Publication Date: Friday, October 28, 2005
Milestones for Menlo, SHP tennis teams
Milestones for Menlo, SHP tennis teams
(October 28, 2005) by Keith Peters
The Menlo and Sacred Heart Prep girls tennis teams reached some very impressive milestones this week.
Menlo blanked host Burlingame on Tuesday, 7-0, to win its fourth-straight PAL Bay Division title. Moreover, the Knights finished the regular season at 14-0 to stretch their streak of league victories to 126-0 since 1994.
Menlo hasn't lost a league match since 1993, then it was beaten by St. Ignatius in the final regular-season match.
Head coach Bill Shine, meanwhile, ran his 10-year record at Menlo to 261-23 following Tuesday's victory that once again saw the Knights (22-5 overall) win with a split squad that featured two juniors (Sarah Hoffman and Jennifer Goldman) and two sophomores (Marjorie Adams and Alicia Cha) sweeping the singles.
In doubles, Menlo was stretched to only one three-set match and had only one senior (Brooke Badger) playing. The rest of the lineup included juniors Adrienne Joy and Laura Olson, sophomore Mimi Huggins and freshmen Courtney Matteson and Julie Fancher.
Next up for Menlo is the Peninsula Athletic League individual tournament on the Knights' courts next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sacred Heart Prep (13-0, 17-6) clinched its first-ever West Catholic Athletic League regular-season championship with a 4-3 victory at St. Ignatius on Tuesday.
"The girls played really well," said SHP coach Losaline Mafileo. "They were focused and determined to defeat SI. From the first day, it has been the girls' goal to win WCAL and be undefeated in league."
The Gators were hoping to attain that goal Thursday when they put their 13-0 league record on the line against visiting Sacred Heart Cathedral, a team SHP blanked earlier in the season.
Sacred Heart Prep shared the WCAL title last season, but has dominated the opposition this season. Junior Sam Rosekrans (22-0) and sophomore Haley Hemm (23-0) remained undefeated in singles play this season with straight-set wins.
Senior Nicky Budd-Thanos teamed with sophomore Erin McMahon to clinch Tuesday's win at No. 1 doubles with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 win. Freshmen Edita Robinson and Kammy Evans posted a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles for the Gators' other point.
SHP players will be busy next week at the WCAL individual tournament, which runs Wednesday and Thursday at Cuesta Park in Mountain View.
In the Private Schools Athletic League, Pinewood (9-0, 13-5) was expected to wrap up another undefeated regular season on Thursday against St. Lawrence. The Panthers blanked Fremont Christian on Tuesday, 7-0, after being Redwood Christian on Monday, 4-3.
Elizabeth Williamson registered a pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins at No. 1 singles to lead Pinewood.
In the West Bay Athletic League, Woodside Priory (6-3, 9-5) scared first-place Notre Dame-San Jose before falling, 4-3, in San Jose.
"It was a strong match to the very end," said Woodside Priory's first-year coach Lenka Beranova.
The match came down to No. 1 doubles, where Priory's tandem of Madie Turner and Michelle Bradford forced a third set before falling, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.
Tori Patton (No. 4 singles) and the doubles teams of Mary Castenada-Tomomi Menjo and Jasmine Madavi-Sonal Khana picked up Priory's points.
Castilleja, meanwhile, posted its second straight victory with a 5-2 triumph over host Mercy-Burlingame. Anisha Bhalla and Leslie Lipsick got the Gators rolling with straight-set wins at No. 1 and 2 singles. Castilleja swept the doubles with Emily Michaels and Brittany Brown leading the way at No.1 with a 6-3, 6-4 win.
In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Palo Alto junior Chrissy Hu posted a big 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles over Sophie Larsson but the Vikings just missed pulling out the victory in a 4-3 setback to visiting Los Gatos.
Paula Yofee and Vrinda Khanna won at No. 2 doubles and Lisa Ke and Laura Small picked up another point for Paly at No. 3 doubles. The Vikings (3-8, 11-12) bounced back Wednesday to beat Wilcox in an abbreviated match, 5-0.
