Paly girls win second straight tennis match to open season

The Palo Alto girls tennis team will be at full strength this weekend when the Vikings open the Golden Gate Classic at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Center against St. Francis-Sacramento on Friday at 11 a.m.

Sophomore Kamila Wong will see her first action of the season for Palo Alto. Wong, a four-star prospect, spent half of last year as the Vikings’ No. 1 singles player. She was the runnerup in last year’s Central Coast Section doubles tournament playing with Maddi Page, who is now being home-schooled and attending the Eagle Fustar Tennis Academy.

So far Wong’s absence hasn’t hurt Paly, which beat visiting Salinas 5-2 in an unusual format of two singles and five doubles. The Vikings (2-0) swept the doubles competition.

Anna Yakimenko and Rachel Owens, who played singles along with Iris Li and Claire Li in the season-opening victory over Sacred Heart Prep, played at No. 1 doubles against Salinas, setting the tone with a 7-6 (6), 6-1 victory.

The other winning doubles teams were Lauren Wong and Gwyn Wong, Agnes Mar and Riya DeDatta, Harin Kim and Myra Xu and Noelle Burwell and Diana Naranac.

Defending Southern Section Division I champion Mira Costa is the top seed and the likely opponent for either Paly or SF-Sacramento in Friday’s second match. Menlo School and Miramonte are also among the top seeds.

The Knights (2-0) open against Los Gatos at 9 a.m. at Taube South. Menlo-Atherton and Miramonte play at Campus West at the same time. Mira Costa and Monte Vista also play at 11 a.m.

Menlo brings its 258-match league winning streak into play this season. The Knights, led this year by junior Addie Ahlstrom, a four-star prospect, have not lost a league match in over 23 years.

Menlo coach Bill Shine and Monta Vista coach Gene Fortino started the Classic in 2015 and worked with Dick Gould, longtime Stanford coach and Director of Tennis, to schedule the courts through the years.

The tournament features an impressive lineup of some of the top teams in the state, including NorCal champion Los Gatos and finalist Cupertino, and St. Francis.

Field hockey

Lexi Gwyn scored twice in helping Palo Alto top host Valley Christian 6-0 in a nonleague contest Tuesday.

Emma Siskens, Kellyn Scheel, Natalie Hmelar and Charlotte McIntosh also scored for the Vikings (2-0), who are on their first ever winning streak after matching their win total from last season.

Palo Alto, which scored three goals all of last season, has yet to allow a goal in two games and a scrimmage. The Vikings host Wilcox next Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Girls golf

Sophomore Taylor Baik and senior Gianna Inguagiato each shot a 1-over 38 on the front-nine to share medalist honors as Menlo School beat Mercy-Burlingame 223-281 in a West Bay Athletic League opener at Baylands Golf Links on Tuesday.

Seniors Vikki Xu posted a 45 and Sulwen Ma had a 45 for the Knights, while juniors Sarah Fujimori and Rachel Gruber carded 56 and 66, respectively.

In another nonleague match, Gunn fell to Valley Christian 201-228. Warriors’ Meghan Duong earned medalist honors with a 36.

Boys tennis

Menlo School senior Brandon Aprill, a four-star recruit, gave Carnegie Mellon his verbal commitment recently according to tennisrecruiting.net. Aprill confirmed it with posts to social media.

Aprill is ranked among the top 100 in the nation and the top 25 in California.

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports

By Palo Alto Online Sports