Sports Shorts Sports Shorts (July 11, 2003)

LOCAL HOOPS . . . The Mustangs, a fifth- and sixth-grade boys' basketball team made up of players from Portola Valley and Menlo Park, won the Nothing But Hoops title for their age group in Millbrae recently. The Mustangs finished third in overall play and were forced to win two games to play for the championship. In the title game, the Mustangs beat the Palo Alto-based Blue Devils, 48-38, behind the passing and defense of Nathan Feldman and Brian Jordan and the scoring of Alex Craig, son of ex-49er Roger Craig. Alex made the all-tournament team and was selected as the Most Valuable Player. Alex Rafferty also made the all-tourney team while Ryan Di Ricco tallied 10 points to pace the Mustangs in the final game.

U.S. WOMEN WINNING . . . The world No. 2-ranked U.S. women's water polo team made another solid tuneup for next week's World Championships by defeating Germany, 9-5, on Tuesday for its second-straight victory at the Four Nations Tournament in Siracusa, Italy. The Americans played for the championship on Thursday. Stanford grads Brenda Villa and Ellen Estes each scored goals for the USA, which opens play in the 10th annual FINA World Championships on Sunday in Barcelona, Spain. The USA opened the Four Nations Tournament with a 6-0 win over Brazil. Stanford grad Margie Dingeldein scored once for Team USA while former Stanford teammate Jackie Frank shared goalie duties.

OF LOCAL NOTE . . . Team Sheeper MultiSport is holding its third annual Summer Cross Country Run Series, which is held on Tuesday evenings. The second race of the series will be July 29th at Edgewood County Park, followed by the third race at the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course in Belmont. The series finale will be at Bayfront Park on Sept. 30. Races are 3K to 5K in length. More details and signup information are available at www.teamsheeper.com/events/runseries/index.html . . . The CYSA Palo Alto girls soccer club under-12 is looking to fill its roster. For more information, contact Bill Susman at 650-856-1671 or 650-906-7529 . . . The Stanford women's volleyball program has added two day camp dates to its summer schedule. The camps, which run from 9 a.m. until noon, will be offered August 9 and 16 for first through eighth graders at a cost of 40 dollars per session. Join the Stanford Volleyball youth fan club, open to kids 14 and under, and receive the inaugural Stanford Super Spikers T-shirt, two free clinics, and an invitation to an ice cream social with the Stanford Volleyball team. For more information on the additional camp dates, please contact Denise Corlett at (650) 723-1997 or nesi@stanford.edu.

COACHES NEEDED . . . Mid-Peninsula High will be expanding its athletic program next school year and is looking for coaches for some of the new sports. The Dragons need a varsity head coach for the boys' and girls' soccer and volleyball teams, plus a girls' basketball head coach. In addition to girls soccer, the school is adding cross country for both boys and girls. Interested coaches should contact Mid-Peninsula Athletic Direction Chris Spano at 321-1991 (ext. 105) . . . Sacred Heart Prep is looking for the following coaches for the fall of 2003: boys' freshman soccer coach, boys' assistant varsity soccer coach, and girls' JV volleyball coach. Those interested should contact SHP Athletic Director Mike Ciardella at 473-4031.