Palo Alto golf coach Doyle Knight is blessed with a wealth of depth this season and it’s paying off in a perfect season thus far.
“All of my guys are in the top 50 in our league,” said Knight. “I have great depth, just not the same experience as the top eight.”
Paly’s top five, however, has proven unbeatable this season as the Vikings are 7-0 in the SCVAL De Anza Division and 8-0 overall following a 170-197 dual-match victory over visiting Los Altos on Tuesday.
The 170 team score at the par-34 Palo Alto Municipal Golf course was a season low and matched par, a rarity for any team on any course.
Sergi Mata led the way by firing a sizzling 2-under 32. Joonsong Ha and Henry Hughes followed with even-par 34s and Matt Lewis joined with Ahmed Ali with 1-over 35s. Los Altos fell to 4-2 in league.
Girls lacrosse
Menlo-Atherton snapped a four-match losing streak with an 11-10 overtime victory over Castilleja in West Bay Athletic League action at El Camino Park.
The Bears (1-1, 4-4) opened with a 3-0 run with Annie Payne intercepting and going coast to coast to score the first goal. She added a second and Sally Carlson scored a third on a free position. The Gators’ Emma Glickman answered with two goals. The Bears’ Grace Tully scored, but Taylor DeGroff answered and the Bears were up by a goal at the half.
In the second half, the teams traded goals until Anika Adzich got her second goal to give the Gators (1-1, 6-2) their first lead with eight minutes remaining. M-A’s Izzy Regonini equalized, but Celeste Woloshyn put the Gators ahead again.
With four minutes remaining, Katelyn Wiseman scored for the Bears, but Lauren Traum got her third goal to keep the Gators in the lead. With two minutes remaining, Carlson gave her fourth assist to Regonini, who tied the game. In overtime, the Gators drove to the goal, but Samantha Gamez got her 11th save. Gamez cleared to Carlson, who passed to Grace Tully, who assisted Regonini for a shot into the lower-left corner for the game-winner.
The Bears had trong work in midfield from Wiseman and Bea Geghan-Briener. Castilleja goalie Anika Tse, meanwhile, came up with 15 saves.
M-A returns to action on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Mitty while Castilleja takes off for spring break.
Swimming
The Menlo-Atheton girls remained unbeaten in PAL Bay Division dual-meet action, but the M-A boys suffered their first loss — to visiting Carlmont — on Tuesday.
The meet originally was scheduled for Thursday, but moved up to allow a handful of Carlmont swimmers to compete.
The M-A girls moved to 4-0 in league (5-0 overall) following a 120-50 triumph.
The Bears won every event and had three double-winners in freshman Nicole Dundas, junior Faith Dunn and junior Kate Denend. Dundas took the 200 free (2:01.44) and 500 free (5:28.30), Dunn won the 200 IM (2:17.15) and 100 breast (1:12.16) and Denend splashed home first in the 50 free (25.53) and 100 free (55.47).
Dunn and Denend also swam legs on the winning 200 medley (1:56.24) and 400 free (3:47.29) relays.
The M-A boys (3-1 and 3-1-1) suffered a 98-72 loss to the Scots, who won all but four events.
M-A senior Vincent Busque won the 500 free in 4:59.07, finished second in the 200 free in a fast 1:46.10 and anchored the 200 medley relay team to victory in 1:45.13 to pace the Bears.
Boys tennis
Menlo-Atherton continued to roll toward an undefeated season in the PAL Bay Division following a 7-0 romp over host Woodside on Tuesday.
The Bears (9-0, 10-2) won six matches in straight sets, with only Axel Brenner forced to a third set (tiebreaker) that he won. Casey Morris, Reed Fratt and Jeffrey Jorgensen took the other matches in straight sets. Fratt moved back into his No. 2 singles spot after recently rejoining the team following the end of basketball season.
In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Gunn evened its league record at 4-4 following a 5-2 victory over host Cupertino. The Titans (7-4 overall) took three singles matches, including a 6-7, 7-5, 12-10 triumph by Jake Chua-Gonzani at No. 4.
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports
By Palo Alto Online Sports