Junior college roundup

For the first time in College of San Mateo history, the team earned a No. 1 ranking among CCCAA programs this week. And it was the No. 2 quarterback, Justin Burgess, who carried the team to it.

Burgess entered Saturday’s game against reigning state champion Butte amid a 0-0 first-quarter tie and led the Bulldogs on a 10-play, 92-yard touchdown drive. CSM ultimately marched to a 51-6 win.

“He took it right down and scored, and did what we asked him to do,” CSM head coach Bret Pollack said. “He executed. … He got in and did what I expected him to do and did it well.”

The reason CSM (3-0) was forced to turn to Burgess was starting quarterback Jeremy Cannon left the game with a minor knee injury. Cannon walked off the field under his own power. He underwent an MRI Monday, the results of which were good, according to Pollack. Cannon has yet to be cleared to resume football activity. Pollack said he will decide Thursday who will start at quarterback in Saturday’s matchup with San Joaquin Delta (0-3).

Whether CSM utilizes Cannon or Burgess at the helm, it doesn’t change the offensive approach, according to Pollack.

“We don’t change at all when Justin’s in there,” Pollack said. “Justin is actually a really good option quarterback too. He’s big, he’s strong.”

CSM’s No. 3 quarterback is San Mateo graduate, freshman Taylor Sanft.

Saturday, CSM returns home for the first time since its Sept. 6 season opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Women’s Water Polo

The Lady Bulldogs went 1-3 over the weekend at the West Valley Tournament, but scored their first win of the season last Friday in the tourney opener, 11-10 in overtime against Merced.

“We were down early, but it was clear we had a little bit more star power than they did,” CSM head coach Randy Wright said.

CSM trailed at halftime, but turned a corner by outscoring Merced 4-0 in the third quarter. Molly McAvoy, Tayler O’Connor, Shelby Chung and Casey Johnson tabbed a goal apiece in the pivotal quarter. Merced came back to tie it up with an improbable half-court goal with two seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime. But after a Merced goal on a penalty shot to start the first overtime period, CSM went on a 3-1 run to win it.

“It was nice to see us respond in overtime,” Wright said. “After you let in a half-court goal it can be deflating. Then they come out score the first goal on a penalty shot, it can be deflating. But then we responded well and got three in a row.”

CSM went on to lose to Diablo Valley 13-8 later in the day. Saturday, the Bulldogs lost to San Joaquin Delta 15-8 and to West Valley 11-4. Next up for CSM is the Cabrillo Tournament, beginning Friday against Cuesta.

Cross country

CSM’s women are ranked No. 12 and the men are ranked No. 13 in Northern California.

Skyline College

Women’s soccer

With two straight wins to open Coast Conference play, Skyline has improved its overall record to 6-3, matching its entire win total from last season.

The Trojans’ offense has been a second-half menace through conference victories over Los Positas and Chabot. Skyline entered halftime of both matches tied 0-0, but struck quickly in the second half of each to gain advantages.

Tuesday’s win at Chabot — Skyline’s fourth consecutive road game — was a 1-0 thriller, which saw sophomore Ileana Moncada score on a header as she out-jumped the opposing goalkeeper to exact a goal. It was Moncada’s eighth goal of the season. She currently is tied for eighth in the state.

Moncada — a three-time All-Academic Athletic Association player at San Francisco’s Lowell High School — has tabbed three multi-goal games this season. Her last came Sept. 19 in the Coast Conference opener at Los Positas, in which she scored twice.

“She is one of these players that a lot of people didn’t know of coming out of high school,” Skyline head coach Kevin Corsiglia said. “But if she has another good year this year … teams are going to see she can play at the college level and she’ll have an easier time moving on.”

It was sophomore Deandra Thomas who scored the go-ahead goal against Los Positas. In the 48th minute, the Capuchino alum let one fly from 35 yards out to capitalize on an out-of-position goalkeeper. Moncada scored the following two goals. With Skyline leading 3-1, Brenda Gonzalez scored in the 83rd minute to put the game on ice.

