Prep Report: Sudden Death Goal Ends 6-Overtime Marathon

By Rick Eymer - Palo Alto Online Sports
St. Francis 8, Sacred Heart Prep 7
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Izzy Ditzler took a long pass in front of the goal, pumped-faked a couple of times and then skipped a shot into the right corner of the net to end a six-overtime girls water polo match Wednesday night.

The sudden death goal gave St. Francis an 8-7 victory over visiting Sacred Heart Prep in a battle for first place in the West Catholic Athletic League.

The Lancers (9-5, 4-0) ended SH Prep's 20-match WCAL regular-season winning streak, which dates to Oct. 23, 2013, when the Lancers also beat the Gators (11-5, 3-1).

Sacred Heart Prep, the 10-time defending CCS Division II champion, still owns an overall WCAL record of 63-4.

St. Francis played from behind until Ditzler's goal ended it. Lancers' Izzy Mandema, who attended St. Raymond's in Menlo Park, scored twice in the second quarter to knot the game at 3 entering halftime.

The Gators took a 6-4 edge into the fourth quarter, when Mandema scored twice again to force a mandatory two-period overtime.

SH Prep led, 7-6, after the first overtime and was within a minute of winning. Mandema's tying goal sent the match into sudden death, which is divided into three-minute period until someone scored.

It was a classic game full of highlight-reel plays and saves. SHP's Nellie McAdams and SF's Natalie Blanc stood strong in the net for both sides.

The Gators had a defender in front of the cage with McAdams but Ditzler wasn't challenged right away, giving her the scoring opportunity.

St. Francis and Sacred Heart Prep are almost assured of meeting again in the WCAL tournament and possibly in the CCS Open Division.

The Lancers are competing in an event at Menlo-Atherton, with St. Francis playing Las Lomas at 2:30 p.m. and College Park at 4:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart Prep hosts Menlo School at 6 p.m. Tuesday in a nonleague affair.

Castilleja remains in charge of the PAL Bay Division race after beating Menlo, 11-6, on Wednesday.

The Gators (11-3, 5-0) have two league matches remaining and are seeking to repeat as unbeaten league champions.

Madison Lewis recorded four goals and seven steals to lead Castilleja, which competes in the Clovis Tournament beginning Friday.

Minhee Chang added five goals and Anjali Kambham contributed two steals and solid defense in front of goalie Georgia Lewis, who had eight saves.

Gillian Bressie also had eight saves for Menlo, which travels to Sacred Heart Prep for a nonleague match at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Boys Water Polo

Scared Heart Prep came within 1:08 of a shutout Wednesday, beating host St. Francis 12-1 in a West Catholic Athletic League contest.

Gators goalie Alexander Nemeth turned away all but one of 15 shots on net and had a team-high three steals.

SH Prep (8-2, 5-0) scored the game's first 12 goals before Berk Aksoy spoiled the party. He found the back of the net with 1:08 remaining to play.

Larsen Weigle and Alex Tsotadze each scored four goals for the Gators, who clinched at least a tie for the WCAL title. SHP has a bye next week and finishes with Mitty (6-12, 0-4) in two weeks. The Gators are a game up on Bellarmine and beat the Bells earlier in the year.

Sacred Heart Prep is scheduled to compete in the S&R Tourney at UC Irvine beginning Friday. The Gators went 3-1 in last year's event and finished third.

In the PAL Bay Division, Giorgio Fatica scored nine goals to lead Woodside past visiting Carlmont, 15-7 on Wednesday.

The Wildcats (7-7, 2-2) led 7-5 at halftime and then outscored the Scots, 7-0, in the third quarter to take control of the contest.

Cameron Vaughan added four goals for Woodside, which meets Aptos in the first round of the Aptos Tournament on Friday.

Woodside meets PAL leader Menlo next Wednesday.

Menlo-Atherton and Burlingame were also scheduled to play Wednesday.
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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