We have arrived at the midpoint of the 2016-17 winter sports season and M-A continues to dominate league competition across all sports. So far, every team captured a strong start in its Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) games, and most are cruising toward the postseason. Here is our recap of each team’s season so far.
Boys Basketball:
The M-A boys basketball team has hit the ground running this year. Coming off of last year’s huge success, the team has stayed competitive despite losing key seniors. The Bears are currently 6-1 in league play and have the best record in the south division. Led by seniors Eric Norton and Raymond Fowler, the team has improved significantly since the preseason, and Coach Michael Molieri continues to help the boys progress. With their only loss coming to the number one ranked Sequoia team, they are improving with every week, and the young team shows promise as it moves toward the postseason.
Girls Basketball:
The M-A girls basketball team has been outstanding to this point of the season. After a tough loss to St. Mary’s at the beginning of the season, the team hasn’t lost a game since, with some key wins over Menlo by a score of 73-46 and Sacred Heart Prep twice in non-league games. In league the Bears are currently 7-0 with some blowout wins over Sequoia and Woodside. Led by juniors Greer Hoyem and Carly McLanahan as well as senior leadership from Ilana Baer, Megan Sparrow, and Ofa Sili, the team is looking to finish off the season first in the PAL to keep this successful season going by making a deep playoff run.
Boys Soccer:
After a rough start to the season with a loss to Palo Alto and ties against Monta Vista and Menlo School, the M-A boys soccer team has gotten back to its winning ways with an impressive 5-3 league record so far. Some key wins for the Bears in league have been a 5-0 thrashing of Sequoia and a dominant win against South San Francisco by a score of 6-1.The team is led by senior defender Micah Shalowitz and goalkeeper Victor Escatel as well as junior forwards Nic Jandeleit and Jean Claverie. As the second half of the season approaches, the boys soccer team is looking to keep improving and to build off a good start in league play.
Girls Soccer:
Despite a rough preseason against other powerhouse teams, the girls varsity soccer team has dominated its competition in league. The team is currently 7-0 in the PAL and is ranked first in its division. Led by senior captains Alissa McNerny, Katie Guenin, and Ali Sivilotti, the team has stormed through league play, with its
most recent win being a 6-3 win against Carlmont. If the girls win the league title, it would be their first since 1999. With their 24-player roster, the girls soccer team is loaded with talent, and shows no signs of slowing down as they move closer to the postseason.
Wrestling:
The wrestling team is having another unprecedented season. By having a bigger roster than last year, it has been able to expand the team to have both varsity and junior varsity teams. The girls team is the 2017 Central Coast Section (CCS) champion, and it is only the girls team’s second year of existence. For the boys, junior Niko Ozden is leading the team as they head toward PAL trials, and hopefully toward CCS as well.
