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Sophomore defender Mark Raftrey from Palo Alto High has played a key role in leading the Pomona-Pitzer men's soccer team to a 2012 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championship.

Raftrey is a starting defender for the Sagehens, who have won 10 games in a row -- the longest streak for the program since the 1973 team won 14 in a row. He has one goal and four assists on the year, ranking second on the team in assists, and has contributed to a defense that has shut out seven opponents in its current 10-game winning streak.

Pomona-Pitzer clinched the league championship with a 1-0 win over Caltech on Wednesday, the team's third straight shutout, and closes out the regular season at home on Saturday against La Verne.

The Sagehens will host a SCIAC semifinal on Thursday, Nov. 1 against an opponent to be determined, and if they win, also will host the SCIAC finals on Saturday, Nov. 3 for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Raftrey played at Palo Alto High (Class of 2011) and also was a member of the Palo Alto 93B Blue Club team, which he helped to state and regional championships. He attends Pomona College, which is the fourth-rated liberal arts college in the country by US News & World Report, and is an Academic All-America nominee.

Girls' golf
Menlo School's Jessie Rong and Caroline Broderick will compete in Tuesday's Central Coast Section tournament at Rancho Canada (East Course) in Carmel Valley after both received at-large berths.

Rong shot 80 and Broderick carded an 86 during the West Bay Athletic League tournament on Wednesday at Poplar Creek in San Mateo. Since neither were on a qualifying team, they had to wait until all the other league tourneys were finished to discover if they were among the 29 individuals advancing.

Sacred Heart Prep's Maddy Ellison, who shot 87 at the WBAL tourney, missed advancing by a stroke. The Menlo and SHP teams also failed to advance.

— Palo Alto Online Sports

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