WG High School continues to produce outstanding Cross Country athletes this year, with the latest recognition coming from the SJ Mercury News, which named senior Nohe Lema its “Athlete of the Week” today:

For most of his high school career, Lema ran behind talented teammates Mohamed Abdalla and Marcos Corona. On Saturday, Lema emerged as an elite runner, winning the Division III race at the Stanford Invitational. Lema covered the 3.1-mile course in 15 minutes, 38 seconds, the best time by a CCS runner in any division. “After running in the shadow of Marcos and Mohamed the last few years, Nohe needed a breakthrough race like that to build his confidence and help him reach his true potential,” Willow Glen Coach Victor Santamaria said. After tiring and falling back to third with three quarters of a mile to go, “he seized the lead and took it home,” the coach said.

Congratulations, Nohe!

The Solar Power may not be ready … but the WGHS Football Team is ready to turn on the Ram Power anyway!

The Rams Varsity Football Team kicks-off its home season tonight with a game against visiting Del Mar High School. Yes, it’s a night game … complete with the premiere of the new stadium lights! Finally.

Willow Glen High Rams will Turn on the Power!

SAN JOSE, CA- Friday, September 26, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. the WGHS Rams will be the second in a series of San Jose Unified’s High Schools turning on the power on their long awaited stadium lights. Willow Glen High School, 2001 Cottle Ave., San Jose, 95125, is the second school of the season to flick the switch on their new stadium lights, as they prepare to host Del Mar High School. …

San Jose Unified’s Board of Education president and Willow Glen resident, Pam Foley, commented, “Football and night games are a perfect combination. This is a great way to continue to build community. Let’s invite the neighbors for a tailgate party and to join us in cheering on our team. WGHS has planned a long time to host night games. We are prepared and the team is ready to go. I know what I’ll be doing on Friday night.”

Stadium lights have been installed at all of San Jose Unified High Schools, with San Jose High Academy being the first to play under the lights in 2007. Schools will be allowed 10 night events, 5 of those can be football games. Lights are to be off at 10:00 p.m.

Pioneer High School was the first SJUSD school with lights on this year, for their game back on September 12.

If you don’t normally read the SJ Mercury’s editorial page, you might have missed a great story about an athletic award presented to a WG High School student.

Willow Glen’s Taylor Lundquist was honored with a “Triple-Impact Competitor Scholarship” this past Saturday from the Positive Coaching Alliance, based in Palo Alto.

Ten Northern California high school seniors, including two in the South Bay — Taylor Lundquist of Willow Glen High and Jose Ramirez of Sequoia High School — received $3,500 scholarships. No award better celebrates the values of sport that get lost in the statistics of wins and losses, and points scored.

The triple in Triple Impact refers to players who personally excel and make their teams and their sport better through leadership. Athletes like Lundquist, who “has the ability to get her teammates to work harder because they don’t want to let her down,” her soccer coach wrote in a testimonial.

The Mercury’s article lauds Lundquist’s leadership on and off the field — and celebrates her toughness by noting she was sporting 34 stitches and a broken nose at the award ceremony. She had sustained the injury at the Field Hockey Jamoree in WG.

But for the record, you have to visit the PCA’s website, where Taylor’s injury is proudly on display!

Way to go Taylor!

Oh, sure … that big NFL thing starts this weekend, and the WG Rams Football season kicks off too, but the big party at Willow Glen High School is actually for the 29th Annual WG Field Hockey Jamboree.

The young women might be facing off in record heat, but they don’t care. Games start Friday afternoon, to be played on five different fields at the High School, with 30 girls high school teams from around the Bay Area participating.

Stop by if you can handle the heat!

If you were looking for another reason to visit the Safety Fair this weekend at River Glen Park, here’s a simple way you can help: Stop by the special booth hosted by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry:

On any given day, more than 6000 men, women and children are searching the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for a life-saving donor like you. This year one of those 6000 in search of a match is also one of our neighbors in Willow Glen. In fact, he’s a five-year-old kid who played Willow Glen PAL Soccer last year. …

Unfortunately, a Marrow Transplant is not an option for our soccer player, because there aren’t enough donors that match his blood and ethnic makeup. But maybe we can all join the fight, and find a transplant match.

During our Kids Safety Fair on Saturday, August 16, you will have your chance to help us expand his options by being checked for a match.… The National Marrow Donor Program will be taking samples from 9-2 at River Glen Park.

It’s the second time in as many years that PAL Soccer players have felt the impact of tragic bad luck, but it’s a microcosmic part of our community that has shown an ability to pull together to support one of its own.

Now you can help, too!

Over the past few days, the USA has been welcoming a massive influx of new citizens. They live here already, and some of them even live amongst us. The ceremonies started last week at the Fairgrounds, and continue today. As an aside, you might want to avoid Curtner Avenue east of Highway 87 today … (more…)

Willow Glen PAL Soccer — in conjunction with host Holly Barr — invites the WG community to attend a special “Willow Glen Safety Day” for the community. (more…)

Local Realtor Holly Barr – hey! I’ve heard of her – and Willow Glen PAL Soccer are teaming up to host a special community Safety Fair on Saturday, August 16, at River Glen Park.

Along with the soccer league’s festive “Pre-Season Games,” the entire community is invited to meet representatives of the SJ Fire Depart and the SJPD Mounted Police Unit – yes, the horses!

Last minute donations are certainly welcome … as are kind wishes of support. The locally-grown “Team Willow Glen” joins the regional Avon Walk this weekend, starting the morning of July 12. WGx — although technically on vacation — wishes them well!

I read it on the Garden Theater Marquee, so it must be true!

It was awfully nice of the people in charge of the Garden Theater to promote Willow Glen PAL Soccer this month, reminding passers-by that June 30 is the deadline for guaranteed space and “early bird” fees in the local soccer program.

WGPALSOCCER.COM — REGISTER BY JUNE 30

Willow Glen PAL Soccer is an official WGx Member, and we couldn’t have put it better ourselves …