Policebreak up race-related fightat CarlmontHigh ByT.S. Mills-Faraudo said she's going to break the shrugged off the incident as no STAFF WRITER school lunch period into two big deal. BELMONT- Racial tensions sessions so there won't be so "I guess It was just a bunch prompted a group of Carlmont many students on campus at of students who wanted to see a students to get into a scuffle one time. fight," said freshman Kelly Lin- ' during lunch Friday , while hun­ She also wants to figure out gerwood. dreds of other students cheered some ways to educate students them on, school officials said. more about respecting each The incident started when other's ethnicity. about four white and Latino stu­ Most students interviewed dents threw chocolate milk car­ tons , water bottles and other items at each other, said Prin­ cipal Andrea Jenoff. No one was injured, and there was no phys­ ical fighting, she said. The tension that caused the incident started days ago, when some white students were over­ heard making derogatory re­ marks about Hispanics, Jenoff said. With Jenoffs help, these students - who weren't in­ volved in Friday's fight - man­ aged to work out their differences . But a large group of students itching to see a fight spread word around the campus that there would be a brawl during lunch Friday. When Jenoff heard students were organizing a.fight , she noti­ fied Belmont police. After the in­ cident began, officers and school administrators moved in to break it up. "There were probably 500 kids out there, oohing and aahing during the fight," Jenoff said. The four students involved in the altercation were suspended and may be expelled, she said. For the time being, Jenoff L- A. l<._L, lU /v l n_ ! lrt-\ s....J'---T'\U UL- 5AN MAT?V U>U/J TY T/H~.S SE'P- 1, 2!;:;) 2-00<.{-

Havingfun is keyto thisteacher's success Carlmontscience But it's not like she didn't a teacher has been makin g her • earn the awards. · students feel comfortable in her teachernamed Regional Doss was instrumental in classes. Educatorof the Year starting an advanced placement "Anytime I see a teacher that science class at Carlmont as is effective, they're able to capti­ By_T.S. Mills-Faraudo well as a three-year biotechno­ vate their students, " she said. STAFF WRITER logy program. In her short time "They're able to relate to them , BELMONT - With so many there, she's worked her way up and they have fun. I like to accomplishments under her to science department chair and laugh with students. As l~ng as belt, it's hard to call teacher is also the school's junior var­ they're engaged in learning , I'm Tina Doss a rookie, though sity soccer coach. happy." she's in her first teaching job. Furthermore, she is credited Doss admits her job isn't Especially after the Carlmont with using such strategies as in­ perfect. She would like to see Higl;lSchool science teacher has teractive learning to teach and more money for education and been named San Mateo County reinforce key concepts . more community involvement Teacher of the Year and r..e­ Doss also has worked with with schools. gtonal Educator of the Year and her students on science-related She also feels that President AKIMAGINSKY - Staff is a candidate for State Teacher community service projects. In Bush 's No Child Left Behind Act VINAYGUSWAMY (CENTER) and Ray Thu, seniors at I of the Year. fact, one project led to a contin­ isn't the best way tp hold Carlmont, get help from science teacher Tina Doss. The 28-year-old teacher , who uing partnership with the San teachers accountable. Under the has taught for five years but Mateo Parks Department in refor~ act, schools must im­ But her student s make up watching them grow is won­ could pass for a student , said which students work with prove on standardized test for all the imperfections of the derful ." she's "overwhelmed " and didn 't rangers removtng invasive scores or be penalized. job . expect to receive these honors plants and maintaining trails as "It seems like there could be so early in her teaching career. they take hikes and learn about other ways to hold teachers ac­ "I like seeing the studen ts' "It's kind of scary ," said the park. countable , instead of addin g respons es, seeing them say, _ Doss. Th~ secret to her success as more tests, " she said . 'Oh, I get it,' " she said . "Jus t '---'1"\ 1, L- M ()/0 I f"\ 1u-N __...,..___I~ uu 1.-- ::>A fJ MA Tel) C t) 0 tJ T'/ 1 / M €3- ~LY 3/> ?D04-