Up next for Skyline is Friday’s nonconference matchup with Cabrillo. The Trojans won’t play again until Oct. 7 when they host perennial powerhouse City College of San Francisco. The defending Coast Conference North champs, CCSF has appeared in the California Community College Athletic Association state final four tourney twice in the past four years.

Volleyball

Skyline entered play Wednesday ranked first in the state with 734.5 points. That statistic is misleading, as the Trojans are far from the most prolific scoring force in the state.

As Trojans head coach Rayannah Salahuddin explains, the extraordinary point total is a result of strength in other fundamentals such as passing and defense, which allow for prolonged rallies.

“We have longer rallies,” Salahuddin said. “More of our games go to four or five (sets) because we play defense. For that reason, we earn a lot more points.”

With an undersized front row, which includes 5-9 outside hitter Makaia Best, the Trojans have to excel at other elements of the game to be successful. That they have. With a sweep of San Jose City College Wednesday night, the Trojans have won three of their last four.

Skyline cruised to a 25-9, 25-11, 25-10 victory to improve its overall record to 8-5. Best and Judy Viduya each had 10 kills while Sahara Clay totaled eight kills and five service aces.

Best — or as Salahuddin refers to her: “Miss Consistency” — has cooled in recent weeks after starting the season with seven consecutive matches with double-digit kills. Still, she has capitalized on extended matches by totaling 166 kills entering Wednesday, ranking sixth in the state. Her 3.69 kills per set average places her at 31st overall among CCCAA hitters.

“I’ve never seen her as scrappy as I’ve seen her this year,” Salahuddin said.

Sophomore setter Kimberly Tang has posted a similar statistical differential. While ranking fifth in the state with 371 assists, she is 15th with 9.56 assists per set. The 5-2 Tang is a graduate of San Francisco’s Lincoln High School, where she was a key player on the 2008 team which posted an undefeated 11-0 record in AAA play.

“She’s our volleyball ninja,” Salahuddin said.

Wrestling

Skyline took fifth place over the weekend at the Sacramento City College Tournament, finishing with 45 points behind first-place Fresno City (149 points), Chabot (128), Sac City (118), and Santa Rosa (47). Next up for the Trojans is Saturday’s West Hills Tournament in Leemore before traveling to Menlo College on Oct. 3.

Men’s soccer

Skyline is one of five teams in Northern California still looking for its first win. Three of those teams, including the Trojans, are Coast Conference North teams. The Trojans have lost five straight since opening the season with a draw against San Joaquin Delta. They open Coast Conference play Sept. 30 at Los Positas.

CAÑADA COLLEGE

Men’s soccer

The Colts lost their fifth straight Wednesday, falling 2-1 at West Valley.

Cañada jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal by freshman Jordan Avina. The Sequoia graduate converted a corner kick from Omar Ramirez, a Half Moon Bay grad. West Valley tied it before halftime then took the lead midway through the second half.

The Colts are 1-5 overall and begin Coast Conference play next Tuesday at defending champion Hartnell.

“It’s a tough draw but we want to play those games,” Cañada head coach Erik Gaspar said. “We’ve battled a pretty good nonconference schedule … and continue to grow. I feel we’re in a good position to go after the defending state champions.”

Gaspar has a good track record in Coast Conference play. In three previous years at the helm of the Colts, he has posted a 19-17-6 career record in conference games.

Women’s volleyball

Entering into play Wednesday night against CCSF with a 5-4 overall record, the Colts had won three in a row by virtue of sweeps over Shasta, Alameda and San Jose.

The Colts’ two leading scorers, geographically speaking, span near and far. Sophomore Tiya Villareal, a Hillsdale grad, paces Cañada with 67 kills. Sophomore Alayna Allard, a native a Winnipeg, Manitoba, ranks second with 66 kills and lead the team with a 2.64 kills per set average.

Coast Conference play begins Friday, with Cañada traveling to Monterey.