Player Profile: Sara Mazzoni

The Voice had a great opportunity to sit down and chat with goalie and co-captain of the Varsity Field Hockey team, Sara Mazzoni. Leading the team to the CCS semi-finals last year, Sara is looking to have another great year with the Field Hockey team.

Voice: How long have you been playing field hockey?

SM: Freshman year I wanted to play a sport, so my friend Jen [Randazzo] and I decided to try out for field hockey.

Voice: How did you get involved and why?

SM: I played club volleyball in middle school and I wanted to try something new.

Voice: What made you want to play goalie? Have you always played goalie?

SM: Yes, the first day of tryouts coach asked if anyone wanted to try out for goalie, I thought I would give it a shot. A couple of my uncles had played goalie for ice hockey, so I thought it was worth a try.

Voice: Are you ever scared when the balls come flying at you?

SM: Freshman year it was very scary, but after 4 years you get used to it. I am pretty much immune now.

Voice: On average, how many stops do you make in one game?

SM: At least 10. On JV the goalie is lucky to get much action; they make maybe 2 stops per game. But varsity is very different; the other teams are all very good and can get the ball to my side of the field often.

Voice: Do you ever blame yourself when the other team scores a goal, even when it is not your fault?

SM: I used to beat myself up about it sometimes, but then I realized it was not the right attitude to take and I didn’t want to stress myself out. I try not to worry too much anymore; I just focus on stopping the next ball that comes my way.

Voice: What does it mean to you to be a team captain?

SM: Jen and I are both team captains this year, and we have been working hard to get our team focused this year. It is the problem we have been having but the team is coming together. We both try to lead the team by example and work get the team focused and ready before a game.

Voice: Do you plan on playing in college? Varsity or intramural?

SM: I do not plan on playing Varsity in college because it is such a time commitment, but club or intramural sure.

Voice: What is your favorite memory from field hockey?

SM: Last year in the CCS semi-finals we beat Mitty. We worked so hard as a team together and we got to the CCS finals. We lost in the finals, but the fact that we even got there was amazing and really showed how hard our team worked. We were so happy to have made it that far.

Voice: What has field hockey taught you that you can take with you in life?

SM: Field Hockey has taught me about hard work. I started out with no knowledge of the game and in four years I am a captain on the varsity team. It has taught me how to work as a team and perseverance through the good and bad times. Field hockey has taught me to always keep trying.

Fall 2009 CCS Roundup

One girl streaks through the water, lungs gasping with only one goal in mind. Another scans the green landscape, ready to swing into the distance. Still another looks up the last and final hill, pushing her legs further than they have ever run.

As fall sports come to a close, Presentation has had an excellent showing at CCS. Cross-country, field hockey, golf, volleyball and water polo have all been greeted with success this season. Read on for a roundup of this year’s outstanding CCS results!

Cross-Country

On Nov. 14, the cross-country team tested its strength and endurance at CCS. After impressive times by varsity members Laura Vazquez, Angie Korpusik, Jacqueline Gill, Madeline Cooper, Gina D’Arpino, and Tori Tsolis, they took fourth overall after Mountain View, Los Gatos High School, and Saint Francis. The team was only one spot away from advancing to the state meet. Angie Korpusik had an especially successful season, leading the team with impressive times. Sophomore Laura Vazquez ran in the number one spot at CCS finals, and captain Tori Tsolis competed strongly throughout the season despite injuries.

Field Hockey

Field hockey boasted its best season ever this year. The team advanced to the CCS quarterfinals on Nov. 14; their 3-0 shutout over Saratoga qualified them for the semifinals on Nov. 17. They narrowly defeated Mitty with a score of 1-0 in overtime, qualifying for the finals on Nov. 23. Though the team lost 4-1 to Los Gatos, they celebrated their many accomplishments for the year, taking second place overall. The team also received the Scholastic Championship Team Award for all varsity field hockey teams in CCS, with an impressive 3.63 cumulative GPA. Notable seniors Mallory Collins, Kelly Hagarty, Cloey LemMon, Alyssa Logan, Morganne Towne, Nicole Traina and Stephanie Wan will be sorely missed next year; when asked about the highlight of their season, they agreed unanimously that beating Mitty in overtime was their greatest triumph. Captain and center forward Cloey LemMon played a key role on the team this year as the leading field goals scorer. Athletic director Ryan Cooling spoke of the team with pride, praising its performance in only the first year of CCS division field hockey. However, he expressed concern about the lack of attendance at games. “We had a lot of faculty support, which was great,” he said, “but I would definitely like to see a larger student section.”

Golf

The golf team has also done very well this year, advancing to Norcals as a team and qualifying an individual to the state championship. The CCS Championship took place on Nov. 3 at Rancho Cañada Country Club in Carmel, where the team placed second under Saint Ignatius. Junior Mariko Tumangan shot a record 62, thus crowning her the individual champion. The team qualified for the NCGA Nor Cal Girls Golf Championship, which occurred on Nov. 9 at Almaden Country Club. There, the varsity team including Alessandra Cain, Ramey Parks, Swetha Prabhakaran, Kelly Quinn, and Sarah Edwards took sixth place overall. Tumangan played well individually once again, taking second place to Hannah Suh of Evergreen Valley High School with a score of 71. Though the team did not qualify for the state championship, Tumangan qualified as an individual. She then scored a 76 as one of the top ten players at the State Girls Gold Championship at Poppy Hills on Nov. 19.

Volleyball

Varsity volleyball advanced to the CCS quarterfinals at Santa Teresa High School on Nov. 14, taking victory over Mountain View. The team then played in the semifinals on Nov. 18 at Valley Christian, losing to Palo Alto High School. Seniors Claire Hansen, Mercury News Athlete of the Week Sarah Blach, Motade Atanda and Stephanie Dvorak all played instrumental roles on the team this season. Cooling stated, “We thought we were rebuilding, but we finished in the top fifty teams in the nation.”

Water Polo

Varsity water polo advanced to CCS for the tenth consecutive time on Nov. 11 at Palo Alto High School. The team lost to Burlingame in the first round. Talented junior Julia Peters has scored 102 goals this season; seniors Megan Huber and Ally Soden will be sorely missed next year.

Looking Ahead

Student athletes are now gearing up for winter sports, soccer and basketball. This winter promises an exciting CCS season, so make sure to support your fellow Panthers!