24-hourwalk-athon to benefitcancer !JELMONT- County resi­ dents will be walking the Car­ lmont High School track for 24 hours this weekend at the San Carlos-Belmont Relay for Life fund-raiser benefiting the Amer­ ican Ca.peer Society. Around 300 people are plan­ ning to participate in the event, which starts at 10 a.m. today and continues until 10 a.m. , Sunday. People walk in teams , with at least one team member on the track at all times : I "The idea is that cancer never ' sleeps, so we need to be vigilant and keep going too," said event spokesman John Sielfng. This is the second year the fund-raiser has been held at ; last year participants raised $65,000 for cancer research and programs . Sieling said everyone is wel­ come to join the family-friendly event. "People can come out , make a donation , walk to commem­ orate someone or just oheer us · on," he said. For more information, visit www.cancer.org , then click on

1 the "Relay for Life" icon and enter zip code 94070 . Carlmont High School is located at 1400 Alameda de las Pulgas in Bel­ mont. 1.....-1n,1..-r1V/Vl l\l - . • ------C O U N T Y Y-1M E S P L A Y E R S OF ·T H E Y E A R SAN fv/ A Teo Col.)NTY T/}1£5 :r UL Y C:.,)2-00 Lf- CASTAGNOBEST ·OF THE BEST

JOHNGREEN - Staff 'Jerrica Castagna of Carlmont. ( -0 V c:--- R) J different seasons, but I'd have to rate Jerrica as one of the top three pitchers I've ever coached, " said Carlmont coach Jim Liggett. "What she did in her four years here was amazing." And that's saying something coming from Liggett, who has coached the Carlmont varsity Pitcherguided Carlmont for 28 years. For the record, the other two he ranks with Castagna are Deanna Earsley (class of 1987, moved on to play for Utah . to league·and section titles State) and Tori Nyberg ( 1999, Stanford). Castagna hit .337 from the leadoff spot, ByRick Chandler to Santa Clara. I'm excited about the with 13 RBIs, leading a Scots team that would STAFF WRITER future, and we'll see what happens." not be denied. Carlmont (33-2 overall) flew BELMONT - Her mission accom­ Anyone who has seen Castagna through its league season with the only bump plished at Carlmont High, the only pitch would just have to say that it's in the road being a late-season loss to Bur­ question remaining is: Have we seen good she's_staying in the area . All she lingame, then clobbered the CCS competition. the last of Jerrica Castagna as a did this season was carry the Scots to And Castagna saved the near-best for last, hitter? Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division firing a one-hitter in the Scots' 5-0 victory over She's good at the plate, to b~ sure, and Central Coast Section Division I ·Milpitas in the Division I title game at PAL Sta­ but the new softball coach at Santa titles, compiling a 28-1 record and dium in San Jose. Castagna carried a perfect Clara' University may have other plans 0.19 ERA, striking out 260 batters game into the seventh and final inning when, for her. over 187 innings. That's an average of with two outs, an infield error and then a Those would involve pitching. 1.4 strikeouts per inning - against ground-ball single ended the bid for both the ''I'd definitely like to hit in college, very good competition. perfect game and the no-hiiter. but to tell you the truth, pitching is It is the second straight County She struck out nine and allowed only two team. Castillo, in fact, has played softball more fun," said Castagna, the County Player of the Year award for Castagna. balls out of the infield that day, recording her alongside Castagna since their Nesbitt Ele­ Times Softball Player of the Year. Last season she was 19-4 with 197 ninth one-hitter of the season. She also had mentary School days. Castillo will play for "Pitching is what I do best; it's what strikeouts and an 0.37 ERA. nine no-hitters and one perfect game. Long Island University next season. I've worked the hardest at over these "It's hard to compare kids from "It wasn't that big of a deal," she said of "Jerrica has always been a good pitcher, long years. So if it comes down to a losing the perfect game. "What was more im­ choice, well, pitching is why I'm going and a good friend," Castillo said. "We've al­ portant was winning the game. The title meant ways been there for each other , and I feel that so much to us, I'm glad it ended the way it way about all the seniors . It's a sister thing." did." Castagna agrees. And that •bririgs up the only bad thing about "There was no real pressure on me becau se her career at Catlmont - saying goodbye. I knew I always had a great defense to back "We're so c_lose; I grew up with a lot of me up," she said. "We supported each other. them," she said of Carlmont teammates such Now we're going our separate ways, and it's a as Celina Castillo ~Lindsay Garehime and Keli· little sad. But at the same time I'm excited Leong - all of whom made the All-County first about the future. " '--r,. I'-. L-, (VfV r , , 1 v r, --, ,__,__ .__ 5 A tJ /vf A ,t?-V Ce>u;.J, y TI At(:.s ~L) L '-( (;,> '"2...-D Ol.f-

