Viking Volume 4 Issue 6

DOG FIGHTING: Underneath the pit bull stereotype

by Alistair Thompson >>> p. 34

June 2011 Volume IV Issue 6

2011 A Year to Remember

FUNCTIONAL REHABILITATION & SPORTS THERAPY

“Return to sport in a state of the art facility for all ages” TRUDI HENEWEER TRYGG, PT 401 Lambert Avenue, Palo Alto, California 94306 (650) 493-FRST, FAX (650) 493-7441 “3778” www.frst.com

”

Volume IV, Issue 6 June 2011

Staff List Editors-in-Chief Emy Kelty Nathan Norimoto Managing Editors Mira Ahmad Sam Borsos John Dickerson Alan Lamarque Design Editor Ben Sneider Photo Editor Paige Borsos Copy Editor Anne Hildebrand Columnists Peter Dennis Brennan Miller Shannon Scheel Business Managers Kevin Kannappan Jacob Lauing

Senior Staff Writers Mary Albertolle George Brown Michael Cullen Brandon Dukovic Will Glazier Sam Greene Alex Kershner Cooper Levitan Sam Maliska Gracie Marshall Talia Moyal Dustin Nizamian Mariah Philips Mark Raftrey Jack Smale Alistair Thompson Staff Skylar Dorosin Marina Foley Charlie Kelsey Matt Lam Alana Schwartz Adviser Ellen Austin

The Viking Palo Alto High School 50 Embarcadero Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 650-329-3837 Email contact: vikingeds@gmail.com Letters to the editor The Viking, a sports magazine published by the students in Palo Alto High School’s Advanced Magazine Journalism class, is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its readership. The Viking is distributed to its readers and the student body at no cost. The staff welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, potential libel, invasion of privacy and obscenity.

Advertising in The Viking The staff publishes advertisements with signed contracts providing they are not deemed by the staff inappropriate for the magazine’s audience. For more information about advertising with The Viking, please contact the The Viking by email at vikingeds@gmail.com or call 650-329-3837 for more information.

Printing Services The Viking is printed six times a year by Fricke-Parks Press in Fremont, Calif.

The Lineup

June 2011 Volume IV, Issue 6

KICK OFF

COLUMNS

6 | DESEAN JACKSON, HOT/NOT METER, SAY WHAT, POP CULTURE GRID 8 | ZOOM 9 | EDITORIAL 10 | 10 QUESTIONS WITH TRACK RUNNER NICK FORLENZA 11 | INSIDE THE MIND OF CHRISTIAN LONSKY

13 | DON’T GET CAUGHT LOOKING

18 | RECAPS

55 | LAST WORD

A look at what it takes to hit with two strikes, and what baseball teaches about life beyond the diamond.

by Will Glazier

14 | VIKING TRIES BOXING

For their last hurrah, The Viking visits the East Palo Alto boxing club for a lesson in the fist of furry.

by Dustin Nizamian An explanation of Michaels journey through The Viking and High School.

by Michael Cullen

54 | ZOOM

p.15 WRAP-UPS

The last news and results from all of Paly’s many sports from all season.

by Alan Lamarque and Mira Ahmad

p.43 2010-2011 AWARDS

The Viking has chosen five members of the Paly community for their leadership skills, athletic accomplishments and positive attitude.

Pictures (clockwise from top left) by Alex Kershner, Brandon Dukovic, Brandon Dukovic, Brandon Dukovic, Brandon Dukovic

p.51 ALOK SUBBARAO AWARD

Alistair Thompson embodies the qualities a true leader should possess.

by John Dickerson

Pictures (clockwise from top) by Paige Borsos, Brandon Dukovic, Brandon Dukovic

p.33 PIT BULLS

People know pit bulls for dog fighting and their aggressive behavior, but underneath this breed’s negative reputation there is a dog that the public needs to see.

by Alistair Thompson

p.26 BOTTOM 10 SPORTS MOMENTS

In a year filled with successes, take a look at these low points for the Vikings.

by Matt Lam and Kevin Kannnappan

p.28 TOP 10 SPORTS MOMENTS

The most memorable sports moments of the 2010-2011 school year.

by Mary Albertolle and Mariah Phillips

THE ISSUES

THE PEOPLE

16 | 2011 RECRUITING MAP

44 | UNDERCLASSMEN OF THE YEAR

by Cooper Levitan

34 | DOG FIGHTING

The horrors behind the sport of dog fighting and the truth about pit bulls.

by Alistair Thompson

THE MOMENTS 28 | TOP 10

The 10 most memorable sports moments of the 2010-2011 school year.

by Mary Albertolle and Mariah Phillips

30 | BOTTOM 10

In a year filled with successes, take a look at these low points for the Vikings.

by Matt Lam and Kevin Kannappan

THE TEAMS 22 | MALE TEAM OF THE YEAR

The football team’s winning season makes them male team of the year.

by Gracie Marshall

24 | FEMALE TEAM OF THE YEAR

A look at the monumental season of the Paly varsity volleyball team.

by Shannon Scheel

E.J. Floreal and Nina Kelty are shining examples of what underclassmen can achieve.

by Alex Kershner, Paige Borsos and Peter Dennis

46 | FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Helen Butler’s amazing attitude made her a great teammate.

by Anne Hildebrand

48 | MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

T.J. Braff ’s mentality puts him a step ahead of the rest.

by Skylar Dorosin

52 | COACH OF THE YEAR

Earl Hansen led the football team to Paly’s first state championship and was named state coach of the year, but he goes beyond awards.

by Alana Schwartz and Charlie Kelsey

52 | ALOK SUBBARAO AWARD

Alistair Thompson embodies the qualities a true leader should possess.

by John Dickerson Cover Design by Emy Kelty Contributing Photographers: Brandon Dukovic, Alex Kershner, Paige Borsos

News Briefs

Eagles football player, DeSean Jackson, visits Paly

by Nathan Norimoto

On Friday, May 20, DeSean Jackson, a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles, visited Palo Alto High School. Jackson was accompanied by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Donovan Warren, Jackson’s older brother Byron Jackson and rapper Ray Luv. Jackson and the other speakers talked to Paly students about the importance of

staying in school and trying their best in any activity they do.

Jackson attended the University of California in Berkeley, and was drafted in the second round of the NFL draft by the Eagles. He is a two time Pro-Bowler and one of the top receivers for the Eagles. Jackson attended Long Beach Poly High School with Warren, and the two played together on the same football team for two years.

During his talk Jackson shared with Paly students his five keys to success: belief, desire, dream, power, and vision. To go along with Jackson’s talk, the student’s were treated to a preview of Byron’s new movie that documents the journey of his brother from the time he was a toddler to the NFL. Byron has filmed over 1,000 hours of his brother throughout his life, and plans for the movie to release in early 2012.

Jackson’s journey to the NFL inspired some, and admiration in others. But thanks to the efQ AND A DeSean Jackson, Donnovan Warren and Byron Jackson answer questions from Paly students during their visit. forts of A.I.M., Jackson’s story has been shared with the Paly community.

Correction : In the last issue of The Viking, we incorrectly stated that there are 15 members on the JV gymnastics team. There are actually 11 members on the JV gymnastics team, and not all of them are cheerleaders.

Want real-time Paly sports updates, pictures, videos and game recaps?

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http://www.vikingsportsmag.com

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HOT NOT

“You’ve gotta wear cutoffs’ because you gotta get that tan, you know?

You’ve got to look good for the women” -Christian Lonsky Baseball (‘12) “You always want more of that kind of kid on your team” -Coach Jason Fung Track and Field “He’ll set himself a goal and will work extremely hard to reach that goal and I’ve never seen him fail” -Kevin Anderson (‘11)

“When you live on top of the world for much of your season it makes the fall that much harder” -Michael Cullen (‘11)

Paly Swimming Besides their scantily clad uniforms, both the boys’ and girls’ swim teams easily cruised through their league meets, while qualifying swimmers for CCS.

Graham Marchant The Paly pitcher entered in the first inning of game two of the SCVAL playoff championship series in relief, and he threw a complete game in only 67 pitches. Marchant held Wilcox to only one run.

Powderpuff Nothing like a good game of football to bring out class rivalries on the quad. With the sun shining and chickens flying, who can say no to a class game of Powder Puff Football.

Dirk Nowitzki Dropped 48 points on the Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, went 12/15 from the field and 24/24 at the line in the Mavs’ win. He’ll be back.

AP Test Proctoring Juniors thought spring SAT’s were bad? AP testing took seven hours for multiple subjects this year, who knew bubbling in could be so difficult?

San Jose Giants Paly Day

In what was suppose to be a fun night, honoring Paly sports, the rain and took over and hardly showed. Luckily, the Giants won 10-9 in 18 innings for the three or four fans who stayed behind.

Shutting down bathrooms Streaking is a tradition at Paly, get over it. The administration should just lighten up a bit. Locking bathrooms and stopping cars seems a bit ridiculous.

Lakers Getting swept in the second round of the NBA playoffs is not what champions do.

Guess it’s safe to say the Lakers will not be back next year either.

Graham Marchant (‘11) Baseball

Helen Butler (‘11) Track and Field

Rollin Lau (‘12) Boys’ Swimming

Kirah Ingram (‘12) Girls’ Lacrosse

Preferred Swimwear

Board Shorts

Bikini

Speedo

Bikini

Arnold Schwarzenegger is...

On Roids

A pig

The Terminator

A [mean person]

Summer Obsession

Slip n’ Slides

Fro-yo

Worst AP Test

AP Test?

Art

Statistics

None

Summer needs to___

Come sooner

Last forever

Last all year long

Come earlier or I’m going to die

Sleeping for more than Driving around blasting “A thousand Miles” seven hours

ZOOM

Photo by Paige Borsos

William Lee (’14) pushes off the wall to take the lead in the Saratoga Dual Meet and win the backstroke with a time of 54.73 seconds. The boys’ swim team defeated Saratoga by a final score of 105-78. They finished off their season with a record of 7-1 and finished in second place in the Central Coast Section championship.

Staff View

An athlete’s personal shortcomings should not affect athletic achievments, but it is the fan’s choice to choose role models wisely.

It is hard to say what makes an athlete great. For some it may be blinding speed or herculean strength. For others it could be sportsmanship or work ethic. But what happens when an admirable athlete on the field, does morally reprehensible things off the field? At what point do fans lose respect for their favorite athletes for doings away from the game?

In the heart of Surry County, Va., a great evil took place.

An evil committed not by a madman, or a notorious killer, but by a famous athlete with a household name and great national respect. Michael Vick was arrested for dog fighting and the vicious murder of several different dogs.

The scandal sent shock waves throughout the media, especially outlets most involved with the NFL. The event started a debate regarding the effect of such a scandal on the public respect of an athlete. On one side are those who believe an athlete is admirable for their skill alone, not on their moral compass. The other extreme believes that an offense so disgusting should taint the image of an athlete completely, and they should no longer be supported.

The Viking believes that an athlete’s off-field activities should be separate from their on field activities, but not

completely overlooked. We acknowledge that athletes do not sign up for a role as a moral leader, but that position inevitably comes with having such admirable talent. Certain actions cannot be ignored, and though it shouldn’t affect one’s respect for that athlete, it must be considered in one’s respect for that athlete as a person.

This is not to say that once an athlete commits a crime, even one as heinous as Vick’s, that his or her fan base should completely disintegrate. It is simply a matter of awareness; we should be aware of wrongdoing and have disrespect for it, but also have a capacity to enjoy the athlete’s skills and gifts, and have an appreciation for their hard work.

Michael Vick is an outstanding football player, but his integrity and character are in question. The Viking does not respect Vick any less as a football player; he still dominates. But as a person, we take into account the villainy involved in murdering and torturing innocent dogs.

Vick’s motives for his crimes are unknown, and will probably never be truly understood, and losing respect for his decisions is completely understandable. But to disregard the talent that an athlete brings to their franchise because of acts done elsewhere may be misguided. Vick was delegated a punishment not only by a trial jury, but also by the NFL. Regardless of whether the sentence was just or not, he paid the dues he was told to pay, and he is attempting to put the past behind him. Though The Viking feels his actions are inexcusable, and offensive, when Vick steps on the field and the lights on the gridiron go off he should still be viewed as a fierce competitor and renowned athlete. <<<

This is the final issue for The Viking’s seniors

Thirteen seniors have dedicated hours of work over the past two years, striving to improve The Viking. This year The Viking seniors have succeeded in creating a new website, regularly covering the games of Paly teams and winning national awards. The staff would like to thank the

seniors for everything they have done and hope they find as much success in their future, as they found working for Viking. If there time on The Viking serves as any indication of their future success, the staff believes that they will succeed in any endeavor they work for.

Alex Kershner

Alistair Thompson Brandon Dukovic Cooper Levitan

Dustin Nizamian

George Brown

Gracie Marshall

Mariah Philips

Mark Raftrey

Sam Maliska

Sam Greene

Will Glazier

Mary Albertolle

Michael Cullen

WITH

10

QUESTIONS NICK FORLENZA

THE KICKOFF

As told to Charlie Kelsey and Alana Schwartz

NICK

MOLLY

COACH G

Kenan Taser

BEST BRO

Some sort of Jeep

DREAM CAR

His moms’ new car

Shelby Sowa

DREAM DATE

Anna Seestone

Charlie Kelsey

FUNNIEST TEAMMATE

Charlie Kelsey

Skateboarding

FAVORITE ACTIVITY

Chillin at the Kool Aid Hut

Molly McComas

Running

FAVORITE SUBJECT

Mathematics

Molly McComas

History

History Hole in the Fence Anything [Kalen] Gans or [Christian] Lonksy can think up Sprite When Nikolai [Solgaard] pantsed me and I wasn’t wearing underwear

10

ORTIZ

Who knows varsity track runner Nick Forlenza (12’) best? Bro Nick Ortiz (12’), friend Molly McComas (13’) or track coach Joe Ginnani?

BEST DATE SPOT

Gans!

