A good year for local high school teams A good year for local high school teams (June 11, 2004)

Falcons, Dons captured several league titles
by Heidi Massie

The 2003-2004 school year has come to an end, and so has the high school sports season. It was an exciting and challenging season for athletics at Foothill and Amador Valley high schools, for the East Bay Athletic League is one of the toughest in the state. Both of the schools saw their fair share of celebrations and heartbreaks, and both came away with several league titles at all levels.

Probably one of the most exciting and memorable games of the fall season was the final football game between Amador and Foothill for the league title. The nail-biting contest ended in victory for the Falcons in the final minutes, and delivered a devastating loss to the Dons - the first varsity team in several years to come close to a league title. But it was the Dons JV football team who took first in the league with a final win over Foothill. The players advancing to varsity this coming fall will look to avenge last year's loss to Foothill. Amador did gain league titles with its girls varsity golf team, as well as girls varsity cross country.

The winter sports season was equally exciting with a close race between Foothill and Amador varsity girls basketball that ended in a second- and third-place finish, respectively, and Foothill's Liz Chan earned the league's MVP award.

The Dons boys varsity basketball team again won the EBAL league title, and an MVP award for senior Andy Bocian. In soccer, both schools split EBAL titles with the Amador boys winning the league, and the Foothill girls winning not only the EBAL title, but the North Coast Section title as well.

There were also a couple of "firsts" for both schools in the winter season. Foothill's varsity boys wrestling team won its first EBAL title in school history, and Amador introduced a girls wrestling team and came away with an NCS champion in freshman Lauren Neves.

The spring season is still reverberating from the events of recent weeks. The biggest win for Foothill was probably the undefeated girls varsity lacrosse team, which won the league and the NCS title as the state's No. 1 team. The girls softball team did not disappoint and got a title of its own.

The final varsity baseball game between Amador and Foothill brought the season to an exciting close. The Dons upset the Falcons 5-1, and kept Foothill from winning a league co-championship. In track and field, both schools sent an athlete to the state championship meet.

Several more EBAL championship titles were won by the schools. Following is a list of all the titles won for Foothill and Amador this school year, demonstrating that Pleasanton can boast some of the best athletes in the EBAL and the state. (If some teams are missing, please let us know.)
Amador Valley JV Football Girls Varsity Cross Country Girls Varsity Golf Boys Varsity Basketball Girls Frosh Basketball Boys Varsity Soccer Boys Varsity Golf
Foothill Varsity Football Girls Varsity Tennis Boys Varsity Wrestling Girls Varsity Soccer Girls Varsity Lacrosse Girls Varsity Softball Girls JV Softball Girls Varsity Diving Boys JV Swimming

Foothill's Bergesen picked by Orioles Foothill's Bergesen picked by Orioles (June 11, 2004)

Foothill graduating senior Brad Bergesen was chosen by the Baltimore Orioles in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball draft Monday. Bergesen, who led the league in pitching with a 1.45 ERA and 6-0 win record, was expected to get a call from a major league team in the third or fourth round. Not only does he have a 95 mph heater but he also contributed to the Falcons hitting game with a .375 average. Bergesen has also been offered a baseball scholarship to University of California at San Diego. His decision to go to Baltimore or college will depend on the outcome of negotiations with the Orioles.

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