SOFTBALLCOACH OF THE Y EAR Titles neverget old Carlmont'sLiggett game can tum on a single a year, until we could find • error, or a pitch that is centi­ someone else," he said. "But 1 enjoysdoing job he meters off the strike zone. It enjoyed it. The kids were very started28 yearsago happened last season, when coachable, and tbe game was Carlmont lost in the CCS fun. I enjoy the quickness of ByRick Chandler semifinals on an error in the it. I enjoy the kids." STAFF WRITER 10th inning . So much so, that 28 years BELMONT - Jim Liggett's "But this season, things later, Liggett refuses to join a teams have won plenty of soft­ went right," Liggett said. "To growing number of San Mateo ball titles - you could fill an go 33-2 is quite an County coaching icons who entire classroom witb tbat achievement." have decided to hang it up. A hardware. But no matter how Liggett knows of what he lot of the great names are no many times he's seen it, it speaks. He's coached at Carl­ longer around - Mills' Bobby doesn't seem less sweet. mont since 1967, in just Thompson, Carlmont's Terry There were his Carlmont about every sport- he's been Stogner and Hillsdale's Bill players in tbe middle of tbe the head coach in varsity foot­ Wilkin in basketball and Se­ field at PAL Stadium in San ball, baseball and wrestling, quoia 's Ed Huber in soccer Jose, celebrating tbeir 5-0 win plus a host of frosh-soph are four coaches with 30-plu s over Milpitas for the Central sports. He's coached the soft­ years of prep coaching experi­ Coast Section DiVision I title. ball team since 1976, winning ence who have retired re­ It was the culmination of the· 19 league titles and seven cently. type of season that can be the . CCS crowns in those 28 sea­ "My body is starting to feel most nerve-racking for a sons. it a little bit," Liggett ad­ coach - the one in which his His overall record in soft­ mitted . "But I'm coming back team is expected to win. ball is the stuff of which leg­ next season. As long as I enjoy "I expected this team to be ends are made - 717-156-1. it, I'm going to continue to do strong, because we had a lot That's the best by far in Cali­ it." of quality players returning," fornia history, and tbe fifth­ And next season 's team? ,said Liggett, who was named most wins ever among high "We're going to be young," the County Times Softball school coaches nationally. said Liggett, employing the Coach of tbe Year. "And we Coincidentally , it all time-honored coaches' dis­ played very well. But to win a started in 1976 when the claimer. "We lose a lot of good CCS title, you also have to be team :s regular softball coach players." a little bit lucky." quit suddenly , and Liggett But not the coach. In other A lot can go wrong in soft­ took over "temporarily." words, Carlmont will be a ball. At the higher levels, a • "I was just going to do it for contender. Again. L /~ (,J.-/V/ U N I M> l, l -r.--r\ ..:> ~ti OU L-. Tf(E :f AJT)EPEN f?E;JT '1"U L '{ 3/ '2-o o Lf

Carlmontstudent claimsaward Carlmont sophomore Sonia Singha! was a recent finalist at the 2004 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Portland, Ore. Her project, entitled "Com­ puter Haptics: Giving Comput­ ers the Sense ofTouch," won an organizational award from Agilent Technologies. More than 1,300 high school students from 40 different countries competed in the 54th incarnation ofthe fair. Singha! qualified to compete at the Intel ISEFthrough the 2004 Bay Area Fair, where her project won awards from NASA,Lawrence Berkeley Labs, and the Grand Prize in Mathematics and Physics. {!adp~~ X)L-{~~ ~~. y~ ~ /;. 03/1 ~

