Viking Volume 2 ISsue 6 - Year in Review

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RIEKES CENTER Human Enhancement

Volume 2 Issue #6 June 2009 Staff List Editors-in-Chief Christine Chang Emily Fowler Cassie Prioleau

Business Managers Sophie Biffar Chase Cooper Wade Hauser

Section Editors Hanna Brody Lauren Hammerson Hana Kajimura

Statistician Sana Bakshi

In-Depth Features Editor Kylie Sloan Photo Manager Malaika Drebin Photo Staff Hanna Brody Christine Chang Hana Kajimura Allison Shorin Spencer Sims

Senior Staff Writers Charlie Avis John Christopherson Oliver Davies Peter Johnson Ahna Rao Elizabeth Scott Matthew Tracy Greg Stewart Adam Zernik Staff Ben Brown Malaika Drebin Sam Greene Ashkaan Khatakhotan Brendon Rider Marco Scola Allison Shorin Scott Witte

Design Editors Varun Kohli Noah Sneider Copy Editor Christine Chang 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 e-mail 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 KICKOFF 6 | STAFF VIEW The Viking commends the Paly coaching staff for its contributions to Paly athletics.

10 | PoP CuLTuRE/SAy WHAT/By THE nuMBERS 11 | HoT & noT METER 14 | TEn QuESTIonS 15 | InSIDE THE MInD oF JEREMy KIM 16 | zooM 17 | SuMMER WATCH Need some athletic excitement this summer?

Don’t worry we’ve got you covered.

by Greg Stewart

photo credits (clockwise from top left): malaika drebin, hana kajimura. john christopherson, kajimura, christopherson, christopherson, spencer sims, drebin, drebin m cover by malaika drebin

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6| 8

The Li

June 2

THE ULTIMATE ATHLETES

Volume II, I

8 | uLTIMATE FEMALE EMALE ATHLETE After heated debates, The Viking has assembled Paly’s ultimate female athlete.

by Sam Greene

60 | uLTIMATE MALE ATHLETE The Viking combined aspects of male Paly athletes to make the ultimate athlete.

by Sam Greene

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THE TEAMS 18 | SEASon WRAP-uPS The Viking recaps each Paly sport’s season as the 2008-2009 school year comes to a close.

28 | FEMALE TEAM oF THE yEAR

by Kylie Sloan

30 | MALE TEAM oF THE yEAR

by Hanna Brody and Lauren Hammerson

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Lineup

e 2009

e II, Issue VI

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THE ISSUES

THE LAST WORD

32 | BASEBALL The Viking takes a look into the controversy surrounding the baseball team.

62 | THE FINAL WORD The Viking’s creators say goodbye in their final issue of the magazine.

by Peter Johnson

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38 |

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45 |

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62 | 64

THE MOMENTS

38 | ToP TEn PALy SPoRTS MoMEnTS oF 2007-2008

by Ben Brown

40 | BoTToM TEn PALy SPoRTS MoMEnTS oF 2007-2008

by Adam Zernik

42 | ToP TEn SPoRTS youTuBE VIDEoS

by Oliver Davies

THE PEOPLE 44 | AWARDS InTRoDuCTIon 45 | CoACH oF THE yEAR

by Christine Chang

46 | FEMALE unDERCLASSMAn oF THE yEAR

by Allie Shorin

47 | MALE unDERCLASSMAn oF THE yEAR

by Scott Witte

49 | ALoK SuBBARAo AWARD

by Sana Bakshi

52 | FEMALE ATHLETE oF THE yEAR

by Hana Kajimura

56 | MALE ATHLETE oF THE yEAR

by Malaika Drebin

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staff view Coaching: key to players’ experiences Big shoes to fill as Coaches interact with players, parents, referees, trainers, fans and athletic directors, and these interactions can make or break a team. The Viking would like to thank Paly coaches and their staff for their commitment to Paly athletics.

Coaching a high school sport demands a great deal of commitment of time and effort, and most Paly coaches balance this workload with full-time jobs. A good coach possesses expert knowledge and a love of the game. He or she earns the respect of players, reciprocates that respect, motivates the team and brings his or her team to its great-

ment to the lacrosse program as she helms it into the future.

Not all sports teams at Paly have been as fortunate in having a consistent coaching staff year over year. With last week’s news that varsity baseball head coach Donny Kadakawa’s contract has not been renewed for the 2010 season, the baseball team will see a of tally of five coaches in five years.

Paly varsity baseball players have experienced an ever-changing coaching staff. The Viking regrets that the baseball program has lacked the stability and consistency of other Paly teams. The

est level of play. In addition, coaches are expected to provide efficient communication with players, parents and administrators. All this, while ensuring the players maintain their love of the game.

In this issue, The Viking names lacrosse head coach, Jen Gray, as 2009’s top coach for embodying these traits.

Gray was hired last year for the lacrosse team’s inaugural season. She has done an outstanding job over the past two years in developing the new lacrosse program. In interviews with The Viking, Gray, who will continue as lacrosse head coach next year, expressed her commit-

baseball team’s rocky experience over the past four years attests to the importance of retaining a consistent coaching staff for more than a single season.

With year’s end comes another closing of the baseball team’s book, and a renewed challenge to find a new coach.

The Viking hopes, come spring of 2010, the Paly administration will hire and retain a varsity baseball coach, who can provide the team with on-going consistency these players deserve.

not all sports teams at Paly have been as fortunate in having a consistent coaching staff year over year.

magazine’s founders leave the field In the spring of 2007, three sophomores pitched the idea for a new Paly publication that would be dedicated to solely to sports coverage. With a green light from the administration and new advisor, 25 students launched The Viking. The first issue hit the streets in October 2007. Since then, 12 issues have been published-- 768 pages devoted to telling the joys the sorrows, the wins the losses, the scandals the triumphs, the stars the underdogs, the moments that define an athlete’s four years here.

Behind the scenes, The Viking’s antics have involved night time light-up ultimate Frisbee, biking obstacle courses around the classroom, roller blading, lots of pasta, sumo wrestling with yoga balls, gossip blogs, and a whole playlist of YouTube videos ranging anywhere from Britney Spears to Disney songs.

It has been fun, but also ground-breaking. With dynamic designs and high-impact stories, the standard of sports coverage continues to rise with every issue. Ten Viking seniors will graduate next week, including the four current editors in chief.

The legacy of quality sports journalism will continue and the Paly community owes a debt of thanks to these journalists who created a new voice dedicated to the athlete on Paly’s campus.

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2

3

4

You may have been taken by surprise by The Viking’s last cover photo (1) of swimmer Kaitlyn Tracy (‘10) reading underwater.

The image, photographed by The Viking’s photo editor Malaika Drebin (2) drew a lot of attention, sparking questions of whether it had been Photoshopped. We appreciate our readers’ curiosity, and take it as a compliment that our photography seems too good to be true—but the truth is just as good.

Our May 2009 cover is unaltered. Drebin shot the photo underwater in the Paly pool (3) using a Canon 20D digital camera inside an EWA Marine waterproof camera housing. We actually did submerge a 70-page spiral notebook. The larger book that looks like a textbook was really an SAT prep book we pulled from the recycling bin.

Every bylined photo in our magazine, or on our cover, is 100% authentic (4) and un-Photoshopped. In rare incidences when photos have been materially altered through the use of software such as Photoshop, we label it as a photo illustration.

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PHOTOS BY MALAIKA

Behind the photos: issue five Cover

PHOTOS BY MALAIKA

The parents of The Viking staff would like to thank The Viking’s seniors for all of their hard work and contributions to the magazine the past two years. We wish you the best of luck in your years to come! ~The Viking Parents

Elizabeth Scott

Peter Johnson

Charlie Avis

Ahna Rao

Matthew Tracy

Greg Stewart

Oliver Davies

John

Noah Sneider

Adam Zernik

Christopher-

?

T A H W AY

BY THE

S

NUMBERS

3

Number of school records broken by Mark Higgins (‘09)

“There are some players who you know will take their team to every final and every championship, just by watching them play. Kelly’s that type of player.“ -Ernesto Cruz -

(Female Athlete of the Year pg.52)

2 2

Number of teams coach Jen Gray coaches. This year is Gray’s second year as the girls’ varsity lacrosse team and due to the unexpected lack of a coach for the junior varsity team, Gray took over as head coach at the JV level as well.

THE PoP CUlTURE GRid Alex Freeman Emmy Kelty Tennis (‘10) Lacrosse (‘12)

Danielle Carlson

Mariah Philips Softball (‘11)

Swimming (‘10)

Celebrity I swear I’m related to

Morgan Freeman

Lauren Mah

Foug

Miles Anderson Track (‘11)

Britney Spears

Vin Diesel

Am counting down the days until the Harry Potter movie comes out

Love my schnoodle dog

none of my teammates know that I...

Am black

I’m allergic to kiwis

Favorite Disney movie

Even Stevens Movie

Definitely not Cinderella, maybe Mulan?

Mulan

Mulan

Wall-E

Manny Ramirez...

Probably has more ‘roids in his dreads

Who is he?

No clue.

Who is that?

Is an embarrassment

Is on roids

Poolside or beachside?

Beachside all the way

Beachside!

Poolside (I don’t like sand in nasty places

Beachside

Beachside

10

Pee a lot in the pool

1

Number of runs by which baseball lost in CCS quarter finals.

THe Viking THERMOMETER SCoRCHInG GIRLS’ SWIMMInG After record breaking meet, the Paly Girls came in a close second in CCS, putting an exclamation mark on a fantastic season.

TJ BRAFF Leading the varsity baseball team in RBIs and batting average , Braff continued his excellence by making first team all league as a sophomore.

ToMAHAWKS LACRoSSE

LuKEWA RM

Featuring Paly Students such as Isaac Plant, Michael Cullen, Cooper Levitan, Elliot Beckstrom, and Kris Hoglund, the varsity boys club team placed 3rd in the Northern California tournament in Folsom.

GIRLS TRACK After the 4 x 100 team dropped the baton and didn’t finish the race, the Vikes only qualified 2 athletes for CCS.

FIELD ConSTRuCTIon After high expectations, there was much disappointment among the paly athletic community after being notified that the field construction was pushed back a year.

SATuRDAy SCHooL With an increasing truancy problem, rumor has it that the administration is implementing a Saturday school program next year.

Kiss goodbye your Saturday morning cartoons, kids.

F RE EzInG 11

IAS PROUDLY SUPPORTS THE VIKING!!

Who knoWs senior track and field star bobby holman better? coach jason fung, best friend ashraf el gamal, or last year’s prom date olivia diamond?

bobby holman

Question

Jason fung

ashraf el gamal

olivia diamond

Phil’s sister and Paul’s sister

secret crush

Himself

i don’t think he’d want me to tell...

dom Powell

Joc and people who ask dumb questions

biggest pet peeve

People talking about him

Joc Pederson

Pulled muscles

10 Taco bell, of course

favorite food

Protein Shake

Taco Bell

Protien shakes

10 So many of my R&B jams

dark Knight

My donk

favorite song

Right Round- Flo Rida

favorite movie

Wolverine

Someting R&B

Anything by Ne-Yo

10 dark Knight

10

best physical Abs feature

Friday Night lights

in his opinionbutt

Booty... hands down

10 healthy

i Wish i Was...

an 8th grader again

Usain Bolt/ Me

Ashraf

“S*** happens.”

favorite saying

“Coach my leg hurts.”

“Be positive.”

“let’s go on a walk.”

Call of duty

favorite video game

Guitar Hero

Call of Booty... i mean duty

Madden Football

With

b o b b y

h o l m a n

10 Being able to take lots of pills at one time

special talent

Fastest Texter

0 PoIntS

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10

The ability to swallow hundreds of pills at once

70 points

lifting

10

10 PoIntS

inside the Jeremy mindKim

“

by s P e n Ce r sims on WATER PoLo

You could say I’m a pretty big deal. We got second in CCS my junior year, second in leagues that year, and second in every tournament that year. Also, this year we got second in leagues... and yeah... I got into wopo from my cousin Sung, SUNG KIM! And then eventually I got hooked. I like it because it’s a mix of every sport. Physically tough, mentally tough and puts hair on your chest. And you get an amazing bod, if you can’t already tell.

on SWIMMInG Not a big fan. It’s really boring. It’s pretty hard.

The only things that’s really good about it is the Speedo tan. That’s about it-- I don’t really like swimming.

on FuTuRE SPoRTS Next year, I will be attending Cuesta Community College, and I will be playing water polo for the Cuesta Cougars in San Luis Obispo. I will not be swimming. I’m done with that for the rest of my life. Never ever again.

on HoBBIES In my free time I enjoy wine tasting annually.

I’m a big wine guy. People don’t know that about me, but yeah... I’m pretty sophisticated.

I also enjoy the fine arts, such as studio glass blowing. I’ve been blowing glass for three years. It’s very different from most arts, and also it’s very physical. You need to be strong physically, mentally and have a lot of focus and patience.

on GIRLS (650) 279-6634. Single ready to mingle.

