Sports NORCAL TENNIS
Menlo’s latest championship provides valuable lesson Despite missing three starters, Knights battle their way to a sixth straight crown and 11th title in 16 years by Keith Peters ing time will be fierce.” word of warning to all those Shine also will strengthen his teams on the Menlo School team another way — making sure boys’ tennis schedule for there’s 100 percent commitment 2015. The Knights are losing by the players. just one senior starter off a team “Whoever is on the team, that won its sixth straight Central they’re going to be either 100 perCoast Section title and sixth con- cent in or 100 percent out,” Shine secutive crown at the CIF-USTA explained. Northern California Regional The reason for that is that startTennis Championships. ers Victor Pham and Chari both And, to further emphasize just missed the NorCal playoffs. Pham how good the won the Boys 16s Knights might be title at the USTA next season — May National Sethey were misslection Tournaing three of their ment at Stanford starting singles over the weekend, players during a going 5-0. Chari, 5-2 victory over meanwhile, travDougherty Valley eled all the way of San Ramon in to Cincinnati for the NorCal finals a tournament and Saturday at the lost in the first Natomas Racquet Menlo coach Bill Shine round. celebrates. Club. Shine knew a “We’re going month ago that he to be really strong again,” said might be missing his No. 2 and 3 Menlo coach Bill Shine, who los- singles players. es only No. 1 singles David Ball “This is actually the first time and reserve Jake Rudolph off a this has happened, at this time of 24-3 team that was probably bet- season,” he said. “It’s not going to ter than its record. happen again. Joining the team next season “I can understand where the will be four freshmen — the players, and parents, are coming younger brothers of Menlo start- from. But, I personally don’t think ers Vikram Chari, Gunther Matta, one tournament is going to deterLane Leschly and Nathan Sa- mine what college they’re going fran. to.” “It should be really interesting Shine said he actually was conto see who makes the team,” said cerned about his team’s chances Shine. “The competition for play- at NorCals.
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our fifth straight CCS championship game and we fell only two runs short.” Schoof had been the baseball head coach at Menlo for the past 27 years, winning 16 league titles and five CCS championships while qualifying for section action 23 times. Schoof said he will be moving to Southern California next school year to become the Director of Physical Education, Wellness and Athletics at the Oakwood School in North Hollywood. “Coach Schoof has meant everything to me and our team. He is Menlo baseball,” said Stanfordbound senior Mikey Diekroeger. “He’s the reason Menlo baseball and Menlo athletics have been so successful. His success has been unparalleled by any other coach or athletic director in the area.” During his 13 years as athletic director, Menlo teams have won two state titles, 15 NorCal crowns, 30 CCS championships and 120 league titles. His team this season had the highest cumulative grade-point average (3.6176) of
Angie Ball
matches behind Ball, Matta and Safran. Things turned quickly, though, and it as 3-2 with only the No. 2 and 3 doubles going to a third set. “It was clearly turning the other way,” said Shine. In the No. 2 doubles match, freshman Mark Ball and sophomore Michael Quezada fell behind love-40. They rallied then the teams exchanged at deuce before Quezada and Ball put it away, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 to clinch the title. “Michael was serving for the match at 5-4,” Shine said. “They were down 0-40 played some of the best clutch tennis I have ever seen!! Wow, what a match.” The first Menlo player on the court was David Ball who, in a passing of the torch, ran out to greet his little brother and Quezada, closely followed by the Menlo team. Emotions poured out from all the players, coaches and parents. “It can’t remember the last time
it was (that emotion-ridden),” Shine said. “It felt so good that they got to experience that, and got to continue the tradition of Menlo tennis.” After Quezada and Ball wrapped up their match, Kylee Santos and Dylan Pace elevated their play and wrapped up their victory at No. 3 doubles, as well, as Menlo escaped with its closest victory during the current six-year run. The Knights now have won 11 NorCal titles in the 16 years of the event. “They all feel special when I see the new kids on the team, and the excitement and camaraderie that’s passed down from the older kids to the younger ones,” said Shine, who is 430-45 in 18 years with the program. “They want to win, and they care so much — as much as the older ones. These guys got some valuable experience and they grew immensely. Now they know what hard work does for them.” N
