Los Gatos – Like it had earlier in the season, the Gilroy field
hockey lost to Los Gatos Saturday by the same 5-1 score as before.
This one meant more, though.
This one hurt.
Los Gatos – Like it had earlier in the season, the Gilroy field hockey lost to Los Gatos Saturday by the same 5-1 score as before. This one meant more, though.
This one hurt.
So after the Wildcats put the finishing touches on a dominating CCS quarterfinal win – after the Mustangs realized a highly successful season was now over – more than a few tears were shed over on the Gilroy sideline.
“I think I was the first one down,” said Elena Ramirez, one of seven GHS seniors to play their final game this weekend.
“I started crying when Elena was crying,” sophomore goalie Stephanie Glenn said. “Like all the seniors, she wanted it. I wanted it. I kind of felt like I let her down.”
Of course, that was hardly the case – and Glenn’s teammates and coaches told her as much.
“Stephanie has improved so much,” senior Shanté Mancera said. “She’s so small, but she can clear as well as anyone.”
Glenn actually hurt her knee during pregame warmups, but played through it.
“It didn’t slow her down,” co-head coach Adam Gemar said. “She’s one of the toughest girls on the team.”
She was also one of the busiest on this day.
In the first half, the ‘Cats dominated possession – holding the ball on the Gilroy side of the field for at least 28 of the first 30 minutes.
“We had strong ball possession,” Los Gatos coach Henry Reyes said. “We felt if we controlled the tempo, we’d win.”
After a barrage of shots early, Los Gatos (14-4-1) all but clinched that win midway through the half with three goals in just under six minutes.
The Wildcats did set up six short corners before halftime, though, and didn’t convert on any of them. Glenn’s performance had the opponent’s coach – and many of their parents – raving on the sidelines.
“She’s an exceptional goalie,” Reyes said. “I thought she did a great job … stopped a ton of shots.”
The Mustangs, meanwhile, didn’t exactly get off many shots. They did, however, convert on one breakaway with 12 minutes to go in the first half, when freshman Amanda Spellman found sophomore Linsey Kwong in front of the goal.
The underclassmen connection was a positive sign for a team will lose a good deal of nucleus in 2005.
“We always take away something from a Los Gatos game,” co-head coach Erin Gemar said, “and hopefully from this we’ll gain some confidence and hope for the future.”
The Mustangs have won back-to-back MTAL championships, but have fallen in their first CCS game to an area powerhouse (St. Francis and LG).
“We’ve come a long ways,” Ramirez said. “Hopefully the next generation will be able to make it past the quarterfinals.”
One of the next generation – sophomore Dana Schoeneman – believes it’s possible.
“It’s going to be hard without all those seniors,” she said. “But if some people step up, I think we can be pretty good.”
CCS semifinal games (Tuesday at Los Gatos)
No. 2 Los Gatos vs. No. 3 Saratoga
No. 1 Archbishop Mitty vs. No. 9 Prospect
Final Mustang statistics
Player Goals Assists Points
Elena Ramirez 21 23 44
Karlie Sandoval 9 23 32
Erin Magill 9 13 22
Kelly Perkins 14 7 21
Meg Perkins 4 13 17
Shanté Mancera 4 11 15
Dana Schoeneman 6 8 14
Jenelle Perez 1 6 7
Amanda Spellman 1 5 6
Danielle Roberts 4 1 5
Andrea Chichester 1 3 4
Nicole Souza 3 0 3
Jaimie Silva 0 3 3
Lindsey Valadez 2 1 3
Heather Link 0 2 2
Goalie Shots allowed Goals allowed Save Pct. GA/game
Stephanie Glenn 100 19 0.81 0.95
