October 28, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Menlo grabs the spotlight from M-A

by Keith Peters

It has taken four years to get lights installed at Spieker Pool on the Menlo-Atherton High campus. It has taken longer than that for the Bears to have their boys' and girls' water polo teams both contending for league titles at the same time.

Everything nearly came together for Menlo-Atherton on Wednesday as both M-A teams hosted Menlo in showdowns for PAL Bay Division regular-season titles.

While the lights were on the Bears, however, it was the Knights who grabbed the spotlight. The Menlo girls (7-0, 21-4) streaked to an early lead and held on for an 8-6 triumph while the boys (6-0, 24-2) showed their dominance with a 16-6 victory.

Both matches were likely championship previews to next week's PAL tournament at Burlingame High. Both Menlo teams will be seeded No. 1 while both M-A squads will be No. 2. All four should reprise Wednesday's showdowns in the finals on Nov. 5.

And, it won't be surprising to see the Bears and Knights face each other again in the Central Coast Section playoffs that begin Nov. 9.

Thus, the victories by Menlo proved to be a fitting start for the postseason.

"It was a good learning experience for us," said Menlo boys' coach Jack Bowen. "Playing under lights and against a good team . . . it just gives us another piece of the puzzle."

Bowen hopes to have that puzzle put together by season's end, with the final piece being the CCS championship. The experiences gained between now and then provide valuable preparation. The Knights, for example, will compete in the TruWest Memorial Cup Invitational today and Saturday that features the top 16 teams in the state.

Against M-A (5-1, 7-8), the Knights worked on their passing and defense, producing in 6-on-5 situations and just playing well as a team. In all cases, Menlo was successful.

Menlo junior Ben Hohl scored the first four goals and finished with eight, taking advantage of the movement by his teammates that allowed him numerous open shots. Senior goalie Mike Merlone had 12 saves, triggering his team's counter-attack with five assists as six other Menlo players scored - once again proving how opponents can't focus on just one player.

Junior Stephen Hicks led the Bears with three goals. A year ago, M-A finished the season 7-22. Under first-year coach Johnny Bega, the team should be headed back to the CCS playoffs.

Both the Menlo and M-A girls will be in CCS, as well, and could meet there after facing one another in next Saturday's PAL finals. The Knights' win Wednesday, then, was a good tuneup while giving the Bears something to work on.

While Menlo held just a 4-3 lead at halftime, it was clear the Knights were controlling the flow of the match. Once they figured out the timing on their entry passes in the third quarter, the Knights scored three unanswered goals to grab a 7-3 lead. Two came on 6-on-5s and the other on a counter.

While M-A did rally to close the gap on two long outside shots by senior Kelly Eaton, the Knights blanked M-A senior Heidi Kucera and limited the high-scoring Eaton to three goals.

"It was a system against a group of stars," said Bowen, who watched the girls' match before the boys played. "I think it was Menlo's system that won the game."

Menlo, the defending CCS champion, got balanced scoring as juniors Megan Burmeister and Camy Sullivan each had three goals. Sophomore goalie Elise Ponce was another standout with 12 saves as the Knights' defense was the real star, and will continue to be as Menlo moves forward to defend its league playoff and section titles.

Before both Menlo teams wrapped up their respective league titles, the Sacred Heart Prep and Palo Alto girls were doing the same.

Sacred Heart (6-0, 26-1) put the finishing touches on the West Catholic Athletic League regular-season crown with a 15-3 romp over host Notre Dame-Belmont as Kim Culpan produced five goals.

Paly (5-0, 19-8) wrapped up the SCVAL De Anza Division title with a 12-3 win at Gunn as senior Phoebe Champion tallied four goals.

For the boys, Gunn (5-1, 16-9) clinched second place in the De Anza Division to earn the No. 2 seed behind Paly for next week's league tournament. The Titans topped host Los Gatos, 10-9, in a showdown for second place. Seniors Brandon Johnson (six goals) and Kyle Gertridge (three) led Gunn.

In the WCAL, Sacred Heart Prep (5-1, 21-5) finished second after holding off visiting Serra, 6-5. Senior Randy Ang (three) and sophomore Elliott Samuels (two) led the Gators.

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