any baseball team in the section the Knights offensively against and was honored for it prior to the Branham, getting on base a comgame. bined five times from the top two Menlo, in fact, had seven teams slots in the order. Stratford had among the nine sports the Knights three hits. competed in this spring make Unfortunately, the rest of their the top five on the CCS Spring teammates did not provide much Season Scholastic Championship help, as only two other Menlo Awards list. players were Schoof, meanable to reach while, was not base safely. the only perMenlo got on son to don the the scoreboard Knights’ jersey in the top of for the final the first intime Tuesday, ning, as sophoas Menlo has more Carson six graduating Gampell’s twoseniors on its out RBI single roster. off Branham “Playing with starting pitcher the seniors and Alex Zarate the rest of the gave Menlo an team has been early 1-0 lead. so much fun However, the this year,” said Menlo’s Craig Schoof celebrated Knights’ advansenior Graham two CCS wins. tage did not last Stratford, who long. will play at the University of RedMenlo’s starting pitcher, senior lands next season. “I’ve played Wyatt Driscoll, looked uncomwith a great group of guys, and I fortable in bottom half of the indon’t know how I’m going to play ning, walking the first two Bruin without them.” batters he faced, and eventually Stratford and Diekroeger, two allowing two RBI singles and a of the captains on the team, paced sacrifice fly that gave Branham a
3-1 advantage. “If we erase that first inning, and played the way we wanted to, I think we could have won that game,” Stratford said. “It’s too bad the game went the way it did.” For the next six innings both pitchers settled down considerably, and neither allowed a run for the rest of the contest. Both pitchers only allowed two more hits after the first inning. “Wyatt’s always been clutch for us, he always thrown strikes,” Stratford said of his fellow senior. “He’s had an amazing season, and I’m so proud of him.” After suffering a football injury two years ago, Driscoll underwent a total of 17 surgeries. Schoof said he thought Driscoll might never walk again after what he endured. Just getting back to the field and achieving what he did was remarkable. After falling behind early, Menlo’s best chance to score came in the sixth inning, as Diekroeger reached on an error by Branham first baseman Chris Kiefer, and Stratford hit a bunt single to set up runners at first and third with nobody out. Nothing came of the rally, how-
ever, as Jared Lucian lined into a fielder’s choice, and Gampell grounded into a double play to end the inning. Along with Diekroeger, Driscoll and Stratford, Sam Crowder, Christian Pluchar and Joe Farnham also will be graduating from the program. Their head coach was appreciative of all the intangibles the group of seniors brought to the club this year. “There’s a large group of underclassman on this team (only 10 innings of pitching experience returned), but it was the seniors who led us,” Schoof said. “They had been here before and they knew what it took.” With the season at a close, Schoof was able to reflect not only on the 2014 Menlo team, but the multitude of great years the Knights enjoyed under his watch. “I don’t think those who were around in the early eighties would have thought Menlo would have reached these heights,” Schoof said. “The goal was to build a program. I don’t think I ever dreamed of one CCS title let alone five. That’s a credit to the support the school gave, the kids, and the coaches.” N
Dave Bouvier
“Yes, I did have concerns,” he said. “Anytime you miss that big chunk of your team, it forces everyone up. I had confidence in the guys, because our depth is good. The only thing they didn’t have was experience at this level. You just don’t know how they’ll react to the situation and pressure. It was that unknown factor.” Menlo also was missing Leschly, still sidelined by concussion symptom following a surfing accident, while Ball (the school’s student body president) and Rudoph missed Friday’s 7-0 win over Lowell while participating in Senior Night. Despite little sleep, both seniors drove to the Sacramento area on Saturday morning to be with the team for the semifinals (a 7-0 win over Jesuit) and finals. Against No. 2-seeded Dougherty Valley, which had knocked off CCS runner-up Saratoga in the semifinals, the top-seeded Knights grabbed a quick 3-0 lead after winning the top three singles
Angie Ball
CCS baseball
The Menlo School boys tennis team captured a sixth straight NorCal championship and the 11th in 16 years with a hard-fought 5-2 victory over Dougherty Valley last Saturday in 100-degree heat in the Sacramento area.
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