Sports
Inspirations
Gunn boys, girls make some history Water polo teams reach CCS playoffs together as league champs
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by Keith Peters
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or the first time in school history, the Gunn boys and girls will head into the Central Coast Section water polo playoffs together as league champions. Both teams earned that distinction on Saturday as they captured their respective SCVAL De Anza Division playoff titles to wrap up the division’s overall crown. The Gunn girls avenged their only loss of the league season with a resounding 13-2 dunking of Los Gatos while the boys held off rival Palo Alto for a third time this season with their 9-5 triumph. The Gunn boys won the regular-season title with a 12-0 record, the first team in program history to go undefeated with that many wins. The Titans last won a league title in 2005, when Johnson played goalie for Gunn. Palo Alto will get a chance to avenge that loss and beat Gunn for the first time this season when the rivals meet Saturday in the second round of the CCS Division I playoffs at Bellarmine Prep in San Jose at 2:30 p.m. Palo Alto advanced to the quarterfinals with a solid 16-7 win over No. 12-seeded Pioneer on Tuesday night.
The No. 5-seeded Vikings (23-5) got three goals each from Winston Rosati and Lucas Novak as eight players scored and every member of the team played. Matt Abbott, Andrew Josefov, Kian McHugh and frosh-soph callup Justyn Cheung all added two goals each for Paly. Fourth-seeded Gunn (20-6) is in the midst of its first 20-win season since 2005. The Titans last won a CCS title in 1995. Palo Alto last captured a section crown in 1997. The Gunn girls (20-6) were seeded No. 2 in Division I and will open CCS action Saturday at home against No. 7 Pioneer (21-6) at 10 a.m. The Titans should be riding plenty of momentum after dominating Los Gatos as Gunn senior Caroline Anderson tallied eight goals. Also playing at Gunn on Saturday is No. 4 Menlo-Atherton (16-8), which opens against No. 5 Mitty (15-7) at 11:30 a.m. The Division II brackets are
highlighted by the defending champion Sacred Heart Prep boys and girls. The SHP boys (23-3) are the No. 1 seed and rightfully so. The Gators captured the West Catholic Athletic League regular-season and playoff title, the latter coming Saturday night in a 12-8 win over Bellarmine as junior Michael Swart tallied four goals and fellow juniors Will Conner and Nelson Perla-Ward added three each. Goalie Philippe Marco had 10 saves. SHP opens its title defense Saturday at Valley Christian against No. 9 Santa Cruz (17-8) at 1 p.m. Second-seeded Menlo School (21-3) will take on No. 7 Saratoga (23-2) at 11:30 a.m. In the girls’ Division II bracket, six-time defending champ Sacred Heart Prep (19-7) opens Saturday at Christopher School in Gilroy against No. 8 Santa Catalina (15-5) at 9:30 a.m. At the same site, No. 3 Castilleja (12-7) takes on No. 11 Sobrato (20-6) at 12:30 p.m. N
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People with passion and dreams can change the world. By seeing the importance of preserving our open spaces, improving our schools and strengthening our global giving, we can make this world a better place.
Michelle Xie
James McDaniel
PALO ALTO HIGH
PRIORY SCHOOL
The junior golfer shot an even-par 73, which included the first ace of her career, while winning individual honors and leading the Vikings to second place at the NorCal Championships and into the state finals.
The senior running back carried 28 times for 239 yards and scored touchdowns on runs of 7, 56, 8 and 55 yards to pace Priory to a 5622 win over Pinewood that clinched the MTAL title and an unbeaten season at 9-0.
Honorable mention Sam Acker Gunn water polo
Silicon Valley Community Foundation donors gave $130 million to Bay Area causes in 2012, making us the largest single grantmaker to local nonprofits. They also awarded $15 million to charitable organizations around the world. No matter how big your philanthropic dreams, we at SVCF can turn them into reality. Possibilities start here.
Caroline Anderson Gunn water polo
Madeleine Baier Menlo-Atherton cross country
Aashli Budhiraja Palo Alto tennis
Sarah Robinson*
siliconvalleycf.org
Gunn cross country
Liz Yao Menlo tennis
Brian Keare* Menlo-Atherton football
Philippe Marco Sacred Heart Prep water polo
Lucas Matison Palo Alto cross country
Michael Swart* Sacred Heart Prep water polo
Coby Wayne* Gunn water polo
Anthony Zunino Gunn water polo * previous winner
Watch video interviews of the Athletes of the Week, go to PASportsOnline.com
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