By Pete Borello
Fall Sports Roundup
Going into last week’s Peninsula Athletic League Championship, Meredith Loosse set one goal for her St. Francis High girls golf team.
The coach wanted the Lancers to shoot 360, which she figured would be good enough to win the tournament.
Loosse proved to be clairvoyant. St. Francis shot exactly 360 and captured the PAL championship by a whopping 25 strokes over runner-up Presentation.
“I’m really not that surprised,” Loosse said of her undefeated team’s Oct. 22 performance at San Mateo’s Poplar Creek Golf Course. “But as I said before, the biggest competition will be CCS.”
The PAL victory qualified the Lancers for the eight-team Central Coast Section Championships, played Monday at Rancho Cañada Country Club in Carmel. If St. Francis finished among the top three teams at the event - which finished after the Town Crier went to press - it advances to Monday’s Northern California Regional Championship at Salinas Golf & Country Club.
To reach the NorCal tourney, St. Francis (14-0) likely would have needed strong CCS performances from top players Eloise Vicencio and Tierney Powers. At the PAL competition, Vicencio placed fourth with 81 and Powers finished eighth with 85. Teammate Jaclyn Gruenstein shot 93 for 12th place.
“I’m definitely happy with our performance,” Loosse said. “We kept our spirits up and played well.”
Boys water polo
Despite a five-goal effort from David Welch, St. Francis fell 13-10 to host Leland last Thursday in a West Catholic Athletic League match.
The Lancers (4-1, 17-6) led 5-1 after the initial quarter, then let the lead slip away. Brian Winkler scored twice for the Lancers.
In SCVAL De Anza Division action Oct. 24, Gunn edged host Monta Vista 11-9.
The Titans were led by Matt Vanderwilt (five goals) and Peter Ehrhorn (4). Goalie Paul Esber of Los Altos Hills made two saves and six steals.
The win improved Gunn’s record to 4-2 in the division and 15-13 overall.
Girls water polo
St. Francis capped its De Anza Division season by thumping Gunn 12-3 Oct. 24 in Mountain View.
The league-leading Lancers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening quarter and held a 7-2 advantage at the half.
Kelly Thede and Elizabeth Kelly each finished with three goals for St. Francis, and Lindsey O’Farriell added two.