LAST WoRDS I’d also like to give a shout out to Nick Robinson. Just to tell him what a fool he is. Lebron James is better than Kobe, and that’s just the plan simple truth. You can argue all you want, but I’m right. In the end I’m right. Thank you Paly for this great interview. I will miss you all.

of

Aquatic Athlete Extraordinaire

Photography by Ahna Rao

on SPEnCER So, Spencer Sims please tell me about what goes on. We’re going to do Inside The Mind of Spencer Sims.

on SCHooL AnD SHAVInG Let’s talk about school. Spencer, how do you do in the classroom? Let’s just say people don’t think you are the brightest bulb in the light bulb store.

“Basically, I try my best. I definitely could spend more time doing the homework. My medicine helps the most. My grades are great. I have a 4.35-- better than Gaby Cahill.”

What classes are you taking?

“Right now I’m in um... AP chemistry. I’m loving the experiments in the laboratory.

I’m taking Analysis for the mathemat mathematics department. I did AP US History my freshman year. So, I’m done with history.

You know, I’m just getting all the good grades.”

What’s up with you and shaving?

“I have a weird shaving fetish... I had a beard thing going for the whole first semester... and... that was gross.

I have shaved my legs multiple times. The feeling is so comforting.”

on HAVI HAVInG Fun “I definitely like to have fun.”

What do you like to do in your free time to have fun?

“I normally hang out with my friends, like the Duck or Hanna Montana.”

Who is the Duck?

“That’s highly classified sector seven.

QUACK QUACK.”

on WARDR WARDRoBE Some people say you are unfashionable. What do you say to those people?

“You’re unfashion unfashionable.”

“

Swimmer and water polo player Jeremy Kim (‘09) takes a break from his busy second semester senior schedule and life in the pool to answer a few questions for The Viking. He also takes it upon himself to reverse the interview and question Spencer Sims.

15

ZOOM

Grant Audet (‘10) strains under the effort of his powerful serve against Aptos in the CCS Quarterfinals. Paly beat Aptos, but fell to the Bellarmine Bells in the semifinals, ending their season.

photo by hanna brody

summer WatCh sf giants v. oakland a’s Sf: (6/12-14) & oak: (6/22-24) Bay Area sports got you down? Heard enough of the Raiders’ front office problems? Is the Sharks playoff debacle still fresh in your mind? If so, you have six chances to enjoy Bay Area sports at its finest in the Battle of the Bay. Whether you cheer for Los Gigantes or the Bad Boys of Oaktown, these games promise to be the pinnacle of Bay Area sporting events for this calendar year.

vs.

By GReG STeWART

world footBall Challenge Stanford Stadium: (7/19) Reminiscent of two years ago, two international soccer teams will take the pitch at Stanford Stadium. Inter Milan of Italy and Club America of Mexico may not have the same star studded cast of players that Chelsea provided in the 2007 match; nonetheless, it is not often world class soccer surfaces itself in the United States, let alone in our backyard.

vs.

Bank of the west ClassiC Stanford: (7/27 – 8/2) The 39th annual edition of the Bank of the West Classic will be highlighted by the appearances of Serena Williams, Lindsey Davenport and several other members the Women’s Tennis Association. Held at the Taube Tennis Center on the Stanford campus, the venue offers great seating and a wonderful opportunity to watch professional tennis.

2009 Senior GameS Stanford: (8/1-8/15) naSCar raCe- Savemart 350 Sonoma: (6/21) Although considered to be a sport of the South, NASCAR finds its way to Sonoma every year for the Savemart350. As one of NASCAR’s two road races, the Sonoma race is somewhat of a spectacle. Road races force drivers to use different skills in their attempt conquer the track. If you are looking for a nonstop party, head up early for the qualifying races. Apparently, NASCAR fans know how to get down when it comes tailgating.

If professional athletics can’t get your heart racing then maybe the dedication and determination of the athletes in the senior games can. The games are presented in an Olympic-like format, except all participants are over 50! From tennis to soccer, this event promises to be a classic as all athletes will be playing for the love of the game, not a paycheck.

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year in revieW the teams

the PeoPle

the issues

the moments

VOLLEYBALL

fall sPorts

by Chase Cooper The Palo Alto varsity volleyball team’s season was a success as they reached the CCS semifinals and boasted an impressive 20-4 overall record. Senior captains, Ally Whitson (‘09), Daniella Florant (‘09), and Allie Coleman (‘09) led the squad.

“Everyone on the team had their own roles and did a good job,” outside hitter Marissa Florant (‘10) said. “It was a total team effort; one person did not have to do everything.”

Whitson clearly led the team with her outstanding ability to kill the ball. Coleman filled her role by setting Florant, Whitson and middle blocker, Melanie Wade (‘12) for potential kills.

The Paly team won its

league for the third year in a row.

Its win in the fifth game against Homestead broke a four-way tie, allowing the Paly girls to be the sole champions of the league.

Also, the Lady Vikes beat rival St. Francis in the CCS quarterfinals after years of being knocked out of CCS by the Lancers.

“Our team chemistry and the overall team bond made it easy to perform well,” Florant said.

“That chemistry is why we earned another league title this year.”

The Lady Vikes will look to build on this successful season next year. With younger players gaining experience from last year and improving between seasons, the Lady Vikes should be tough to beat come fall 2009.

FOOtBALL

by Ashkaan Khatakhotan The Palo Alto High School varsity football team came into the 2008 season hoping to continue the trend of Central Coast Section (CCS) championships. Despite losing a host of talented players, such as Mike Scott (’08) and Jordan Jefferson (’08), from the year before, the tradition continued due to many new starters.

“When you lose a player like Mike [Scott], it’s not easy to replace him,” offensive lineman Troy Boyland (’10) said. “But we had a lot of players step into that spot and do really well - players like Joc Pederson, Will Holder and Harry Woolson.”

The team battled through the regular season with a 9-4 record, but truly shined during the play-

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offs, making it all the way to (CCS) championships before losing to Los Gatos High School in the finals.

“I feel that it was a pretty successful season,” Boyland said. “We didn’t do great in the regular season, but we still made it all the way to the CCS championships. I wish we could have won that last game, but I still think that it was a good season.”

With another season complete, Paly will lose yet another crop of talented players to graduation.

“Were are losing some good players again this year, like every year, but I’m confident that we have some guys that can keep up the success we have had,” Boyland said.

RECoRd: 20-4 CoACH: dAvE WiNN RANK: 1ST iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY SPENCER SIMS

ConCentration Co-captain and outside hitter Ally Whitson awaits Archbishop Mitty’s serve during CCS semifinal match.

RECoRd: 9-4 CoACH: EARl HANSEN RANK: 4TH iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY MALAIKA DREBIN

intensity Free safety Scott Witte (‘10) and cornerback Antwon Chatmon (‘10) watch on as their teammates take to the field.

GIRLS’ XC

by Lauren Hammerson The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity cross-country team finished with a solid season, placing third in the SCVAL meet, which ultimately decided its league position. The team also qualified for the Central Coast Section (CCS), finishing seventh out of 18 teams.

“It was definitely respectable, but not what we were aiming for,” team captain Gillian Lui (‘09) said.

“That’s not to say that none of us had great races. But I would say that as a team, we certainly tried our best, but it just was not as good of an overall race as we had all hoped for.”

Throughout the season, the Lady Vikes had outstanding performances from the captains,

Elizabeth Scott (‘09), Sarah Haydock (‘09), Grace Park (09’), Jessie Kuo (09’) and Lui. The captains provided a sense of support for the team, which could be seen from the team’s unity and enjoyment while being together.

“The season was very enjoyable,” Coach Paul Jones said. “In addition to excellent results, the team spirit was very strong.”

In leagues, the team performed well, placing third, and thus qualified for the CCS meet.

However, the CCS meet ended in a disappointing feat for the Lady Vikes, where they placed seventh overall. Although the season came to a disappointing end, the Lady Vikes look forward to next season with improving talent

BOYS’ XC

by Elizabeth Scott Even with the loss of a core group of runners, including Julius Berezin (‘08), Sam Jones (‘08), Brian Hsueh (‘08) and Brian Karvelas (‘08), as well as coach, Jeff Billing, the Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity cross-country team made history by qualifying for the state meet for the first time in almost two decades. Although last year’s team had been poised to achieve a state berth, sickness hampered its success at the Central Coast (CCS) Section meet.

This year, the team bounced back. The squad included veteran, varsity runners Charlie Avis (‘09) and Philip MacQuitty (‘10), along with newcomers like Josh Newby (‘10), Henry Jordan (‘10) and Alex Voet (‘10). After placing second

in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL), the team continued training for the CCS meet at Toro Park in Monterey where it ran well enough to place second and advance to states.

At the state meet at Woodward Park in Fresno, the team continued to succeed. Prior to the race, the team did not even rank in the top 20 teams. However, after personal record-breaking performances by many of the Paly boys, the team finished eighth in state. With many runners returning next year, the team hopes to continue their success next season.

“We were all really glad our season ended at states,” Jordan said. “We aimed for it all season,

CoACH: PAUl JoNES RANK: 7TH iN CCS

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

enduranCe Co-captain Sarah Haydock (‘09) takes the lead on two Ridge High School runners at the Stanford Invitational.

CoACH: JoE GiNNANi RANK: 2Nd iN CCS

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

PerseveranCe Colin Schmitt (‘09) endures a race during a crosscountry meet taking place at Stanford University last fall.

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fall sPorts fall sPorts

year in revieW the teams

the PeoPle

the issues

the moments

GIRLS’ WOPO

by Spencer Sims Led by only three seniors, the Palo Alto girls’ varsity water polo team did well in its season, finishing second in their league. The achievements in season play carried it to Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs. Despite a young team, the Lady Vikes managed to compete and play well against the older teams.

With a squad made up of only three returning seniors, the team entered the 2008 season with fresh talent.

“It was a big learning year, but we did really well even though no one thought we would ,” goalie June Afshar (‘10) said.

The team certainly did exceed expectations, finishing second in league with a 7-5 record. Beating Los Gatos was a big step for

the team this season and it gave them the edge of getting second in their season.

“Our highlight of the season was beating Los Gatos,” goalie Liza Dernehl (‘09) said.

In the postseason, the Lady Vikes made it to the second round before losing to the hands of St. Francis.

“I am proud of my team because they really stepped up,” Dernehl said.

The team finds itself in a good position for next year because the underclassmen will have had an extra year of experience and time to familiarize themselves with each other.

“It was solid but I think that next years team is going to be very strong,” Dernehl said.

BOYS’ WOPO

by Brendon Rider This years boys’ varsity water polo season was filled with ups and downs and at times demonstrated signs of dominance, and at others struggled to defeat teams.

The Vikings competed for the league championship against Los Altos and defeated cross-town rival Gunn High School three straight times. On September 30th, the Vikings’ over-powered the Titans to a 10-5 victory. The Vikings scoring was well rounded, witnessing contributions from Tim Wenzlau (‘09) , Michael Wong (‘09) , Thomas Cho (‘09) , Alex Greene (‘09), Bobby Abbott (‘10) and Stephano Maggi (‘09).

Goalie George Kadifa (‘09) kept the ball out of the net with nine

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blocks.

If the Vikings had beat Los Altos, they would have shared the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League title. The Vikings battled the Eagles to an 11-10 loss in overtime. After watching their championship title disappear, the boys prepared for the CCS playoffs.

In the first round, the Vikings battled Salinas to a 12-11 double overtime win. The boys hoped to use the momentum they had gained in this big win to take down CCS powerhouse St. Francis High School.

Unfortunately, the Vikings lost to the Lancers 11-3, who went on to win CCS. In spite of the disappointing end to the season, the

RECoRd: 15-13 CoACH: CoRY olCoTT RANK: 2Nd iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

smaCKdoWn Driver Shameem Jamil (‘10) fakes a shot against Gunn High School. Paly went on to defeat the Gunn team.

RECoRd: 18-11 CoACH: GiovANNi NAPoliTANo RANK: 5TH iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

WinduP Driver Bobby Abbott (‘10) looks to pass during a game against Los Altos. Abbot a star players of the 2008 team.

GIRLS’ tENNIS The Palo Alto High School girls’ tennis team dominated the court with only three losses over the regular season. The Lady Vikes held their own after moving up to a more competitive division for their 2008 season.

Co-captains Sophie Biffar (‘10) and Gracie Dulik (‘10) led the team on and off the court.

“Sophie [Biffar] and Gracie [Dulik] our captains really led the team,” Emma Marti (‘11) said.

“This year we all knew each other a lot better and had greater team spirit.”

The team relied on underclassmen like Marti and Mira Khanna (‘11) to rack in the points.

“Mira was really outstanding this season,” [Vrinda] Khanna

by Ahna Rao

said. “She was a tough player with some awesome shots, and left most of her opponents feeling like they didn’t know what hit them.”

