The Christopher High girls varsity tennis team was without its top-two singles players as it took on Pajaro Valley on Tuesday in Watsonville. No problem.
The Cougars swept singles play nonetheless, and captured No. 2 doubles, to defeat the Grizzlies 5-2. The Cougars are now 2-2 in league play.
Shelby O’Hara stepped into the No. 1-singles slot from her usual third position and won 6-3, 6-4. Nubia Juarez, the team’s regular No. 4-singles player, played at No. 2 Tuesday and also had a two-set victory, 6-0, 6-0.
Fredreike Moeller and Adena Chen, occupied the No. 3 and No. 4 singles role and each triumphed in straight sets, 6-0, 7-5 and 6-0, 6-3, respectively.
The Cougars No. 3-doubles tandem of Samantha Sarabia and Karoline Velasquez earned the team’s fifth point with a 6-3, 6-1 win.
A busy week continues for CHS as it hosts Notre Dame today at 4 p.m.
CHS WATER POLO
It was a rough day in the pool for the Christopher High boys and girls water polo teams Tuesday.
Visiting Harbor High exited Gilroy with a pair if wins – 11-3 in the girls’ contest and 16-2 on the boys’ side.
Despite the outcomes, bright spots were abound.
Still familiarizing themselves with the league, the first-year girls program trailed just 3-2 at the end of the first quarter, and led on two separate occasions in the opening seven minutes. Julia Graham nestled the Cougars’ first goal into the cage, one minute, 30 seconds into the game, and Margarita Garcia gave CHS a brief 2-1 advantage at the 2:07 mark.However, the Cougars were held without goals in the second – trailing 6-2 at half – and fourth quarters and were outscored 5-1 in the second half. Anna Higginbotham pulled the Cougars within three at the onset of the third quarter, exchanging a Harbor turnover in for a goal.
Marissa Parker (five), Evelyn Bucci (five) and Olivia Mahach had the Harbor tallies.
— The boys faced a 3-0 first-quarter deficit and 9-1 at halftime en route to their difficult loss.
Freshman Gordy Papalias and sophomore Evan Shapiro posted the Cougars goals.
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GHS WATER POLO
A pair of victories at the Watsonville Tournament late last month seemed to point the Gilroy High girls water polo team in the right direction as it makes the turn for the second half of its Tri-County Athletic League season.
Though the Mustangs (2-10 overall) fell to visiting San Benito on Tuesday, head coach Travis Gamble had plenty to be grateful for on the other side of his team’s 13-8 defeat.
“It was by far the best game of the season,” said Gamble, whose Mustangs succumbed to the Balers 16-5 in the teams’ previous matchup this season. “My girls found some aggression and intensity out there today. I’m very proud of them.”
Senior captain Michelle Shields register four goals, despite having the tough assignment of guarding the Balers’ top goal producer Caitlin Schaefer. Sophomore Katie Clark and senior Francesca Comin each had two tallies, and goalie Alexia Lussier had six saves.
“They were being vocal, making switches and covering who they were supposed to,” Gamble said. “They realize that we are at the back end of the season and are stepping up.”
The Mustangs host San Lorenzo Valley on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
–Michael Shields had two goals, Kooper Knutson another and Cody Froom had nine saves, but the GHS boys water polo team dropped an 11-3 decision to San Benito on Tuesday.
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GHS VOLLEYBALL
The first half of the season for the Gilroy High girls volleyball team has been a tumultuous experience. Coupled with a 3-9 record, the Mustangs’ third-year head coach Josh Corioso stepped down late last week.
“He gave personal reasons for stepping down,” GHS athletic director Julie Berggren said.
Interim head coach Brian Calimpong stepped in to fill the void last Thursday, coaching GHS at the Mustang Classic over the weekend, where the team went 2-2.
“We have the talent, we just lacked some chemistry early in the season,” Calimpong said prior to the Mustangs’ match with first-place Salinas on Tuesday. “We squashed some commitment issues and the girls are excited again to compete. We had our best practice yesterday.”
GHS ended up losing to the Cowboys in three sets 25-14, 25-12, 25-18, but Calimpong sees the potential for a change in tide as the second half of Tri-County Athletic League begins next week.
In Tuesday’s contest, Gabby Flores accounted for a team-high six kills. Six other Mustangs posted at least two kills, including five off the hand of Ashley McDermott and three each from Karina Daniels and Samantha Una Dia. Libero Leticia Esparza had 23 digs and setter Nicole Green had 11 assists.
The Mustangs have the rest of the week.
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FOOTBALL
Three Anchorpoint Christian football players are recovering from injuries they sustained in a car accident last Thursday, which sent all three to the hospital.
Head coach KC Adams said that two of the players, Kareem Lucas and Austin Keathley are back with the team. Matt Thomas, is still in the hospital, but “is doing a lot better,” Adams said.
The accident occurred last Thursday afternoon as the players were heading toward the US 101 South on-ramp from Bailey Avenue on their way to practice. Keathley was driving the car, which was struck by another vehicle running a red light, Adams said.
The Warriors canceled their scheduled game last week, but will be back on the field Saturday night for a Coastal Athletic League contest against Trinity at Anchorpoint. Game time is 7 p.m.
