SHS boys on pace to win league title
MORGAN HILL — Ammon Suzuki and Danny Thompson helped spark the Sobrato boys water polo team to its first division championship in fall — and are having a similar effect on the boys swimming team.
Suzuki and Thompson are part of a 400-yard freestyle relay that has already met a CIF-Central Coast Section qualifying standard this season, a feat the team did not match in 2008. Suzuki, Thompson, Michael Lopes and Adam Jasper made the cut in Thursday’s 111-58 win over Silver Creek, clocking a first-place time of one minute, 7.66 seconds.
Second-year coach Paul Harris expects plenty of their teammates to follow suit in the coming weeks.
“We should get a lot of guys into CCS this year,” he said. “Our relay teams at least. The guys on the 400-free relay are working very hard this year. A lot of the other guys have been close to qualifying.”
Sobrato’s 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley relays are mere seconds off their CCS standards. Suzuki and Thompson also are close to qualifying in the 50-yard freestyle, and Danny’s brother, Timmy, is closing in on the 100-yard breaststroke standard.
Backed by their individual success, the Bulldogs are perfect through three Santa Teresa Division dual meets.
They won all but one event against Silver Creek, including victories by Jasper in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.62); Thompson in the 50 free (24:34) and Lopes in the 100-yard butterfly (1:00.76).
“The boys are doing very well,” Harris said. “I don’t want to jinx them, but they should win a league title this year.”
Led by junior team captain Anjana Devaraj, the Sobrato girls swimming team also has put together a formidable start. The Lady Bulldogs are 2-1; their lone defeat coming Thursday against Silver Creek, 99-70.
“The girls are doing okay with what they have,” Harris said, alluding to the team’s 13-girl roster. “We can’t fill up all the events, so we need every girl to place high to win meets.”
Senior Taylor Windgassen is on pace to make CCS for a third consecutive season, swimming the 100 butterfly, 100-yard backstroke and the anchor leg of the 400-freestyle relay. The longtime San Jose Aquatics swimmer made the 2008 section prelims in both of her individual events.
“Taylor will definitely make it to CCS — probably finals,” Harris said. “She was out with an injury this offseason but has bounced back. She always wins. At this level, there’s no one that can compete with her.”