Cross country
The Palo Alto girls and Gunn boys will be out to defend their respective titles on Tuesday at the SCVAL championships at Crystal Springs in Belmont starting at 2 p.m.
The Paly girls stand the best chance for a title defense, based on a solid season that included Tuesday's win over Gunn and Castilleja in the annual Palo Alto City Championships at Gunn.
Paly junior Renata Cummins race to an easy victory over the 2.18-mile Bol Park layout, clocking 12:46 for the No. 5 all-time mark on the course. Gunn freshman Allie Mayer was second in 13:02, the No. 9 all-time mark, while Castilleja senior Ashley Schoettle was third in 13:07 for the No. 11 all-time mark.
Palo Alto totaled 30 points with junior Alicia Ivanhoe placing fourth, senior Elle Burstein taking sixth and senior Katie Gosling running home eighth.
The Titans were led by Mayer and fellow freshman Joanne Reid (fifth in 13:16). Gunn had no seniors among its scorers Tuesday.
The rebuilding Gunn boys' team, meanwhile, likely won't defend its league title. The squad's youth showed up Tuesday as Paly swept the top four spots to win the city title with 22 points. Gunn totaled 35.
Scott Himmelberger continued his string of strong performances with a 17-second victory in 11:17 over fellow senior Francis Reynolds. Senior Zander MacQuitty and freshman Charlie Avis clocked 11:34 along with Reynolds.
Boys soccer
Sacred Heart Prep can clinch its second straight PSAL title today by beating visiting Redwood Christian at 3 p.m.
The Gators (11-2-1, 13-5-1) assured themselves of no worse than a co-championship by beating host Valley Christian-Dublin on Tuesday, 4-0.
"That was a big, big win," said SHP coach Juan Camahort, who was concerned about the annual trip across the bay. "That's a big relief. I can't remember ever winning that big over there."
The Gators have had their troubles just winning at VC-Dublin, which last season ruined SHP's perfect league season with a 2-2 deadlock in the final game of the regular season. Sacred Heart Prep went on to win the CCS crown and finish 21-0-1.
While the Gators' record doesn't match up with last season's near-perfection, they still have to be considered the favorite for the CCS Division III title when its held Nov. 5.
But first things first. SHP needs a victory today to earn the No. 1 seed in the four-team CCS tourney, which kicks off next Thursday. The Gators still have to play at third-place King's Academy next Tuesday, and want the regular season decided before then.
All they need is an effort similar to that in Tuesday's win.
"We played really well," Camahort said. "The passing was good and we played together as a team."
Michael McMahon scored the game-winning goal off an assist from fellow junior Travis Benson. It was Benson who made it 2-0 on a header assisted by junior Marc Sallaberry. A quick goal by junior Mike Sember opened the second half before senior Cory Hatton finished the hosts off by hammering a loose ball inside the 18-yard box.
Girls volleyball
Gunn avenged an earlier loss to rival Palo Alto by handing the visiting Vikings (4-6, 14-10) a 17-25, 25-13, 25-12, 25-18 SCVAL De Anza Division loss on Tuesday. Samantha Rohman, Alex Graves, Lucy Landra and Ashley Gardiner led the Titans, along with setter Maile Krauss. Gunn (5-4, 15-12) tuned up for the match by downing host Valley Christian-San Jose on Monday, 25-13, 25-18, 20-25, 23-25, 25-13, as Krauss produced 52 assists and Rohman put away 15 kills.
In the PAL Bay Division, Menlo (9-2, 18-13) and Carlmont (9-2) remained on a collision course for the regular-season title with victories Tuesday. Menlo topped Sequoia, 25-20, 25-23, 25-16 as Nicole Curatola, Natalie Sandman and Ali Lycette all produced 10 kills. Carlmont beat visiting Menlo-Atherton, 25-13, 25-13, 25-11. Ann Sbardellati had eight kills for the Bears (4-7, 13-18).
In the West Bay Athletic League, Castilleja (8-1, 22-5) bounced back from its first league loss last week to sweep Woodside Priory, 25-12, 25-16, 25-11, behind 15 kills and 19 digs from senior Ariel Baxterback.
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