Sports Wrap Sports Wrap (November 19, 2004)

Lancer, Spartan football advance

The St. Francis football team finished its regular season with a 17-14 upset of previously undefeated Valley Christian on Nov. 12. After running their overall record to 8-2 (4-2 league), the Lancers earned the number-five seed in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs. St. Francis will begin postseason play with a visit to number-four seed Leigh on Nov. 19.

After completing an undefeated El Camino Division season with a 20-15 win at Fremont on Nov. 12, Mountain View was rewarded with the number-three seed in the CCS Medium School Division football playoffs. The Spartans (7-3 overall, 6-0 league) will host number-six seed Westmont on Nov. 20.

In defeating Santa Clara 17-13 on Nov. 11, the Los Altos football team ended its inconsistent season with a 6-4 overall record. The Eagles (4-2 league) finished second to Mountain View in the El Camino Division.
Girls tennis teams lose in quarterfinals

Number-five seed St. Francis defeated Pinewood 4-3 on Nov. 10 in the CCS Team Tennis Championships before ending its season with a 5-2 loss to host Sacred Heart Prep on Nov. 12 in the quarterfinals. The Lancers completed their season with a record of 19-3.

Number-six seed Los Altos beat Castilleja, 5-2, in CCS playoffs on Nov. 10 before losing to Saratoga 6-1 on Nov. 12 in the quarterfinals. The Eagles finished their season with a record of 13-7.
Spartan volleyball fall in quarterfinals

Mountain View advanced to the quarterfinals in the CCS Division II Volleyball Championships with a 25-15, 25-11, 25-23 win over Sequoia on Nov. 10. The Spartans then lost to Leigh 22-25, 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 on Nov. 13. Mountain View finished its season with a 24-12 record.
Top seeds win in boys water polo

The St. Francis boys water polo team advanced to the semifinals in the CCS Division II tournament following a 8-7 victory over Burlingame on Nov. 13. In the semifinals, the second-seeded Lancers defeated Sacred Heart Prep 10-8 on Nov. 16. St. Francis (26-7 overall) will meet Menlo in the championship game on Nov. 20 at Independence.

Number-eight seed Mountain View lost to top seed Bellarmine 19-2 on Nov. 13 in the quarterfinals of the CCS Division I Boys Water Polo Championships. The Spartans completed their season with a 20-6 record.
Lancer girls will also play in finals

St. Francis continued its run in the CCS Girls Water Polo Championships with an 11-4 win over Santa Catalina on Nov. 13. The Lancers then defeated Palo Alto 13-7 on Nov. 16 in the semifinals. In search of its fifth consecutive CCS title, St. Francis (25-5 overall) will meet Menlo in the championship game on Nov. 20 at Independence.
Local runners to compete in state competition

In the CCS Cross Country Championships on Nov. 13, the big local winners were the St. Francis boys and the Los Altos girls. On the strength of their performances at Toro Park, those teams advanced to the State Championships on Nov. 27.

The St. Francis boys finished second in the Division II race, led by junior Ben Sitler. Sitler won the race with a time of 15:35, finishing 20 seconds ahead of his closest competitor in the field of 106 runners.

Running in the Division III field, the Los Altos girls placed third. Senior Vivian Chiu and sophomore Caitlin Russell finished seventh and 11th, respectively, to lead the Eagles to their first appearance at the state meet.

"The girls ran awesome," said Los Altos Coach Julia Widstrand. "Along with working hard all season, they have made history."

The Mountain View boys and girls finished 10th and ninth, respectively, in the Division II race. Sophomore Robbie Reid (17:08) and freshman Tania Morimoto (20:10) set school records for their teams.

The Los Altos boys narrowly missed a trip to the state competition with their fifth-place finish in Division III where the top four teams advanced. Junior Russell Field, 19th overall, paced the Eagles with a time of 17:18.

In the Division II race, the St. Francis girls placed fifth. Freshman Shelby Golan, finishing 10th in 19:10, missed qualifying for the State Individual Championships by one second.
-- Scott Campbell

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