Molly McComas

My car Molly McComas

No idea

Gans That one bmw that he sees to practice Issy Kelsey

Nikolai

Hole in the Fence

My house

IDEAL SENIOR PRANK

Whatever class of 2012 comes up with

Turning pool into jello

BEVERAGE OF CHOICE

Thirsties

MOST EMBARRASSING TRACK MOMENT

Getting pantsed

Didn’t he get pantsed once?

Getting pantsed

40%

20%

30%

Sprite?

In N Out Wearing a Speedo to a meet Sprite

Inside the Mind

of

CHRISTIAN LONSKY

“

ON BASEBALL: I’ve been playing baseball since I was like six. Me and my dad cut out this piece of plywood into a club and I just hit tennis balls with my dad.

Then I went to little league and now I’m playing high school and it’s alright. We’ve been winning hella so as long as we keep winning it’s fun.

ON WRESTLING: I’m not very good at wrestling but I was working out on the track and then [varsity wrestling coach] Richie [Nole] told me to come out to some workouts. So I started working out with [the team] and they dragged me into it and now I’m stuck in the program. It’s all right.

I mean it’s pretty fun and you work hard.

ON THE GANS: The Gans [Kalen Gans (’12)] is sick! I mean lately, he’s been a little tied down because of his girlfriend so he hasn’t been as adventurous [as he has been in the past]. But me and The Gans and Kenan [Taser (’12)] are probably going to go up to his cabin and go waterskiing, friggin’ [start some] campfires, go camping, just do stuff with The Gans.

ON TRIATHLONS: I guess I kind of wanted to do triathlons cause of [biology teacher] Ms. Steingart cause she’s pretty old and she doesn’t really look like she’d be able to do an Iron Man. I guess she trains really hard every day and just runs; so, I thought it would be kind of cool. Me and The Gans swim and bike and stuff on the weekends.

AKA “Muscles McGillicutty” by

J a c k S male

ON PUMPIN’ IRON: Pumpin’ iron has been an obsession of mine ever since I’ve started idolizing Arnold Schwarzenegger. I mean I know he’s been in the news lately but it doesn’t matter ‘cause he is still the sickest dude ever! The first time I saw Arnold in a pumping iron video was when I was 13 I think. My mom got the video, Iron and since then I’ve Pumping Iron, seen it at least 10 times. The dude is just awesome. I mean Predator, Terminator, just some of the best videos ever made. He’s a hella good actor.

ON BASEBALL COACH RAICH: He calls me an idiot every single practice and makes fun of me. I don’t think there has been one practice where he hasn’t made fun of me. But he says when he yells at you it’s for the best so I guess he’s pretty cool. And he’s making me better, so it’s all good in the end.

ON QUAD ARTISTRY: I went to Osh [my sophomore year] because [some friends and I] were making a potato gun and we saw this weed killer and I was like, ‘dude, we gotta get this weed killer.’ Then it occurred to me that we should just burn this [phallus] in the quad. It just became this huge thing that everyone remembers me for.

“

Christian Lonsky (‘12), a varsity wrestler and baseball catcher, was kind enough to talk to the The Viking about what goes on in his mind.

ON CUT-OFF T-SHIRTS: I mean any time it’s hot outside you’ve gotta wear cut-offs ‘cause you gotta get that tan, you know? You’ve gotta look good for the women.

11

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More than your average bike shop!

From Sacramento to DC, we lobby for safe routes to schools for kids and safer bike lanes for everyone.

D.C.

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Sacramento X Palo Alto Bicycles

171 University Ave I Palo Alto, CA I 650.328.7411 www.paloaltobicycles.com I M-F 10-7; Sat 10-6; Sun 11-5

Don’t get

caught looking

by Will Glazier

Photo by Alex Kershner

A n 0-2 count: a situation any

sane hitter dreads. Down two strikes, the pitcher can throw you anything in his arsenal, the nastiest of curves or the filthiest of change-ups. Major leaguers hit a combined meager .156 with an 0-2 count, and it doesn’t get much better 1-2 or 2-2 either. All the odds point to the fact the hitter should probably just get ready to grab some pine.

Maybe I’m not as sane as I thought, but I love hitting with two strikes. Everything about any two strike count brings out the best in me at the plate. It must be something about going into “battle mode” or “two strike [Personality]” as coach Raich puts it. And there is no way I’m going to let that pitcher beat me because with two strikes, it has nothing to do with skill: only will (no, not my name).

This absence of skill is what I love. When the only thing that matters is the amount of determination you carry and desire to get on base. In my entire Paly athletic career, it has never really been about just skill. I am proud to admit I have never been the “star” of our football or baseball teams. On the football field, Michael Cullen (‘11) and Kevin Anderson (‘11) still lay the most bone-crunching hits, and T.J. Braff (‘11) hits bombs on the diamond like nobody else. Anyways, I would prefer to stick to what I do best: hitting with two strikes.

I’m not exactly sure what my two strike batting average is, but I’m pretty sure it’s a little higher than the meager major league .156. Yet, the thing about facing slim odds like that is they become motivation. For anyone who saw ESPN’s fleeting “win probability” meter during the College World Series, they would agree that the “win probability” of the Palo Alto Vikings against the Centennial Huskies was a lot lower than

15.6 percent. And off the sports field, 15.6 percent is a whole lot higher than the acceptance rate for many top colleges we all had the “pleasure” of applying to. But these are only odds and predictions for a reason. We shocked Centennial, and students from Paly did get accepted into top universities. It could be a cancer patient fighting and eventually overcoming the disease, to an abused pit bull escaping the vicious cycle of dogfighting, to a orphaned child struggling to survive in a war zone. Compared to those situations, playing a game of baseball seems easy.

The unique thing about baseball is that it’s just a game, yet it can teach you so much about life. Just ask Paly assistant coach (and mentor/idol to everybody on the team) Dick Held about how baseball influenced his career with the FBI, and you will hear thrilling stories of intense situations where he had to “take a deep breath, relax, and simplify”, skills that are most easily learned by stepping into a batters box down 0-2.

It is only fitting that our season stood in an 0-2 count, needing to win two in a row against Wilcox for the league championship. After a clutch pitching performance by Graham Marchant (‘11) and another mammoth bomb by Braff, we were league champions. However, one game still stands between us and the ultimate goal, a Central Coast Section (CCS) championship. We have a chance to beat the best of the best in Division I, and I’m excited for the challenge. This is my 0-2 count for now, and I know I will have many more to face later in life, and they may not be as easy as playing a game of baseball. But if there is one thing I can take away from baseball, its that we all “hit with two strikes” in life, just in varying ways. And I’m not going down looking on a fastball down the middle. <<<

13

THE KICKOFF

BOXING

tries...

Excuse me if this comes out strange, my head is still a bit fuzzy…

Last week I gathered up Josh Chin (‘11), Kevin Anderson (‘11), and Ali Kershner (’11) and went to the East Palo Alto boxing club with absolutely no idea what to expect. For those of you who haven’t stepped inside a boxing gym before, I think a simple phrase suffices to explain the aura of the place: friggin’ intimidating. There’s nothing like stepping into a room full of athletes who spend their evenings training to beat the bejesus out of other people to give you a feeling of coziness inside.

We showed up without hand-wraps or gloves and did pretty well to make ourselves look like fools in front of the boxers and their head trainer, Johnnie Gray Jr. Gray is the owner and founder of the club, a professional in his day who still looks like he can throw a mean right cross. His second in command Fatima Alcantar, an excellent boxer in her own right, helped us find our way and arranged for us to return in a few days, after getting ourselves some proper gear.

Fast forward to today, after a quick stop at Walmart of course. Our group of four returned to the gym to find a similar situation as our first trip: a collection of hard-working boxers train-

ing on treadmills, punching bags, and weight machines with one impressive young fighter in the middle of the ring, firing rapid blasts into the outstretched punching mitts of Johnnie Gray. “Who’s the champ?” Gray asked repeatedly as he kept the incessant rhythm with his hands. “I’m the champ,” responded the young fighter without ever interrupting his flurry of punches. Still intimidating? Definitely. But at least this time we had a vague familiarity with the place, albeit not where we might fit into it.

After re-introducing ourselves, this time to a young trainer named Ariana Faris, we were still oblivious as to where to start. We did, however, see

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPS (from left) Josh and I get some help wrapping our hands from trainer Ariana Faris before stepping into the

14

by Dustin Nizamian photography by Alex Kershner that the ring was currently unoccupied, a rarity at the club but something not nearly as uncommon as two completely inexperienced teenagers jumping into the ring without any training whatsoever. So, naturally, that’s exactly what we did, and before we knew it, Josh and I were fully geared up and ready to fight.

We didn’t have much time in the ring—at least we thought we didn’t. It turned out that four minutes of sloppy fighting, with the incessant and hilarious commentary of Johnnie Gray throughout, was plenty of time for us to kill some brain cells and exhaust ourselves, not to mention make it abundantly clear to all our spectators how

little we knew about boxing. We both left the ring with ringing ears and I was lucky enough to be the recipient of some painful gut shots, but as I cleaned myself up and came back to reality, I understood an immense lot more about boxing than I ever could have before.

I’ve never been much of a fighter myself (an early dropout from Karate class) but nonetheless, I’ve always been fascinated by boxing. I’ve seen most of the famous fights and I try to catch as much of Manny Pacquiao as HBO will let me. But as much as I appreciated the art, (and make no mistake, boxing at its best is truly art in motion) without having stepped in the ring myself, it was impossible to fathom either the physi-

cal endurance or the mental toughness that is requisite in a good fighter. In no other sport is the competition so basic and the setting so intense. For the two boxers in the ring, the battle is as much against themselves and the “Fight or Flight” mechanisms of their own brain as their opponent. Throw in a handful of jarring blows to the head and the task of maintaining their focus and remembering their training is shown to be truly Herculean. It takes a measure of courage to step into a fight but an entirely different kind of bravery—more level-headed—to fight well. Calm under fire has long been a characteristic of heroes; perhaps that’s why people are so drawn to good boxers. <<<

ring to duke it out... Usually you train before you fight, but in typical The Viking Tries fashion, we decided to run before learning to walk.

15

CLASS OF 2011

ATHLETIC FUTURES MAP

by Cooper Levitan

Coe

M Lewis & Clark College (1)

UC Davis (2)

Fresno State University (1)

Stanford University (2) Santa Clara University (3) UC Santa Cruz (1) California Polytechnic State University (1) UC Santa Barbara (1) Occidental College (1) Pomona College (1) UC Los Angeles (1) Claremont McKenna College (2) UC San Diego (1) University of San Diego (1) Brigham Young University (1) DePauw University (1)

Coe College (1) Oberlin College (1) Michigan University (1)

Carnegie Melon University (1)

Williams College (1)

Colgate University (1)

Cornell University (1) Hamilton College (1) Ithica College (1)

Bates College (1) Tufts University (2) Brandeis University (1) Wellesley College (1) Amherst College (1) Princeton University (2) University of Pennsylvania (1) Bucknell University (1) Virginia Tech University (1)

Duke University (1) Mercer University (1)

Khana, Mira

BASEBALL (5) Braff, TJ - Santa Clara University Glazier, Will - Tufts University Maliska, Sam - Bates College Swezey, Drake - Santa Clara University Tenanes, Cory - UC Davis BASKETBALL (2) Davis, Sydney - University of San Diego Schmarzo, Max - Coe College CREW (3) De Stefano, Lexie - UC San Diego Jalalian, Laura - Santa Clara University Walker, Quinn - Stanford University DIVING (2) Greenwood, Grace - Cornell University Zenger, Jordan - Brigham Young University FENCING (1) Berman, Noah - Brandeis Univesity FOOTBALL (4) Adams, Davante - Fresno State University Anderson, Kevin - Stanford University Bono, Christoph - UC Los Angeles Cullen, Michael - UC Davis GOLF (1) Yuan, Micahel - Princeton University LACROSSE (3) Brunett, John - Ithica College Levitan, Cooper - Oberlin College Spain, Zach - Mercer University RUGBY (1) Palmquist, Colin - UC Santa Barbara SOCCER (8) Butler, Helen - Virginia Tech University Cain, Gracie - California Polytechnic State University Hummel, Zac - UC Santa Cruz Kershner, Alex - Duke University Ohlson, Hannah - Williams College Panayides, Tony - Colgate University Raftrey, Mark - Pomona College Richardson, John - Occidental College SOFTBALL (2) Marshall, Gracie - Tufts University Philips, Mariah - Wellesley College SWIMMING (2) Lee, Sabrina - Amherst College Liang, Sarah - Princeton University TENNIS (1) Khana, Mira - Hamilton University TRACK (3) Anderson, Miles - DePauw University Heinselman, Susan - Lewis & Clark College Kiekhaefer, Erin - Carnegie Melon University VOLLEYBALL (2) Coleman, Megan - Claremont McKenna College Ohms, Trina - University of Pennsylvania WATER POLO (3) Conner, Haley - Claremont McKenna College Glaves, Anna - University of Michigan Wattana, Ken - Bucknell University

FINISH LINE

2011

THE

THE TEAMS

A LOOK BACK AT EVERY 2010-2011 TEAM, WINS AND LOSSES INCLUDED Check out vikingsportsmag.com for more online coverage and game recaps

by Mira Ahmad and Alan Lamarque

a win against Wilcox. However, they lost to Bellarmine College Prep. in the quarter finals. The Bells easily bypassed the Vikings, 12-4.

Key players for the team included attack Ken Watanna (’11), Brett Pinsker (’13) and Quinn Rockwell (’13).

The Vikings will be graduating four seniors this year.

The Paly varsity girls’ water polo team finished fourth in league and competed into the quarterfinals of the CCS playoffs, falling to Gunn High School.

The team improved on last year’s league standing and progressed the same amount in the CCS tournament.

Driver Skylar Dorosin (‘12) was a

powerful asset to the team during the 2010 season. Other key players included attackers Hayley Conner (‘11) and Anna Glaves (‘11).

Paly will be graduating eight seniors from the team. Shannon Scheel (‘12) and Dorosin will be captains for the Lady Vikes next season.