Hats off to the hundreds of students graduating from Peninsula high schools this spring. The Carlmont High School graduation ceremony took place on campus Thurs­ day. Clockwise from top left, Steven Kanomata, right, ties a tie for Julio Vazquez. Justin Greco, left, -has a word with Ernie Lee. Sione Latusele earned a little extra money for his future. Dozens of roses sit on a table as senior class President John Babin and Vice President w • ~- ·~-- ' Valeri Mouser rehearse their speeches. Seniors decked out their cars in preparation for the big day. {:~ /7 ~ ~ 7--(/V~ ¥-/',u_,~ 7., P-uz/.p..e_,, 0~ ~ ~s; =2-0051-- Dossis theboss: BY MATI ELLISER UOA, saysDoss inspired her to head into Staff Writer that field. She said Doss'sdedication to her BELMONT - They must have the students showed,whether it was in the class­ wrong Tina. , room or organizing trips, like a spring break That's the thought that went through vacation to Costa Rica for her advanced the mind of Carlmont High School sci-. placement biology class last year. ence teacher Tina Doss, when word "She made us excited to learn, and chal­ trickled down from school officials she lenged us to do more than just spit out ,had been nominated for the prestigious the facts," Harrington said. "Her class Regional Educator of the Year Award. taught us all about life, not just the actual , Her initial surprise material itself." turned into full-on Doss• has not only. shock at a recent . excelled as a biol­ Walnut Creek ban­ ogy teacher at the quet, when it was school, she has announced Doss worked hard to 1had been selected enhance the science over the more than program <1t Carl­ 90 other educators mont. Along with as the regional colleague Dan Raffa, award winner. Doss led the charge "When I heard, I to bring AP science thought 'Oh, God, curriculum to the I don't even have school, and has a speech,'" Doss formed a new bier said. "But I think it technology lab that went OK. Everyone has quickly become laughed a lot, but one of the most :I can't do anything popular classes on serious. 'That's just campus. me." Raffa ) It is the fourth-year Tina Doss won the I:ANELLE L DURAN She and with of the Year Awa d Regional Educator networked teacher's dedication r . biotech companies and enthusiasm around the area to inside the classroom that has most find more than $100,000 worth of ndeared Doss to her students. Three cur­ equipment for the new lab , and Doss rent pupils spearheaded her candidacy for is now the science department chair ­ the award, and former student Caitlin Har­ person. rington wrote a speech on Doss's behalf In addition to her coursework , Doss Harrington, now a pre-med student at also finds time to coach the school's Sheis namedtop teacher

LANELLE L. DURAN Tina Doss works in the bjotech lab she helped create at Carlmont High School. freshman soccer team. The 1994 She was the only teacher at- the why I'm a teacher," Doss said. "To get graduate also awards ban quet to have three students that response and to form a bond and plays on four different soccer teams. accompany her, and it is the knowl- to know you actually reached some of Doss said her students were still "shell­ edge she is affecting young lives that the kids, it's incredible ." shocked" and offered her excited pr:aise is most rewarding for Doss. after the award was announced. "I have the most rewarding job, that's E-mail:[email protected] ~ ~ ~sk ~--­ d~ ~ ~ ~ /77/ s0 a~

