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As championship celebrations go, this one was pretty quiet. There were just a few smiles and not too many hugs or handshakes. Heck, the head coach didn’t have to worry about getting a cold, celebratory shower. It was almost business as usual for the Sacred Heart Prep boys’ soccer team on Monday.
The lack of celebration was due, in part, to the final score: Sacred Heart Prep 0, Menlo 0. Nonetheless, that tie and the one point each team earned gave the host Gators the first-ever West Bay Athletic League championship in boys’ soccer.
In the final regular-season match, Menlo (8-2-4, 11-4-5) needed a victory while Sacred Heart Prep (10-3-1, 11-8-1) did not. Still, the Gators wanted a victory, if for no other reason than to beat their neighborhood rival.
“I think they were a little disappointed that they worked so hard and didn’t get a goal,” said SHP coach Matt Dodge. “Were they satisfied? I don’t think so.”
The match was similar to the team’s first meeting, except for the offensive output. The Gators pulled out a 3-2 victory the first time the team’s met. This one was every bit as physical and with plenty of opportunities, but neither team could find the back of the net.
“It was a hard-fought game in difficult (windy and cold) conditions that saw great defensive play on both sides,” said Menlo coach Giles Scott, whose 11 victories is the most by any Menlo team in nearly a decade. “By the end of the day, a tie was probably a fair result.”
Menlo’s best shot at victory came in the second half, during which the Knights had a strong wind at their backs and a bright, glaring sun in the faces of the Sacred Heart Prep players. Menlo’s Vikram Padval got open inside the SHP penalty box and was about to take a shot on freshman keeper Max Polkinhorne, but junior defender Reid Gaa raced across the field and got his foot on the ball before Padval could make contact.
Gaa was immediately surrounded by his teammates and congratulated, as if he had scored the winning goal. It was a remarkable defensive effort by the three-year starter that truly saved the day for the Gators.
Gaa’s effort echoed Dodge’s game plan for the day.
“I wanted them to contest every single ball,” Dodge explained. “That makes them aggressive the whole game.”
Sacred Heart Prep senior Ben Taylor was the epitome of aggressiveness as he offered numerous offensive threats and helped shut down Menlo from his midfield spot. Dodge also lauded defenders Jeff Wagstaffe, Riley Fallon, Nick Hutter and Gaa — all of whom will return next season along with Polkinhorne in goal.
On Senior Day, Sacred Heart Prep honored Miles Tanous, Peter Holoien, keeper Joe Clancy, Willie Lockwood, Mikey Cattermole, Miles DeLong, Christian Valdez and Taylor. Menlo had its graduating seniors recognized, as well. That group included keeper Klaled Bitar, Matt Carvell, Charles Le Moullac, Jeff Liebovich, Brenden McMorrow, Jack Morgan, Joe Pinsker, Patrick Renschler, Michael Walker and Sam Woolf.
Next up for SHP and Menlo will be the Central Coast Section playoffs, which begin next week. Both teams are likely headed for Division III, which in previous years has been contested in the fall. The Gators played for the section title last season, dropping a 2-0 finale to King’s Academy.
Girls soccer
Menlo kept its very slim hopes alive for a possible tie for second place in the West Bay Athletic League (Foothill Division) race with a 6-0 victory over visiting Notre Dame-San Jose on Monday.
The Knights improved to 7-2-2 in league for 23 points (11-4-5 overall) with one match remaining. Should second-place Sacred Heart Prep (8-0-2) lose to Priory on Tuesday and Mercy-Burlingame on Thursday, Menlo could force a tie should it beat Mercy-Burlingame on Tuesday.
The top two teams in the Foothill Division receive automatic berths into the Central Coast Section playoffs. The third-place team must face the Skyline Division champ in a playoff for the league’s third automatic berth.
While it’s quite likely that Menlo will finish third, the Knights nonetheless gave themselves hope with two first-half goals by Sarah Swig (unassisted) and Nicole Fasola (assist Allie Crandell). Senior Madi Shove scored three times in the second half and Katie Baum added the final tally to complete the blanking. Swig had two assists on Shove’s goals.
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Sacred Heart Prep senior Ben Taylor (2) got higher than Menlo’s Jeff Liebovich to control the ball on this play during the teams’ 0-0 deadlock on Monday, which gave the Gators the WBAL title. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Menlo goalie Khaled Bitar (yellow jersey) punches the ball away from Sacred Heart Prep’s Ben Taylor (2) while Menlo players Coby Joseph (left) and Brenden McMorrow (right) help defend during Monday’s match. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Menlo’s Sam Woolf (left) battles Christian Valdez of Sacred Heart Prep during Monday’s showdown for the WBAL title. The team’s tied, 0-0, but SHP won the crown by three points over the Knights. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior Ben Taylor (2) takes a shot while Menlo’s Coby Joseph defends during Monday’s WBAL match. The shot just missed and the teams eventually settled for a 0-0 deadlock, giving SHP the title. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Menlo senior Brenden McMorrow (right) arrives late to prevent Sacred Heart Prep’s Christian Valdez from heading a pass during a WBAL season finale for both teams Monday. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Menlo senior Charles Le Moullac controls the ball as Sacred Heart Prep’s Robert Ojeda comes up to defend during a 0-0 deadlock on Monday that gave the Gators the WBAL championship. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep senior Joe Clancy pulls a shot attempt away before Menlo’s Vikram Padval can get his head on it, extinguishing a potential scoring threat by the Knights in the first half. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Before Menlo’s Vikram Padval (right) could get off a point-blank shot in the second half of Monday’s WBAL match, SHP’s Reid Gaa (7) was able to race over and break up the play — saving a potential game-winning goal. Photo by Keith Peters/PA Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep’s Victor Ojeda (14) makes a run at the goal while Menlo’s Sam Woolf defends during the teams’ 0-0 deadlock to conclude the WBAL season on Monday. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep’s Christian Valdez (11) tries to get a shot off between Menlo defenders Coby Joseph (left) and Jeff Liebovich during the teams’ 0-0 deadlock on Monday. SHP won the league title despite the tie. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online. -
Sacred Heart Prep’s Kyle Scherba (left) and Menlo’s Michael Walker found themselves in a squeeze play during the teams’ 0-0 deadlock to end the WBAL regular season on Monday. Photo by Keith Peters/Palo Alto Online.
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