The team unfortunately did not last long in the postseason ,with a loss in Central Coast Section (CCS) semifinals. “ We lost to Monta Vista in Semi-finals,” Marti said. “It was pretty disappointing because we beat them before, but it was a close game and we played well.”

The Lady Vikes hope to only improve next season, and with a strong underclassmen core this shouldn’t be a challenge.

“This season was tough because we were in a higher league,” Marti said. “But, I am really excited

WREStLING With its sights set high for the season, the Palo Alto High School varsity wrestling team succeeded in reaching its goals. After starting off with fantastic performances in the Half Moon Bay and Sierra Nevada Classic tournaments, the Vikings continued their excellence. Noah Feldstein (‘09) and Max Simon (‘10) finished in the top 12. Also, Erez Arnon (‘09) and Adrian Castillo (‘10) surprised the team with great performances during CCS. Patrick Sheehan (‘09) stood out among many fantastic performances during the postseason. Sheehan, who won MVP honors during the regular season, finished second in CCS and advanced to the CIF state finals.

There, he went 2-2 and was the

by Wade Hauser

only Paly wrestler to qualify for the meet.

Not only did Sheehan succeed for the Vikings, but the underclassmen also proved crucial to the team’s achievements. Joey Christopherson (‘12) and Ryan Oshima (‘12) competed at the varsity level and helped the team earn points for key victories.

Christopherson placed seventh at the Half Moon Bay tournament, while Oshima went 17-1 on the season.

With an overall record of 5-2, the team looks toward the future.

“We were all happy with the outcome of the season,” head coach Dave Duran said, “The young guys performed well and

RECoRd: 19-3 CoACH: ANdY HARAdER RANK: 3Rd iN CCS

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

underhand Sophie Biffar (‘10) returns a serve in a match. Biffar plays number one doubles with teammate Gracie Dulik (‘10).

RECoRd: (W-l) CoACH: dAvE dURAN RANK: 5TH iN CCS

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taKedoWn Max Simon (‘10) takes down an opponent in a match. Simon along with the rest of the team had a 5-2 record.

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GIRLS’ BASKEtBALL

by Scott Witte Coming off a mediocre 2007-2008 basketball season, the girls’ varsity basketball team improved drastically throughout the 2009 year. The team finished off the last 13 games only one game below .500, meaning they won six of its last 13 games.

Despite having a fairly young group of girls on this year’s team, senior leadership was a prevalent factor in the teams success.

Off the court the players found time to enjoy themselves, which created a comfortable playing atmosphere. With a lack of size and experience, the team utilized this comfort and looked toward senior leadership for prosperity.

“Taylor [Lovely (‘09)] and Allie [Coleman (‘09)] were really strong

leaders for our whole team on and off the court,” forward Katerina Peterson (‘11) said. “They kept us strong through hard times and motivated us to be better.”

Guard Olivia Garcia (‘09) also proved to be vital to the team’s success.

“Olivia was a really good leader on the floor in our games because she was our point guard and made things happen,” Peterson said.

The team fell short of the sectional playoffs by one game, and early season struggles left the girls wondering what could have been.

“We did better towards the end of the season but we still could’ve done better,” Peterson

BOYS’ BASKEtBALL

by Ashkaan Khatakhotan It was a tale of two seasons for the 2009 Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity basketball season in the first year under head coach Andrew Slayton.

After starting off the season strong with big league wins over rivals Gunn and Wilcox, the team seemed ready to roll to a league title and a high seed in the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs.

Instead, the team seemed to fall apart the rest of the way.

The team slipped into the playoffs as an 11th seed with a 12-11 record. However, it was an uninspiring playoff run. After winning the first round matchup with Sobrato, the team fell to Mills in the second round to end its season.

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“Some of it can be blamed on youth, as we have a very young team,” forward Kevin Brown (’10) said. “Some of it can be blamed on a lack of consistency. Whatever it was, bottom line is that we didn’t execute the way we need to near the middle and end of our season.”

However, the team feels it can turn it around next year with a promising group of athletes on the rise.

“We have most of our starters returning next year, and we got some guys coming up from JV, so I believe that next year can be much better,” Brown said.

With a long way left to go until the tip-off of next season, Paly spectators will just have to wait

RECoRd: 7-12 CoACH: SCoTT PETERS RANK: 5TH iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY MALAIKA DREBIN

foCus Guard Lauren Mah (‘10) dribbles towards the net during a practice this fall as the team prepares for its next game.

RECoRd: 14-12 CoACH: ANdREW SlAYToN RANK: 4TH iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY MALAIKA DREBIN

teammates With new coach Andrew Slayton leading the team, the Vikes ended their season in the second round of CCS.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

by Elizabeth Scott For the first time in almost twenty years, the Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity soccer team qualified for the Central Coast Section finals. The road to the final game was tumultuous. Initially, the Lady Vikes’ spot in the Division I playoffs was not a guarantee, but they performed well enough to make an impact on the competition.

The tournament began with an easy 7-0 win against 11th seed Watsonville. In the quarterfinals, the team defeated third seed Leland thanks to an amazing performance by forward Kelly Jenks (‘10). Jenks scored all five of the Lady Vikes’ goals which allowed the team to advance to the semifinals.

In a close 1-0 game, the Vikings

continued their winning streak by beating number two seeded Woodside. The team earned a berth in the CCS finals for the first time in over two decades.

They faced-off with number one seed Monta Vista. Unfortunately, the Lady Vikes struggled through the first half of the final game and could not make up for the deficit.

The game ended with a 2-1 loss for the Lady Vikes. Despite the disappointing end, the team exceeded expectations and is poised for more success in the future. Graduating seniors attest to the team’s exciting season.

“I felt the team had a successful season,” defender Elizabeth Petit (‘09) said. “We were able to pull together at the end of the season

BOYS’ tENNIS

by Cassie Prioleau According to coach Andy Harader, the Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity tennis team is the best group of players he has had in 11 years of coaching.

The team won its league and only lost one game before playoffs. The Vikings’ one loss was a close match up in which they lost 3-4 to Menlo.

In the postseason, after the Vikings took the league championship title, they made it to the Central Coast Section (CCS) semifinals where they fell to Bellarmine 3-4.

“We made it farther than we have gone in CCS in a long time,” Alex Freeman (‘10) said.

The Vikings ended their season with a record of 21-4, one of the best records in Paly tennis history.

The team will be graduating seven seniors this year, including captains Dan Shwartz (‘09) and Sam Wong (‘09).

Next year, the team has a solid core of returning players including Drew Pearson (‘10) and Peter Tseng (‘10), along with standout underclassmen Nicky Hu (‘12) and Baramee Wongbanchai (‘11).

“The team was really cohesive,” Freeman said. “I feel like that, plus the raw talent of everyone on the team is what made our team so successful.”

RECoRd: 12-8-4 CoACH: ERNESTo CRUz RANK: 5TH iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

PuSH Forward Maeve Stewart (‘10) fights a Monta Vista player for control of the ball. The Vikes put up a fight but lost in the CCS finals.

RECoRd: 21-4 CoACH: ANdY HARAdER RANK: 1ST iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANNA BRODY

toPsPin Peter Tseng (‘10) serves the ball in a CCS match against Aptos. The team ended its season against Bellarmine.

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GIRLS’ tRACK & FIELd

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by Scott Witte The girls’ varsity track team’s season could be accurately described as a rebuilding year. After losing key competitors from last years’ team, the team struggled to get even one victory.

Although the team was unsuccessful, ending with a record of 0-6, a few individuals rose to the top among Central Coast Section (CCS) competitors.

Sprinters Erika Hoglund (‘10) and Emily Yeates (‘10) anchored the very successful 4x100 team, which emerged as a highlight of this year’s season.

“Everyone on the team was really fast, so we didn’t have any weak links,” Hoglund said. “It was nice to know that everyone would run fast consistently.”

With very few girls on this year’s team, it failed to win a single meet, however competitors individually improved.

“It was disappointing to not be able to win any of our meets because of having a small team,” Hoglund said. “But we did have a lot of talented individuals who were fun to watch.”

After a last place finish in the De Anza division in 2008, the team did not expect to do much better this year.

The Lady Vikes were disappointed, however, are looking towards a successful season in 2010.

“Next year will be interesting,” Hoglund said. “We had a lot of fast freshmen this year, so

BOYS’ tRACK & FIELd

by Brendon Rider Palo Alto High School boys’ varsity track and field team had high aspirations for the 2009 season. Starting the season off strong by beating Monta Vista High School and Los Altos High School, the Vikings’ confidence rose.

Though the Vikings proved to be dominant in the beginning of the season, they began to slip, losing to Milpitas High School, finishing sixth in the league championship meet. In spite of the team’s faulty effort in the championship meet, it was still able to send athletes to the Central Coast Section (CCS) meet. Sprinters Daniel Jones (‘10), Kasey Fields (‘09) and Paul Brown (‘09), distance runners Philip MacQuitty (‘10) and Skyler

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Cummins (‘09) all qualified for CCS. The 4x100 relay team also qualified. These competitors will hopefully make up for the disappointing endeavor shown in the SCVAL meet.

Next year, the Vikings hope for a more successful season.

Although the team is losing top competitors such as Brown, Fields and Bobby Holman (‘09), it sees potential in Jones, Miles Anderson (‘11), MacQuitty, and jumper Fredrik Lofgren (‘11). Also, the possible return of former Paly track star Tyler Nigro (‘10) gives the Vikings new found hope in their severely wounded jumping capabilities.

Looking forward, the Paly boys’ team will continue to main-

RECoRd: 0-6 CoACH: PAUl JoNES RANK: 7TH iN lEAGUE

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

hurdle Hurdler Sylvia Price (‘09) leaps towards the finish line in a league meet against Henry M. Gunn High School.

RECoRd: 4-2 CoACH: JASoN FUNG RANK: 2Nd iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

launCh Thrower Haris Sultani (‘10) hurls the discus in a recent meet at Paly. Sultani leads the varsity team in throwing.

LACROSSE The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity lacrosse team ended the season in the Central Coast Section (CCS) semifinals. After losing only two games in the entire season, the girls showed their opponents that they are a force to be reckoned with. Reflecting tons of improvement from last season, the team qualified for CCS and played Gunn in the quarterfinals.

The victory over Gunn put the Lady Vikes in the running to play in the finals. Facing off against Menlo Atherton in the semifinals, the Lady Vikes were ready to play their hardest.

“We were ready to go, but we had a hard time getting through their defense,” goalie Anna Bastidas (‘09) said. “We played really

by Spencer Sims

hard but unfortunately the score didn’t reflect that. It was a good game we had fun.”

The team did not make it to the finals after a 4-7 loss against Menlo Atherton.

The girls were happy with how well they did this season and look to improve even more for next years season. The Lady Vikes attribute much of their success to their coach Jen Gray.

“She is [Jen Gray] a good coach and she lead us to victory because she is so good at teaching us and we learned a lot this season,” Kimberley Flather (‘12) said.

The JV girls were undefeated in league, a hopeful sign for the future success of the team in

BOYS’ SWIMMING Whether it was the new swimsuits, or simply an increased level of competition, long-standing records dropped left and right at the Central Coast Section (CCS) Championships at the Santa Clara International Swim Center.

This season, the talented boys’ team finished first in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL) with a record of 5-0-1, the one tie coming at the hands of Los Gatos. However, the boys couldn’t translate the success to CCS, where they finished 7th in a highly competitive sectional field.

“We were looked to be the underdogs at the start of the season, but we ended up first in our league,” Jeremy Kim (‘09) said.

by Oliver Davies

Swimming powerhouse Bellarmine came in a resounding first place at the CCS meet with a score 319.5, while Harker School narrowly beat Paly by two points with a score of 104.

Mark Higgins (‘09) swam 1:38.11 in the 200 freestyle, breaking a previous CCS record, but lost to the new record holder Nick Trowbridge of Mountain View, who swam 1:37.11. Paly also received a valiant performance from co-captain Tim Wenzlau (‘09), who placed fifth in the 100 backstroke with another school record of 50.59.

“We weren’t looking to place at CCS, but a lot of our swimmers had their fastest times there,” Kim said. “That really looks good for

RECoRd: 19-3 CoACH: JEN GRAY RANK: 1ST iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

Cradle Center Maya Fielder (‘10) zooms past a defender in the team’s game against Woodside. The Vikes went on to win 8-0.

RECoRd: 10-0 CoACH: dANNY dYE RANK: 1ST iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY MALAIKA DREBIN

breathe Byron Sanborn (‘12) competes in the 100-yard breaststroke at CCS swimming finals. Sanborn took 6th place at CCS.

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SOFtBALL

by Cassie Prioleau The Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity softball team has turned into a powerhouse in the past two seasons, and its hard work has certainly paid off. After graduating no seniors from the 2008 squad, this year’s team powered through league play with only one loss. The Lady Vikes clinched the league championship title and secured a spot for next year in a higher division.