Carlmonttakes CCSon 1-hitter • Castagnonear had just beaten Milpitas 5-0 error with two outs in the sev­ perfect;Scots take third in the championship game of enth - then lost the no-hitter the Central Coast Section Di­ on a looping single one batter sectiontitle in four years vision I playoffs. "We were all later. very nervous out there." ByRick Chandler She struck out nine and al­ One wouldn't know it to STAFF WRITER lowed only two balls out of the look at them, however. The infield to end her season 28-1, SAN JOSE - Even though Scots wrapped up this one with nine one-hitters, nine no­ not technically perfect, it was early, scoring four in the third hitters and one perfect game. still a storybook ending for and riding Jerrica Castagno's the Carlmont . High softball Although the loss of perfec­ one-hitter to their third sec­ tion did run across her mind, team on Saturday. tion title in four seasons. Cas­ "This was our last game to­ it wasn't that big a deal, Cas­ tagno, a senior who will tagno said. gether, and it was really emo­ attend Santa Clara University tional," said third baseman in the fall, lost her bid for a "My arm was getting tight Celina Castillo, whose team perfect game on an infield Please see SCOTS,Sports 6 Carlmontwins third CCStitle ~in fouryears had two hits, including a run­ said Liggett, who has been there will play for Long Island Univer­ • SCOTS,from Sports 1 scoring single, and Nicole Baz­ himself - he'll enter his 30th sity next season. "We've always in the sixth inning, and I was zani doubled in a run in the season guiding the Scots next been there for each other, and I just worried about closing out third. year. In that time he's been to feel that way about all the sen­ the garrie," she said. "Winning Although third-seeded Mil­ the CCS playoffs 28 times, win­ iors. It's a sister thing." the title meant so much to us, pitas (20-7) tried everything to ning seven titles. Castillo played shortstop and and especially to the seniors. stay in this one (including six "There's something to be catcher last · season before I'm just glad it ended the way it bunt attempts), it wasn't nearly said for experience," he said. moving to third this season. did." enough. There is a pall of inevi­ "With senior leadership like "She's a great third tability that settles over things that, you expect good things." baseman ," Castagno said. "Our Coach Jim Liggett loses six whenever Carlmont take1:, the Many of his players go back defense has just been fantastic." seniors, including most of his field. Not only is Castagno further than high school. Cas­ Liggett is quick to point out starting infield, who have won nearly untouchable , but the tagno and Castillo have been that Castagno is a fine defensive three CCS titles - Carlmont Scots play excellent defense and playing side-by-side since kin­ player herself. won Div. II crowns in 2001 hit well as a team. dergarten , attending Nesbitt Ele: "She's very quick, and it and '02. One of those is Univer­ It's a businesslike approach mentary and coming up together makes it tough to bunt on us sity of the Pacific-bound short­ that earned them a 33-2 overall through the Belmont Youth Soft­ with her and our two corners stop Lindsey Garehime, whose record and No. 1 seed in CCS. ball Association. (Ashley Chinn plays first)," he bases-loaded triple in the third "You have to remember that "Jerrica has always been a said. "Selina is terrific, she broke il open. Ashley Nicholes these seniors have been there," good player," said Castillo, f hO shows a lot of maturity." .. L --f\. 0(. L..Iv[ U IV t /'1 , ~ N _ ,...._,~ uur-- ~/V f1 A n-o CDUfJTY TrME5 f1A y 2Lf--) ~o'f--

. JI • I CarlmontHigh teacher wins regionalaward Carlrnont High School bio-tech­ nology teacher Tina Doss has been named Region IV Teacher of the Year by the League of High Schools. She was recognized for her part in creating a biotechnology program at The winners are Carlrnont High Carlrnont High School. §!:hQQl..students Christina Cagle and Doss will er \ppete for State Teacher Maddisen Palm; Half Moon Bay High of the Year in r p'vember. students Kelsey Booth, Mariela Perez and Ricardo Rivera; Menlo-Atherton · 1 000 .High student Jennifer Fell; South San Francisco students Rachel Ollada and • o o I· Julius Tanedo ; and Woodside students ART COMPETITION _ Ten local Sloane Joseph and Kathryn Kloop. students are winners in the San Mateo This year's theme was "Our Cali- County High School Artist Hall of Fame fornia Landscape. " art competition. The pieces can be viewed by the public today through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m . ~n the County Office of Education at 101 Twin Dolphin Dr. in Redwood City. I ODD t

