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
PHOTO BY MALAIKA DREBIN
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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