In only his second year on the job, coach Jake Halas led the Paly girls through league play, only losing to Santa Clara. The Lady Vikes came back to beat Santa Clara 2-0 in their last league game in which Gracie Marshall (‘09) scored the second run on a steal.

Although the Lady Vikes had a challenging schedule ahead of them for CCS, they were optimistic about the postseason. Unfortunately this year, the Lady Vikes lost to Leigh High School in the second round of CCS, matching last year’s high water mark for the post season.

The team believes the most important key to its success is how it works together.

“I really think we have worked harder than any other team and it really paid off,” shortstop Lauren Bucolo (‘10) said. “We have the best team chemistry we just all love each other and it really shows when we play.”

The team boasts depth, keeping hopes alive for successful

BASEBALL

by Sam Greene From the beginning of the 2009 baseball season, the varsity baseball team raised the bar in hopes of becoming first in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (SCVAL). With a new coaching staff to support the program, the team achieved a clean .500 record after a nine consecutive loss set-back.

“The attitude on our team completely shifted after we went 0-9 once we got our first win,” shortstop Scott Witte (‘10) said.

“We were just a different team.”

With a no-hitter pitching performance by Steven Burk (‘09), the Vikings held their ground against Wilcox with a 4-0 win, and reached a turning point in the season. The boys racked up more

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wins and earned third in league.

Working there way from 0-9 to 16-16 league record was no easy feat. With the help of head coach Donny Kadokawa, the baseball program became more structured and organized to support the teams over-all effort.

“We didn’t have one guy who could win us the game, it was always a team effort,” designatedhitter Joc Pederson (‘10) said.

The Vikings earned their position in the postseason as the third seed. At the first round of the playoffs, the team fell short of a win after a 4-3 loss to the 14th seeded Willow Glen. Despite the Vikings beginning of the season, their relentless determination to consistently deliver their best

RECoRd: 19-7-1 CoACH: JAKE HAlAS RANK: 1ST iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

vision Shortstop Lauren Bucolo (‘10) fields the ball in a recent game. The Lady Vikes clinched the league championship title.

RECoRd: 16-16 CoACH: doNNY KAdoKAWA RANK: 3Rd iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

CaPtion Dust flies as Joc Pederson (‘10) slides into second base in the first round of CCS against Willow Glen. The Vikes lost 3-4.

BAdMINtON

by Ashkaan Khatakhotan Entering the 2009 season, expectations were not high for the Palo Alto High School varsity badminton team. After winning only one game the previous season, the team hoped to improve this year, but the team earned only one win for the second straight season. Regardless, the players try to look on the bright side of things.

“This season was so much better than last year,” Hillary Yuan (’10) said. “We came very close to winning on multiple occasions, and a lot of people have really stepped up their game and have improved visibly. We have a lot of new freshmen and sophomores who bring in new skill and talent.

Overall, we’ve gotten closer as a

GOLF The Palo Alto High School golf team had high expectations for the 2009 season. The team delivered in spectacular fashion finishing the regular season 14-1.

After breezing through the first round of Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, the team was eliminated in the second round.

However, the players do not feel that the season was a failure.

“We were going against some of the best teams in [Northern California],” Aaron Lee (’10). “We had a great season, so I’m not too disappointed with the way things turned out.”

The team’s strength this year lay in the rosters depth. Pierce Marchant (’09) and Eliot Snow (’09) led the team, which com-

whole team.”

While the team did not have a collectively successful season, individual players can still have success at SCVAL’s and CCS. “Our hopes are to get more players into CCS,” Yuan said.

“Last year, Young Hsu (’08) got through SCVALs and actually placed in CCS, and we were totally thrilled.“ With the season’s end the team looks to next spring.

“Next year, we’ll still be improving our game and work towards bonding as a team,” Yuan said.

“We’ll be losing a lot of key senior players this year so we’ll have to learn how to play and keep up without them. But I think the future looks good, especially with

by Ashkaan Khatakhotan prised of highly talented golfers.

“Eliot and Pierce were obviously our top guys,” Lee said.

“But what set us apart from other teams is that there wasn’t a huge talent drop-off anywhere on our team.”

The team must now turn its head to the 2010 season. Head coach Doyle Knight will need to figure out how to replace three of the top six players, as the team is losing Marchant, Snow and Hrishi Srinagesh this year after graduation.

“The team is losing some really good players this year, and I do not know if we can repeat the level of success we had this past season, but we will see what happens next year.” Lee said.

RECoRd: 1-6 CoACH: JoN PRENTiCE, KARA PRENTiCE RANK: 7TH iN SvAl

PHOTO BY JOHN CHRISTOPHERSON

birdie Adam Hwung (‘09) lofts a shuttlecock in practice while preparing for a crucial match.

RECoRd: 14-1 CoACH: doYlE KNiGHT RANK: 3Rd iN SCvAl

PHOTO BY HANA KAJIMURA

sWing Pierce Marchant (‘09) takes a shot toward the green.

The team ended its season with a 14-1 regular season record.

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Girls’ swimminG

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he Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity swimming team closed in on an undefeated season until a mere three points restrained the team from capturing the Central Coast Section title from Archbishop Mitty.

“Losing CCS was rough,” June Afshar (‘10) said. “We have come really far from previous seasons.”

After a stellar 2008 season, the Lady Vikes came back even stronger this year.

Key underclassmen swimmers, Jasmine Tosky (‘12), Sarah Liang (‘11) and Abby Duckett (‘12), not only contributed points and places, but also All-American and CCS record breaking times.

“The underclassmen were a huge, vital part of this season,” co-captain Tara Murao (‘09) said. “They really stepped up and took over for Liv [Jensen (‘08)] and Colleen [Fotsch (‘08)].”

The Lady Vikes showcased true talent when they swept the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division Championship. The team set two school records in point totals alone. The Lady Vikes won their seventh consecutive league championship title.

At Leagues, Tosky received All-American titles in both the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:02.08, and the 100-yard butter-

fly, with a time of 55.75.

Liang swam a 100-yard breaststroke in 1:04:45, which not only broke The Viking’s 2008 Female Athlete of the Year, Liv Jensen’s, record, but also the longest standing record in school history.

Duckett won her races as well, which included the 500-yard freestyle (4:58.47) and the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.03).

As CCS approached, the girls continued to put long hours and hard work into morning and afternoon practices.

Coach Danny Dye prepped the team well; so well that the girls’ times got faster, their form cleaner and their strokes stronger with each meet.

“Danny is a really great coach,” Murao said. “He coaches unlike any of the other coaches in our league. He goes above and beyond.”

Team co-captains Allie Bollela (‘09) and Murao made lasting contributions to the team with their leadership.

“Allie did a really good job of leading by example for the team,” Murao said.

“I tried to keep everyone motivated and positive, and to be a good role model for the underclassmen.”

After Leagues, the girls were undefeatundefeat ed, 10-0.

“We basically dominated before CCS,”

Sarah Liang (‘11)

by Kylie Sloan Photos by Malaika Drebin Afshar said.

The team went into CCS with high hopes. Projected stats showed that the Lady Vikes would win CCS by a wide margin.

Although the girls came in second, their performance at CCS was still an unbelievable accomplishment. Paly’s times were the fastest ever in CCS history.

“At the meet, overall, we did super well,” Murao said. “I am so proud of the team, especially of all the records the girls set.”

In the 200-yard medley relay, Paige Devine(‘11),Liang,MargaretWenzlau(‘12) and Tosky made the first Palo Alto mark in CCS history with a time of 1:44.31.

The 200-yard free relay brought satisfying results as well. Liang, Sabrina Lee (‘11), Bollela and Wenzlau made Paly swimming history with a record of 1:36.97.

Tosky, sleek in a sparkling gold bodylength suit, swam her fastest yet. In the 200-yard IM, Tosky wiped out all competition with a CCS record of 1:57.94. Liang swam close behind, pretty in pink, with a time of 2:00.51.

“They [Tosky and Liang] are so mature and experienced,” Murao said. “They did a great job of filling their positions on the team this year.”

Sabrina Lee (‘11)

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Jasmine Tosky (‘12)

Tosky continued her domination in the 100-yard freestyle by coming in first with another CCS record. Her time 48.98 smashed Liv Jensen’s former record (49.03).

Tosky practically flew through the 500-yard freestyle, and set yet another CCS record with the time 4:43.96. Duckett then sealed the deal with a second place finish at 4:57.45.

Wenzlau held strong in the 100-yard butterfly placing fifth in 56.06.

Liang held her own in the 100-yard breaststroke, gliding into first with an amazing 1:01.50 time, and broke another CCS record for Paly.

“After a day of such great swimming, not going away with the trophy was hard,” Murao said. “It was a disappointing end to the season.”

Although all of these records were not enough to win the Lady Vikes the CCS championship, their impressive showcase at all of their meets this season exemplifies the powers of what a true team can do.

Hard work, skill and new, fresh talent helped these girls reach towering heights.

These qualities will no doubt help the team in future seasons to come when this year’s underclassmen return again.

“We will definitely miss the seniors,” Af Afshar said. “But, we are set for next year.”

Unfortunately, the girls must settle for second place, but silver satisfies; for now, at least. <<<

honoraBle Mention Girls’ Volleyball Although the girls’ varsity volleyball team called themselves the “redeem team,” at many points in the season, the girls looked like a dream team. For the third year in a row the Lady Vikes won their league, and qualified to the Central Coast Section. Although the girls beat St. Francis for the first time in years, they lost to Archbishop Mitty in the CCS semifinals.

Girls’ lacrosse l

The girls’ varsity lacrosse team made a full revolution in its second season and established itself as a force to be reckoned with. The girls went from winning only two games last season to losing only three games this season.

The girls won their division and qualified to the CCS semifinals. The team faced a disappointing loss to MenloAtherton.

Abby Duckett (‘12)

Allie Bollela (‘09) Paige Devine (‘11)

Margaret Wenzlau (‘12)

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Male teaM of the Year boys’ soccer

120 minutes of intense play in A fter the Central Coast Section champi-

onships, the 2009 Palo Alto High School varsity boys’ soccer team finished its season as co-champions. Hard work and team chemistry throughout the season propelled the boys forward landing them a spot against Bellarmine College Prep in the CCS finals.

The team started the season undefeated for its first 11 games, losing only to Gilroy 0-2. Ending the season with a record of 21-1-3, the varsity boys’ soccer team established itself as the most successful boys’ soccer team in history.

The team’s strong unity between returning players as well as the quick integration of new teammates, assisted in it’s immediate success in the beginning of the season.

“The chemistry was great because

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by Hanna Brody and Lauren Hammerson photos: top right by Christine Chang below by Hana Kajimura, bottom right by John Christopherson

most of the players had played together for a while,” defender Mark Raftrey (‘11) said. “The rest of us fed off of that camaraderie, which carried over to the field where everyone could trust each other.”

The team chemistry centered around the strong leadership from its senior players. The six seniors: Greg Stewart (09’), Peter Johnson (‘09), Kevin Ashworth (‘09), Michael Hanabusa (‘09), John Christopherson (‘09) and Adam Zernik (‘09) proved to be influential on the success of the team throughout the season.

Christopherson consistently helped get the team excited for every game and was key in keeping the defensive players focused.

“John [Christopherson] just got everyone pumped and ready to play,” striker Kris Hoglund (‘12) said. “Every game he gave the speech in the huddle right be-

fore game time to get everyone going.”

In addition, Hanabusa was a key component in making the many new underclassmen feel a part of the team.

“Michael always just went around to everyone, was really friendly and made them feel good,” Hoglund said.

The team had many memorable games this season. One of the most notable was their semifinal win against Watsonville.

“The semifinal win was the best game I’ve ever been a part of,” midfielder John Richardson (‘11) said. “After Jenner [Fox (‘10)] scored the own goal with only a few minutes left I thought we were done, but elliot’s [Sanborn (‘10)] flip throw saved us.”

Spencer Sims (‘10) then broke the tie with a goal in the 94th minute of overtime winning the game. This allowed the

honoraBle Mention team to continue onto the CCS championships.

Overall, the team’s success this season attributes to its winning of the Team of the Year title. The team feels that many elements contributed to the win.

“We deserve team of the year because we were a top team from the beginning, and every team would come out fired up to take us down,” Raftrey said. “Its not like we tied lots of games, and played to not lose, but we went out hoping to win decisively.”

Teammate Richardson feels that their clutch goals and strong defense are two of the main reasons it was voted male team of the year.

“We were only scored on once which shows our defensive power,” Richardson said. “We also found goals where it mattered, like in the last few minutes of games and overtimes during CCS. Also, to top it off, we’re CCS champions.” <<<

boys’ Tennis

The boy’s varsity tennis team had an amazing season, finishing first in league. The team made it to the CCS semifinals, where they lost to Bellarmine College Prep 3-4. The team, led by seniors Sam Wong (‘09) and Dan Schwartz (‘09), finished with a very strong 21-4 overall record.

