Menlo center Jackson Kay grabs a pass from Ethan Babel before firing for a score in the first half Credit: P. McKenney10.9.2021 – In Menlo’s annual Homecoming game, the Knights led by five at halftime, and kept Monte Vista at bay en route to a 16-12 win Saturday.

Senior Greg Hilderbrand led a strong offensive charge with a team-high six goals and four assists for Menlo (10-7) . Juniors Ethan Babel and Michael Fang each added three assists. Defender Jack Murad led the team with four blocked shots and junior goalkeeper Finn Byrne was strong in the cage with 13 saves.

Prior to the game, the team attended Menlo’s Hall of Fame Ceremony at which 2001 grad John Blanchette was inducted. Blanchette captained Menlo’s first CCS Championship team in 2000, the year Coach Jack Bowen took the helm. Blanchette went on to win a NCAA title at UCLA.

This week, Menlo hosts Archbishop Mitty in a WCAL league game and then participates in the North/South tournament.

Menlo School  4   5   3     4 – 16
Monte Vista     1   3   2     6 – 12

Scoring – Jackson Kay 2, Ethan Babel, Tommy Kiesling, Greg Hilderbrand 6, Teddy Meeks, Jack Murad 5. Menlo goalie saves: Finn Byrne 13

Menlo 19, St. Francis 13

10.7.2021 – Menlo School boys’ water polo used an eight-goal second period to pull away from visiting St. Francis en route to a 19-13 WCAL victory Wednesday.

The Knights improve to 9-7 overall and 4-1 in league. 

Menlo wend down by s goal early in the second quarter before scoring eight goals to go up by 5 at half. Six players had multiple assists including both goalies, Cormac Mulloy with two and Finn Byrne with three, as well as two each from Ethan Babel, Michael Fang, Tommy Kiesling, and Teddy Meeks.

Menlo overcame an ejection differential of 8-0 in favor of St. Francis, and had goals from seven different players, with co-captain Greg Hilderbrand leading the game with seven goals.

Menlo is coming off of an eighth-place finish at the S&R Sport Cup in Orange County where they beat Los Osos to get into the top half of the bracket and ended up losing the seventh place game to Corona Del Mar by one.

“Last weekend’s tournament was tough for us,” Menlo Coach Jack Bowen said. “We fought to get into the top half of the bracket and then played three exceptionally strong teams. I told our guys to keep our heads up and to bring that level of play back to Northern California in these weeks to come. We did that tonight, playing exceptionally well and finding a way to attack as a team and score 19 goals.”

Menlo hosts powerhouse Monte Vista of the North Coast Section at 2:00 pm Saturday for its homecoming game.

St. Francis      3  4  2  4 - 13
Menlo School 4  8  5  2 - 19

Menlo scoring:  Jackson Kay, Ethan Babel, Michael Fang 3, Tommy Kiesling 5, Greg Hilderbrand 7, Randeep Nandal, Teddy Meeks. Saves: Cormac Mulloy 4, Finn Byrne 5