en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:51:15 GMT 15 By Kevin Luizinho (Staff Reporter)
What a huge difference a year can make. One year ago, none of the SLz winter sports teams made it to the NCS (North Coast Section) but in 2008, three out of the four teams made the playoffs. The boys and girls Varsity Basketball Teams and the Boys Varsity Soccer Team made a huge turn around compared to last year. All three teams have had a successful year and were granted with a seeding in the playoffs to achieve the goal every player and coach sets in the beginning of the year- to win it all. All three teams made it to NCS, but unfortunately, they were all eliminated in the first round. “I was shocked, I didn’t think we could lose in the first game,” Boys Varsity Basketball player Junior Damien Stewart said. The loss to Northgate in the first round eliminated the Boys Varsity Team out of the playoffs and seniors were left with nothing to play for. “Seniors were crying because they knew it was their last game and some would never play again,” Stewart said. The Girls Varsity Basketball team also faced disappointment in hopes of bringing a championship title to SLz, as they fell short to Sonoma Valley. “We were really good despite key losses and injuries that affected the team,” Girls Varsity Basketball player Junior T.J. Johnson said. The Girls Varsity Basketball Team finished with a record of 14-13, including the playoff loss to Sonoma Valley, which was an improvement from last year. The Boys Varsity Soccer Team who lost to Albany High in the playoffs, finished with a record of 13-5-5. That placed them third in the HAAL behind Hayward and San Leandro, which shocked the rest of the schools in their league. “Everyone thinks we’re a weak school, and looks down [on] us,” Varsity Soccer player Senior Juan Mendoza said. Even though other schools view SLz as a weak opponent, the soccer team went through its challenges throughout the season and played their hardest in each game. “We did real good, but we could’ve done better. It was an okay season,” Mendoza said. Although the basketball season has just ended, there are already high hopes for next year’s Boys Varsity Basketball Team. “I think we got a chance to win everything next year. [Schools] see us as a threat, a dominant team, and we can beat them,” Stewart said. Ever since three out of the four teams made the NCS playoffs, other schools and students at SLz have viewed this school differently. “People think we’re raw since we made the playoffs.” Johnson said. As the school record continues to get better each year, opponents must be prepared to go to battle with SLz. “We are a force to be reckoned with,” said Athletic Director Bill Versino. ]]> Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:50:00 GMT