GIRLS’ WATER POLO

18

OVERALL RECORD: 13-7 COACH: GIOVANI NAPOLITANO RANK IN LEAGUE: 4th LEAGUE RECORD: 7-2 Photo by Brandon Dukovic

OVERALL RECORD: 10-4 LEAGUE RECORD: 10-4

Anna Glaves (‘11)

The Palo Alto High School varsity boys’ water polo team had a season filled with ups and downs like its female counterpart.

Finishing fourth in league, the Vikings improved on last year’s league record of 4-8.

The team had a strong start in the Cental Coast Section (CCS) playoffs with

Ken Wattana (‘11)

BOYS’ WATER POLO

Photo by Alex Kershner

COACH: CORRY OLCOTT RANK IN LEAGUE: 4th

The CCS meet was also short of Paly runners. Only two were present, a significant drop from last years third place finish.

Nikolai Solgaard (‘11) took on the job as the fastest runner on the team alongside Corso Rosati (‘12) and Matan Geller (‘13). The Vikings will not lose any varsity COACH: JOE GINNANI seniors this season.

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY Lead by senior captains Susan Heinselman (‘11) and Gracie Cain (‘11), the Paly girls’ cross-country team ended their season at Toro Park in the CCS meet. Heinselman and Cain finished 11th and 18th respectively but will be replaced by strong rising upperclassmen Maryssa Sklaroff (‘13), Nora Rosati

(‘13), Shaheen Eshaboy (‘13), Jessica May (‘12), Lydia Guo (‘12) and Anne Hildebrand (‘12) for next year.

The team had a strong performance at the SCVAL championship, finishing third overall with a score of 78 behind Mountain View High School and Gunn High School.

Lady Vikes. They both won in three set matches.

However, the team was not able pull through in the second round against Menlo. They lost to the Knights 6-1.

Looking forward to next year, the team will have plenty of holes to fill, as all but four of the team’s members will be graduating.

Headed by seniors Davante Adams (‘11) and Max Schmarzo (‘11) the Paly boys’ basketball team had only one loss in league play, finishing with an overall reacord of 19-7.

The Vikings received added support from underclassmen E.J. Floreal (‘13) who made First Team All-SCVAL De Anza Division along with Schmarzo and

Adams, averaged 14.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. the boys’ basketball team suffered a harsh loss to Archbishop Mitty in the second round of the CCS playoffs.

Aside from Adams and Schmarzo, Paly will be graduating forward Charlie Jones (‘11), guard Bill Gray (‘11) and postman T.J. Braff (‘11).

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

COACH: PAUL JONES

RANK IN LEAGUE: 4th

Photo by Shannon Scheel

OVERALL RECORD: 10-8 COACH: ANDY HARADER RANK IN LEAGUE: 3rd Photo by Paige Borsos

OVERALL RECORD: 19-7 LEAGUE RECORD: 11-1

Israel Hakim (‘12)

The Paly girl’s tennis team had a fairly strong season, managing a winning record by just two games.

The Lady Vikes had a key victory in CCS with a 7-0 sweep over Los Gatos High School.

Team captain Mira Khanna (‘11) and sophomore Sammy Solomon (‘13) competed in the singles division for the

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

Haley Lucian (‘13)

GIRLS’ TENNIS

RANK IN LEAGUE: 11th

Rachel Vasquez (‘11)

Although the Vikings were unstopable last year, this year the Paly boys’ crosscountry team did not meet the standards they had perviously set.

The Vikings did not send any runners to the state meet this year after losing top competitors Phillip McQuitty (‘10), Ben Sklaroff (‘10), and Josh Newby (‘10) who anchored last years team.

Matan Gller (‘13)

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

COACH: ADAM SAX RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st

19

THE TEAMS Stephanie Allen (‘13)

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

The Paly varsity girls’ basketball team continued a Paly trend by going undefeated in league play and in CCS playoffs.

The team went 12-0-0 in league and were 22-5-0 overall.

Guard Emilee Osagiede (‘12) was a key player for the Lady Vikes, averaging the most points per game for the team and earning league MVP at the end of

the season.

The success came to an end against Lincoln High School with a 56-34 loss in the first round of the Nor Cal tournament.

The Lady Vikes were also greatly aided by the addition of forward Josie Butler (‘13) and point guard Sydney Davis (‘11). Paly will graduate four seniors.

Suffering only one loss the entire season, the Paly wrestling team won important meets against Cupertino High School and Monta Vista High School.

Standout wrestlers included Kalen Gans (‘12), Nicholas Ortiz (‘12) and Joey Christopherson (‘12).

Although the Wildcats finished first in league above the Vikings, Paly pulled

off a first place position in the SCVAL tournament, sending 11 of its 14 varsity wrestlers to CCS. Out of the 11 athletes who competed, Gans was the only one to attend the State meet where he had two losses, and a premature exit.

All varsity wrestlers will return except for Jose Tochez (‘11).

The Paly varsity boys’ soccer team never got over their tying streak. The team’s only league win came against Saratoga in the first season match-up.

The Vikings tied the rest of their season games until their final match against Mountain View where they fell 3-1 to the Spartans.

The Vikings lost key player Kris Ho-

glund (’12) to broken leg in an early game against Mountain View.

In CCS playoffs, the first game against Milpitas High School was an easy 2-0 win.

However, the Vikings’ shot at advancing further in the playoffs ended after a 3-0 loss to Menlo Atherton. The team will graduate 10 seniors this year.

The Paly varsity girls’ soccer team had a disappointing 2-7-3 season this year. The Lady Vikes were led by goalie Alex Kershner (’11), mid fielder Gracie Cain (’11) and defenders Gracie Marshall (‘11) and Helen Butler (‘11).

Despite a strong group of individual players, the team was unable to put away chances offensively. A few bright

moments in the season included a 2-0 win against Gunn High School a 0-0 tie against number one ranked Mountain View.

Despite a strong sophomore and junior class, the Lady Vikes will have to fight next year to say in their league which is one of the most competetive in OVERALL RECORD: 5-11-3 COACH:ERNESTO CRUZ the area.

LEAGUE RECORD: 2-7-3 RANK IN LEAGUE: 6th

20

OVERALL RECORD: 5-1 LEAGUE RECORD: 5-1

COACH: DAVE DURAN RANK IN LEAGUE: 2nd

Photo by Alana Schwartz

OVERALL RECORD: 10-4-7 COACH: DONALD BRIGGS LEAGUE RECORD: 1-1-6 RANK IN LEAGUE: 3rd Photo by Brandon Dukovic

Katherine Maniscalco (‘13)

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Photo by Emy Kelty

Brandon Nyguyen (‘11)

BOYS’ SOCCER

COACH: SCOTT PETERS RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st Erik Anderson (‘13)

WRESTLING

OVERALL RECORD: 22-5 LEAGUE RECORD: 12-0

pushed the team back in the standings.

The Vikings entered the playoffs seeded fourth and tore apart Sacred Heart Prep 12-3. But in the second round Paly fell 11-8 to rival Mountain View High School.

The team graduates 13 seniors, and looks to Matt Lam (’12) and Kris Hoglund (’12) to lead the next season.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

The main issue for the Paly baseball team this year has been consistency.

Dropping three of the first four games of the season, the Vikings found their stride after shutting out Santa Cruz High School 13-0.

Despite winning the next 10 games, the team again found themselves in a lull, dropping four of the next five games,

three of them in a row.

The Vikings were able to win the SCVAL title, beating Wilcox High in the series two games to one. The Vikings easily won the first round of CCS against Monta Vista High School, and powered

by Homestead. In CCS semifinals, the Vikings defeated Mitty 5-2. The team will face San Benito in CCS finals May 28.

After finishing 6-6 in league, the Paly softball team fell to Santa Teresa High School in the first round of CCS. The Lady Vikes exceeded expectations by winning three out of their last four games, giving them their seed in CCS. The Lady Vikes have stepped in to fill the holes left by Lauren Bucolo (‘10) and

Kelly Jenks (‘10). Senior captain Gracie Marshall, Anna Rizza (‘13) and Maya Padilla (‘13) all added the recent success of the team’s hitting game.

The Lady Vikes are also looking to freshmen pitcher Julia Saul (‘14) and slugger Hannah Bundy (‘14) to step up and help carry the team through next year’s season.

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

OVERALL RECORD: 16-8 LEAGUE RECORD: 11-2

COACH: JAMIE NESBITT RANK IN LEAGUE: 2nd

Photo by Alex Kershner

OVERALL RECORD: 25-9 LEAGUE RECORD: 15-5 Photo by Alex Kershner

OVERALL RECORD: 10-15 LEAGUE RECORD: 6-6

COACH: ERICK RAICH RANK IN LEAGUE: 2nd Maya Padilla (‘13)

The Lady Vikes powered through SCVAL playoffs, easily defeating Los Gatos 15-9 in the semi-finals. However, their season ended a with an emotional 13-8 loss against Saint Francis, who they beat last year in the championship game.

The team graduates seven seniors, including both goalies.

COACH: CRAIG CONOVER RANK IN LEAGUE: 4th

Drake Swezey (‘11)

After losing 11 seniors and their coach last year, the Paly girls’ lacrosse team finished 11-1 in league behind only Saint Francis High School, who the Lady Vikes lost to 9-8 in season play.

Although they experienced great in-league success, out of league games proved to be difficult for the team to overcome.

OVERALL RECORD: 13-7 LEAGUE RECORD: 7-5

Gracie Cain (‘11)

The Paly varsity lacrosse team finished with a 7-5 record in league and were not able to defend last year’s league title.

The loss of mid fielder Kris Hoglund (‘12), to a broken leg was difficult to deal with. Despite this setback, the season looked promising, as the Vikings started 4-0. However, a costly three game slide,

Kevin Proceviat (‘11)

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Photo by Alex Kershner

COACH: TIM ANDERSON RANK IN LEAGUE: 4th

21

THE TEAMS

Schools.

Individual athletes Pippa Raffel (‘11) in the long jump, Helen Butler (‘11) in the triple jump, Katerina Peterson (‘11) in discus and Lindsay Black (‘12) in shot put will continue on to CCS finals at Gilroy High School along with the 4x400 relay team.

CCS finals will be held May 27 and 28.

Palo Alto High School boys’ swimming and diving reclaimed first place in league after losing to Monta Vista High School at the league championship last spring. The team thrived this season after gaining swimmers Andrew Liang (’14) and Willy Lee (’14).

Losing only one dual meet this year to Monta Vista, the Vikings dominated

the Santa Clara Valley Athletic league dual meets.

Major junior contributors included Rollin Lau (’12), Byron Sanborn (’12) and Corso Rosati (’12). An important win for the team was the dual meet against Los Gatos in a close 98-88 victory. The Vikings anticipate young talent to continue the team’s success next year.

Led by Sarah Liang (‘11), Sabrina Lee (‘11), and Jasmine Tosky (‘12) the Lady Vikes’ placed first in the SCVAL league.

At the SCVAL finals at Saratoga High School the Lady Vikes’ won the meet with 585 points crushing the competition. Tosky won the 200M Freestyle with a time of 1:45.98 beating the record

she set at last year’s meet.

The Lady Vikes’ finished in the top three in the 100M Butterfly race, and Lee won the backstroke with a time of 57.54.

Paly placed second in CCS, losing to Archbishop Mitty by a hairs breadth when the relay team was dequalified for an early start off the blocks.

BOYS’ SWIMMING

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

22

COACH: JASON FUNG RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st

Photo by Anne Hildebrand

OVERALL RECORD: 2-4 LEAGUE RECORD: 3-3

COACH: JASON FUNG RANK IN LEAGUE: 5th

Photo by Paige Borsos

LEAGUE RECORD: 6-1

COACH: DANNY DYE RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st

Photo by Paige Borsos Laura Cui (‘12)

Paly girls’ track and field placed ninth at the end of SCVAL finals.

In dual meets over the course of the season Paly went 3-3, defeated Los Gatos, Milpitas and Lynbrook High Schools and fell to Gunn, Los Altos and Mountain View High Schools.

At SCVAL finals, Paly defeated Milpitas, Santa Clara and Fremont High

GIRLS’ TRACK & FIELD

OVERALL RECORD: 5-1 LEAGUE RECORD: 4-1

William Lee (‘14)

ter, the 4x400 team and Nikolai Solgaard (‘12) in the 800 meter. Kirkman also qualified to continue in the 200 meter dash.

In field events, Victor Du (‘13) tied for first in high jump and will continue on to CCS with Williams, who also qualified for long and triple jump. Tory Prati (‘12) qualified for shot put.

Lydia Guo (‘12)

Boys’ track and field finished the season ranked first in league by 27 points.

In the SCVAL finals, the 4x100 team placed first and will continue on to CCS along with Grant Sauer (‘11) in the 110 meter hurdles, Morris Gates-Mouton (‘12) in the 400 meter dash, Maurice Williams (‘11), Miles Anderson (‘11), Tremaine Kirkman (‘12) in the 200 me-

Victor Du (‘13)

BOYS’ TRACK & FIELD

Photo by Anne Hildebrand

LEAGUE RECORD: 7-0

COACH:DANNY DYE RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

The Paly varsity tennis team ended its season with a 14-10 record and made it to the finals of CCS.

With the help of Nicky Hu (‘12), the Vikings beat Los Gatos, Leigh, and crosstown rivals, Gunn High Schools.

Results from the Gunn High School match were particularly rewarding due to the tough loss the Vikings suffered to

the Titans in the first match of the season.

The team will graduate Chirag Krishna, Andy Hammer, Scott Monismith, and Lucas Fodor, all of whom were leaders this season for the Vikings.

“They were a very unifying force on the team [they had] great team chemistry” head coach Andy Harader said.

The Paly varsity badminton team ended league play with a loss against Cupertino High School, 27-3.

The Vikings powered through the season lead by Michael Wang (‘13), Gavin Chan (‘13) and Kevin Kwan (‘11).

Kwan, the captain, led the team in points this season and has had a major impact on the Viking’s season.

Jae Park (‘12) and Kevin Zhang (‘11) also helped the team in important 17-13 win over Santa Clara High School this season. The team will be losing seniors Andy Tsai , Kevin Kwan, and Shaw Hsu at the end of the season.