Boys’ Cross-Country

The boys’ varsity cross-country team had a great season under the coaching of Joe Ginanni and with the contributions of standout runners. The team placed second in both the league and CCS meets and sent runners to the state meet for the first time in 16 years. Paly placed eighth in the state meet.

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THANK YOU!!!

Paly Sports Boosters would like to thank our generous sponsors and donors, wonderful volunteers, our Athletic Director, Earl Hansen, and of course the skilled (and slightly less skilled) golfers who made this year’s Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser the largest and most successful ever! With your help, we raised record funds to support Palo Alto High School’s Athletic Teams!!!

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year in revieW the teams

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top 10 moments of 2008-2009 siMs’ goal leads to viCtorY over watsonville In the second overtime of the semifinal game versus Watsonville, forward Spencer Sims (‘10) turned on the jets and delivered for the Vikings. After Outside Midfielder Jenner Fox (‘10) lobbed a beautiful pass to Sims, Sims took care of the rest.

The Vikings used the incredible shot to start a run and made it to the CCS championships.

There is a very good argument that this goal was the top moment in the entire run for the Vikings as they went on to be co-champions of the Central Coast Section, and ranked thirteenth in the country.

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Spencer Sims ( ‘10)

footBall regular season ends with a Bang

The regular 2008 Paly football season came to an end in a dramatic fashion. It was the final regular season game, and on tap was one of Paly’s biggest rivals. Both Los Gatos High School and Paly were playing for a high seed in the upcoming CCS playoffs. The score was tied at 14 apiece with seconds remaining in the game.

Coach Hansen decided to send out the field goal unit to win the game. Luckily, there was talent and experience kicking the ball against Los Gatos. After a good hold by Safety Scott Witte (‘10), Kicker/Defensive Back Will Holder (‘09) kicked the ball through the uprights, catapulting the Vikings into the CCS Medium School Division playoffs.

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Paly 2008 Football Team

lin sinks gunn with gaMe winner

In a basketball season that was filled with primarily negatives, it was fantastic to see a game winning shot to defeat our cross-town rivals. Shooting Guard Joseph Lin (‘10), the Vikings’ second highest scorer, used his clutch shooting ability to drain a threepoint-shot that beat Gunn as the clock struck zero.

Lin has had to deal with the pressure of living up to his brother’s reputation, and so far Lin has certainly kept up. This game winner will probably not be the last of Lin’s basketball career. This glorious defeat over our friends at Gunn has seemed to clear away so many of the bad games in this year’s basketball season.

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Joseph Lin (‘10)

Burk throwS Complete Game, no-hitter

At the time of Steven Burk’s (‘09) pitching gem, the Paly varsity baseball team was struggling to bring home some wins. The performance at Wilcox High School came soon after a 0-9 start to the season, and the team just needed something to ignite a comeback.

Burk, a four-year varsity baseball player, was just the spark the Vikings needed. After Burk’s complete game/no-hitter, the baseball team went on a massive winning streak. The Vikings received a three seed in CCS playoffs, and it is no question that Burk’s performance helped initiate the success.

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Steven Burk (‘09)

stewart’s goal puts ladY vikes to the next round

Nobody predicted that the Paly varsity girls’ soccer team would be in the CCS semifinals, playing for a chance to go to the finals for the first time in 20 years. Up until the last 15 or 20 minutes, the score was still 0-0 and both teams were looking for somebody to step up their game and score a goal.

Luckily for the Lady Vikes, forward Maeve Stewart (‘10) was just the person for the job. In the closing minutes, of the semi-final game against Woodside High School, Stewart scored a goal that would eventually be enough to win the game and go on to the next round.

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Paly Girls’ Varsity Soccer

PHOTO CREDITS: 1.Hana Kajimura, 2. Malaika Drebin, 3. Kajimura, 4. John Christopherson, 5. Adam Zernik, 6. Spencer Sims, 7. Christopherson, 8. Hanna Brody, 9. Ally Shorin, 10. Zernik.

wade BloCks fisher, leading to volleYBall CoMeBaCk

Melanie Wade (‘12)

In the fifth game of the volleyball match against Homestead, the Lady Vikes came back to win the league championship. The turnaround point of the game was definitely when Middle Blocker tom moments the year.

Melanie Wade (‘12) stuff-blocked outside hitter Cat Fisher, Homestead’s standout player.

The of Lady Vikes then came back from five points down in the last game to win the match.

They ultimately lost to Mitty in the CCS playoffs, but a league championship completed the third year in a row of a league championships. If the Lady Vikes had not beaten Homestead, they would have finished in a four-way tie for the league championship.

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CroSS-Country qualifieS for State ChampionShipS

Boys’ Cross-Country 2008

The success of Paly’s athletics this year can pretty much be represented by the victories of the cross-country team. After losing its coach after last season, the team did not really know what to expect this year. However, the Vikings put their game faces on and trained their hearts out.

By doing so, the cross-country team won their league and qualified for state championships, an accomplishment rivaled by few. The Vikings faced tough competition in the championships, but they still were able to perform well. The Vikings’ top performer was Philip MacQuitty, (‘10) who finished with a 15 minute and 14 seconds 5-kilometer race.

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BoyS’ tenniS winS leaGue for firSt time in 16 yearS

Baramee Wongbanchai (‘11)

The Paly varsity boys’ tennis team expected a good season this year, but it probably wasn’t expecting it to be this good. It had been 16 years since the Vikings had last won the league title in boys’ tennis, but that streak is now over. By following their confidence, the Vikings won their first league title in 16 years, which is longer than some of the team has been alive.

The Vikings are loaded with depth in both singles and doubles, so it should come as little surprise that they have had so much success this season. No matter the result of the playoffs, it is safe to say that this year has been an accomplishment for the Viking tennis team.

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toSky BreakS 200 im reCord

Jasmine Tosky (‘11)

Last year, The Viking named Liv Jensen (‘08) as the female athlete of the year. Jensen was named Pac-10 player of the week at UC Berkeley this year as a freshman. This was partially due to the fact that she set the school record for the 200-meter individual medley (IM). Well that record did not stand for very long. Swimmer Jasmine Tosky (‘12), this year’s female underclassmen of the year, beat the record, and will probably be the only freshman to ever beat a senior’s school record. Since her record beating performance, Tosky has already been to Olympic trials and should be appearing on TV racing against Michael Phelps in the new future.

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Jenks sCores five goals in a single gaMe

Kelly Jenks (‘10)

It is said that the best athletes play their top game in the playoffs, when it counts the most. This is for sure when forward Kelly Jenks (‘10) takes the field in an important soccer game. The female athlete of the year definitely stepped up in the CCS playoffs and went on a scoring spree. The defenders made Jenks look like the best player on the field, and maybe even unstoppable.

In soccer, a single goal is a huge accomplishment, but Jenks scored five. Jenks led the Lady Vikes to a 5-0 victory and on to the next round. The Lady Vikes may have lost in the CCS finals, but Jenks’ performance was a huge help for them getting that far.

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~ BEn BROWn

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year in revieW the teams

the issues

the moments

the PeoPle

Bottom 10 moments of 2008-2009 BaSketBall (thorouGhly) emBarraSSed By Gunn Two thousand, two hundred and five days. Seventy-three months. Six years. Anyway you look at it, it had been some time since the Gunn boys’ basketball team had defeated Paly. That all came crashing down one February night in Palo Alto when a vicious and vengeful Gunn squad ripped apart Nick Rob & Co., who had stolen Gunn’s thunder in the first match-up of the year via a Joseph Lin buzzer beater. The storyline was downright ugly. In the second quarter, Paly had five more turnovers than points. In the second half, Paly scored eight points. On the night, Paly made it to the free throw line five times… and made one. The final score: 18-42. To be fair, Gunn did win the league title and their only loss was against Paly. But February 13th, 2009, marked the end of an era – or the beginning of a new one.

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Paly 2009 Basketball Team

BaSeBall StartS SeaSon 0-9

With a new coach, several strong returning starters, and ample fresh young talent, the varsity baseball team entered the 2009 season with relatively high expectations. Well... at least higher than 0-9. Outscored 18-2 in its first three games, something had to change for the team to turn its season around. It didn’t; at least not yet. The next seven, while slightly closer, all left the Vikings on the losing end. Given the team’s struggles at the plate during the streak, nine losses were exactly what its efforts merited. But those of us who counted out the resilient Vikes were proven dead wrong, as they dominated the remainder of the regular season with a 14-5 record and earned a #3 seed in CCS. Still, their turnaround was not quite as stunning as their stunningly awful 0-9 start, and for this they earn a commendable second place spot in our bot-

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Will Holder (‘09)

footBall fails to threepeat

Losing in the CCS championship game normally would not make the bottom ten moments, given the extreme difficulty of getting there. But that leaves out a crucial factor: we do not lose in CCS in football. We have grown to expect CCS football miracles. Following the scintillating state championship run in ’06 and the CCS miracle finish of ’07, it’s safe to say that we were expecting a third consecutive ring when the stage was set against Los Gatos. The three-peat was on after a fourth quarter Will Holder field goal put the Vikings ahead 23-22, but Gatos struck back quickly to take a 29-23 lead. On Paly’s final drive of the game, the fans collectively had to blink to make sure they actually saw quarterback Will Brandin’s final pass picked off. As a school, we experienced a feeling we had altogether forgotten, the score unchanged at Los Gatos

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Paly 2008 Football Team

GirlS’ traCk and field 2009 SeaSon

Looks like we’ve got repeat offenders (see Bottom Ten Moments of 2008). It is not yet clear what drives the girls’ track and field team’s affinity with being part of the notorious ‘Bottom Ten’, but we’re definitely on to something. At least, that’s what we figure…or else they would have won one of their meets this year. It’s always special when a sports team maintains that zero in its record all the way until the end of the season. An unblemished 0-6 is no easy feat.

We won’t delve into the insignificant details this time. So congratulations, ladies, on being the only Palo Alto High School athletics team to not win a single competition this year. Badminton had a better record than you. What else is there to say?

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Tara Murao (‘09)

volleYBall shafted BY seed

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All the girls on the Paly volleyball team went into their league finale vs. Homestead knowing full well that their season depended on the result. In a SCVAL league stacked with powerhouse teams, a Paly loss would mean a four-way tie for first place, while a victory would make them outright champions. Not enough at stake yet? How about the fact that Archbishop Mitty, the team ranked number one in the United States of America, was going to be the top seed in the CCS playoffs, and the only way to make it to the CCS finals would be to earn the number two seed, which presumably Paly would do if they won the game. The epic see-saw battle ended up going to five games, with Paly trailing by as many as five points in the final game, only to stage a dramatic comeback and come out victorious! But alas, the CCS committee was not feeling it. They gave the two seed to Mountain View, and Paly went on to lose to in the semifinals to Mitty (who then obliterated Mt. View in the finals).

Paly Girls’ Volleyball

PHOTO CREDITS: 1.Malaika Drebin 2. John Christopherson 3. Drebin 4.Christopherson 5.Spencer Sims 6.Kajimura 7.Drebin 8.Christopherson 9. Alek Milovidov 10.Drebin

poop in the pool

The Paly Track

Poopy in the pool. Sounds pretty funny, right? I bet the girls’ water polo team feels a little differently. A normal game day took a turn for the worse when Paly team captains discovered a suspicious brown matter near the bottom of the pool during warm-ups for their game against Leland.

After further investigation, the players confirmed the substance as human fecal matter, and exited the water to notify authorities. Swim coach Danny Dye took the matter into his own hands (both figuratively and literally), diving down to remove the poopy with a small net. However, there were still questions about the sanitation of the pool. The powers that be finally decided that the game would not be played at all. Worst of all, the non-game came back to haunt the Paly team, which got a low CCS seed because they had played fewer games. It’s never too late to fess up. We know you

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last Minute own goal alMost dooMs BoYs soCCer

Jenner Fox (‘10)

The way boys’ soccer team worked, (a) they did not usually give up goals and (b) they did not tend to lose games. That is why it was so implausible that they would get scored on with the score 2-2, and less than five minutes to play in the semifinals of CCS. When a free-kick was given in favor of Watsonville more than 40 yards out, there was no immediate threat. After they took the kick, the ball sailed toward the waiting arms of goalkeeper Peter Johnson. But suddenly, a rare miscommunication in the Paly defense led to a flash of confusion, and before anyone knew what happened the ball slowly bounced into the corner of the net. The final touch was by a player wearing a Palo Alto jersey. Watsonville players rejoiced in what they thought was the game-winning goal. Paly players around the field collapsed in misery. Only a miracle could save their perfect season now. Lucky for

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wopo loses to whoM...?

wopo

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Liza Dernehl (‘09)

the great divorCe

Coach Diepenbrock

‘Diep’ was not one to appear in the Bottom Ten in his time leading Paly’s basketball team to greatness. In fact, the state championship he brought us during the 2005-2006 school year is arguably the top Paly sports moment of the past decade. Sadly, he broke a few Paly hearts when he made the (completely respectable) decision to leave the Paly basketball program after last season.

