High School Sports

GILROY—Interim Cougar coach Aaron Bembry gave his players a challenge at halftime. He told them they could either pack it in or show Palma their true character. They gave him an answer almost immediately and emerged as a different team in the second half. But unfortunately for the home team, it ran out of time and fell 35-14 Friday to the Chieftains.

Gilroy came up just shy in the battle of the Mustangs girls tennis contest Thursday against Monte Vista Christian at home. The hometown squad lost 4-3.

The Christopher boys water polo finished off the first half of the season with a 22-9 thrashing of San Lorenzo Valley Tuesday at home.

GILROY—Tuesday’s meeting between Gilroy and Christopher was a little surreal for first-year Cougar coach Dani Hemeon. It wasn’t too long ago that Hemeon donned a Mustangs’ uniform under the direction of coach Adam Gemar. Now, she was trying to beat him.

GILROY—Cal Poly trailed Montana by two points and had just four seconds left on the clock when it turned to Alex Vega. The fate of the game rested on his foot and the Gilroy High alum rose to the occasion. In his debut college game, Vega blasted a career-high 49-yard field goal to lift the Mustangs to a 20-19 win over Montana Sept. 5 in Missoula.

Christopher field hockey shut down Carmel 6-0 Wednesday at home. The win was the fifth straight for the Cougars.

SAN JOSE—Piedmont Hills got the better of Gilroy in Week 4, beating the Mustangs 51-26 Friday in San Jose.

GILROY—Christopher High head coach Tim Pierleoni preaches the importance of being a good person to his players week after week. It won’t be until they’re all grown with families of their own, he said, that he’ll know if they’ve got the message. Now, Pierleoni said it’s time to put his words into action.

Christopher knew it had a tall order to fill against Salinas Thursday night as the team had never won a set against the Cowboys heading into this game. But this time, the Cougars won three and came away with a thrilling 3-2 win at home.

GILROY—Gilroy’s football teams have a lot to prove this week. The Mustangs are out to show that their Week 2 win over Sobrato was no fluke. Christopher, on the other hand, wants the world to know its better than it played in its Week 2 loss to Live Oak.