Menlo's streak is over Menlo's streak is over (May 14, 2004)

Knights fall to Saratoga, 6-1, in section finale

by Nathan Kurz

History will have to wait for the Menlo School boys' tennis team. In fact, it could be a very long wait.

The Knights' shot at tying the all-time record of seven straight Central Coast Section tennis titles, set by Gunn from 1972-78, disappeared in a hurry Thursday in a 6-1 loss to Saratoga in the CCS Division II finals at the Courtside Tennis Club in Los Gatos.

Menlo (18-7) came into the finals seeded only second to the No. 1 Falcons and trying to regain the dominance that led to six consecutive section crowns before this season.

Menlo coach Bill Shine had hoped that a season of health and eligibility issues would finally be behind his Knights, who looked primed for another title shot after disposing of a good Los Altos team in Tuesday's semifinals, 5-2.

Everything that had clicked against Los Altos, however, clunked against Saratoga. The Falcons swept the singles, as Shine believed might happen, and grabbed a 5-0 lead with only two meaningless doubles matches remaining.

"There is a lot of disappointment," Shine said after talking with his players. "Regardless of the year, our goal is to win NorCal and CCS. Is it realistic that it's going to happen every year? No. But, I'm proud of what this team has done. They preserved and never felt sorry for themselves. This was one of my most satisfying years, because of the courage this team showed."

Said Menlo senior Scott Blumenkranz, who played fewer than 10 matches this season due to illness: "The last couple of years it was a given that we'd win this thing. This is a different feeling for us."

Menlo, which has won four of the past five NorCal titles, won't be in the field this season. And, of course, the streak of six straight CCS crowns has ended.

The outcome was decided quickly as Menlo dropped all four singles matches in straight sets. Blumenkranz lost 6-3, 6-2. Junior Christian Hansen fell 6-0, 6-0. Junior Andrew Diehl was beaten 6-3, 6-2, and senior Nicholas Joy lost by 7-5, 6-3.

With that, it was over.

"It was a sad moment," Blumenkranz said. "It was my last high school match. I wanted to go out in a winning mode."

Shine said he believed Blumenkranz was about 50 percent his normal self on the warm day.

"Scott ran up against a good player," said Shine. "When you're at 50 percent and you go up against a guy like that, that's pretty much what you expect."

Still, Shine had kind words for Blumenkranz, only one of three seniors on the team.

"He had a great career, you can't deny what he's done for this program," Shine said.

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