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DEADSETrehearses for the upcoming Battle of the Bands at Carlmont High in Belmont. The band is bassist Conor Fitzpatrick (right) , ~t drummer Jeff Bourquin , singer Matt Gonzalez and Tom White on guitar. I I i~1, . ,..,.- ...... ,,-l \\..~\

• 1 .US . 'IC· " C•'"~ ace o Teen bandsget a shotat the big time ByElizabeth Jardina Tha t's how 16-year-old Ron Guglielmone, guitarist STAFF WRITER for the band Words Fail, found out about it. HE football field at Belmont's Carlmont High '·Basically, my band mates heard the ad on Live 105 School has seen battles before. It's the home and they said, 'Dude you're in high school! You've gotta of the :,cots' gridiron matches , where stu­ get us on it,' " says the Sequoia High School sophomore. dents play for pigskin victory every fall. The mastermind behind the event is 17-year-old Saturday , it will be the site for another competi­ Jessica Ducey, a junior at Carlmont. tion.T A more melodic one. At the beginning of this school year, Ducey organized The Carlmont Battle of the Bands will showcase 15 a club called Hype to bring local bands to campus to local groups - many of them composed of high school play at lunch. · kids from around San Mateo County - vying for a big Money raised by the concerts goes to the Save the prize. Music Foundation, a VH 1-affiliated nonprofit that helps The winner of the competition opens radio station restore music programs to schools that have suffered Live 105's BFD concert June 11 at Shoreline Amphithe­ budget cuts. Hype also gives exposure to young people who are atre in Mountain View. DOUGOAKL trying to fmd an audience to play for in a world of clubs Radio promotions for the show have included men­ that don't allow patrons younger than 21. SARAHSTEWART (left), 16, and Jessica Ducey, 17, I tions of the Carlmont Battle of the Bands for weeks sit on the stage they made for the Battle of the Bands now. Please see BANDS,Living 4 at Carlmont High Sch,ool. • BANDSL!r'()mLiv ing 1 ."I think it's cor;ilto be in­ volved in the local scene, to sup­ port the bands that are trying to get their music out," Ducey says. "It's cool to meet them and be friends with them. I listen to a lot o( famous bands, too, but I've really gotten into the local scene. There's more of a con­ nection with the music when you know the people who are ~ writing it." . The Battle of the Bands, ~ which has a $5 admission charge, is the big year-end fund ­ raiser for Hype. With her friend Sarah Stewart, Ducey hatched the idea for the winner to get even bigge't exposure. Ducey and her friend went to alternative -rock station Live 105's office in San Fran­ cisco. "I asked to talk to the promo­ tional director and pitched the idea to her and she liked it and sold it to the other Important people up there ," Ducey says. 1.) While BFD is expected to draw nearly 20 ,000 fc!lls,Live 105 program manager Sean De­ \ mery says the Carlmont winner - who will play on the local '"' stage begin.ning about noon - ;st won't have a crowd quite that MATHEWSUM NER- Sta big. DEADSETsinger Matt Gonzalez gets in tune for the Battle of the Bands Saturday at Carlmont High School. ~~ "Because they're first, there won't be more than 7,000 or best way to get things done is to students and one from alternative-rock band Gibberish Amirkhan says that winning 8,000 people watching," he says. ask." . and heavy metal group Death the competition would be a '~~ Demery ·says Ducey and . Words Fail, Guglielmone's and Glory. "dream come true to be able to Stewart's gumption is the Bands playing the competi­ play ih front of people - getting tion include students from band, is composed of two_guys NoUng that many bands reason they're having a high who are out of high school, playing at BFD this year have a real exposure as a musician," he school band play the concert. around the county, as well as a says. "Maybe somebody would ~~ few from more far-reaching three Burlingame High School punk-rock slant, Amirkhan is "The reason why (we've never students and a Sequoia High realistic about how the judging hear us and there's a very small () had a high schoo l band play be­ places , such as Santa Cruz and chance that a small label might San Jose. School sophomore. will go. "I think Death and Glory fore) is no one's ever asked us Carlmont senior and Hype definitely has no chance to win," want to sign us. Opportunities · before ," Demery says. "I've The band Deadset , for ex­ club treasurer Bobby Amirkhan, he says. "Gibberish has a decent would just come up, hopefully ." 1 learned ,in my old age that the amp le, includes .three Carlmont 17, is the bassist for two bands: shot." Next year the band will lose Battleof the Bands give teens shot at Jame \ andfortune ••· Amir khan Lo Humboldt State n yougo University and its singer, Nick ...... Dikas , also a Carlmont senior, • CarlmontHigh School's Battle ofthe Bands 1 to University of California, Santa Barbara. • Where:1400 Alameda de las II Although Dikas says he Pulgas,Belmont doesn't know how well Gib- • When:10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. , berish Wil1do in the corripeti- 1· Saturday ' tion, he says simply being able to play is a prize. I • Tickets:$5 at the door "We haven't really played that many public shows yet, because we've been developin g a sound we're really proud of, and we fi­ nally have that," he says . "But it's really awesome for us be­ cause it's going to be our first public concert. I hope people show up on time, because we play first. " The concert, which is from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sat- I I urday, Will be judged by five stu- / dent jud ges and the audience, which Wil1act as a sixth judge. "This show is a real1y great 1 opportunity," says Guglielmone. "I mean , in this area, if you had / to say the single best possible thing that could happen to your band, the single best thing would be playing Shoreline. It's where you go to see al1 your heroes play."