The Badminton team palced second in league, and failed to qualify any individuals for CCS.

The two-man varsity gymnastics team consists of Sarah Miller (‘12) and Sophie Jorasch (‘12). Both girls were competitive gymnasts throughout elementary and middle school, but chose to pursue other passions in High School.

However, last year Miller and Jorasch got back on the beam, with the introduction of the Paly Gymnastics team.

Although the varsity team has only two members, the junior varsity squad is much larger. Milller and Jorasch hope to increase the size of the varsity squad next season while continuing to place well in leagues.

In their only meet of the season, Jorasch placed sixth while Miller placed seventh.

BOYS’ TENNIS

BADMINTON

GYMNASTICS

OVERALL RECORD: 7-4 LEAGUE RECORD: 7-4

COACH: DOYLE KNIGHT RANK IN LEAGUE: 3rd

Photo by Paige Borsos

COACH: ANDY HARADER Photo by Alex Kershner

OVERALL RECORD: 7-5

RANK IN LEAGUE: 1st

COACH: STEPHANIE HSI

Photo by Anne Hildebrand Sophie Jorasch (‘12)

Mountain View High Schools.

The Vikings, who were led predominantly by underclassmen, finished third as a team in the SCVAL tournament.

Sam Niethammer (‘14), Grant Raffel (‘13), and Michael Yuan (‘11) led the team and all qualified for the individual CCS tournament. The team will graduate just one senior this season.

Alvin Kim ( ‘13)

The Paly varsity golf team finished the season with six wins, three losses, and one tie.

The Vikings started the year off strong by finishing second as a team at the Salinas tournament.

The team then went on to win their next four matches, before losing three in a row to Homestead, Los Altos and

Grant Raffel(‘11)

GOLF

COACH: ERICKA FUSILERO

23

THE TEAMS

24

MALE

TEAM

year

of the

by Gracie Marshall

T

here is not much left to be said for the 2010-2011 Palo Alto High School Football team’s fairy tale season. A flawless 14-0 record, a three game West Catholic League sweep to take the Central Coast Sections (CCS) title, a Division One state championship victory, and a citywide parade all resulted in a plethora of press coverage from both newspapers and television programs nation wide.

The victory at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on December 17 not only harbored an exuberant sense of pride throughout the Paly sports community that has been absent since the football team’s last run at a state championship title in 2006, but more than that, the win on that drizzly Saturday evening put Paly athletics on the national map.

Coming off a 7-2-2 season in 20092010, including a premature exit from the CCS playoffs in the first round against Bellarmine, the 2010-2011 Paly football team was not expected to capture the state crown.

“I thought we would have a good team, but definitely not a state championship caliber team,” quarterback Christoph Bono (‘11) said. “We did pretty well over the summer in passing leagues, but after our first game against Burlingame where we didn’t play that well I was not expecting to be a state champ 15 weeks later.”

However, despite a shaky start to the season, the Vikings got back on their feet, defeating Archbishop Mitty 20-7 in the home opener a week later. From that point on, the Vikings hit the ground

running. They tore apart the De Anza division game after game, with their biggest league victory coming from a 42-0 victory over Los Gatos. Two weeks later however, the team was forced to put on the breaks after losing five players to injury in the Vikings’ homecoming game against Homestead.

“Definitely the worst part of the season was the game against Homestead,” TJ Braff (‘11) said. “We lost a lot of our key players for a few games and that could have hurt us but we were able to get back on track.”

Younger players such as center Spencer Drazovich (‘13) stepped up in a huge way for the Vikings, filling in for the injured upperclassmen. The squad’s athleticism and the depth of its secondstring lineup allowed the team to make a quick turnaround after the injuries suffered in the Homestead game. However, it was the dedication of the coaching staff that really put the Paly team back in motion and kept the Vikings’ prepared and ready to face their opponents game in and game out.

“The coaching staff was just as important or more important than any of the players on the team this year,” Bono said.

“Coach [Earl] Hansen spent hours and hours every weekend watching film and creating a game plan to follow and execute that week. On the other side, Coach Halas was outstanding in preparing the defense every week by scouting the opposing teams offense. And he created a defense right before the state game that completely shut down their offense.” <<<

25

THE TEAMS female

TEAM

by Shannon Scheel

I

26

t’s been five months since the Palo Alto High School Volleyball team made Paly history by capturing the CIF State Championship title over favorite Long Beach Poly. The team has soaked it in, relishing in the glory and comprehending the extreme difficulty of the accomplished task: a state championship season. Head Coach Dave Winn sighed deeply as he reflected on the season, five months later. The phone line went silent for a few long moments. Finally, Winn spoke again.

“We’re 41-1,” he said. “The more time passes by, the more you start to realize ‘Wow, that’s really amazing.’ “ Five months after the emotional rush has faded, the accomplishment remains: 41 wins. One loss. One CCS championship. One Northern California championship, and one California Interscholastic Federation Division One State Championship. The statistics speak for themselves: outside hitters Kuppe, and Trina Ohms (‘11) finished the season with 227 and 380 attack kills respectively. Opposite Caroline Martin (‘12) added 167 kills on the season, while middle blocker Melanie Wade (‘12) supplied 537. Setter Kimmy Whitson, who earned the Pursuing Victory with Honor sports-

year

of the

manship award for the state tournament, contributed 1,148 assists, while libero Megan Coleman (‘11) had 543 digs. Maxpreps.com, a popular sports statistic website for high school athletics, has ranked the Paly team eighth in the nation and second in the state. “ ‘Clearly girls, we’ve got to think about four banners this year,’’ Winn recalls telling his players. “We can’t be satisfied with just making it to the CCS finals again this year, we have to set our standards high.”

After going 9-0 in the Reno Tournament, the standard was set, and the wins continued. Paly improved to 26-0 overall, continuing its customary winning streak.

All through Central Coast Section (CCS) and Norcals, the Vikings would play with this mentality: never once did they loosen their grip on the ending goal: a state championship. The odds loomed large against Paly: Long Beach Poly, at the time, was the number one team in the nation. The Lady Vikes, however, tuned out this fact entirely, using it instead to fuel their fire to play the game of a lifetime.

“We went in as underdogs so that really tested our abilities to push through the difficult situations and say

‘hey we’re as good as anyone else out there,’” Captain Trina Ohms (‘11) said.

In a seemingly unbelievable turn of events in game five, Palo Alto emerged victorious. Though certain moments within that match will without question stay fresh in the minds of the Paly team for years to come, Winn, looking back on the season as a whole, is more focused on the emotional ride than specifics.

“When you just finish a match, you know exactly how every point was scored [but] then that starts to fade and you get the perspective of the whole season and what it took just to get to that final game,” Winn said.

“It’s something a lot of teams don’t get the chance to do and we did it.”

Looking into next season Paly will have new challenges to face. But for now, Palo Alto Volleyball can look back, reminiscing and re-living the long journey that brought it to the top. Up until the last moment of play, the atmosphere was competitive, and Paly’s drive to succeed shone through. Because in the end, the Lady Vikes don’t play just to win: they play with a passion for the game, each other, and the green and white tradition. To both the players and Winn, this is what stands out most, five months later. <<<

27

THE MOMENTS

BOTTOM 10 Moments of 2010-2011 Photo by Brandon Dukovic

10

by Matt Lam and Charlie Kelsey

ALL WE DO IS TIE

We’ve all heard of a losing and winning streaks, but a tying streak? Tying might not sound as harsh as losing but for the Palo Alto varsity boys’ soccer team seemed just as bad. The Vikings tried to play it off as if they were undeafeted (following the Paly trend), but tying the first six league games, two of which were to the cross-town rival Gunn High School, does not mean you’re undefeated. Nuff said.

9

Matt Waymouth (‘14)

GO HOME, HOMESTEAD

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

8

WHERE THE SENIORS AT??

Maurice Williams (‘11)

Two runners out of eight. That’s it? Really? Come on now. The Paly varsity cross-country team only had two runners qualify for and compete in CCS and neither were seniors. In fact, no seniors finished the season on the varsity squad. The two runners, Nikolai Solgaard(’12) and Corso Rosati (’12), placed 24th and 48th respectively in the CCS finals. Hopefully that means that team, that placed 11th in league, can only improve next year.

HELD AT GUNNPOINT

Photo by Alex Kershner

6

Kevin Kannappan (‘12)

SHUTOUT

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

7

Corso Rosati (‘12)

What’s worse than losing to a cross-town rival? Losing not just once, but twice. The girls’ varsity water polo team surrendered two wins to the Gunn Titans out of a total three matchups, the second ending the Viking’s season and chances in CCS. The two teams met up for the third time in the CCS quarterfinals where the Vikings took a season ending blow from the Titans.

28

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

During the Homecoming game of the 2010-2011 season the Homestead Mustangs managed to sideline three key Palo Alto players with illegal blocks and tackles. Linebacker and tight end Michael Cullen (’11), offensive lineman Spencer Drazovich (’13) , and defensive tackle Sam Moses (’12) were all sent off the field with MCL tears. This left the Vikings short on the depth chart for their closest league game of the season against Saratoga in which the Vikings trailed the Falcons 14-0 at halftime.

Anna Glaves (‘11)

It has been over a year since the Paly varsity baseball team has lost a league game. However this year, the Vikes fell to Del Mar in what was a perfect cherry on top of being swept by Wilcox. The boys were shut out with only four hits in seven innings. Tim Emory (‘12) of Del Mar pitched a complete game striking out six Vikings. Paly’s pitchers were unable to hold Del Mar to the same they gave up three runs handing them their first league loss.

5

LOSS TO LINCOLN

4

HERO TO ZERO

Lindsay Black (‘12)

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

The girls’ lacrosse team of the 2009-2010 season was almost unstoppable, beating teams all over the bay including lacrosse powerhouse St. Ignatius and ending the season with a league crown. However, the 2010-2011 team is a different story. This year when the Lady Vikes once again faced against St. Ignatius, they lost by an embarrassing 13 goals. Paly also lost to St. Francis, 13-8, in the league championship. So much for being unstoppable.

3

Charlotte Biffar (‘13)

TWICE IS NOT NICE

2

Photo by Emy Kelty

The boys’ lacrosse team fell twice to the Menlo Atherton Bears after staging incredible comebacks by the end of regulation time. In their first meeting, the Vikes made it to double overtime behind the miraculous saves of goaltender Josh Chin (’11). But the relentless Bears managed to sneak one past Chin into the goal to seal the game. During their second meeting the Bears came out guns blazing and ended the first half with three goals over the Vikes. Again the Vikings came back and tied the score, sending the game into overtime.

In this second overtime the missed opportunities in the first overtime came back to haunt the Vikings and the Bears were again able to take the victory.

Photo by Alex Kershner

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

All good things come to an end, but that doesn’t make the end any easier. The No. 4 girls’ varsity basketball team couldn’t take the heat any longer and fell to No. 5 Lincoln High School from Stockton in the second round of the Northern California tournament. Although their season ended, the Lady Vikes’ were the first girls’ varsity basketball team racked up several impressive accomplishments including a perfect 12-0 league season, earnnig a No. 1 CCS seed, winning CCS and its NorCal berth.

Nick Tumminaro (‘11)

NOT QUITE PERFECT

The first loss is always the hardest. The Paly varstiy volleyball team had played undefeated with a stunning 26 game win streak up until their second matchup against the Los Gatos Wildcats. The Vikings were stunned after the five-game loss and were left almost speechless. Maddie Kuppe (’12), who was out with an injury for the match, remembers thinking “hey guys its ok, we’ll pull this out, we always do” but to no prevail.

GOING FOR WIN #3

It was a rough year for the Lady Vikes soccer team, to say the least. In a season plagued with an inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, Paly struggled through league play coming up with only two wins. Even with Helen Butler (‘11), Alex Kerhsner (‘11) and Gracie Cain (‘11) committed to play Division I soccer, the team was the first Paly girls’ soccer team in 11 years to not qualify for CCS playoffs. Better luck next year.

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

1

Gracie Cain (‘11)

29

THE MOMENTS

TOP 1010 Moments of 2010-2011 Photo by Alex Kershner

Marshall’s Senior Day Smack

Gracie Marshall (‘11)

by Mariah Philips and Mary Albertolle

Hitting the first home run on a brand-spanking new field is news and Top 10 moment worthy. Doing it on senior day makes it even more special. Shortstop Gracie Marshall (‘11) blasted a three run homer, her first of the season, over the left center field fence against Santa Clara High School in one of the most watched games of the season. The bomb made her four-for-four on the day and sealed a 16-8 victory for the Lady Vikes. Paly beat Santa Clara three times this season; the third time on senior night The win was imperative in granting Paly a seed in CCS, and landing them the fourth spot in the De Anza League.

9

Marchant’s Mid-Inning Relief

Photo byAnne Hildebrand

8

Grant Shorin (‘13)

Gold, Silver, and Bronze Meets Paly Green

Gold, silver, bronze; the highest awards granted in sporting competitions. This is nothing unusual, unless one school sweeps. Welcome to Paly awesomeness. Paly sprinters Maurice Williams (‘11), Miles Anderson (‘11) and Tremaine Kirkman (‘12) placed first, second and third, respectively in the 200 meter dash in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) championship, proving true Viking track dominance. Although the three Viking speedy-racers had swept many 200 meter races this season, this particular one, two, three performance guaranteed a league championship and earned a number eight spot on Viking’s Top Ten.

Davis’s Half.Court Huck

Photo by Matt Erstead

30

6

Adams’ Miraculous Mitty Catch

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

7

Pulling off a three-peat against your cross-town rival is pretty sweet. Doing it with swag is the icing on top of the cake. While the Paly girls’ basketball team held a comfortable lead against Gunn High School in the CCS championship, point guard Sydney Davis (‘11) still felt the need to dig the knife a little deeper with a shot clock buzzer beating three at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The shot was taken closer to half court than the three-point line and the ball only found net, swishing with complete neglect of the rim. The Lady Vikes went on to take the CCS championship making Paly history.