But we couldn’t blame him for that. At least we would still be able to see him around campus as a teacher. We would still be witness to the allegiance one of Paly’s greatest coaches shared with his school. That is, until one day the car with the unmistakable ‘PA HOOPS’ license plate was replaced with a suspiciously similar-looking car with a plate reading ‘CC HOOPS’. You cut us deep, Diep. Cut

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tennis CCs disappointMent

Will Brandin (‘09)

Another example of high expectations, immense potential and mediocre results. According to coach Andy Harader, this was the best team he had ever coached at Paly – and he’s been here for over ten years. The Vikings’ ‘09 roster had everything you could ask for: consistent, dedicated senior captains; experienced, cohesive doubles teams; electrifying, confident up-and-coming aces; and lastly, just a plethora of solid players. With this remarkable group of players, Harader led the team through a memorable season that saw them go undefeated for weeks at a time, win both the league title and league playoffs, and even take first place out of 108 at the California Classic tournament. Seeded #2 in the CCS playoffs, a local showdown with #1 Menlo always seemed probable.

But something did not click for the Vikings when it mattered most, and they were knocked out by a good, but by no means better, Bellarmine squad in the semifinals. ~ ADAm ZERniK

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year in revieW the teams

the issues

the moments

the PeoPle

the viking’s top 10 Youtube videos C

ome one and come all; out with the old and in with the new. The era of just “Top 10 Moments” is long past us because who are we kidding, we live in the age of the internet, and all our countdowns must change accordingly. Without further ado, The Viking presents the ten most important sports video clips on YouTube. These timeless classics are sure to leave you in awe of supreme athletic talent, and in some cases, just a bit of luck. For somebody trying to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of sports, these videos are your first stop on the way to fanhood.

These virtual classics made their way onto the list by not only displaying incredible athleticism and mass popularity on the internet, but by representing an innovative and ground-breaking aspect of each respective sport. That being said, sit back at your desk, push your homework to the side, and enjoy these YouTube classics that are sure to blow your mind.

1) Danny Macaskill Search: “Danny Macaskill” The latest phenomenon to hit the YouTube nation, Danny Macaskill takes his “trial biking” skills to the test on the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland. These incredible five minutes of video earn the top spot on the countdown due to previously unseen tricks like back flips off a tree, yes a tree, and an expert backing track, “The Funeral,”

by Band of Horses. This video should pave the way for thousands of amateur biking videos that attempt to emulate Macskill’s highlights for years to come.

2) Rodney Mullen Search: “Best of Rodney Mullen” You know the tricks, you’ve seen them done by countless skaters over the year, so why not watch the guy who invented this classic repertoire in the first place?

Rodney Mullen’s famous highlight reel ranks among the all-time best YouTube videos simply for its unmatched innovation, as well as its mind-blowing stunts on the sidewalks of Miami, Florida. This video is a must see for any and all fans of skateboarding and extreme sports.

3) Jordan Snipes Search: “Jordan Snipes Basketball” It’s overtime, his team is down by one, and there are six tenths of a second left on the clock. After a missed free throw, the customary last second heave is all but necessary, and Snipes was not one to break tradition. Snipes crashed the boards and fired an overhand toss down the court for what undoubtedly will go down as one of the best basketball shots in not just high school basketball, but in the history of the game.

4) Tony Hawk Search: “Tony Hawk 900”

Speaking of innovation in the sport of skating, Tony Hawk was another man who took the sport to another level. In particular, Hawk’s successful attempt at a “900” in a skateboard vert competition set the stage for a whole new era in vert skateboarding. Watch as Hawk shows the world how many times he can spin in the air without letting dinner come back up.

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5) Trinity university Search: “Trinity University”

Voted the number one sports play of 2007 by Time Magazine, this video is what desperate football fans pray for on every last-second kickoff when their team is down at the end of the game. The Trinity University football fans got their wish as the Tigers won the game on a 15-lateral play that left Millsaps College wondering how they let the game slip away.

6) Randy Johnson Search: “Randy Johnson Kills a Bird”

This video makes the list simply because of the sheer impracticality of the situation. Randy Johnson fires 95 MPH fastballs routinely to home plate, and one unfortunate bird decided to cross paths with the pitcher’s speedy offering. Watch and see the madness that ensues - warning: not for the faint of heart.

7) Ronaldinho Search: “Ronaldinho: Touch of Gold”

A true “Touch of Gold.” Aired during the pre-World Cup hype as part of a Nike promotional campaign, this video has fueled countless amounts of arguments, “can somebody really do this?” You be the judge, check out this incredible display of footwork as this gifted athlete bounces the ball off the crossbar with an immaculate display of precision.

8) Christian Laettner Search: “Christian Laettner shot”

Some argue that the immense popularity of March Madness began with the famous 1979 championship game between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson; however, nothing can top the last-second heroics of Christian Laettner and his improbable turn-around jump shot at the buzzer for a victory for Duke. Down one to Kentucky with .6 seconds left in the East regional final game of the 1992 tournament, Laettner preformed heroics with a last second desperation shot: this video encompasses what March Madness is all about.

9) David Tyree Search: “David Tyree Superbowl catch”

Who can forget David Tyree’s famous “helmet” catch at Super Bowl XLII? This video will be immortalized in the hall of fame of YouTube sports videos not only for the incredible catch, but in part because of Eli Manning’s scrambling exploits, which make him appear as if he was coated in a layer of grease.

10) Secretariat Search: “Secretariat”

As for vintage videos - YouTube has it all. This timeless classic from the 1973 running at Belmont shows an amazing horse take on an intimidated and overmatched field. Even for those who claim to have zero interest in horse racing, this video remains a must-see for the incredible margin of victory Secretariat achieves after breezing past the rest of the competition. ~ OLivER DAviES

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year in revieW the teams

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COACH OF tHE YEAR

PRESENtS...

The Coach of the Year award goes to the coach who made the greatest impact on Paly sports through their leadership. Players are generally recognized for the success of a team, but coaches are equally as important in leading and developing the players. The team’s success and the coach’s impact were taken into consideration for this award. Also, a deciding factor for this award is the coach’s ability to develop and improve athletes and shape the Paly sports program. Pg. 45

UNdERCLASSMAN OF tHE YEAR

The Viking gives the Underclassman of the Year Award to a male and female freshman or sophomore who made a significant contribution to Paly athletics despite their age. These athletes are up and coming Paly sports figures who have years of athletic success ahead of them and will have a great impact of their respective teams for years to come. Athletes from frosh-soph and JV teams were considered for the award, however contributions to a varsity team held more value in consideration for the award. P. 50 & 51

ALOK SUBBARAO

The winner of the Alok Subbarao award is a leader and inspiration on their team, and a testimony to the fact that an athlete does not have to be the MVP to be a force on a team. The Viking wants to recognize an athlete who has made an impact on Paly sports, not only through athletic performance but through leadership and inspiration as well. The value of a standout player on a team is undeniable, but equally valuable and less recognized are the “Aloks” of each team who inspire and lead their teammates everyday. P. 46

AtHLEtE OF tHE YEAR

The Viking chose to award both a male and female athlete who stand out in their respective sports and contributed to their team’s success. These athletes have lead through performance and have made a great impact on their teams and on Paly sports as a whole. In the selection process, the athletes’ success and the success of their respective teams were taken under consideration. Through this selection, these athletes have been proclaimed the MVPs of the 2008-2009 Paly sports program. P. 52 & 56

Sports, orthopedic And Rehabilitation Medicine Associates mid Peninsula 500 Arguello Street, Suite 100 Redwood Cit y, CA 94063-1526 Telephone 650.851.1202 Fax 650.995.1202

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south bay 550 S. Winchester Blvd. Suite 110 San Jose, CA 95128-2544 Telephone 408.247.4900 Fax 408.249.4900 w w w.soarmedical.com

COACH

OF THE YEAR

JEN GRAY

The Viking honors head coach Jen Gray for her outstanding success with the Paly lacrosse program.

I

t’s hard making something from nothing. Just ask Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity lacrosse coach, Jen Gray. Two years ago, Gray took the lead of Paly’s newly born lacrosse program. The team ended its first season with a record of 2-10.

After a dramatic turn around, the team ended the 2009 season with a record of 18-3. Not only does Gray coach the varsity squad, but she also coaches JV, spending up to four hours a day at Paly, in addition to attending both team’s games and weekend practices.

“It’s been a struggle, but its been a good challenge,” Gray said. “The girls have definitely had to take on a lot more on their own.”

Gray had her start in lacrosse when her father taught her the game at an early age. Gray immediately fell in love with lacrosse, and took her career to the collegiate level playing for Princeton University. After an injury her senior year, Gray turned to coaching lacrosse.

“I love the sport and I love teaching other people about the sport,” Gray said. “I think it’s a wonderful team sport.”

Gray’s success as a coach can be seen beyond numbers. Her players attest to her dedication

and commitment to coaching and building the foundation of a player’s stick skills using her own experience.

“The difference between [Gray] and other coaches is that she doesn’t let anyone become the superstar,” attacker Sam Herzog (‘10) said. “When she sees a player struggling, she works with her individually.”

While Gray helps individual team members, she puts the team first, acknowledging that success is brought about through teamwork, as opposed to the talent of standout players.

“I really get to see the girls learn how to work in a team and to take personal responsibility for being in a team and what that means, so sort of learning life lessons of having to perform well on your own and then also perform with a group of people.”

Gray hopes the best for the lacrosse program’s future. She sees herself as a part of the greater picture, building a foundation for continued success.

It’s really fun to have a new program and to build something like this because you see improvement day to day,” Gray said. “It’s so satisfying at the end of the day to see that and I’m so proud of [the team].”<<<

BalanCing aCt Jen Gray coached both the varsity and junior varsity teams this year, and led both squads to new levels of success for the program.

Jen graY’s laCrosse BaCkground

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year in revieW the teams

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FEMALE UNdERCLASSMAN OF tHE YEAR Jasmine Tosky

By ALLIE SHoRIn PHoTo By MALAIKA DREBIn

fierCe intensitY Swimmer Jasmine Tosky (‘12) explodes out of the water during a breaststroke race at CCS. Tosky, as a freshmen, broke last year’s Female Athlete of the Year Liv Jensen’s (‘08) CCS records, in addition to many other league records.

S

ome people are just built for water. Some swimmers get into the water and swim so gracefully that it appears effortless, and stroke after stroke they leave the competition behind.

Jasmine Tosky (‘12), one of many gifted swimmers on the Palo Alto High School girls’ varsity swim team, and a member of the Junior National team, has already made her mark on Paly swimming history in her first season as a freshman.

The Viking has chosen Tosky as this year’s Female Underclassman of the Year. Although there were numerous highly-qualified candidates for the award, Tosky’s athleticism and sheer ability put her above the rest. This year, Tosky broke records set by swimmer Liv Jensen (‘08), who not only won The Viking’s Female Athlete of The Year last year, but also went to the Olympic trials and swims at UC Berkeley.

Tosky has set several school records this season including the previously long standing 200 Individual Medley [IM] record, with a time of 2:02.08. Additionally, she broke league records in the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly with time of 55.75 seconds.

Due to her impressive times, she has also qualified for All-American titles in 100 fly, 200 IM, 100 Free, and the 500 Free, as well as the 200 Medley Relay.

Tosky’s work ethic, competitiveness and tireless effort have played huge roles in her success this season. On top of her swimming accomplishments, Tosky has aided her peers during the coarse of the season. “[Tosky] works really hard, and she motivates herself really well,”

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teammate Sabrina Lee (‘11) said. “She not only pushes herself, but also pushes others to get better.”

Co-captain and teammate, Tara Murao (‘09), also believes that Tosky’s hard work contributed greatly to Tosky’s success.

“She really pushes herself, she has one of the best work ethics that any athlete can have,” Murao said. “Especially since she is so young, it’s something that you just can’t teach.”

Although she is one of the youngest on Paly’s varsity swim team, her age does not hinder her ability.

“Her age doesn’t change anything,” Murao said. “She’s already really the most experienced person on the team and she is only going got get better from here.”

Dye feels that Tosky “stepped up to the challenge” and helped factor into Paly’s successful season.

Murao feels that Tosky has the ability to do a lot with her swimming and that she can go where ever her determination and drive takes her.

“She can go anywhere she wants to,” Murao said. “She has enormous potential which is really rare, and she’s extremely talented.

However much she wants it, determines how far she will go.”

Although Tosky does not set goals for herself, she does have a few things that she wants to accomplish.

