Sports
Soccer
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With the victory, Sacred Heart Prep received some separation over Menlo in the WBAL standings, as the Gators improved to 3-0 in league (4-4-1 overall) and the Knights fell to 2-1 (4-3-1). The win also kept Sacred Heart Prep undefeated (9-0-2) against Menlo since the teams began playing each other in the WBAL in 2009. The two teams shared a cochampionship last season after they tied in the CCS Division III finals, an outcome that noticeably upset the Gators. “I think it would have been a rivalry game no matter what,� Grau said of this year’s contest. “But, the tie in the CCS championship last year definitely fueled us for this game. It gave us a lot of drive to win.� Although the Gators lost 11 seniors from last season’s squad, the game-time experience that many of the Sacred Heart players received last season helped to handle the pressures of an intense rivalry game. “There is no question that the experience of even some of our younger players is huge,� del Rio said. “When we are under pressure, I think we have key guys that can step up to the plate until things calm down. I think it does come down to experience.� Menlo, meanwhile, graduated 10 and lost five other returning players, reportedly to soccer academies. The game started with Sacred Heart Prep striking first, as junior Philip Petrakian set up Isaac Polkinhorne, who headed in to give the Gators a 1-0 advantage 10 minutes into the contest. For the rest of the first half, Sacred Heart Prep did a good job controlling the ball, but was unable to score against a strong Menlo defensive line that was led by senior captain Justin Wang. Menlo had two free-kick opportunities just outside the box near the end of the first half, but Strong was unable to convert either into goals, kicking one directly at SHP senior keeper Hugo Sanchez, and the other right into the Gators’ defensive wall in front of the goal. “The boys were aware of the history we have with (Sacred Heart) and sometimes that gets into the kids heads. So I think we started a little flat,� Menlo second-year head coach Marc Kerrest said. “At halftime, I told them that we needed to play harder and we had to play with some confidence. I think we did that in the second half.� Menlo finally got on the board with 21 minutes left in the game, as Strong, in his fourth year, connected on his long-range goal off a pass from sophomore Will Chisholm. “Having them tie us was obviously not something we wanted,� Polkinhorne said. “But, anytime a team equalizes the game, it always gives me a little more fire. So I think it did actually benefit
PREP ROUNDUP
There’s a logjam atop boys’ WBAL hoops race Sacred Heart Prep, Menlo and Pinewood all share the lead; Pinewood, Eastside Prep girls close in on their showdown by Keith Peters he boys’ basketball race in the West Bay Athletic looks a little different than it did a year ago after the first three games of the season. For Menlo School, Sacred Heart Prep and Pinewood, that’s a good thing. Last season, the Knights and Gators opened 2-1 while the Panthers were 0-3. Following Tuesday night’s games, all three squads are 3-0. That’s going to to change quickly as Sacred Heart Prep visits Pinewood on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Menlo, meanwhile, is at Priory and thus should remain atop the standings with the SHP-Pinewood winner. Next Tuesday, however, Menlo will visit Sacred Heart Prep (7:30 p.m.) in the first of two showdowns and, quite possible, for sole possession of first place. Menlo won its third straight, all in the WBAL, and remained tied for first place following a 52-26 dismantling of visiting Eastside Prep on Tuesday night. The Knights (3-0, 4-9) had the luxury of resting injured starters Ryan Young and Alex Grossman, but still had enough offense as Liam Dunn (12 points) and Charlie Roth (11) led the way. In Sunnyvale, Kyle Murphy and Ryan Brice each tallied 14 points as Pinewood (3-0, 11-2) also remained tied for first place with a 60-49 victory over host King’s Academy on Tuesday night. In Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep (3-0, 7-4) had little trouble with visiting Priory while posting a 53-27 triumph. Sophomore Connor Moses, who made the team after being brought up from the JV squad to provide some depth in the preseason, had a seasonhigh 12 points to pace the Gators. Junior Corbin Koch, who scored 64 points in three wins last week, added 11. In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Palo Alto suffered its first league loss of season, 68-60, to host Los Altos. Noah Phillips led the Vikings (2-1, 7-7) with 17 points while Kevin Mullin added 15. In the SCVAL El Camino Division, Gunn (1-2, 9-5) dropped a 73-58 decision to host Santa Clara despite 19 points from Chris Russell.
T
Emma Heath
Ian Cramer
MENLO-ATHERTON HIGH
GUNN HIGH
The senior scored 40 points during a 3-0 basketball week that included 15 rebounds, 16 assists and 10 steals as the Bears remained perfect (3-0) in the PAL Bay Division in addition to topping local rival SHP.
The junior wrestler had a pin in a dual-match win over Los Gatos before going 4-0 with four pins to win the 138pound title and earn Outstanding Wrestler honors for the lightweights at the San Ramon Invitational.
