Los Gatos’ Mailhot wins a Central Coast Section title.
Wildcats girls soccer team moves on to Open Division semifinals
What was the most memorable match at the Central Coast Section Boys Wrestling Championships on Feb. 22?
The most obvious choice is the 182-pound finals clash between Los Gatos senior Thomas Mailhot and St. Francis junior Carsten Rawls, last year’s champion.
For nearly the entire six minutes these gladiators kept tossing each other around the mat.
“I’m so used to just wrestling out of control and I go with my instincts, my gut,” Mailhot said. “Most of the matches I look back and it’s just a blur to me.”
Multiple times, Mailhot required assistance to tend to a bloody nose.
“This dang nose of mine,” Mailhot said. “I’ve had it cauterized three times, but the harder you battle guys like Carsten, you expect blood.”
Rawls, who dislocated his right shoulder a couple of months ago, had it pop out again in the third period. The crowd cringed when Rawls popped back up on his feet and the coaches put the shoulder back in place. The immediate reaction was applause and a roar.
“That takes guts right there,” Mailhot said.
“I just keep going no matter what happens,” Rawls said. “Just don’t stop.” But Mailhot held off Rawls and eventually recorded a pin at the 5-minute, 50-second mark.
Mailhot, a fourth-place finisher at 170 pounds last year, not only qualified for his first trip to the California Interscholastic
Federation state championships, but he’ll be introduced as a CCS champion.
“I’m dreaming right now,” said Mailhot on Feb. 22. “I haven’t woken up, yet. I’ve got this fogy haze going on right now. I don’t even know what to say.”
The top three placers in each weight division qualified for the CIF state championships this week at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield. The tournament runs Feb. 27-29.
Joining Mailhot at the state championships will be teammate Markie Murabito, who won the third-place match in the 138-pound division.
Los Gatos placed third as a team at the CCS championships with 137 points, just a half-point behind third-place Palma.
Girls soccer
Los Gatos, the No. 3 seed in the CCS Open Division playoffs, overwhelmed No. 6 Live Oak 7-2 in a first-round game at Los Gatos on Feb. 22. The Wildcats, who improved to 15-1-4 overall, received three goals from Emily Nedom and two apiece from Kelli Keady and Niki Krockenberg. Keady and Krockenberg also passed for two assists apiece. Los Gatos traveled to face No. 2 St. Francis in a semifinal match Feb. 25 after this publication went to press.
The other semifinal pitted No. 4 Leigh against No. 1 Archbishop Mitty, which shut out No. 8 Piedmont Hills 3-0 in the first round. Emma Vane, Morgan Caldera and Gabbi Sapien all scored for Monarchs. The final is Feb. 28 at Santa Clara University.
Girls basketball
Los Gatos defeated Independence 56-31 on Feb. 22 to reach the CCS Division I quarterfinals on Tuesday. Sabrina Belquist paced the Wildcats with 22 points, including 9 for 11 freethrow shooting. Teammate Olivia Lo added 11 points. Los Gatos, the No. 5 seed, traveled to face No. 4 Sequoia in a quarterfinal matchup on Feb. 25 after this publication went to press. The semifinals were Feb. 27, and the final is Feb. 29.
Saratoga also won its first Division III game, dispatching of South San Francisco 41-37 in the second round to advance to Feb. 25’s quarterfinals. The No. 6 Falcons traveled to face No. 3 Mills. The semifinals were Feb. 27 and the final is Feb. 29.
Archbishop Mitty, the No. 1 seed in the Open Division, dominated No. 8 Lynbrook 92-35 in a first-round game Feb. 22. Olivia Williams paced Mitty with 20 points, and teammate Katie Springs added 15 points. The Monarchs hosted No. 5 St. Ignatius in a semifinal game on Feb. 26. The final is Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at Stanford.
Boys basketball
Los Gatos, the No. 12 seed, was edged 39-37 by Salinas in the first round of the CCS Division I playoffs Feb. 21. The Wildcats ended their season with a 10-15 record.
Saratoga, the No. 8 seed in Division III, also saw its season end with a 59-44 loss to Jefferson in its first game on Feb. 22. Cameron King paced the Falcons with 18 points and teammate Leo Cao grabbed eight rebounds. Saratoga, which finished with a 14-11 record, had a first-round bye.
Archbishop Mitty, the No. 1 seed in the Open Division, defeated No. 8 Menlo 69-38 in a first-round game Feb. 21. The Monarchs hosted No. 4 Menloatherton in a semifinal game on Feb. 26. The final is Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. at Stanford.
Boys soccer
Los Gatos, the No. 8 seed in the CCS Division II playoffs, fell 3-0 to No. 1 Branham on Feb. 22 in the first round. The Wildcats finished the season with an 8-9-3 record. Archbishop Mitty, the No. 3 seed in Division I, edged No. 6 Santa Clara 3-2 in the first round behind a hat trick from Nicholas Coldiron. The Monarchs faced No. 7 Alvarez on Feb. 26 in a semifinal match after this publication went to press.