Athletes of the Week: SHP’s Barnds brothers

Terry Bernal, Daily Journal Staff
Congratulations to the Barnds brothers, Tommy (senior) and Billy (sophomore) for being named the San Mateo Daily Journal's Co-Athlete's of the Week! 

The Barnds boys are at it again.

Last season, Sacred Heart Prep’s brother tandem of Tommy and Billy Barnds ruled the boys’ lacrosse world of the West Catholic Athletic League. The Gators won the WCAL title in their first year in the league with Princeton-bound Tommy Barnds, now a senior, taking over at attacker in place of now-graduated star Jack Crockett.

Now, younger brother Billy Barnds is really coming into his own as a midfielder. The sophomore paced the Gators with a career-high six goals in a 17-14 win over Marin Catholic-Kentfield.

“He played really well,” Tommy Barnds said of Billy’s effort. “He was shooting the lights out and he was able to get separation really well. He played super aggressive and was able to get good shots.”

With the win, undefeated SHP improved to 12-0 on the season. The Gators have now won 17 straight dating back to last season, starting with an 18-5 non-league win over Los Gatos when Billy Barnds scored his previous career-high of four goals.

The Barnds brothers are sharing Daily Journal Athlete of the Week honors because Saturday’s comeback win at home over Marin Catholic was a horse of a different color. SHP fell behind 3-0 after Marin Catholic scored on each of the first three possessions of the game. The Gators rallied back, though, taking a 5-4 lead before going on an impressive 10-goal run.

“We’ve had some runs this season,” Tommy Barnds said. “We haven’t been too consistent at playing well the entire game. So, we’ve gone on a few runs … but I think that was the best one we’ve been on this year.”

The Gators haven’t had to play well for entire game considering they’ve been roughing up the competition fairly consistently. No team has finished closer than three goals, including wins over San Ramon Valley-Danville 10-7 March 23 and Granite Bay 8-5 March 8.

As for WCAL competition, fuggedaboutit. A 12-6 win over Menlo School March 13 is the closest league game SHP has played. The only team the Gators are concerned about it in their quest for a sixth straight league championship — also including Peninsula Athletic League (2016 and ’17) and Santa Clara Valley Athletic League (’14 and ’15) titles — is in their regular-season finale against undefeated St. Ignatius.

“I think we were clicking toward the end of last year and I think we seemed to have picked up where we left off,” Tommy Barnds said. “But we might be a little better this year. I think we’re deeper this year.”

That depth showed Saturday. Billy Bards led the scoring and added two assists. Tommy Barnds added four goals and three assists.

“They’re both very athletic, they’re both great players,” SHP head coach Chris Rotelli said. “It’s the first time Billy has really broken out. … They have great chemistry playing together and they play off each other nicely.”

It was the battle at face-off between SHP’s Joey Dahlkemper and Marin Catholic’s Josh Peavey that defined the game in early going. Peavey, a commit to NCAA Division III lacrosse power Whittier College, won the first three face-offs. And Peavey offense converted every time.

“Their offense was probably the best we’ve seen all year,” Billy Barnds said. “Their face-off guy was really good. He was probably the first one to give us trouble.”

Dahlkemper was up to the task though. Once her set SHP’s offense in motion, Larry Hart scored off a dodge toward the inside.

Billy Barnds went on to score the go-ahead score to make it 5-4. And the landslide ensued. SHP built a 12-5 lead by the half. Marin Catholic was forced to play catch-up the rest of the day.

“If we really need a big play, I think that’s something me and Tommy are both capable of doing,” Billy Barnds said.

Prior to the May 1 finale against St. Ignatius that will, in all likelihood, decide the WCAL title, SHP will face a true non-league test in traveling to Baltimore to face nationwide powers on back-to-back days. April 17, the Gators take on Gonzaga-Washington D.C. and April 18 they face St. Paul’s-Baltimore.

“For these guys to have a chance to go there, this was really their decision,” Rotelli said. “They wanted to go and test themselves against the best teams in the country … and prove they can play with them. So this is really a statement game.”

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Sacred Heart Schools Atherton

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton

150 Valparaiso Ave
Atherton, CA 94027
650 322 1866
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12