Devante Adams (‘11)

Graham Marchant (‘11)

Photo by Alex Kershner

Sixty seven pitches in seven innings. 9.57 pitches per inning. If you have three batters an inning that’s 3.19 pitches per batter. Wow. Pitcher Graham Marchant (‘11) threw a complete game after relieving Kevin Kannappan (‘12), who had loaded the bases with the first three batters he faced. Marchant shined against Wilcox in the league championship series, although he had only pitched 9.1 total innings before. The Vikings went on to dominate Wilcox, 10-1, to tie the series, 1-1. A day later, the Vikings defeated Wilcox, 5-3, to seal a league playoff championship. Wilcox, however, had won the regular season so the two teams shared the league title.

Sydney Davis (‘11)

The rain poured down, the stands were soaked, and the fans were leaving by the second. As the minutes wound down the hopes of advancing to the CCS semi-finals were dwindling. Despite the weather, quarterback Christoph Bono (‘11) and wide receiver Davante Adams (‘11) changed everything in the quarter-final game against Archbishop Mitty. Trailing by four with only seconds left, Adams defied gravity. After many failed passes that slipped past Vikings’ hands, Adams held onto Bono’s Hail Mary pass. He held onto the ball to score the game winning touchdown, with thirty five seconds left, to hold oto the teams undefeated season.

Tosky’s Incredible Catch-Up

Six seconds. That was the margin of deficit Jasmine Tosky (‘12) had in her 4x100 race against Gunn High School for the league championship. When she left the blocks her opponent had a six second lead, which is about four body lengths and usually more than comfortable in a swim race. But Tosky is not the average swimmer, and she was not going to lose the championship without a fight. As the anchor, she was the last lifeline for Paly and somehow managed to catch up to and beat Gunn. She brought the Lady Vikes back from what seemed to be a sure-fire loss and landed her team Paly’s ninth consecutive league championship.

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Photo by Paige Borsos

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Floreal’s Sayonara Slam

Graham Marchant (‘11) Jasmine Totsky (‘12)

Photo by Sam Borsos

Losing to a team once is hard enough, but twice? Now that’s unbearable. Luckily, the boys’ basketball team avoided this the second time it faced Cupertino High School. Late in the fourth quarter after his team had been down by 12 at the half, Viking post E.J. Floreal slammed the ball with one hand into the net off a fast break. Floreal’s dunk not only electrified the crowd, but also tied the game at 42, the turning point in the game which Cupertino had controlled until this moment. Floreal had 19 points on the night and led his team to a 45-42 victory that secured a second consecutive league title for the Vikings.

Tell Your Friends it’s a PA Party

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

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EJ Floreal (‘13)

After two state championships, what could be more fitting than a city-wide party?

The community came together to celebrate the volleyball and football teams in a parade. The downtown streets were closed as Paly athletes, cheerleaders, band members, and coaches marched down University Ave. carrying banners and riding in cable cars. Speeches from coaches, players, and community leaders followed in front of a jumbo screen in front of the Palo Alto city hall. The glory parade kicked off another season of Paly sports who carried on the torch of domination.

Photo by Alex Kershner

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Devante Adams (‘11) Maurice Williams (‘11)

Williams’ Timely Tip

Devante Adams (‘11)

Thirty-five seconds; not even enough time to read this entire article, but enough time to secure a state crown by blocking a field goal. After leading the entire game, the Palo Alto High School Vikings had to hold the Centennial Huskies and thanks to a team effort and standout wide receiver Maurice Williams (‘11) the team did just that. Williams got a hand on the ball to prevent a game-winning field goal from flying in between the yellow poles although many in the crowd failed to see his hand reach up. The CIF championship was the icing on top of an incredible undefeated regular season and Central Coast (CCS) title.

Kuppe’s Deuces

Not only was the 2010-2011 girls’ volleyball team the first in school history to win the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championship, but the team also gave the spectators their money’s worth. Outside hitter Maddie Kuppe (‘12) kept the fans on the edge of their seats, as her serve skimmed the top of the net and barely inched over to Long Beach Polytechnic’s court to snag a one point advantage the fifth game. The next serve wasn’t any less suspenseful as Kuppe launched the ball into the far corner of the court, just inside the line. Kuppe’s one-two punch sealed the state championship and the top spot on The Viking’s top 10 countdown.

Maddie Kuppie (‘12)

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

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Pitcher Drake Swezey (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;11) slides back to first after a pick-off against Los Altos on May 6 at home. The Vikings crushed the Eagles in a 13-0 shutout. Swezey batted .667 for the day and contributing two RBIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Paly tied for first in league with co-champion Wilcox, finishing with a 15-5 record going into playoffs.

ZOOM

PIT

BULLS RECLAIMING AMERICA’S MOST MISUNDERSTOOD DOGS WRITTEN BY ALISTAIR THOMPSON DESIGNED BY MARY ALBERTOLLE Editors’ note: Because of the nature of this subject, this story may be difficult for younger readers.

Queenie, a five-year-old pit bull, is currently up for adoption in Palo Alto. Before finding a foster home, she spent a year in a shelter after being picked up as a stray.

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Photo by Paige Borsos

f trees could talk, the woods behind 1915 Moonlight Road would have some stories to tell. In the shadows of the white Virginia mini-mansion, the basketball court and the above-ground swimming pool, these trees saw everything that no one was supposed to see. They saw the sheds painted pitch black, windows and all. They watched on those nights in the offseason when, at around 2 a.m., two pit bulls would follow two men up a path to the biggest of the four sheds. Then the all-black door would slam shut. Leaving everyone, even the

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trees, in the dark.

A “hero” shut that door. A man named Michael Vick slammed it in the face of the world. At the time, Vick was the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons and nothing short of an icon. He was arguably football’s most exciting player and when he hit the field, fans across America watched his every move. Vick knew this, but he also knew that in the woods behind his house in Surry County, Va., no one was looking. It was just him, his friends and his dogs.

“Dogs are loyal,” Powell said. “If we don’t care What went on inside that shed was kept quiet. Nobody knew, nobody cared. It concerned only a few men and their stake in the money. But four years ago, USDA officers and Virginia State Police kicked that door down and the world saw everything. Investigators found a blood-stained rug dumped in the woods and blood stains on the floor and on the walls of the largest shed. By the window they found a single white dog tooth.

There it was, in the clear, for the entire world to see. Michael Vick had fought dogs. He did it for money, for respect, but most of all, he did it for fun.

This scene opened the world’s eyes to one of the largest illegal sports in the world. It also opened the world’s eyes to a breed surrounded by misunderstanding, myth and fear.

Dog fighting is a blood sport, which is a competition that involves violence against animals. Bull fighting, cockfighting and fox hunting are all included in this category. Dog fighting thrives on the human desire to observe violence, but be safe from its effects. It’s a competition with champions and trophies. There are magazines about the winners and the latest fights. Winners walk away with bragging rights and pride, but it is not like other sports.

Imagine a sport that no one wants to play. When a player wins, he is rewarded, and there is a certain level of pride.

Pride in survival, pride in superiority. But when a player loses, there is death. No next time, no redemption, just overwhelming shame and no future.

The back kennels of the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, Calif., are full of pit bulls. Some are big, some are small. Some bark and some just sit and watch, their heads on a swivel. Barks of all pitches combine and bounce of the walls, funneling down the aisle.

I started working with pit bulls when I learned about the Michael Vick case as a freshman. I learned about the dogs and their stories and I started to wonder what the breed was really like. Since then, I have worked with more than 100 pit bulls of all temperaments and backgrounds, and if I have learned anything, it is that each dog is an individual.

Each one has its own story. Some of them I know. Some are a mystery. So, when I enter the kennel with a new dog, I need a clean slate. There is no room for stereotypes or foregone conclusions. Each dog must be handled differently.

At home, I have three pit bulls and they too come from different backgrounds. Owning pit bulls gets you two things: loyalty from your dogs and skepticism from some other people. I have to do a lot of convincing, but the bottom line is this: I work with these dogs every day and I like to think I have seen the evidence that could reverse anyone with the pit bull stereotype in their head.

As I walk through the kennels, one dog stands out from all the rest. He is a compact, muscular red pit bull. He is just like the other dogs except his face is covered with dried blood.

New cuts criss-cross old scars all the way from the top of his head to the tips of his paws. His face is swollen, but he makes

eye contact with me and licks my hand through the fence. A volunteer remarks that the dog was picked up a few days ago as a stray. Odds are that he lost his fight and his owners let him go. This is rare for a losing dog because most aren’t so lucky.

A pit bull is the perfect athlete: powerful, compact, explosive and determined to the point where it will stop at nothing to achieve a task.

Few people know pit bulls better than the Peninsula Humane Society’s vice president of animal care, Katie Dineen.

Dineen knows their temperament, their history and everything that makes them tick. This pit bull knowledge is a given when you own six.

People who know the breed this well recognize pit bulls for their intelligence and their will to please. In the first half of the 20th century, pit bulls were the dog of choice for families, similar to labs today. Blind and deaf author Helen Keller chose a pit bull as her guide dog. In World War I, a pit bull named Stubby earned an assortment of medals for locating wounded soldiers. His keen sense of smell also allowed him to detect a gas attack and give a warning before the soldiers knew what was happening. Stubby was the inspiration for the United States Military K-9 Corps. Petey from “The Little Rascals” was also a pit bull. Today, if someone saw Petey, they would probably cross the street and wonder if he were involved in a fighting ring. This is the reputation that dog fighters have brought to the pit bull breed.

“They’re incredible athletes,” Dineen said.

“The stamina, the muscle. [They are] really muscular, but not overly muscled and overly heavy.

No big heavy heads, not a lot of extra stuff to drag around. [They] can leap three quarters of the way up a 10-foot fence to get a tennis ball...effortlessly.”

Athleticism is only half of the equation, however. Pit bulls are also known for their ability to connect with humans, a skill that Dineen believes comes from the fighting pits.

“Those who created and refined the breed selectively bred for a number of characteristics specific to dog fighting, including the ability and desire of the dog to connect with people in the most stressful situations, i.e. when they were fighting with and being hurt by another dog,” Dineen wrote in an e-mail. “Those of us who share our homes with the breed recognize the intense, joyous desire of these dogs to be right alongside their people doing whatever it is their people want to do, and it’s one of the best things about the breed.”

Unfortunately for pit bulls, these two characteristics make them the dog of choice for dog fighters. The same characteristics that respectable pit bull owners use in

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about our dogs, how can we care about ourselves?â&#x20AC;? positive ways, dog fighters abuse and use to their advantage.

Dog fighting is a mentality, a culture and, in 48 states, a felony. The Humane Society of the United States estimates that roughly 40,000 people are involved in organized dog fighting. Although this figure is significant by itself it does not include street or backyard fighting. Beyond the cruelty of the fighting itself, dog fighting has created misconceptions that society has accepted.

Pit bulls are involved in dog bite incidents and maulings.

What people do not realize is that all breeds are involved in these cases. Any big dog can do serious damage, but pit bulls get the headlines, and when they get headlines, people build a negative attitude toward the breed (see sidebar). The public has also created the idea that pit bulls have locking jaws and that when they bite, they will not let go. According to Dineen, this is a myth.

News about pit bulls and dog fighting has given the public the idea that every pit bull in a shelter or in a bad neighborhood is somehow tied to a fighting ring. In the Bay Area alone, there are tens of thousands of pit bulls that are family pets and nothing more.

The number of dogs involved in dog fighting are only a minuscule percentage of the pit bull population as a whole.

In my time at the Peninsula Humane Society, I have seen a

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grand total of three dogs with scars that could indicate possible fighting backgrounds. The hundreds of other shelter dogs are just victims of foreclosures and irresponsible owners.

It is a common misconception that dog fighting is something reserved for inner-city African Americans and Latinos.

In reality, white men in the Midwest run most of the largest dog fighting operations. The largest fight bust in history, according to the ASPCA , occurred in July 2009 and involved arrests of white males in eight states: Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.

Dog fighting spans all social classes as well. Teachers and lawyers have been arrested in fight busts.

A second misconception is that pit bulls are made to fight and that they enjoy it. Pit bulls are actually even-tempered dogs that thrive on human interaction. According to the American Temperament Test Society which tests a variety of breeds in basic behavior evaluations, pit bulls pass their temperament test at rate of 84.6 percent. Miniature poodles have a 77.9 percent pass rate and collies have a 79.9 percent pass rate.

Dog fighters have attempted to turn Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dog into Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nightmare.

Dog fighting falls into two categories: organized

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

unior is a show dog owned by Dayna Pesenti, who works at the Penninsula Humane Society. Junior was the No. 1 American Staffordshire Terrier (a subcategory of the pit bull breed) in the country in 2007 and 2008. Junior also won the Best of Breed award at the Westminister Kennel Club in 2007 and 2008, in addition to the Best of Breed at the Eukanuba National Championship.

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D

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

onte Powell saw his first dog fight when he was 14. Unlike his friends, however, he chose to treat his dogs well and be an advocate for the breed. He and his dog, Smoka, live in Palo Alto.

fighting and street fighting. The first is run by so-called dog men. These men own dozens of dogs which they breed, test or “roll,” train and eventually fight. Dog men make a living off their dogs.

In the world of dog fighting, dog men are the professionals. They know their dogs, they understand breeding and most of all they know how to train a fighting dog. The fighting is intense, but short-lived. Training is a process. It is what the public doesn’t see on the news. This is where dog fighting gets ugly. Take one look at how a fighting dog is trained and it becomes crystal clear that everything about a vicious fighting dog is man made.

“It’s evolutionarily against what any other dog or any other animal would do, but what’s happened over the years is that people will see a litter of puppies, pick the meanest one and then pick another group of puppies and pick that meanest one and breed those together,” Christina Hanley, lead humane investigator at the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, said.

Breeding is only the beginning. Once the “mean genes” are combined in what should be an aggressive dog, the dog has to be “rolled” (tested in a practice fight) to determine if it has what it takes to fight. One humane officer estimated that 80 percent of the dogs placed in this situation don’t even “scratch.” The “scratch line” is the line drawn in each corner of the pit marking each dog’s territory. When a dog crosses that line to approach it’s opponent, it’s called scratching.