Honorable mention Riley Hemm Sacred Heart Prep basketball
Cadence Lee Gunn wrestling
Sarah McLeod Menlo-Atherton soccer
Jane Meehan Sacred Heart Prep basketball
Heidi Moeser Palo Alto soccer
Ofa Sili Menlo-Atherton basketball
Michael Abramovitch Gunn wrestling
Corbin Koch Sacred Heart Prep basketball
Stephen Martin* Gunn wrestling
Kevin Mullin Palo Alto basketball
Andrew Segre* Sacred Heart Prep soccer
Justin Wang Menlo soccer * previous winner
Watch video interviews of the Athletes of the Week, go to PASportsOnline.com
us that they scored.� The Gators retook the lead eight minutes later with another beautiful cross in front of the net. Petrakian again provided the pass, and Grau kicked home the goal to put the Gators on top 2-1. The Gators added one more insurance goal with nine minutes left in the game, as Mishra scored on a penalty kick that was set up by a handball in the box by Menlo sophomore Matt Joss. “This definitely wasn’t our best game,� said Grau, still sporting a brace on the left hand he broke at the end of the football season. “We can improve possession wise. We have a lot of work to do before the end of the season. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go as far as last season.� Girls soccer Menlo-Atherton remained undefeated in league play and got some big help in the race for first place on a busy Tuesday in PAL Bay Division soccer. The Bears improved to 3-0 in league (7-0-2 overall) with a 5-0 victory over visiting San Mateo. At the same time, league-favorite Woodside suffered its first loss in
29 matches, a 1-0 setback to host Carlmont. Sarah McLeod had two goals for M-A while Miranda Simes, Katie Guenin and Annie Harrier added solo tallies. In the WBAL Foothill Division, senior midfielder Sienna Stritter had a hat trick, senior forward Chandler Wickers had two goals, and sophomore forward Zoe Enright had three assists to lead Menlo School (2-0-1, 6-3-2) past the Panthers (1-3, 2-10). In Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep won a battle between two of the top three teams in the WBAL Foothill Division last year and remained tied for first place with a solid 4-0 triumph over Priory. On Wednesday, Gunn bolted to an early lead and held on for a 2-1 victory over host Milpitas in SCVAL El Camino Division action. Natalie Perreault gave the Titans (1-1-1, 4-2-2) a 1-0 lead off an assist by Megan Kuhnle. Gunn made it 2-0 when Caroline Anderson sent a shot into the top right corner of the net. In SCVAL De Anza Division action, host Palo Alto (2-0-1, 5-2-2) posted a 3-0 victory over Saratoga. N
Girls basketball Pinewood sophomore Chloe Eackles produced 14 points, 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists to power the Panthers to an 80-34 romp over host Notre Dame-San Jose in a WBAL Foothill Division opener. Pinewood (1-0, 13-1) took care of things early by outscoring the Regents, 26-3, in the first quarter.
Pinewood will host Eastside Prep on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) in the first of two showdowns between the league favorites. With 6-foot-3 sophomore Destiny Graham scoring a game-high 17 points and pulling down eight rebounds, visiting Eastside Prep opened its WBAL Foothill Division season with 45-31 victory over Menlo School on Tuesday night. In Atherton, Sacred Heart Prep opened its WBAL Foothill Division season with a 47-46 win over visiting Mercy-San Francisco on Wednesday. Meghan Holland paced the Gators (1-0, 10-5) with 22 points, 12 coming on 3-pointers, with Caroline Cummings adding nine points. In the PAL South Division, Menlo-Atherton played without its only senior, Emma Heath, and obviously missed their leader the Bears suffered their first league loss, 45-30, to visiting Mills. Heath suffered a concussion in Saturday’s win over Sacred Heart Prep and is sidelined until at least next week. Against Mills, the Bears (2-1, 10-4) saw their fourgame win streak end as the Vikings led early in the game. In Palo Alto, Castilleja opened its WBAL Skyline Division campaign with a 57-33 home victory over ICA. The Gators were missing point guard Ellie Chen, who was sidelined with illness, so Paige Vermeer stepped up with her first double-double of the season — scoring 24 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Castilleja (1-0, 6-7) led by only 27-21 late in the first half, but an 8-0 run capped by Maddie Tarr’s buzzer-beater put the Gators on top 35-21 at halftime. Center Yasmeen Afifi recorded her seventh double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, and also blocked nine shots. Tarr pulled down 12 boards with four steals, and freshman Cate Alder added 10 points, five rebounds, four4 assists and four steals. In the SCVAL De Anza Division, Gunn senior guard Zoe Zwerling scored a career-high 28 points as the Titans (2-1, 3-3) rolled to a 53-45 victory over host Milpitas. Wrestling Three victories helped propel the Gunn wrestling team to a second-place finish at the annual San Ramon Invitational on Saturday at San Ramon Valley High. Junior Ian Cramer led the Titans by not only winning the 138pound title, but being named the Outstanding Wrestler of the seven lightweight divisions. Cramer went 4-0 while pinning all four opponents. N
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