San Jose Mercury News - Lynbrook

San Jose Mercury News - Lynbrook

HISTORY Class

LYNBROOK

Mascot: Vikings.

Location: San Jose.

Founded: 1965.

Rival school: Monta Vista.

Top teams this year: Girls cross-country, field hockey, girls volleyball, girls basketball, badminton, boys and girls swimming.

Top athletes this year: Scott Day, football; Zoe De Bruycker, tennis; Sharon Hao, volleyball; Cindy Huang, cross-country; Connie Hwang, badminton; Eugene Muchynsky, tennis; Stephanie Nguyen, swimming; Megan Shimojima, field hockey, basketball and track; Daphane Taller, soccer; Katie Thurman, field hockey and softball; Jamie Wallis, softball.

Notable sports moments: With the exception of Jason Balkman's three state distance-running titles, girls sports have provided the biggest highlights. The 1981 girls basketball team won the Northern California title, the 1989 volleyball team went 32-2 and reached the state Division I final, and Kris Costello won state hurdles titles in '77 and '78. But no sport on campus matches the tradition of field hockey. Lynbrook won 10 CCS crowns under the late Sandi Stober, who brought the sport to the Santa Clara Valley and coached two state players of the year - Laura Ellingson ('86) and Kristy Schneider ('92). In 1980-86, the Vikings went 100-3-2 and won six CCS championships.

Famous alumni: In chess, Vinay Bhat accomplished something even Bobby Fischer never did. He became the youngest national master, at 10, breaking Fischer's mark by two years. Bhat was playing for the Lynbrook chess team when he earned international master status at 16. Olympic tae kwon do gold medalist Dana Hee was a runway model and actress before becoming one of the top stuntwomen in Hollywood.

Did you know? Longtime field hockey coach Sandi Stober died of pancreatic cancer in 2001. But before every home game, Lynbrook players honor her memory by tapping their sticks against Stober Rock, a memorial placed next to the field that also bears her name.

A few things The Mercury failed to mention: Chris Cavanaugh (Swimming '80) was the 50M World Record holder and State Athlete of the Year. For more on Top Lynbrook athletes and teams, check out: http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/ccschamp.htm