Once the dog scratches, there is a good chance it may not fight its opponent.

Once these dogs pass the testing, they have to practice fighting against “bait” dogs. A bait dog can be almost anything as long as it is an easy opponent.

“They’ll pick up any random stray dog that’s not very dog aggressive and that won’t really fight back,” Hanley said.

“They’ll put this dog in there who doesn’t have any aggressive tendencies towards another animal. It’s like a punching bag for a boxer.”

After practicing on bait dogs, which can also be dogs who didn’t pass the initial testing, the dog will enter a four to six week training period called “the keep.” During this period, dog men will use different training techniques to get their dog into fighting shape. Dogs will run for hours on enclosed tread mills, swim in water tanks and hang by their mouths from grip bars to strengthen jaw muscles. They will be kept separate from other dogs in order to build aggression.

Closer to the fight, some dog men, depending on the fighting ring, will do more than just train their dogs.

Some dog men cut or “crop” their dog’s ears. Breeders will occasionally do this for style, but for dog fighters it is a way to reduce blood loss in a fight.

“The ears are very vascular and if a dog is bitten in the ear it bleeds a lot, a lot more than you would think,” Hanley said.

“That’s also something that during a fight a dog can grab on to. So if you cut those ears off when they’re little there’s nothing for those dogs to grab on to.”

While it may seem extreme, cropping is minor compared to the methods of other dog fighters.

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“They’ll sharpen their teeth so that the dogs can cut in and dig deeper and cause a lot more injury with their bites,” Hanley said. “They will give them methamphetamines, cocaine.

They will give them painkillers so they will keep fighting through the pain.”

By this point the dog is no longer a pit bull terrier. By this point, the dog is ready to fight.

An organized dog fight is a process. According to the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) law enforcement dog fighting investigation primer, there are guidelines that most fights follow.

Two dogs, usually American Pit Bull Terriers, are brought to a secret location chosen by the person organizing the fight.

Each dog is weighed, then the handlers wash their dog’s opponent to make sure drugs have not been placed in the dog’s fur to stop an opponent from biting.

The dogs are then placed in opposite corners of a 20 square foot “pit” surrounded by 3-foot high wooden walls.

Handlers hold their dogs while onlookers make bets. Depending on the dogs and the people involved, bets can start as high as $10,000. Once wagers are placed, each owner lets go of his dog and the fight begins. Both dogs sprint from their corner to meet their opponent in the middle. According to the primer they rise up on their back legs, lock arms and snap at each other’s heads.

The men have the power to stop their dogs at any time.

In an organized fight, a winner is proclaimed when the opposing dog either refuses to engage or is physically incapable. The owners reclaim their dogs and the fight is over, at least for the people.

Street fighting is the simple version. A man will take his dog and match it up against a dog from the down the block and have them fight in a backyard or in an abandoned building. It could be fueled by a gang rivalry, money or simply entertainment.

One of Hanley’s responsibilities is dealing with dog fighting cases in San Mateo County. In her experience, Hanley has noticed a pattern in the dog fighters in the area.

“In our area typically what we’ll see is a gang member,” said Hanley “Male 15-35, [who] wants to appear very, very tough. [He] doesn’t know a lot about his dog, probably doesn’t take very good care of his dog. It’s more of a status symbol. ‘I’m really tough. I have guns I have drugs and I have this pit bull.’”

This human desire to appear intimidating is a major contributor to society’s perception of pit bulls.

Dog fighting in the Bay Area, however, is extremely rare.

“The more common thing we see around here is street fighting,” Hanley said. “You have a gangster who has a dog who wants to look tough and walks down the street with it and says ‘you wanna fight?’ and they’ll fight those dogs.

Street fighting is much more common because all you have to do is get your hands on a dog.”

Unlike the world of high level organized dog fighting, street fighting often occurs in residential neighborhoods.

In neighborhoods where street fighting is more visible, it can be accepted as simply another part of the culture that is

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BREED SPECIFIC

LEGISLATION

Aside from a reputation issue, in many areas pit bulls are subject to BSL, or breed specific legislation. In 2000, the city of Denver passed a law that made it illegal to “own, possess, keep, exercise control over, maintain, harbor, transport or sell any pit bull within the city.” According to Your Dog newsletter, dog bite data kept by Denver Animal Care and Control does not match the law. In 1992, pit bulls accounted for nine reported bites within the city limits. Chow chows and their mixes accounted for 210, Labradors and their mixes accounted for 167 and poodles and their mixes accounted for 20. Over a decade later, Denver Animal Care and Control was recording new statistics for pit bulls within the city limits. Between 2005 and 2010, they impounded 3,232 pit bulls and pit bull mixes. Some of those were returned to their owners, but, without the legal right to put them up for adoption, the shelter euthanized 2,135 pit bulls.

Some California cities have also implemented BSL that requires all pit bulls to be spayed or neutered. San Francisco is one such city that recently enacted BSL.

Photo by Paige Borsos

passed down to the youth.

“Kids see older guys around them doing this and they want to do it,” Hanley said “It’s not illegal to have a vicious pit bull. You can’t walk around with a gun showing, but you can have your vicious pit bull.”

This is how dog fighting stays alive. People who are removed from the culture shun it, but people who grow up around it often accept it and think nothing of it. There are exceptions, however. Some choose a different path.

I know Donte Powell because of Smoka, his pit bull.

Smoka plays with my dogs off-leash at the Jordan Middle School field on a regular basis. Powell is a straightforward guy. He talks with his arms crossed and looks you directly in the eye to emphasize a point.

Growing up in Kansas City, Mo., Powell always hung out with the older kids. They were his friends and his connections. Hanging out with the older kids always worked well for Powell, until one day it took him too far.

When he was 14, one of his friends brought him to an abandoned warehouse to see a dog fight. Powell’s friend had seen fights before and for him it was nothing out of the ordinary. Powell, however, had a different reaction.

“I broke down and started crying when I saw it,” Powell said. “It’s bad. Watching a dog’s throat get ripped out. Some

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dogs lose their legs. [They] can’t bark. It’s crazy.”

After seeing the fight, Powell decided that he would take a different route than his friends. He decided to take care of his dogs and have a positive influence on them. Powell realized that he had an opportunity to raise his dogs to be good pets. Knowing the pit bull breed, he knew that he had to be a strong leader. If he could do that, his dogs would follow his lead.

“You can get any dog [to be] mean, but if you train a dog well, feed a dog well, the dog will be yours,” Powell said. “If you turn, your dog is gonna turn, because your dog feeds off your energy.”

At one point in his life, Powell estimates that he had 27 pit bulls. He was a pit bull breeder, but his business was shut down when neighbors complained and animal control seized most of his dogs. Today, living in Palo Alto, Powell is down to one: Smoka.

At the Jordan field, Powell watches as Smoka lumbers from dog to dog looking for a match up. This not in the pit, it is at a middle school field and it is for fun. Smoka sizes up an opponent, throws a playful jab with her paw, then flops on her back and kicks at the other dog half-heartedly.

This scene is far from what Powell grew up watching, but in his opinion, this is how it should be. Powell believes that

p for adoption at the Penninsula Humane Society, Penny is a perfect example of a good-natured pit bull. To look into adopting her and other pit bulls, go to the the Peninsula Humane Society in San Mateo, Calif. or visit its website http://www.peninsulahumanesociety.org

Photo by Brandon Dukovic

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PIT BULLS IN HIP-HOP

Hip-hop culture has had a major influence on the pit bull reputation. In mainstream hip-hop, pit bulls are commonplace in videos as well as in lyrics. A pit bull barking and straining against a leash shows toughness and intimidation, and the culture has accepted this as another status symbol. Some references are more subtle than others, at least to those who aren’t familiar with dog fighting terminology. Rappers often make references to five-time champions.

A champion is a fighting dog that has won three registered fights, and a grand champion is a pit bull that has won five registered fights.

DMX’s album, Grand Champ, features a pit bull leashed to a chain on the album cover. In 2008, the home of DMX (Earl Simmons) was raided

under suspicion of dog fighting. Police seized three pit bulls and uncovered the remains of three others. Simmons was also charged with animal cruelty in New Jersey in 2002 for neglecting 13 pit bulls. He released another album, Year of the Dog... Again, in 2006.

In the music video for Jay-Z’s single, “99 Problems,” one scene is set in the middle of a dog fight and one of the dogs is lunging towards the camera attempting to charge the dog in the opposite corner. The owners are restraining their dogs as they would prior to a fight. This is how hip-hop culture portrays pit bulls and a major reason why many people accept dog fighting simply as just er part of our culture.

the pit bull stereotype is hyped up and that it only applies to a select few dogs. He laughs when he compares Smoka to society’s view of pit bulls.

“I couldn’t see it,” Powell said. “I see her barking at somebody because they won’t pet her, but other than that, she doesn’t bark for anything.”

Powell laughs while watching Smoka, but his tone shifts when talking about the motivation behind dog fighting.

“If you have a dog that’s gonna tear up everybody’s dog, then you’re on top,” Powell said. “Everybody is gonna want a [puppy] from that dog.”

Powell sees this mentality and he tries to understand it, but no matter the motivation, the reasoning behind fighting dogs is backwards. Powell believes that dogs have a special place beside humans, and to rob a dog of that place and put it in a fighting pit is a serious problem.

Michael Vick saw his first dog fight when he was eight.

In the Ridley Circle Homes Housing Project in Newport News, Va., where Vick grew up, older kids used to fight dogs in the courtyards in between the buildings. In Vick’s area, dog fighting was more common. When he had the means to support a dog fighting operation, he did it.

For some people, Vick is only a product of his environment.

For Sports Illustrated senior editor Jim Gorant, this is not an excuse.

“Bad Newz Kennels (the reference to Newport News used

by Vick to disguise his dog fighting ring as a boarding and breeding operation) was built on a rural 15-acre plot of land and these dogs were chained up deep in the woods and there were four sheds that were painted black,” Gorant said in an interview with The Viking. “Fights were held at two o’clock in the morning and there were a lot of rules about secrecy and how to get there. You’re not doing all of those things if you

don’t know you’re doing something wrong.”

Gorant knows the Vick dogs’ history. His article, “The Good News out of Bad Newz Kennels,” was the cover story for the Dec. 29, 2008 edition of Sports Illustrated. In that story and in his book The Lost Dogs, Gorant told the survival story of the confiscated Vick dogs.

Originally doomed to euthanasia after being labeled as some of the most vicious dogs in America by the HSUS and PETA, a team of pit bull advocates submitted a proposal for evaluating the dogs as individuals. To the surprise of the world, the evaluations showed that the Vick dogs were just dogs. Not killing machines, just a bunch of dogs with bad backgrounds.

Forty-seven of the 51 dogs taken from 1915 Moonlight Road made it to either to a home or to a rehabilitation sanctuary. One dog, Johnny Justice, participated in a program at a nearby Burlingame library serving as a one-dog audience for kids who struggle with reading aloud. To Gorant, the story of these dogs is a testament to the pit bull breed and the ultimate proof that pit bulls are not made to fight.

“Here you have pit bulls bred and raised by people with the sole intention of getting into a fight, and the success rate of making that happen is not terribly high,” Gorant said. “This case undermines what they call breed ideology, which is the equivalent of racism in human terms. You can’t judge a dog based off a breed.”

When Michael Vick’s dogs lost, they faced a different fate than the pit bull at the shelter in San Mateo. Before entering his dogs in an organized fight, Vick would test them to see if they had what it takes. He wanted to see if they were “game,” or willing to fight. This is rolling, and in some cases it determines whether or not a dog will see another day.

According to Gorant’s The Lost Dogs, two dogs of about

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“They’ll pick up any random stray dog that’s not very dog aggressive and that won’t really fight back,” Hanley said. “It’s like a punching bag for a boxer.” the same size would be unchained from the car axles that lay buried deeper in the woods. Vick or one of his friends would lead the dog up a path and into the clearing where the black sheds stood. On the second floor of the largest shed the men would place the two dogs on opposite ends of the pit. The men in attendance would then clap and yell at the dogs in an attempt to spark aggression. If the dogs did not react, the men would grab them by the muzzle and push them back to the edge of the mat repeatedly. If the dogs still refused to react, they would be held just out of reach of one another forcing a stare down. Naturally, the dogs would become frustrated and the men would release them. The fight would last only a few minutes then the men would intervene.

For Vick and his friends, getting these dogs to fight took effort.

Vick and his friends quickly judged the dogs who did not fight well or refused to fight at all and killed them on the spot. Some were shot and some were hanged from the trees on the edge of the clearing, some were held by their hind legs while one of the men forced the dog’s head into a bucket of water until the dog drowned. Some dogs were slammed into the ground until they died.

Dogs who fought aggressively were given food and water.

Dogs aren’t stupid, they know what they have to do to survive.

Nobody knows for certain how many dogs Vick killed. He ran his operation for six years, so one can imagine how many dogs didn’t fight well enough over that time span. Vick had the money to run his operation, but he was clueless when it came to being a dog man.

“He took a street fighting mentality and tried to apply it to a large-scale dog fighting operation,” Hanley said. “None of his dogs ever won because he was still thinking like a street fighter, breeding a ton of dogs. None of them would fight so he killed them all. A lot of more high dollar dog fighting operations thought he was a complete joke and an amateur.”

While the Vick case was surrounded by negativity, a few good things did come out of it. One was that 47 dogs from a fight bust were placed in sanctuaries or adopted. Another was a new perspective. The Vick dogs were seen as victims and not as evidence. In previous fight busts the dogs were destroyed with rest of the evidence once the case was closed.

In this case, each dog was evaluated on an individual basis.

In Gorant’s opinion, this case may work in pit bulls’ favor.

“Michael Vick may be the best thing that ever happened to pit bulls, because he certainly isn’t the only one out there that’s doing this,” Gorant said. “He is just the tip of the iceberg. But at the same time, what he did just shined this huge light on it, and we’re much more aware of it. Law enforcement has changed their perspective [and] now they prosecute much more of these cases.”