“I want to try to make more records and swim a little bit harder,” Tosky said. “Outside of Paly, I want to go to bigger meets like the US open and some invite meets.” <<< ~ Allie Shorin

MALE UNdERCLASSMAN OF tHE YEAR T.J. Braff

By SCoTT WITTE PHoTo By HAnA KAJIMuRA

Bring Your gaMe faCe T.J. Braff (‘11) plays varsity football, basketball, and baseball, and starts for the basketball and baseball teams. Braff contributed and excelled by playing quarterback, forward for the basketball team, and first base for the Vikings.

laying on three varsity sports teams at Palo Alto High School is an accomplishment in its own. Starting on two varsity sports as a sophomore is an even more incredible achievement. Doing all of this as a sophomore is usually unheard of. However, three-sport athlete T.J. Braff (‘11) made it a reality.

After a successful freshman campaign last year, on the junior varsity football, basketball, and baseball teams, Braff was pulled up to varsity in both basketball and baseball. During spring practice for football his freshman year, Braff made the varsity squad as a second-string quarterback and safety. From the start of his sophomore year, high expectations for Braff as strong competitor at the varsity level were set.

Braff received the award of Underclassmen of the Year award, due to his significant contributions to varsity teams in only his second year at Paly. It is unusual for an athlete to play such a vital role on three varsity teams even as a senior, to do so as a sophomore is almost unheard of. Braff is an exception to this norm.

Braff proved to hold a vital role on this year’s football team, playing a considerable amount behind starting quarterback Will Brandin (‘09) and starting strong safety Will Holder (‘09).

“He was a very reliable back up quarterback and he could a lot of positions so we could plug him in anywhere we need,” football and baseball player Jared Beeson (‘10) said.

Braff contributed the most in the first football game of the season, when Brandin could not play. Braff led the Viking to a 28-7

romp over the Burlingame Panthers, throwing for a pair of touchdowns.

On the basketball court, Braff played forward for the Vikings and added a smooth and quick style of play to the team’s offense.

Standing at a healthy six-feet-four inches, Braff moves extremely well for his size, proving to be a dangerous weapon on both sides of the court.

“He always came through in the clutch when we needed him,” teammate Brendon Rider (‘10) said. “He did a great job of taking care of the ball in pressure situations.”

Though a fairly consistent scorer, Braff came alive in the early season game against Gunn. Braff contributed throughout the game, but the battle came down to Joseph Lin’s (‘10) shot at the buzzer to bring home a victory for Paly.

On the baseball diamond Braff has been one of the Vikings’ top hitters, posting an average of .393, and contributing two homeruns, six doubles, and a team-high of 31 runs batted in.

“He’s been really clutch this year, he came up with a lot of big hits,” Beeson said He also supplies solid defense starting at first base for Paly and has a .955 fielding percentage, yielding 175 put-outs on the season.

To stand out at the varsity level as a sophomore is impressive and gives Paly sports depth and potential for future seasons. In years to come, Braff will lead Paly athletics to success on the gridiron, the hardwood and the baseball diamond. ~ Scott Witte

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Sharon Witte Coldwell Banker

sharon.witte@cbnorcal.com www.sharonwitte.com

Summer is on the way, and there is no better time to get dental work done!

Need to fix that overbite? Get those dreaded wisdom teeth pulled? Get it all done now before the next school year begins!

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the alok subbarao award sean keohane

By Sana Bakshi

Photos by Hanna Brody

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The Alok Subbarao Award isn’t an award given to the best of the best in Paly athletics. Rather, the Subbarao award is given to an athlete who leads his or her team regardless of athletic success. Sean Keohane (‘09) exemplifies the qualities that The Viking looks for in the winner of the Alok award.

He may not be the one who is always talking, but when he speaks his teammates listen. Playing a position where his size is a key factor, Keohane achieves the unlikely, considering he is small for the position he plays.

T

he average linebacker stands 6’1”, weighing about 200 pounds. Paly’s varsity strong linebacker doesn’t fit the form of an average linebacker. Standing at a mere 5’10” and weighing only about 165 pounds, Sean Keohane’s (‘09) opponents tower over him.

“He has always had the ability to beat people that were twice his size.” Kramer said.

Never a standout player, Keohane left an impression on the Paly’s varsity football squad with his intense attitude and extreme dedication to the team. He worked his way to the top overcoming many obstacles to get to where he is today.

Keohane played football for five years before joining Palo Alto High’s JV football team his freshman year. But before joining a league team in the third grade, Keohane never really considered football.

“I never really played football,” Keohane said. “I hated it my first year, but I went back and I started really loving the game. I figured I had a future with it.”

During his freshman and sophomore years Keohane hurt his wrist, but the injury did not stop him. During both seasons he played with a cast on his arm.

“Sean worked hard,” head football coach and athletic director Earl Hansen said. “He played a huge role in why we were so good.”

After making varsity his junior year, more problems arose.

During a league game against Mountain View High School, Keohane thought he only suffered from a minor injury, a separated shoulder at the most. In reality, Keohane tore the muscle in his shoulder, severely affecting his performance on the field.

His injury forced him to have surgery, keeping him off the field for most of the season.

“It [the injury] was hard because it kept me down,” Keohane said. “It felt like a miracle sometimes. I just kept working, kept giving a 100%.”

Keohane, making the most of his time off the field, maintained a significance presence on the team.

“Even on the sidelines,” teammate Sam Tompkins-Jenkins (‘09) said. “He gives a 100%. He’s a very intense and emotional

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person.”

Though described as an intense player, Keohane works past his emotions and shows his intensity on the field physically rather than verbally.

“I talk with my pads,” he said. “I show it on the field. I don’t do the whole smack talk thing.”

As one of the most experienced players on the team, Keohane has the natural leadership qualities to keep his teammates together.

“When times were rough,” he said.” I felt I had the obligation to pull everyone together.”

He proves to be a solid role model for underclassmen.

“Next year someone is really going to have to step up and fill his intensity,” strong linebacker Michael Cullen (‘11) said.

Throughout his high school career, Keohane’s attitude toward the game has changed. Playing three out of four years with injury, Keohane never had his chance to shine. His moment finally arrived during his senior year in a varsity game against Leigh High School. Keohane intercepted the ball and scored a touchdown.

“During games he’s always the main voice on the field,” Kramer said.

Keohane has also impacted Cullen’s football career. Cullen, also a strong linebacker, looks to Keohane for inspiration athletically and mentally.

“Before the league game, there was some smack talk,” Cullen said. “It was my first varsity game, so I was really nervous. Sean was getting everyone pumped up. He kept me grounded and calmed me down. I know that next year I have to give 100% to play at his level.”

After making a comeback his senior year, Keohane showed his coaches and teammates how much potential he had and his maturing personality.

“He was out a lot because of his shoulder junior year,” Hansen said. “But senior year, he just kept getting better and better.”

“A lot of people consider football to be all physical with not a lot of thought process and that your just banging heads with

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big idiots,” teammate Tommy Kramer (‘09) said. “But it takes a certain mental ability to do some of the things people do on the field, and Sean has that ability. even with the injury Sean would put everything on the line to win” The football field is not the only place where Keohane has experienced difficulty. During his sophomore year, Keohane

Over the course of his four years at Paly, Keohane has overcome injury and setback, learning from his mistakes and moving forward. Sean Keohane, a presence that will surely be missed next year on the football team, has proved to be a truly inspirational athlete to the sports community.

“He’s a true football player at heart,” Kramer said. “If he had

“a lot of people consider football to be all physical with not a lot of thought process and that your just banging heads with big idiots. but it takes a certain mental ability to do some of the things people do on the field, and sean has that ability.”

-tommy kramer (‘09)

qualified for CCS in wrestling, one of his main goals that year.

Keohane was unable to wrestle due to his junior year injury.

“After my sophomore year, I had huge expectations for myself,” he said. “I couldn’t really fulfill them because of my football injury junior year.”

His senior year, Keohane tried to wrestle again, but tore a cartilage at the beginning of the season, preventing him from wrestling for the rest of the season.

the size he most likely would have gone to college for it.”

Though he will not be continuing his football career in college, due to his shoulder injury, Keohane has left a mark on the football team. A mark that will surely be hard to fill.

“He’s a presence any coach would like to have on his team,” Cullen said. <<<

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feMale athlete of the kelly Jenks TExT AND PHOTOS BY HANA KAJIMURA

52

he Year:

kelly Jenks (‘10) exemplifies success for a varsity athlete at Paly on the soccer field and on the pitching mound. Jenks has found success in both sports and has a promising future in the world of athletics . sounds at 3:00 PM and students T hefilebell outoftheirrespectiveclassrooms.The

end of another long day is in sight for many Palo Alto High School juniors. For Kelly Jenks (‘10), the day is just beginning.

Mondaystartsat3:30withsoftballpractice followed by another workout, dinner, a quick shower and then a meeting with her ACT tutor. Jenks rushes to club soccer practice right after Paly softball practice two or three days a week.Herweekendsconsistoftwoclubsoccer games, a softball clinic and church on Sunday mornings- when she is not jetting off to Southern California, Oregon or Florida for a tournament. As a three-year, two-sport competitive varsity athlete, Jenks is no stranger to sacrifice and dedication. Her steadfast commitment paidoffthisspringwhensheverballycommitted to play soccer at Santa Clara University.

At 5’9’’ Jenks sits compactly with her hands folded in her lap. She reaches up to tuck her golden hair behind both ears and smiles softly with her glittering ocean-blue eyes. Her demure disposition serves as a contrast to the Kelly Jenks Paly fans watch on the field and read about in the papers-the girl who scored all five goals in a single girls’ soccer CCS quarterfinal game.

“Just to see her in uniform is very intense,” Palygirls’varsitysoccercoachErnestoCruzsaid of Jenks in her all white Paly uniform. “There are some players who you know will take their team to every final and every championship, just by watching them play. Kelly’s that type of player.”

Even her teammates recognize the energy and force Jenks exudes when on the field.

“It’s evident when and where she is on the field,” Gracie Marshall (‘11), Jenks’ teammate on both the varsity soccer and softball teams,

said.

On both the Paly varsity soccer and softball teamssincefreshmanyear,JenkshaswonPalo Alto Weekly athlete of the week twice for softball, was awarded both freshman and junior of the year of the De Anza league for soccer, as wellasnumerousfirstteamAllLeagueawards.

This season, as the lead scorer of the De Anza league and team captain, she led the girls’ soccer team to the CCS finals for the first time in 29 years. Currently, Jenks leads the El Camino league in strikeouts and wins.

“At first the attention and awards that came were pretty new to me and a bit overwhelming because I’m not super outgoing,” Jenks said. “It makes me feel like I have to prove myself even more.”

Even with all the honors, Jenks has managed to keep herself grounded.

“Being named freshman of the year was great but it doesn’t mean anything if I can’t perform in the present,” Jenks said. “I think all the attention has reminded me to be a good example and along with being a captain this year, has given me subtle confidence.”

As one of three, and the only junior captain of the varsity girls’ soccer team this year along withcentermidfieldersSammiBengston(‘09) and Jessie Duller (‘09), Jenks proved to be not only a valuable player but also a leader.

“She shows her leadership in a way that’s very natural to her,” Cruz said. “She doesn’t say anything but you can see it in the way she works.”

Jenks works behind the scenes by pulling a player aside from the huddle at halftime and leading by example.

“What’s most impressive about Kelly is her quiet confidence,” Marshall said. “She’s not the most vocal leader but everyone looks up to

“I KNOW THAT I’M GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THE HARDEST THAT I EVER HAD TO WORK. I’M DRIVEN TO DO WHATEVER I POSSIBLY CAN TO PREPARE FOR DIVISION I SOCCER.” -KELLY JENKS (‘10)

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her.”

As a two-sport athlete competing on a national level, Jenks lives a life of balance and sometimessacrifice.Withtwosportspractices a day and tournaments on the weekends, Jenks uses her drive and enthusiasm to keep going.

“By the time Friday comes around, I’m usually pretty wiped,” Jenks said.

Aside from a few hours that Jenks sets aside every night to catch up on “Survivor” and “America’s Next Top Model”, Jenks misses out on some of the traditional high school experience.

“I don’t know of any other Paly student who does not have a Facebook, except for me, but I’m going to get one this summer!” Jenks said excitedly.

However, any resentment that Jenks may

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have held over the past HEADER Kelly Jenks (‘10) heads a ball on the Paly turf. Jenks com16 years is long forgot- mitted to playing soccer for Santa Clara University under legendten. This March, Jenks ary coach Jerry Smith when she graduates from Paly. “I knew that verbally committed Santa Cara was the whole package,” Jenks said. “The head coach made me to play soccer at Santa feel like I could be appreciated there and that Santa Clara just ‘felt right’.”

Clara University, arguably one of the best women’s soccer program package,” Jenks said. “The head coach made in the country with a national title in 2001 and me feel like I could be appreciated there and the #1 west coast conference recruiting class that Santa Clara just ‘felt right’.”

Jenks admits that at first she was overof 2009. whelmed and even hesitant about the offer.

“Growing up, my dad and I would go to “It was all a bit intimidating at first and it games at Buck Shaw Stadium, so it’s surreal to actually know that I am going to play there,” happened so fast,” Jenks said. “He explained what my role could be because I didn’t know Jenks said.

