Sports Wrap Sports Wrap (November 11, 2005)

Lancers-Eagles showdown in pool

The local rivalry in boys water polo will have its next chapter in the playoffs. No. 2 St. Francis and No. 7 Los Altos are set to face off in the Division II quarterfinals on Nov. 12 at St. Francis at 8:00 a.m. The Lancers (20-12) are coming off a 9-4 loss to Bellarmine in the WCAL Championship. The Eagles (22-12) defeated top-seeded Palo Alto 15-10 in the De Anza Division Tournament, but fell in the final to Gunn, 8-6.

St. Francis and Los Altos have met once this season, with the Lancers prevailing 10-6 in the Schmitt Tournament in early September. The teams last met in the playoffs in 2001, when Los Altos stunned the two-time defending champions with a game-winner with 10 seconds to play, in a game also played at St. Francis.

Saturday's winner will face off against the winner of Sacred Heart Prep-Palo Alto on Tuesday.

Mountain View repeats as lower division champs

Behind 5 goals from sophomore Spencer Fletcher, Mountain View boys water polo rolled to an 8-7 victory over Lynbrook and its second consecutive El Camino Division Championship. Mountain View (21-3-1) earned the No. 7 seed in the Division I playoffs and plays No. 2 Live Oak on Nov. 12.

No complaints in volleyball field

After a year's hiatus, St. Francis is back in the playoffs. The Lancers (22-7) had won 10 straight CCS titles from 1994-2003, a run that included six state titles, but narrowly missed the field in 2004. No. 3 St. Francis earned a first-round bye in Division III and on Nov. 12 plays the winner of No. 6 Santa Cruz versus No. 11 Willow Glen. ... For the second consecutive year, No. 5 Mountain View (25-9) and No. 12 Sequoia were set to play in the Division II opening round. The Spartans, third-place finishers in De Anza, would play the No. 4 Aptos-No. 13 Live Oak winner on Nov. 12 if they advance. ... After a fourth-place finish in the De Anza Division, No. 7 Los Altos was set to play No. 10 Woodside in the Division II playoffs on Nov. 9 at press time. With a win, the Eagles (23-16) would play No. 2 Los Gatos, the De Anza champion, on Nov. 12.

Another crosstown splash

The St. Francis-Los Altos water polo showdown isn't limited to the boys. The No. 8 Lancers knocked off the No. 9 Eagles 6-0 in first round play of the CCS girls tournament on Nov. 8 . St. Francis (19-12), which has played in seven consecutive CCS title games, will face No. 1 Sacred Heart Prep on Saturday, going up against a team that crushed the Lancers 15-4 in the West Catholic Athletic League Championship last week. A young Los Altos (20-8) team, making its first playoff appearance since 2000 and second overall, will have to try again next year for its elusive first CCS win.
-- Scott Campbell

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