On a greater level, the public watched as pit bulls that

were supposed to be vicious became family pets and even therapy dogs. Slowly, the public opened up to the idea that maybe pit bulls are misunderstood. Maybe they are good dogs.

Sixteen of the Vick dogs came to the Bay Area through a pit bull advocacy organization called BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls). BAD RAP declined to be included in this story.

People look at dog fighting and understand the cruelty, but struggle to make it a priority in a greater context.

When Sports Illustrated published Gorant’s story, he received overwhelmingly positive feedback, but there was one idea that left him thinking. Some people wondered why the public should care because after all, “They’re just dogs.”

Gorant, however, has a different perspective.

“How you treat the weakest of all among you, or the least able to defend themselves, is an indicator of what your values are and whether or not there is compassion and a larger sense of caring within your society,” Gorant said. “You may not think you care and you may not think it matters, but on some level it does.”

In the back kennels at the Peninsula Humane Society, a chihuahua starts barking. The small dog is looking through a gap between the fence and the cement wall that divides each kennel. He is scratching desperately at the wall, growling and barking at the scarred red pit bull who is standing on the other side. The pit bull takes one look at the chihuahua, stares for a second as if trying to read his upstart neighbor, then turns, and trots to meet me at the fence, tail wagging. He has no will to fight, no drive to kill, just the desire to meet a new person, just the motivation to be a pit bull. So, for once in his life, he does what is natural: He chooses to greet me instead of turning on the small dog. This is a true pit bull.

Sixteen miles from San Mateo, Donte Powell looks out over the field and pauses. He takes a second to think about dogs. He takes a second to think about what happens when humans abuse power and what happens when instead we use it correctly. This is the difference between the scarred red pit bull behind the San Mateo shelter fence and Smoka, who Donte watches as she runs and plays with other dogs.

“Dogs are loyal,” Powell said. “If we don’t care about our dogs, how can we care about ourselves?” <<<

42

Photo by Paige Borsos

THE PEOPLE

2010-2011

Paly sports awards The Coach of the Year award goes to the coach who has contributed the most to the Paly sports program which they are involved in. After Palo Alto Online’s article, “Out of bounds? Defining ‘motivational’ vs. ‘Abusive’ coaching in Palo Alto’s high schools.” The Viking feels it is increasingly important to recognize the positive coaching influences on the Paly sports community. This award is a ‘thank you’ to the coaches who have dedicated their time to bettering their teams, and individual players, while maintaining tempers and sportsmanship The Underclassmen of the Year is given to a Paly freshman or sophomore who have demonstrated athletic excellence in their sport(s), despite his or her younger age. These athletes are the players who are expected to dominate Paly athletics throughout their years to come. Although, junior varsity athletes were considered, underclassmen on varsity teams had an advantage in the voting of awards.

The Athlete of the Year is granted to a player in the Paly community who has stood out as the leading force behind his or her team’s success. The two award winners have delivered standout performances day in and day out, carrying their team to league championships. The male and female who have been awarded Athlete of the Year have proven to be the core of their team, always reliable in clutch situations and always capable of bringing home a win.

The Alok Subbarao goes out to those players whose greatest impacts on their team are not printed in the newspapers or visible at the top of every statistics category. The Viking grants this award to the player who carries his or her teams with his or her leadership abilities and acts as the glue that keeps the team working as one cohesive unit. The value of this sort of player cannot be measured by the number of goals he or she score or the number of strikeouts he or she pitched, but instead by the motivation he or she elicit in all of he or shes teammates.

43

THE PEOPLE

Underclassmen FEMALE Nina Kelty

by Paige Borsos and Alex Kershner

Photo by Paige Borsos

44

T

his year the Female Underclassman of the Year Award goes to Nina Kelty (‘13). Kelty is a member of both the varsity soccer and varsity lacrosse teams at PAHS. Her fluid athleticism allows her to dominate on both fields and become a rising star on both squads.

With a perfect balance of respect, dedication to improving and dexterity in many positions, Kelty has not only proven herself worthy of her spot, but also as starter on both.

This year, the girls’ lacrosse team finished the league season, 10-1. Statistically Kelty was impressive, scoring 41 goals and fielding 29 ground balls.

In addition to her lacrosse prowess, Kelty was the starting left back on the girls’ soccer team. Although the team struggled and ended the year with a league record of 5-113, Kelty proved to be an important part of the team. She was not the flashy scorer, but her selflessness as a teammate and raw determination to keep the ball out of the net made her one of the most respected players.

Nina has followed in her sister Emy Kelty’s (‘12) footsteps; last year, The Viking awarded Emy the Female Underclassman of the Year award.

As Emy is also a main contributor to both the soccer and lacrosse teams, Nina has had to work hard to differentiate herself both in her skill set as well as in her attitude on the field.

“Emy and I are opposites in soccer,” Nina said. “I like to go through people, and Emy does all the moves and is more of a passive player. Together we make a good balance.”

While maintaining a good dis-

tance in terms of their abilities as players, they unite the team because of their uncanny knowledge of each other’s whereabouts on the field.

“It’s really helpful to have a sister on the team,” Nina said. “Being new on the team, you have to gain trust of your teammates in order for someone to pass to you. But with Emy, I knew I had her trust.”

Many athletes consider soccer and lacrosse to be complimentary sports, making Nina an even stronger competitor both physically and tactically.

“It’s helpful doing two sports so I am in better shape when I switch practices,” Nina said.

While still a long way in the future, Nina aspires to continue both careers in college.

“I definitely want to play one of my sports in college,” Nina said.

Whether she chooses to play soccer or lacrosse, Nina will continue to train hard for her role on whatever team she chooses. Despite her opportunities in the future, Nina is able to focus on what really matters when playing a sport: having fun and improving. After being recognized as one of the most athletic underclassmen at Paly, her future is already immensely bright.

“If anything, I just want to get better and put more time in it,” Nina said. “There’s always room for improvement.” <<<

Runners Up:

Pippa Raffel (‘14) Track and field

Josie Butler (‘13) Baseball • Track and field

of the

year

by Peter Dennis ith four minutes left in the second league basketball game against Cupertino High School, Palo Alto High School was down by six.

After one play, the lead was cut to four. In this play, E.J. Floreal (‘13) cut off a pass, streaked down the court and threw down a monstrous dunk.

And with that, the game changed.

The dunk invigorated the team, the bench and the stands, and Cupertino’s chances to win stood next to none. Paly ended up winning the crucial Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) game, 45-42, extending its lead in the De Anza Division to two games, greasing their way to winning leagues.

“It was a momentum shifting move,” Floreal said. “Cupertino had been beating us the entire game and we put together a run in the second half and after I dunked it the intensity picked up, everyone played together and we were able to win.”

Floreal, the San Jose Mercury News Sophomore of the Year, carried Paly basketball to a 19-7 record and a SCVAL championship. Floreal was able to carve out a leadership role for himself, averaging 14.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

“E.J. really led by example this year and contributed both offensively and defensively,” forward Tory Prati (‘12) said. “He plays hard and makes a lot of big plays.”

Floreal also contributed to the team’s effort by playing with heart and doing the intangibles, as ascertained by guard Aldis Petriceks (‘13).

“He’s a very emotional player and plays with a lot of heart,” Petriceks said. “You always know if you mess

up or miss a shot, he’s there to get a rebound. And it’s really comforting on defense because you know if someone gets into the lane, he’s there to help out and get a block.”

Prati agrees with Petriceks.

“His athleticism is incredible,” Prati said. “He is extremely gifted but he also works hard.”

Floreal’s athleticism, seen most visibly on the basketball court with his dunks and blocks, is also seen on the track. With an Olympic silvermedalist as a mother, and Stanford’s head track coach as a father, one would expect Floreal to be fast. His time of 50.57 seconds is the fastest 400 meter time in SCVAL’s. Floreal has the fastest 200 time (22.20 seconds) on the Paly team and the third fastest in SCVAL’s. He is also the anchor on 4x400 relay team.

“He will continue to be a leader through his performance and he will become a vocal leader,” Prati said. “Paly is lucky to have him.” <<<

MALE E.J. Floreal

W

Runners Up:

Spencer Drazovich (‘13)

Football • Wrestinling • Track and field

Andrew Liang(‘14) Swimming

Photo by Paige Borsos

45

THE PEOPLE

FEMALE

ATHLETE of the YEAR

Photo by Paige Borsos

by Anne Hildebrand

46

HELEN BUTLER

T

hough all of Paly athletes are extremely important to their teams, the defensive players often are overlooked. The glory goes to the offensive players and the teams who win championships. But on teams that are struggling, there is sometimes a star player who keeps the team’s hope alive.

The Viking usually awards the Female Athlete of the Year award to a player on a winning team. This year however, the award goes to a player who was outstanding in her own right and played her best even when her teams showed otherwise.

Helen Butler (‘11) moved to Palo Alto this year from North Carolina and played defense on the girls’ varsity soccer team. She also sprinted the second leg of the 4 x 100 on varsity track.

Both teams had disappointing seasons as girls’ soccer went 5-11-3 and girls’ track and field placed fifth in league.

“In the beginning we were pretty strong and we were getting to know each other as players … towards the middle of the season we didn’t win as much. But even though looking at the stats we didn’t do so well, we only lost games 1-0 or 2-0. I think we played really hard in all the games,” Butler said With a positive attitude, Butler remained an inspiration to her teammates and helped it stay hopeful.

“She’s never negative about anything, she leads by example,” track and field head coach Jason Fung said. “She’s a very solid athlete.”

But none as much as her soccer teammates mirrored this sentiment.

“She’d be like ‘guys, I know it’s just a loss, let’s move on,’” teammate Alex Kershner (‘11) said.

Butler’s teammates in both soccer and track agree that she leads by example and that she was an integral part of each team. She braved each loss, remaining up beat into the next game, .

“She was the right teammate to have in that situation, we didn’t have a great season, but she never got down on anyone,” Kershner said.

Despite a disappointing track and field season, Butler showed the same

resilience after losses as she did in soccer.

“Helen is really fun to be around, she’s a hard worker. She always does workouts to her best ability and she’s always motivating the team,” sprinting teammate Torie Nielsen (‘12) said.

Although Paly lost many meets early in the season, it did not stop Butler from always trying her best. After every loss she maintained her personal standard of excellence. “[She] understands that losing is a part of the game,” sprinting teammate Lydia Guo (‘12) said.

and other sprinting events along with competing in triple jump. Both her 4 x 400 relay team and her personal record of 34-feet nine-inches qualified her for CCS finals.

“She has good speed for someone that tall,” Fung said. “[Track] has helped her become a better athlete, taught her how to use her muscles and technique.

It will help with her soccer too.”

Butler came into Paly and joined two teams, playing to the best of her ability on both, making each team better every chance she got.

“You can’t teach someone to be a

“You always want more of

that kind of kid

on your team,” Fung said.

This was Butler’s first year doing track, and Fung was not sure what to expect when she first joined the team.

He soon realized what a valuable asset Butler was before the first meet because of her work ethic and attitude in practices.

“I didn’t really know what to expect until she got out there,” Fung said. “Everyone kept talking about her … how she was great at soccer. When she [started training], there was no nonsense, she got to work, always saying ‘what can I do, what can I do.’ She’s a quick learner.”

Guo agrees with Fung regarding Butler’s work ethic, and enjoys practicing with her.

“Helen is great to work with,” Guo said. “She has that competitive edge.

But she’s also just nice all around. She can run, she can jump, she definitely adds a lot to our team. She’s consistent, she’s willing to work hard.”

Even though it was her first year doing track, Butler has competed in nearly every section of events. She runs the second leg of the 4 x 100 meter relay

great team player, to keep positive in all circumstances, I think that is something innate [in Helen],” Kershner said.

Kershner will play on the Duke soccer team and will play against Butler at Virginia Tech, but Kershner thinks that they will stay friends both on and off the field.

“I’ll get to see her on the field and she’s not going to change,” Kershner said. “We’ll still be friends off the field.”

Through the numerous wins and losses Butler has gone through at Paly, the people around her always agree on one thing.

“You always want more of that kind of kid on your team,” Fung said. <<<

Runners Up:

Emilee Osageide (‘12)

Osageide led the girls’ basketball team to a league and CCS championship, earning league MVP.

Gracie Cain(‘11)

As the caption of cross-country, soccer and lacrosse, Cain demonstrated her leadership abilities across all three fields.

47

MALE

THE PEOPLE

ATHLETE of the YEAR

by Skylar Dorosin

Photo by Allie Shorin/File photo

T.J. BRAFF

48

A

sk anyone that saw the PAHS-Centennial state final game and they will credit T.J. Braff (‘11) for being a key contributor to the Viking’s 15-13 victory over the Huskies. Ask Braff and he will credit all of his teammates and never once mention his own accolades.

“The higher you get, the harder you have to work,” Braff said.

“That’s part of the reason our football team did so well this year, because everyone worked so hard.

That definitely showed on the field. So I just try to keep that going for all the sports.”

An integral part of the varsity football and baseball teams, this humble, team driven, quiet leader has shined at Paly during his four years here. A varsity three-sport athlete throughout high school, Braff embodies the physical ability and mentality to rise from a typical athlete to the male upperclassman athlete of the year.

“His mentality [is] the extra on top of his talent that makes him better than everybody else,” baseball head coach Erik Raich said. “I think he is more talented than a lot of people, but I think that the demeanor that he brings to the field takes him to that upper level.”

Braff has the talent. He has been a member of the varsity baseball team since freshmen year, varsity football since sophomore year, and varsity basketball since sophomore year. No matter the sport, the position he is playing, or the score of the game he gives his all.

Braff excels on both sides of the ball. He is a force as the Viking’s strong safety on defense and a tight end on offense. Cal-High Sports and the Mercury News named Braff defensive player of the year, and he was named First Team All State by Max Preps.

“He was a motivator on the defen-

sive side of the ball and obviously a captain of the defense,” quarterback and outfielder Christoph Bono (’11) said. “On offense, he was always there when I needed him. He was in the right spot at the right time. He was someone that I could count on and get the ball to

ample, always working hard. His easygoing attitude and great work ethic are contagious both in practice and in games.

