 in eight innings but losing 1-0 to Wilcox.

Junior hurler Melissa Mullins tossed a couple of four-hitters but could manage just one mound win on the week.

Mullins fired a four-hitter win over the Matadors when her teammates supported with six hits and a couple of runs. Senior Virginia Fritsch singled and tripled to lead the Cats offensively.

A double by junior Camille Cardinale was one of just two hits for Los Gatos in the 1-0 loss to Wilcox. Mullins again flipped a four-hitter, but the single run she allowed in the fifth was the difference in the game.

A week earlier, Mullins had flipped the Cats to back-to-back wins over Milpitas and St. Francis.

Mullins fired a two-hitter and Fritsch singled twice to drive in a couple of runs in a 3-1 league win over the Trojans.

Mullins had crafted a five-hitter to toss the Cats to a 3-2 non-league win over the Lancers. Fritsch tripled and Katie Ferrera doubled for the Wildcats.


Cats net win

William McAlister and the Brogan brothers won in singles play to lead the Los Gatos boys tennis team to an impressive 5-2 win over a strong Lynbrook squad last week.

McAlister rolled to a 6-4, 6-4 at No. 1 singles to start the Cats on the road to victory. Brian Brogan won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2 singles, and Patrick Brogan won 7-5, 6-4 at No. 4.

Victor Larssen and Tin Tran teamed for a hard-earned 7-5, 7-5 win at No. 2 doubles, and Drew Froehlich and Matt Solomon won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 3.

The Wildcats, 16-4 for the year, were to host Palo Alto on April 1 and will head to Monta Vista on April 3, 3:30 p.m., and Saratoga on April 8, 3 p.m., for league action.