ElizabethJardina is a Bay'.Jrea Living staff writer. E-mail her . ejardina@sanmateocountyti­ mes.com or call (650) 348-4327. L A I<:_[_ f-"l U 10 I ['i I <.r n -"'-N u VL.­ T 1-('-=' :rtJ DE:"PEA.JDE/.IT NAY 8',} 2-e:>Ol/-

Carlmoi1treacts to death 1 ! ofRalston student

to awake again. hear them talk about Carlmont , Studentssay drug use Perez's death has shocked I think things have gotten a lot , not overlyprevalent those in the community, and better ," Cesano said. "I think kids left many won dering exactly have gotten smarter , and realize BY MATT ELLISER how prevale nt drugs ' are in Bel­ you can get into trouble." • I Staff Writer mont's schools. Antonio Rivera Jr., a 20-year­ BELMONT - It doesn't take "I wouldn't say the story has old Belmont resident, was much for a rumor to get started been over-reporte d, because it arraigned Tuesday in San Mateo on a hi gh school campus, and was a terrible thing that hap­ County Superior Court on seven since the death of 14-year-old pen ed," said Kyle Shackleton, a felony charges related to pos­ Irma Perez, students at Carl­ Carlmont sen ior . "But I really session of Ecstasy, cocaine, mar­ mont High School hav e hacl think [Principa l Andrea Jenoff] ijuana and furnishing narcotics plenty to talk about. and the ·rest of the staff have to a minor, according to San Not only did Perez attend done a great job of getting rid Mateo County Deputy District Ralsto n Middle School, the alma of the drugs since I've been at Attorney Steve Wagstaffe . mater of many Scots, but a school here ." On Thursday evening, the Red­ 17-year-old Carlmont student Both Shackleton and fellow­ wood City Police Department has been arrested in conjunc­ senior Mia Cesano said the received a call reporting that tion with supplying the drug amount of drug use and sales Perez's boyfriend had threat­ Ecstasy to Perez and two of her on campus has declined signifi­ ened the life of one of the girls frien ds. The three girls took the cantly in recen t years. present at the sleepover. 1The [ drug at a sleepover on April "My brother went here, and police log states the call ~ame f 23, an d Perez was found un con­ he and his friends have gradu­ in at 5:18 p.m., and tha t th boy­ scious the next morning , never ated college now, but when I friend said he would shoo the

