Smart (and pretty) design

Option 1:

The California Education code states that “every [school] restroom shall at all times be maintained and cleaned regularly, fully operational and stocked at all times with toilet paper, soap and paper towels or functional hand dryers. El Estoque reporters observed all student restrooms four times a day throughout the week of Jan. 14 to determine if these sanitation standards were being met at MVHS. They weren’t.

Option 2:

700 pounds. That’s almost the weight of four refrigerators. It’s also the amount of goose feces produced daily at Memorial Park.

Cupertino resident Sharon Heyler took her miniature dachshund Nikko Sunshine out on a walk in Memorial Park on a typical August afternoon. Unfortunately, the “walk” turned into more of a “carry” as the geese – a total of 287, by her count – became so aggressive she had to carry her Nikko Sunshine through the park.

She’s not the only one. In early September, Cupertino Council member Rod Sinks spoke out at the City Council meeting about the goose population after noticing approximately 140 geese on the lawn in front of the Quinlan Center. Since his statement at the meeting, he has received many emails and verbal statements from residents voicing the same concerns – that the goose population has exploded to a point where many are uncomfortable using the park.

Option 3:

Last year, varsity girls basketball entered winter break riding high with a 6-4 record. Then, the entire season took a turn: the team took loss after loss, going 1-11 in their league games. The team redeemed itself by qualifying for the Central Coast Section playoffs and advancing with a 51-43 win over Leland High School.

“I always call us the ‘Tweener’ team,” varsity girls basketball head coach Sara Borelli said. “We could play some teams in the A league but we were almost always dominant [versus] the teams in the B league.”

This is the central conflict facing the varsity girls basketball team and girls volleyball teams, as they have trouble finding competitive balance between the upper De Anza League (classified as an “A” league) and the lower El Camino Athletic League (classified as “B”). After two unsuccessful seasons in the DAL, girls basketball have been relegated to the ECAL this season.

The two teams struggled during the regular league season but agreed that the high-level competition ultimately improved their performance in the postseason.

“We’re going to be tough, we’re going to learn to be motivated,” varsity girls volleyball head coach Colin Anderson said. “We’re lucky to compete at this high level against such quality competition.”

Leagues apart
Palo Alto High School, the volleyball Division I state champions last year, and Los Gatos High School were just two of the powerhouses within the DAL. Both squads recognized their distinct size disadvantage against the other DAL schools.

“[The difference] is really high. You have people like [PAHS] who go to NorCal and win the whole thing,” varsity girls volleyball defensive specialist junior Allison Yu said. “We’re not tall enough to compare sometimes, but it’s okay, it’s still fun.”

The trends of the basketball and volleyball teams highlight the difference between the two leagues. For the 2007 and 2008 seasons, girls basketball achieved an 8-4 and 11-1 ECAL record respectively, but dropped to 5-7 and 1-11 in their next two seasons in the DAL. Volleyball had an 11-1 ECAL record in 2009, but 4-8 in 2010 after being promoted to the DAL.

“The discrepancy between the two leagues is so frustrating,” Borelli said. “It’s not balanced at all.”

However, the league classification becomes important in determining playoff qualification, as participation in a higher league is a practical guarantee for a playoff spot. According to the CCS Girls Volleyball Bylaws, non-automatic qualifiers get a five point bonus just for competing in an “A” ranked league with one bonus point for each match versus an “A” league opponent. Meanwhile, CCS granted varsity girls basketball automatic qualification last year from its participation in the DAL. Despite undergoing difficult seasons, both teams would be able to compete in the postseason.

“Every team [in the DAL] made the playoffs; every team made it at least past the second round of playoffs,” Anderson said. “You’re asking for some good, quality competition [in the DAL].”