Sports Poll
 
Would you care if arena football never returned?
Yes
No
Past Polls
   Top Sports
 
   Opinion
 

 City is correct to initiate eminent domain process
Jun 29, 2009
 
 Letters: Thanks to all who helped with the Martin Murphy promotion ceremony
Jun 29, 2009
 
  More Opinion...

SPORTS > YOUTH


'Thrill' delivers city's first 11U Bronco section title; Mustang 'A' all-stars fall in finals
Jul 18, 2008
 By Scott J. Adams - Sports Editor

Nicknamed the "Thrill," Morgan Hill's 11-and-under Bronco Division all-stars captured the Santa Clara/Alameda County Section championship with a 20-2 win over Blossom Valley '1' on Tuesday.
Photo by: Special to The Times
Mike Porras of Morgan Hill's 11-and-under Bronco all-star team totaled three hits in Tuesday's section title game.
Photo by: Special to The Times
The first e-mail Morgan Hill coach Mike Zanotto received after his team's crushing win over Blossom Valley '1' in the 11-and-under Bronco Division section championship said it all.

"You broke the B.V. barrier," it read.

Zanotto's 'A' all-stars, nicknamed the "Thrill," certainly did Tuesday - and in emphatic form. Behind a 16-hit effort that begot a staggering 15-run second inning, Morgan Hill captured the first Santa Clara/Alameda County Section 11U Bronco title in history while beating the same region that churns out Pony all-star juggernauts year in and year out.

On the same afternoon Blossom Valley beat Morgan Hill's Mustang Division 'A' all-stars 10-0 in the Morgan Hill Section championship and less than a week after Blossom Valley ousted Morgan Hill from the Pinto Division NorCal Finals, Zanotto's squad struck back with a 20-2 victory in five innings at San Jose's Herman School.

Morgan Hill collected its 12th straight victory - a streak dating back to a defeat versus Blossom Valley '1' - and kept stride heading into this weekend's regional tournament in Vacaville's John Arlington Park. Morgan Hill opens at noon Saturday against the winner of the Stockton/Modesto/Manteca Section Tournament.

Blossom Valley, nicknamed the Vipers, also advanced.

"I only feel relief right now," Zanotto said. "There's just a lot of relief. There were high expectations on these kids - almost an unfair amount - and people expected them to win. They rose to the occasion."

After taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Mark Quinby's sacrifice fly, scoring Ben Hughes, Morgan Hill blasted the game open in the second. The Thrill batted through its lineup twice, sending 20 men to the plate while totaling eight hits. Hughes scored two of his game-high five runs in the inning, Josh Alaniz singled twice and Alejandro Torres walked home a run and drove in another - all for Morgan Hill.

"I coached dozens upon dozens of Pony League games and I've never seen an inning like that," Zanotto added. "After a couple hits, it was almost surreal. Was this really happening?"

For the Thrill, Bradley Higgins and Mike Porras went 3-for-4 batting; Ian McGowen and Hughes finished 2 for 3, Alaniz went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Torres drove in four runs. Higgins crossed home three times, and Domenic Zanotto, Quinby, Porras and Alaniz scored twice.

Quinby picked up the win, striking out two batters and allowing two runs on three hits in three innings. After the third, he was lifted for Ethan Cox, who worked a scoreless final two innings.

Cox sent the Vipers down in order to end the game, prompting a collected celebration.

"That's what I was most proud of - the way the kids carried themselves," Zanotto said. "They were professional and respective. They know, on any give day, that team could do the same to us."



BV '1' downs MH 'A' in Mustang section final

The Morgan Hill Mustang Division 'A' all-stars' bid for a section title ended Tuesday with a 10-0 loss to Blossom Valley '1' in the championship series at Britton Field.

The 'A' all-stars, winners of the loser's bracket of the eight-team Morgan Hill sectional, had to beat undefeated Blossom Valley twice.

"It was a great postseason still," Morgan Hill coach Mark Dean said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "The coaches, we're all proud of them for what they accomplished."

Blossom Valley won all but one of its tournament games by 10 runs.

"Blossom Valley is a good ball club," Dean added. "They hit the ball well against us and were able to score runs. They're pitcher was on, too."

Blossom Valley '1' starter Zach Silva tossed a no-hitter in the four-run game. Morgan Hill's only base runners were Luke Newquist and Adam Jennings.

"(Silva) had a great fastball and good command of his pitches," Dean said. "He had a changeup and a curveball, too. You don't usually see kids throwing curveballs at this age."

Dean added that Morgan Hill played a solid game defensively.

The 'A' all-stars' ended final record of 4-2, which included tournament wins over Los Altos, Fremont and two against San Jose PAL, reflects stark improvement from last year's 0-2 finish in Pinto Division section play. Dean expects his players to aim even higher next year in the Bronco 11-and-under Division.

"We told them, 'you set goals for yourself,'" Dean began. "'As long as you give it your all to reach them and you fall short, it's okay.'

"The new goal now is the 11-and-under all-star World Series."


Scott J. Adams
Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.

POST A COMMENT

If you are under 13 years of age you may read this message board, but you may not participate. Here are the full legal terms you agree to by using this comment form.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Add to Google Add to My Yahoo!  Email This Article  Print
 Sports: Youth
The camp they never had
Jul 1, 2009
 
Pacific powers past MH Green
Jul 1, 2009
 
MH Green to play in section finals tonight
Jun 30, 2009
 
MH Bronco All-Stars win tuneup game in rout
Jun 30, 2009
 
 Sports: Health and Fitness
Local runners ready for The Relay
Apr 10, 2009
 
Big crowd for Mount Madonna's big challenge
Aug 25, 2008
 
'Challenging' race makes its 33rd running
Aug 21, 2008
 
Gilroyan always young at heart
Aug 18, 2008
 
 Sports: Golf Tips
Don't explode out of the bunkers
Jul 2, 2009
 
For lower scores, try to outsmart the course
Jun 24, 2009
 
Short and straight vs. long and crooked
Jun 18, 2009
 
Thumb placement important for controlled swing
Jun 11, 2009
 
More Youth... More Health and Fitness... More Golf Tips...


 Obituaries

 Elizabeth M. Ragasa
2/2/1932 - 6/27/2009

 Horacio M. Reis
8/8/1946 - 6/21/2009

 Paul James Staudenmaier
7/23/1943 - 6/9/2009

 Jo Johnson
12/9/1926 - 6/16/2009

 Doris Anne Hoffman
12/16/1926 - 6/8/2009

 Lowell D. Brawley
1/26/1935 - 6/9/2009

 Gregory Scott Beeck
2/26/1970 - 6/5/2009

 Martin Albert Stein
10/23/1912 - 5/30/2009

 Salvador Hernandez
10/18/1921 - 6/1/2009

 Photos
News
     
Sports
     
Special Events
     
Full Pages
     
 Videos
Fire claims 58 hay bales, but homeowner protects home
Jun 24, 2009
 
Fatal crash on Highway 152
Jun 24, 2009
 
Propane tank catches fire
Jun 24, 2009
 
D.A. and police chief talk about 'unusual' murder charges
Jun 10, 2009
 
 Special Reports
 Most Wanted
 
More Obituaries... More Photos... More Videos...
Advertise | Contact Us | Subscriber Center | RSS Feed
Copyright © 2009 | MainStreet Media Group | All rights reserved.