( OVER-) girl who supplied the Ecstasy. Redwood Shores School District might need to take a more And on Friday afternoon, the hosted a drug information ses­ hands-on approach to educating two girls who took the Ecstasy sion open to the entire commu­ their children about drugs. with Perez were also arrested in nity . About 50 Belmont residents "In my opinion, the problem connection with her death. attended the gathering, although is that we parents have relied "I was definitely surprised another meeting planned for May on the DARE program maybe a when I heard about the story," 19 at Carlmont is expected to little bit too much," Fred Cesano Cesano said. "Obviously, I go to draw far more people. said. "We may have gotten away Carlmont and I also work with Mia Cesano 's father Fred Cesano from talking to our kids person­ young kids. I definitely don't coached boy's soccer at Carl­ ally . Maybe as parents, we just think it's a common thing." mont for a number of years before dropped the ball there." Cesano and Shackleton esti­ moving to Burlingame High last mated the drug use at Carlmont season. He suggested parents to be at approximately the same level as other schools through­ out the Peninsula. "I hope the perception of Carl­ mont isn't tarnished, because it's a great school," Shackleton said. 'Tm worried about how this reflects on the school, because I don't feel it character­ izes· Carlmont." On April 13, the Belmont- ~~/77~/2 ~) Tv ~~ ef ~ ~~ .20eJ~ Carlmontstar runs for title Theus aims for CCSwinsin three events

By Damin Esper SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

The teams came around the turn at San Jose City College, hurtling toward the final pass and the homestretch of last May's Central Coast Section girls 400-meter relay finals. Carl­ mont High's Samantha Bradley ran in fifth place as she prepared to hand the baton to Nicole Theus. It was the first of three races of the day for Theus, who was in the midst of a crisis - she had lost her equipment bag and, with it, her spikes. As she waited for Bradley, the ,then-junior was wearing a pair of spikes from her freshman season. "I was freaking out because I didn't have my spikes," Theus recalled. "I had my spikes from freshman year, which I haven't worn in forever. Samantha came in and she was a little bit behind. "I just knew I had to get that baton and run fast." She did both. The pass was perfect, and Theus ran down all Liz MANGELsooRF /The Chronicle four teams ahead of her. Carl- Carlmontsenior sprinter Nicole Theus runs drills against teammates during a workout after school. mont finished in 48.53 seconds, ahead of second-place Oak Grove. "I had faith in myself," Theus said. "Like halfway down the straightaway I saw that I was catching her and thar I could pass her. That motivated me. 'Yeah, you can do it, you're al­ most there.' That's one of the fa­ vorite races I've ever had.'' The day didn't turn out that badly for Theus. She finished second in both the 100 and 200 and took fourth in the long jump at 18 feet. and Theus is setting her goals Theus came to track late. She never really considered that I'd high . decided \ n middle school she be good at it. I'm really compet­ She knows she has to :work should play a sport in high itive, but that was never my rea­ harder than ever to do all that. school. son for joining ." "For the first time I've worked "I knew I liked running when It was obvious she was pretty out during the summer," Theus I had to do it for P.E.," she said. good from the start, though. said. "And I've eaten a lot more . "I decided to do track, and I Now, she's trying to improve up­ I've always done a little bit of liked it. I really like working on a on her standing, both in the CCS weight lifting but I've done a lit­ \ team and working on yourself as and at the state meet. Theus was tle bit more this year .." an individual - working togeth­ eliminated in all three events Carlmont coach Ben White er for a common goal." last year in the first-day trials. said a lot of the work is to im­ Theus wanted to do a sport As for the future, she would prove Theus' start. because of personal develop­ like to run in college, but her "She's already got really good ment and having broader experi­ decision will be based on going The top three finishers in times, but they'll go down a lot" ences as she prepared for col­ to the best school. Running track each event made the California when she gets a better start, lege. will be a secondary consider­ Interscholastic Federation White said. "We've been concen­ "People always told me you ation. championships so Theus went to trating on that and lifting should be active in high school the state meet in three events. weights. Last year, she didn't lift and join clubs and meet as many Theus is now entering her se­ weights. It should pay off." people as you can," she said. "I nior season for Carlmont and is hoping to step up to CCS cham­ pion in all three events. She'd also like to finish in the top three in the long jump so she can go to the state meet in all four events. Throw in breaking the 12-second barrier in the 100, getting to the mid-24s in the 200 ·