Entering this week at 2-3 in league and 5-7 overall, the playoff picture is murky for the Los Altos High boys water polo team. By week’s end, it should become much clearer.
“We have an action-packed week,” coach Seth Tasman said, “with (games against) Gunn, Los Gatos, Palo Alto and then traveling to Sacramento to participate in the Jesuit High Invitational to play some of the top teams in the Sacramento area.”
Those first three games are particularly important to the Eagles’ postseason hopes; they are league matches against teams above them in the SCVAL De Anza Division standings.
Fifth-place Los Altos was slated to host fourth-place Gunn Monday and third-place Los Gatos Tuesday, and visit league-leading Palo Alto 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Eagles played Paly close when they hosted the Vikings Sept. 15, falling 12-9, and have won two of their three league games since then.
“We have a very young team this year,” Tasman said, “and our goal is to be top four in the league and earn a bid into CCS.”
Los Altos starts two freshmen, Tiernan Braun and Ferran de Witt, and goalie Weston Carballar is a sophomore who “has been a huge defensive player for us,” the coach said. Tasman added that his team is led by captains Ryan Bell (senior), Jack Wald (senior) and Zach Brunner (junior).
Football
St. Francis ended its three-game losing streak by routing St. Ignatius 42-20 Friday behind the running of Keala Keanaaina (232 yards, three touchdowns) and passing of Matt Dougherty (8-of-10 for 223 yards and three TDs). The visiting Lancers evened their West Catholic Athletic League record at 1-1 and went to 2-3 overall.
Los Altos dropped its fourth game in a row, falling 20-14 Friday at Sequoia in the El Camino Division opener for both teams.
The Eagles tied the game at 14 in the second quarter, but the undefeated Ravens scored in the fourth to seal the victory.
Mountain View allowed more than 500 yards to Wilcox, which prevailed 44-14 in Friday’s De Anza Division opener. The host Spartans, down 31-7 at halftime, dipped to 1-4 overall.
Cross-country
The St. Francis boys won the Large Schools Division of Saturday’s Artichoke Invitational in Half Moon Bay, besting runner-up Menlo-Atherton by 19 points. Los Altos placed eighth.
Matthew Mullane led the Lancers by running the 2.3-mile course in 12 minutes, 33 seconds. Teammate Nikolas Muller took seventh with a 12:35.
Samuel Stein paced Los Altos with a 38th-place time of 13:33.
Field hockey
Los Altos scored first but couldn’t hold the lead against first-place Los Gatos Thursday.
The Wildcats rallied for a 3-1 road victory to remain perfect in the De Anza Division (6-0), while the Eagles stay in second place (4-1-1).
Los Altos coach Mary Donahue said the game “was very competitive and exciting all the way to the end.”
Girls water polo
St. Francis scored 10 goals in the second half en route to a 15-5 home win against Mitty Sept. 28.
The Lancers improved to 3-0 in the WCAL and 6-2 overall.
Girls volleyball
St. Francis lost its first set of the season, but it still hasn’t lost a match.
The Lancers defeated San Clemente 17-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21 Saturday to claim the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.
Earlier that day, St. Francis swept Newport Harbor and the day before beat Valencia in straight sets. The three tourney wins boosted the Lancers’ overall record to 18-0.