“I think something that a lot of people notice is that he is a really hard worker,” Bono said. “He works on his skills a lot. When it comes down to a pressure situation in a game, it’s not a big deal for him to make the play and he will just stay in the moment and take care of what needs to be done.”

Braff will continue his athletic career at Santa Clara University, where he will play Division I baseball. Braff plans to work even harder this summer to prepare to make the jump to the collegiate level.

“I think just practicing a lot, doing a lot of baseball over the summer [helps], and seeing a lot of good pitching,” Braff said.

Braff is not your ordinary athlete. He goes beyond what is expected, both in practice and in games. Bringing both baseball and football to historic seasons, Braff stepped up and did something great for the Paly sports community and Palo Alto community in general His attitude and raw athletic ability raise the bar of what a leader should be, and filling his shoes next year will be a difficult task for Paly athletes. <<<

“His mentality [is] the extra on top of his talent that makes him better than everybody else,” Raich said. and [he could] make a play with it.”

In his other sport, baseball, Braff mostly plays first base. Just as in football, Braff contributes to the Viking’s offense and defense, making plays on both sides of the ball game.

“The fact that he could pick up any sport and be the best at it [sets him apart],” Will Glazier (‘11), a baseball and football teammate, said. “T.J. doesn’t have any one attribute in any sport that sets him so far above, but he can do everything.”

Braff however, contributes to the game beyond stats. He combines the qualities of a technically skilled athlete with a humble team player.

Braff certainly does a good job of bringing that work ethic to the team.

He brings a positive vibe to the team, he is friendly to all, and he is always humble. He helps to create an atmosphere where everyone is enjoying themselves and having fun. “[His teammates] all love him,” Raich said. “You’d think with a big physical presence he’d be a verbal leader but he really isn’t. It’s more we feed off of him and what he does performance-wise.”

As a quiet leader, Braff leads by ex-

Runners Up:

Davante Adams (‘11)

Adams’ incredible athleticism was on display in every basketball and football game.

Adams is a living highlight reel.

Christoph Bono (‘11)

As the quaterback, Bono lead the football team a state crown. Bono also anchored the baseball team on offense and defence.

49

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COACH

Of the

YEAR

by Charlie Kelsey and

Alana Schwartz

EARL HANSEN Photo by Brandon Dukovic

I

t is truly rare to find a coach the caliber of Earl Hansen. Even as we look around us, in a community packed with athletic talent, exceptional coaching staffs, Central Coast Section (CCS) champions and state champions, he is a man who rises above the rest. He is a legend in the community for his dedication to our school and to our teams. In the wake of the incredible season that led the Palo Alto varsity football team to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division I Championship, Hansen has received praise statewide, including recognition as ESPN RISE Coach of the Year. But in reality, Earl Hansen did not need to bring home the glittering state trophy to be a hometown hero; even without immense success, his dedication to the community makes him our Coach of the Year.

Palo Alto as a whole was a very different place when Hansen took control of the football team 27 years ago. Since that day, our gym has filled up with league championship banners and pennants. In these eventful years, numerous players, including San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, have passed through our halls wearing the

Palo Alto varsity green. As the athletic director, Hansen is an integral part of Paly, not just the football team, instituting decades of success to turn the famously academic Paly into an athletic force to be reckoned with. It is hard to imagine Paly sports without Earl Hansen, and even more difficult to imagine a football team.

“Hansen has always been one of my favorite coaches,” varsity tight end T.J. Braff (‘11) said. “He knows when to get on you but also that you need to have fun.”

The atmosphere Hansen creates, one of success mixed with a fundamental love of the game, is reached through Hansen’s most important ideal as a coach- understanding his players.

“To be a great coach you have to actually listen to what your players tell you,” Hansen said.

His dedication to the team and his players shine through in his lasting contributions to Palo Alto football, and were evident in the unforgettable state championship run at the Home Depot center in December. Players and fellow coaches looked on as Hansen demonstrated his superior work ethic and focus, devoting hours to watching tapes,

designing plays, and working his team to pull them past some of the most formidable teams in the state.

This perseverance earned Hansen statewide recognition, garnering him prestigious awards such as the RISE Coach of the Year and the Cal-Hi Sports State Coach of the Year.

Hansen credits his ESPN RISE Coach of the Year award to his state championship, but this is not the only reason Hansen is receiving this year’s Viking Coach of the Year. He deserves this title as recognition of his unwavering dedication to our community, our school and our athletics. He deserves this title for the hours of practice and how he helped turn a public school in Silicon Valley into an athletic powerhouse. Earl Hansen is not just another coach- he is an example of what we can all do for our school and our community. <<<

Runners Up: Scott Peters

Girls’ basketball • Mercury News Basketball Coach of the Year

Dave Winn

Volleyball • MaxPreps Volleyball Coach of the Year

51

THE THEPEOPLE PEOPLE THE

Alok Subbarao

Award

by John Dickerson

ALISTAIR THOMPSON Photo by Jim Anderson

E 52

ach year, The Viking chooses one athlete to receive the Alok Subbarao award. The recipient must demonstrate the spirit of Alok, who showed impeccable character and attitude on and off the playing field. This year, the winner of the Alok award is Alistair Thompson (’11). An athlete does not necessarily need to be the best player on his or her team; instead he or she has to show outstanding character and spirit. Thompson embodies this per-

sona.

“His work ethic is unmatched,” former teammate and friend Max Schmarzo (‘11) said. “He takes great [pride] in his school work and his athletics.”

Although Thompson was not a starter on the varsity football team this year, everyone noticed and respected his presence.

“He is a great teammate,” varsity football player Kevin Anderson (‘11) said.” He’s fun to have on the team and

is a great example for the younger players.”

Even though Thompson was not always catching passes and making huge plays during games, he always stayed positive. It is easy to get disheartened if one does not receive large amounts of playing time, but Thompson kept his head up and kept on working.

“He’s the type of kid who likes to work hard,” Anderson said. “He’ll set himself a goal and will work extremely

showed his desire to improve. While others complained about the long and demanding hours of varsity football, Thompson embraced it. He competed every down because he wanted to push both the team, and himself.

Whether Thompson was running extra sprints after practice to get better, or volunteering to be on a scout team for practice, he was always giving it his all. While some players often tried to avoid as much work as possible, Thompson did the opposite.

“Al does anything he possibly can to help the team, whether it be volunteering for the scout team to give the

work nearly as hard as Alistair, seeing him work his ass off in football inspires myself to do the same.”

Rowan has noticed the Thompson work ethic in his youngest brother Flynn too.

“His work ethic has clearly rubbed off on Flynn,” Rowan said. “Today I can see Flynn work every day on his swing in baseball, and he has a very similar attitude in football. He loves both sports and is always willing to go the extra mile [like older brother, Thompson].”

This passionate work ethic and dedication that Thompson passes on to others has been with him since he was

“He is a leader,” Schmarzo said.

“He leads by example [and is] always going 100 percent.” starters a worthy look, or working to expand his skill set to play wherever he is needed,” younger brother Rowan Thompson (‘13) said.

Rowan played along side his brother during Paly’s playoff run towards a state championship.

Thompson’s work ethic is infections, spreading to those around him. He inspires others to follow his lead, and to give it their all.

“He is a leader,” Schmarzo said. “He leads by example [and] by always going 100 percent.”

Thompson’s attitude and work ethic has also rubbed off on his two younger brothers.

“The example he sets causes me to strive to improve myself, and live up to the standard he sets,” Rowan said. “It’s the same with sports, although I don’t

very young.

“When I was younger I was taught that you only have so many opportunities to work at something that you truly love and when you have those opportunities there is nothing to do but make the absolute best of them,” Thompson said.

Thompson credits his ability to keep pushing on even when things seem down to his father, who instilled a desire to succeed in him at a young age.

“He taught me that things wouldn’t always seem fair but I would always be able to choose how I reacted when things went wrong,” Thompson said.

“He taught me that the best way to make this choice is to work harder than everybody else around me and that is what I try to do.”

Thompson had put in as much work

as anyone on the football team, but when he arrived in Los Angeles adversity struck. Thompson suffered from a partially collapsed lung, and could not play in the state championship game.

“The night before we went down to LA I had a spontaneous pneumothorax which means I had a partially collapsed lung,” Thompson said. “It’s something that I’ve had before and it happened because I have these pockets in the tops of my lungs and when they burst my lung collapses.”

The injury came at a difficult time for Thompson because of how much he wanted to play in this game. Thompson initially wanted to play through it, but realized it would medically unsafe.

“I didn’t tell anyone because I thought it was minor like my last one and I thought I could try to play with it,” Thompson said. “However, the doctor told me I had to go to the hospital because it could potentially collapse completely and then I would be in pretty serious trouble.”

At first Thompson was frustrated with his inability to be out on the field with his teammates, but he soon turned his view into a positive one.

“I was bitter for a while, but I realized just how fortunate I was to be a member of that team,” Thompson said.

“I think this means far more than all of the frustration I felt. I was able to see through everything that went wrong and focus on the one thing that went absolutely right.”

This ability to look for the positive aspects in everything is why Thompson was chosen to win the Alok award.

Others could have wallowed in self pity, but Thompson supported his teammates instead.

Thompson was not able to play in his last high school football game because of his lung, but he plans to continue working hard in whatever he does after graduating high school.

“I will pick what I love to do most and I will apply myself to the fullest,” Thompson said. “That is what I do best and I will continue to do that for the rest of my life.” <<<

53

ZOOM

Goalie Josh Chin (â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;11) charges towards the Sacred Heart Prep defense in a non-league game at Paly on May 7. The Vikings crushed the Gators with a solid 12-3 victory, holding them to zero points in the second half of play.

Paly finished the season with an overall record of 13-7 and a league record of 7-5.

Photo by Anne Hildebrand

The Last Last Word Photo Illustration by Cooper Levitan

by Michael Cullen

I

had to do it.

They said I could relinquish the reins after last issue, and give up my spot on the last page, but I wanted the chance to pull out me ol’ quill and ink for The Viking one last time. And when I say that, “after this I’m done,” I mean it in the literal sense, and not the way Brett Favre means it. So after some deep meditation, a bowl of Easy Mac, and some SportsCenter, I was ready to write. Here at The Viking we stay with Tradition, so I called up my boy Coop and had him slap my head on a Thor action figure just for the hell of it. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the last Last Word.

Let’s start it off with a little reminiscence on my freshman year. Before I had a letterman, a car or any semblance of facial hair, I trotted out onto the grass of Hod Ray field for my first taste of high school football. Soaking wet I weighed about 145 lbs, and I was dwarfed by the likes of Donnie Salas (’07) and Mike Scott (’07). As a freshman on JV I lived through the era of “punknasty,” and witnessed a genuine punknasty; a teammate’s back pack was flipped inside out, the schoolwork was put back in, the back pack was “soiled” in, and zipped back up. I fractured my hand in the second game of the season but played the next week with a pad around my cast. Two weeks later, I was back in the hospital with another broken wrist, this time my right hand. Despite being on the butt end of many immature jokes and T-rex impressions from my teammates, I stuck it out with two casts for about a week, and got one of my Mega Man hands removed in time for the Gunn game. Football was a great way to get to meet new people and acclimate to the school, but I was still unfamiliar with the seemingly odd traditions and customs that I would come to see around Paly, such as spirit week, or the masked naked folk who dashed through the quad in the waning weeks of the school year. My first year at Paly introduced me to a culture that grown to know and love.

My second year arrived with high expectations. I came to realize it’s a lot easier to play football with both arms, and after working out all summer with my teammates I was ready

to go. After every football game won, we would blast techno music from the janky speakers that dangled by their chords on the locker room wall , and proceed to rage. And this was years before Brian Wilson showed everyone how. We went undefeated that year (foreshadowing anyone...?) and started a post game tradition that followed us all the way to Carson, CA for a state title (and subsequent hotel raging). Nobody would have believed that when me and Will Glazier(’11) talked as sophomores about raging on the plane home from states as seniors that it was anything but a pipe dream.

Junior year seemed to fly by with all the intellectual and scholarly things that were required of us. I do know that amid all the academic hustle and stress, after my first full season of varsity football and the first season of dudes’ lacrosse at Paly, I had two league championships under my belt.

Coming into this year, the mystique of senior year had been hyped to colossal proportions. It is safe to say that it has been nothing short of spectacular. What started in August with ‘hell week’, ended with Earl Hansen hoisting the D1 State Championship trophy to the heavens, and him and his glorious moustache. finally getting the credit they deserve. Let’s not forget Dave Winn and our Volleyball girls, who knocked off Long Beach Poly and brought home a State Championship of their own. And to the haters out there who dare slander “Teenage Dream,” I do not encourage or endorse the awful lipsyncing that occurred in the video, but if you have a problem with the celebratory merriment that occurred on our eight hour bus ride home, then you can kiss my big ol’ state ring.

Losing the SCVAL semifinals in lacrosse this year was a humbling experience for me. I walked off that field in shock, because it hit me that it was the last time I would ever suit up and go to war for Palo Alto High School. When you live on top of the world for the majority of your season, it makes the fall that much harder. On the bus back from Mountain View, I felt a new sense of pride and love for this school. I will be graduating high school, but I will never forget the tremendous pride I felt every time I donned the green and white for Paly. I will never forget the loyalty I felt to my brothers every time they stood next to me, no matter how battered, bruised, or broken they were. And there is no pinnacle of emotion I have ever experienced that compares to the feeling of trotting onto the turf of Hod Ray, as the smoke from the barbecue floats above the field on the breeze, the band blasts music into the crowd, and the towering lights blast down luminous rays that vanquish the darkness from the gridiron. For those three hours under the lights, you feel untouchable.

So whether you read my column for laughs, my extensive vocabulary (ha!) or just to see where I stuck my mug this time, I’ll always have the Last Word. Maybe not with my mother, but certainly at The Viking. So one last time, for the magazine I love so dearly, this is Michael Cullen signing off. Have a great summer Paly, and oh yea... CLOM! \m/ <<<

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Thank you seniors! Good luck in the future!