If there was an ideal time for the Christopher High girls track and field team to defeat North Monterey County, head coach Jeff Myers said he felt Thursday in Gilroy was it.
Myers crunched numbers prior to the Monterey Bay League dual meet featuring the defending league champion Condors and an upstart Cougars squad at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex. His pre-dual math concluded that the outcome would indeed come down to the wire.
That premonition came true, and the stars aligned perfectly for the Cougars, who, in fact, posted a critical MBL win over the Condors, 70-66.
“It was an intense meet – tremendous competition,” Myers said. “Everything fell into place at the end and the girls came through.”
A frenzied final few events catapulted the Cougars to their victory.
In a matter of minutes, Natalie Gutierrez recorded a personal best 4-foot, 8-inch leap in the high jump for first, the mile relay foursome of Carly McPolin, Cailin McCarry, Haylee Peterson and Monique Esparza took care of business and placed first, and in the sand for the long jump, Ally Foster, Katherine Bright and Lina Craighill finished first, third and fourth, respectively, to push the Cougars over the top.
“It was just a crazy ending,” Myers said. “Everyone was running from event to event. It was amazing.”
The triumph gives the Cougars the inside track to a league championship, barring any setbacks down the road this season.
GOLF
Led by Tyson Hill (40), Jaeshawn Hoenck (41) and Peter Hilkene (42), the Christopher High boys golf team won the Tri-County Athletic League Valley Division match at Salinas Fairways Golf Course with a team-score of 226 on Thursday.
North Salinas finished second with a 232, led by three-time medalist Olrick Breboneria (39) and Josh Perham (43). North Monterey County took third (247), Alvarez fourth (249), Alisal fifth (252) and Gilroy sixth at 278 with Tommy Cox (43) and Alex Siao (44.) The next match is April 18 at Black Horse Golf Course.
TENNIS
The Christopher High boys tennis team nearly defeated Alvarez on Thursday, but a pair of matches that went to third-set tiebreaker swung the way of the Eagles in a 5-2 final.
The Cougars lost both No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles in the tiebreaker scenario.
CHS No. 1-doubles pairing of Chris Drewry and Destin Cockcroft beat Sebastian Sandoval and Alex Flores 6-4, 4-6, 10-8. The Cougars received their other point at No. 2-doubles where Geoffrey He and Calvin Vu won 6-2, 4-6, 10-6.
SOFTBALL
The first-place Christopher High softball team breezed by host Pajaro Valley, 11-0, on Thursday in five innings.
Angelica Carillo had three hits and two RBIs, Kayla Medrano had one and three RBIS, Marrizza Lucio contributed one hit and two RBIs and Brittney Souza went 3 for 3.
CHS is now 4-0 in Monterey Bay League play.
VOLLEYBALL
Gilroy High made it a quick trip to Gonzales High on Thursday night, earning a three-set victory 25-13, 25-127 and 25-13.
The Mustangs (12-8, 7-1 Tri-County Athletic League) are entered into the Watsonville Tournament this weekend.