After Jenks visited the school, met the play- if I would ever touch the field.”

Jenks was impressed with Smith and acers, talked to coaches, and went on an unofcepted the offer. ficial visit, Jenks had a meeting with Santa “On March 23, I called up Jerry Smith and Clara’s legendary coach, Jerry Smith. accepted his offer and verbally committed to “I knew that Santa Cara was the whole play soccer at Santa Clara,” Jenks said.

Honorable menTion

With a little over a year to train, Jenks is gearing up for the most intense seasons of her life.

“I know that I’m going to have to work the hardest that I have ever had to work,” Jenks said. “I’m driven to do whatever I possibly can to prepare for Division I soccer.”

While local fame may be a distraction to most athletes, Jenks realizes that a lifetime of hard work culminates in this opportunity. She assumes responsibility for her own potential.

“It has really motivated me to work hard and take advantage of every practice and game,” Jenks said. “While I can’t control the futureplayers,injuryorcoaches,Icancontrolmy work ethic and determination.” <<<

The Viking felt that these two athletes deserve special recognition for their incredible contributions to Paly sports this year.

ally whitson

Ally Whitson (‘09) has made a huge impact on Paly’s varsity volleyball team, helping it to win the league championship for the third year in a row. Whitson was not only a team captain, but the outside hitter lead the Lady Vikes in kills and was an integral part of the defense both at the net and in the back row.

Whitson won co-MVP of the league and her volleyball career is taking her to UC Davis next year

allie Coleman

Allie Coleman (‘09) contributed to Paly athletics in a huge way since her freshman year. Playing varsity volleyball, basketball and softball this year, Coleman made her presence felt behind the net, on the court, and behind home plate.

Coleman has been setting for the varsity volleyball since her sophomore year and led the team this year through her role as captain. She is also a stand out on the varsity softball team, playing catcher since her freshman year.

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Male athlete of the Y mark higgins TExT AND PHOTOS BY MALAIKA DREBIN

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Year:

Shattering three school records and leading the Paly Boys’ Swim team to their fifth straight league title, Mark higgins dominates the paly athletic scene. seventh period at the Palo Alto High I t’sSchool pool deck, and the sun beats down

on the concrete. A few varsity swimmers relax in the shade under the pop-up tents, snacking on Powerbars and trying to energize for the impending two and a half hour practice.

Their eyes lock on the water, though the pool appears empty. Suddenly someone breaks through the surface. Captain Mark Higgins (‘09) takes off his goggles and reaches for his water bottle. Without taking a single breath, Higgins has just swum the entire length of the pool.

For his teammates, the fact that Higgins can swim without breathing does not impress them, but rather that practice does not start for another hour, and Higgins is already swimming.

Higgins is the pride of Paly swimming: a four-yearvarsityathletewith12All-American times, and now holds three school records. He is widely regarded as the most diligent worker on the team, and is the prime example of hard work paying off.

“Mark’s a beast,” teammate Rollin Lau (‘12) said,asotherswimmersnoddedtheirheadsin agreement.“He’sinspirational;heworksreally hard.”

On a team that willingly attends doubleday practices and swims up to eight miles a day, a strong work ethic simply becomes the standard. However, the boys generally agree that Higgins goes far beyond what everyone expects of him.

“He has extreme physical and mental stamina,”teammateJeremyKim(‘09)said.“He pushes himself way harder than any other athlete at Paly I know, and I’ve never seen him quit. ever.”

Paly swim coach Danny Dye finds Higgins a valuable source of motivation for the rest of the team.

“Mark really gets results from working hard,soguysfollowhisexample,”Dyesaid.“He is a true leader in every sense of the word. He demonstrates what it means to be an athlete.”

What kinds of results? Nine All-American swim times in his first three years of high school, a spot among the top three 100- and 200-yard freestyle swimmers in Paly swimminghistory,andatypicalfirstplacefinisherin high school meets.

A recent league meet against Lynbrook High School was no exception. Higgins swam the 200-yard freestyle at a speed that left a few observing Lynbrook swimmers speechless.

“Look at him!” one boy cried, pointing as Higgins sped body lengths ahead of his competitors on the fourth lap. “What does that guy eat? That’s just-I don’t know, man, he’s ridiculous!”

“I don’t think this is even fair,” another Lynbrook teammate lamented, shaking his head.

Perhaps what baffles people most about Higgins is the ease of his stroke.

“It looks effortless, so smooth it seems like he’s not even trying,” teammate Ken Wattana (‘11) said. “Even though he clearly is.”

Yet his ease is no façade. Before every race, Higgins focuses on relaxing his entire body, and tries to stay relaxed in his races for as long as possible.

“But inevitably I get tired and I have to focus on pushing myself,” Higgins said. “I’m good at putting everything into my races, though.”

Higgins’ racing skills come from a lifetime of swimming experience. He learned to swim when he was two years old, and began racing in a summer league at the age of six. An all-around athletic child, Higgins competed in triathlons and played soccer and lacrosse.

Though he liked the other sports, by age 11 he decided to stick with swimming and began competing year-round on the Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics club team.

“I stuck with swimming because I like the raw competition,” Higgins said. “It’s hard to explain, I just like racing the guy next to me, or the clock.”

Dye sees Higgins’ love of racing as one of his main strengths.

“Not only does he have a phenomenal grasp of the water and strong legs, but he lives to race,” Dye said. “Even last year after being sick for a lot of the season, Mark came to CCS and you could just see his willingness to race.

He wasn’t even in his best shape and he came in third in the 200 free.”

Dye has a hard time thinking of anything that would make Higgins better, other than training and competing at a higher level. Dye believes this would breed even greater accomplishment.

A NCAA Division I swimming school might be the logical ‘higher level’ for Higgins, but he does not intend to compete in college. Instead, he planned to make this swim season his last, and make it one to remember.

“Peoplesaythatyou’reonlyasgoodasyour last game,” Higgins said. “A lot of the time when people quit a sport they kind of fade away. I want to show my former coaches and swim-

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mer friends that I’m quitting because I want to have a memorable last season.”

Higgins, known for doing whatever he sets his mind to, set incredibly high goals for himself at the beginning of the season, and achieved every single one.

Before the season started, Higgins planned to break the school records in the 100- and 200-yardfreestyle,andhelpleadtheboys’varsity team to a first place finish in the league.

At the SCVAL meet, Higgins failed to break theindividualrecordshedesired,buthistimes still earned him first place in both events. He anchored the 400 free relay which, along with outstanding performances by the rest of the boys’team,contributedtotheirclosefirstplace finish for the league title, 15 points ahead of Saratoga High School.

The CCS meet took place the following week, and Higgins had only two more opportunities to end his swimming career the way heplanned.Hispreliminary times were disappointing: he didn’t get near his best time in the 200-yard free, and finished fifth.

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the PeoPle

Inthe100-yardfree,Higgins’teammateTim Wenzlau, primarily a backstroker, beat him by .79 seconds to break the Paly school record. To

tain View High School. The race went on, and by the last two laps, Higgins’ stroke became shorter and his legs kicked into high gear. His

any spectator, the chance of Higgins breaking his school records seemed slim.

But it turned out that he was just saving his energy for the races that counted.

Higgins waited at the blocks in the not-sofavorableseventhlaneforthe200free.Hisrace began like any other: a fast, graceful start and a powerful, fluid stroke. He pulled ahead of the swimmers next to him, almost neck-andneck with the first seed swimmer from Moun-

hand shot out for the wall, and the time lit up on the scoreboard. 1:38.11.

Higginsshatteredtheschoolrecordby3.14 seconds, and broke the previous CCS recordhowever, the Mountain View swimmer who took first broke it by an even larger margin.

Higgins lifted up his goggles, squinting at the time, and an enormous grin lit up his face.

He pumped his fist and peeled off his cap, overcome with emotion. He finished second,

“HE PUSHES HIMSELF WAY HARDER THAN ANY OTHER ATHLETE AT PALY I KNOW, AND I’VE nEVER SEEn HIM QuIT. EVER.” -JEREMY KIM (‘09)

CELEBRATIon Higgins reacts to his recordbreaking time on the 200-yard freestyle at CCS Finals. He went on to break two more school records in subsequent events.

but placing paled in importance to the dream time he achieved.

“Isurprisedmyself,”Higginssaid.“Idefinitely didn’t think I was capable of that time, but I guess the hard work this season paid off.”

“Watching him swim was fun,” Dye said.

“You could just see the determination in his stroke, he didn’t want to lose.”

Higgins was closer to the record in the 100 free, but this event was more about competition. He simply could not let teammate and good friend Tim Wenzlau (‘09), the backstroker, beat him at his own event. Once again, Higginspulledthroughwitha45.55andbroke not only the previous school record, but also the new record of 46.66 set by Wenzlau just 24 hours before.

“I couldn’t let Tim beat me, because I worked so hard,” Higgins said. “So I put everything I had into that 100-free.”

In addition to his 100- and 200-yard freestyle records, Higgins also broke the school record in the 50 free during a relay, going a 21.42.

The boys team finished seventh in CCS, but

Higgins’ accomplishments were a bright spot for the entire team.

“I guess I set out to prove a point at the beginning of the year that you don’t have to swim year-round to achieve something. And I definably proved my point in CCS.” Although Higgins plans to end his competitive swimming career this year, this in no way means he will leave the water forever. Instead, he is preparing for a job which requires a love for the water. Higgins plans to become a Navy SEAL (Sea, Air and Land Forces), and will attend the California Maritime Academy next fall.

“I’ve wanted to be a SEAL ever since I was younger, I can’t remember exactly when,” Higgins said. “I’ve spent enough of my life behind a desk, and I could never envision myself at some boring job.”

The armed forces have always appealed to Higgins since people in the military get paid to do things that civilians are not able to do.

“I like the SEALs in particular because I feel so at home in the water and that’s where the SEALs spend a lot of their time,” he said.

Higggins’ younger sister Eve Higgins (‘12) admires his future endeavors.

“He would be really good at it. He likes water, obviously. And after swim practice, he goes running,” Eve said. “If I did that much work, I would die, but I’m proud of him; he really does work hard.”

Dye admits that because Higgins’ leadership has been instrumental in advancing this year’s young swim team, it will be difficult to keep the boys inspired after Higgins graduates.

“You can’t replace Mark. Not only does he get the guys to follow his lead and push themselves through practice, but he’s always been

DRIVE Higgins is determined to join the Navy SEALs after high school, and he will attend California Maritime Academy this fall.

willing to swim whatever the team needs in a meet,” Dye said. “He never argues about it, he never says no. I can only hope someone else like him will come along. Times will always get faster, and times can be replaced, but you cannot replace people.” <<<

Honorable menTion

The Viking felt that these two athletes deserve special recognition for their incredible contributions to Paly sports this year.

will holder

Will Holder (‘09) played an integral part on three varsity sports: football, basketball and baseball. On the football team he contributed by playing many positions, on the basketball team he played power forward and in baseball he has played every position except for pitcher. Not only has he excelled and improved all the teams he has played on, he has been an symbolic player of Paly sports throughout the year.

tim wenzlau

Tim Wenzlau (‘09) not only played a huge part of Paly’s swim team along with Mark Higgins but was the leading player boy’s water polo team. He has been recruited to Princeton, a Division I water polo school, to play for their team and will be attending this fall. He led the team throughout the season and during the swimming season broke many records.

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strike.

Varsity track runner Daniel Jones is without a doubt one of Paly’s finest. With the ability to explode from the starting block, his fine tuned twitch muscles propel him 100 meters ahead into a synchronized and repetitive stride. As an elite sprinter for the 4x100 squad.

Jones runs Paly’s fastest sprint times with 11.25 in the 100 meter and 22.97 in the 200

Built for the sport, three year captain and four year varsity wrestler Patrick Sheehan grapples his opponents and dynamically handles into a winning countdown. Sheehan’s strong core rewarded him with a 44-6 record and enables him to adjust, evaluate and take down each 160 pound victim in

solidified the varsity’s defense.

his way.

Stock photography © HAAP Media

Text by Sam Greene

Design by Noah Sneider Photography by Malaika Drebin and Hana Kajimura

Before earning himself the offensive MVP award while playing for Paly’s varsity soccer team, striker Spencer Sims’ golden boots racked up 13 goals during the team’s undefeated league season. Strapped beneath neon green Nike Mercurial Vapors, his feet are the base for his nimble balance and powerful

meter.

Varsity wide receiver Harry Woolson delivers nothing less than extraordinary when he grasps each ball from the air and turns to wield his arm like a club to all corner backs and safeties in sight.

Adding to the Vikings 2237 passing yard This past fall season, Woolson delivered two touchdowns, adding to the Vikings 2237 passing yards and

THE LAST WORD

WiTH CHARliE AviS, PETER JoHNSoN, NoAH SNEidER & AdAM zERNiK

WRiTE THE lAST WoRd PlEASE!!

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