17-4 win over Sobrato leaves Acorns in place to clinch No. 3
seed for BVALs
MORGAN HILL — Aside from bragging rights, beating cross-town rival Sobrato 22-3 in last year’s Mount Hamilton Division opener meant little at the time to Live Oak’s boys water polo team. The Bulldogs were the conference’s new kids on the block.
By the regular season’s end, that victory played a major part in the Acorns’ seeding in the Blossom Valley Athletic League Tournament and eventual run to the Central Coast Section playoffs. Live Oak’s 2-3 league record was its worst in almost a decade, but the Acorns rebounded just in time at BVAL Finals and advanced to the Division II quarterfinals.
In light of last year’s struggles and a suddenly parodic Mount Hamilton conference, excluding perennial powerhouse Leland, Live Oak took a major step Wednesday in routing Sobrato once again by 17-4 score.
With a victory next week at Willow Glen, the Acorns (2-2 league) can clinch a No. 3 seed at BVALs, avoid Leland until the championship match and move within a tournament win of locking up a CCS-playoff berth.
“We have our work cut out for us,” Live Oak coach Mack Haines said Thursday. “We almost have to win next week to have any chance of making the playoffs. It was important to go out yesterday and play like we did.”
The 31-year prep water polo skipper added it was the Acorns’ “best team effort of the season.” Led by Connor Haines, who was assigned to cover the Bulldogs’ leading goal-scorer, Adam Jasper, Live Oak’s defense was in top form, shutting down Sobrato’s attack and creating scoring opportunities in transition.
The Acorns got their usual dose of breakaway goals by senior set Danny Robinson, but they also manufactured scoring chances with crisp passing and disciplined play. Robinson, Haines, Saul Orona, Mitch Rodriguez and Nathaniel Batey totaled goals for Live Oak.
“We try to win all our games at the defensive end,” Mack Haines said. “It’s extremely important we keep playing like this.”
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The Live Oak Acorns emphatically capped an undefeated run through the first half of Mount Hamilton play by sweeping Willow Glen 24-26, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16, Tuesday in San Jose behind Fa Saulala’s team-high 15 kills.
The victory begs one question: Can any team in the league stop Live Oak? The Acorns made their 7-0 run look easy, dropping no more than one game in each match. They made quick work of the previously-unbeaten Rams (6-1).
Live Oak hosts Sobrato in a Dig Pink match to raise money for breast cancer research at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Sobrato senior Winston van Keulen placed third overall in Monday’s Santa Teresa Division meet at Montgomery Hill in 16 minutes, 59 seconds to help the Bulldogs beat Pioneer 23-31 and remain in the hunt for a regular-season title.
Also for Sobrato, Derek Diesenroth (17:39) finished ninth, Zack Ankiel (18:08) and Kyle Alexander (18:11) placed 15th and 16th, and Cody Hulme (18:53) followed in 25th out of 55 runners.
