GILROY – Four impressive resumes have landed four Gilroy High
teams in the Central Coast Section playoffs which hit full tilt
across the Bay Area this week.
GILROY – Four impressive resumes have landed four Gilroy High teams in the Central Coast Section playoffs which hit full tilt across the Bay Area this week.
A ninth straight Mission Trail Athletic League crown paved the way for the field hockey team’s annual CCS run. They host a first-round game as the No. 5 seed against the 12th-seeded Branham Bruins on Thursday at 3 p.m.
The Mustangs completed another undefeated league and regular season last Thursday with a narrow 1-0 triumph over North Salinas, who also qualified for the playoffs.
The Mustangs have had to play their last three games of the year without the services of two of their senior captains in Stanford-bound Elise Ogle and Mandi Jo Torres.
The bracket is packed with perennial powers, St. Francis, Archbishop Mitty and Los Gatos, as well as teams that have had storied success throughout the years, including Presentation and Saratoga.
The Mustangs beat both St. Francis and Mitty in the regular season and played a competitive scrimmage against Saratoga.
If the Mustangs are able to get by Branham and then Leigh in the quarterfinals, the stage will be set for a rematch with Los Gatos, last season’s CCS champ and the team that ended the Mustangs’ season in the semis a year ago.
The girls water polo team, with a 10-5 regular-season record, takes the pool on Wednesday as the 11th-seeded team in the Division I bracket.
The Mustangs will go against Gunn High School out of Palo Alto, who comes in as the No. 6 seed.
Placing second at last week’s Tri-County Athletic League championships guaranteed the Mustangs a CCS bid – the first in program history, according to head coach Sean LaGuardia.
The Mustangs came up just two goals shy of winning the TCAL championship over the weekend, losing a tight 5-4 decision to the league’s top team, Salinas.
Gunn was eliminated from last year’s playoffs in the first round.
The match is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start Wednesday in Aptos.
Also embarking on its playoff journey Wednesday is the girls volleyball team who’s late-season surge that included an upset over San Benito, propelled them to a CCS berth.
With an overall record of 15-10, the Lady Mustangs storm into the Division I bracket as the No. 7 seed. They will host No. 10-seed Watsonville Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Mustangs closed out the regular season victorious in four of six matches including a three-game winning streak to end it.
After first and second place showings at the TCALs, respectively, the girls and boys cross country teams race for CCS success Saturday at Crystal Springs in Belmont.
