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Sonoma drops water polo openers, spikers triumph, runners host

O’Brien back, new head water-polo coach; Tose runs to win

Sonoma Valley High School’s last fall sports program to open its season is waterpolo, which is now under the direction of Flynn O’Brien, who served as an assistant coach a few years ago, and is now back at poolside as Sonoma’s head coach.

The water polo Dragons put 2012 into play against strong Redwood Empire League foe Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa on Wednesday and Sonoma’s boys’ and girls’ teams dropped 20-5 and 15-9 REL decisions, respectively.

Pacing the Lady Dragons were junior Madeline Cline’s four goals, senior Zoe Gaarder’s three and junior Abby Van Kirk’s and freshman Sonia Kirkorian’s one each.

The Dragon boys were paced by senior Chase Campion’s and junior Jesse Summers’ two goals apiece and senior Arthur Morgan’s one.

Both Sonoma squads play at REL rival Ukiah this Wednesday, Sept. 26.

 

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After the young Sonoma varsity volleyball girls fell to Analy in their showdown of co-defending league champions last week, they hit the SCL road on Tuesday and registered a three-set 25-19, 25-19, 25-20 victory at Healdsburg.

Leading the Lady Dragons were sophomore Mackenzie Albrecht’s 11 digs, three solo blocks and one assisted block, and one serving ace; sophomore Anastasia Claros’ 11 digs and two aces; sophomore Delaney Swanson’s 10 kills, seven digs, three aces and one solo block; sophomore Hannah Herrick’s eight digs, six kills and two aces; junior Kayten Mak’s five kills; senior Alexis Long-Am’s two aces; and senior Allyson Beckwith’s one ace and sophomore Ciara Smith’s one assisted block.

In their four-set loss to Analy, the Sonoma spikers were paced by Claros’ 24 digs; Albrecht’s 22 digs and three aces; Swanson’s 18 kills, four aces and one solo block and one assisted block; Long-Am’s 12 digs; Mak’s six kills; Herrick’s three kills and one ace; and Beckwith’s one ace and one assisted block.

The Lady Dragons played new SCL member Piner last night – results not available at presstime – and will host their annual Greg Paganini Invitational, starting at 8:30 a.m., tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 22, in Pfeiffer Gym.

 

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Sonoma’s cross country teams held three-school interlock meets Wednesday against nonleague foes Casa Grande and Windsor on their 2.7-mile Maxwell Farms Regional Park home course, with senior Chris Tose winning the boys’ race with a time of 14 minutes, 41 seconds.

Also pacing the Dragon boys were junior Christian Martinez’s third-place finish in 15:30; junior Owen Ljung’s fifth in 15:50; junior Keegan Ginter’s 11th in 16:19; senior Ryland Osborne’s 16th in 16:48; senior Peter Gray’s 20th in 16:59; freshman Ty Haury’s 23rd in 17:13; sophomore Return Bongiovanni’s 25th in 17:42; senior A.J. Lemaire’s 26th in 17:51; senior Liam Casey’s 27th in 17:52; senior Greg Maggioncalda’s 34th in 18:16; junior Trey Garcia’s 35th in 18:19; frosh Austin Chapin’s 41st in 19:00; frosh Pablo Vasquez-Cruz’s 51st in 20:59; frosh Max Serafini’s 56th in 21:21; and junior Baily Zeller’s 59th in 22:15.

The Lady Dragons were paced by senior Gianna Biaggi’s fourth in 18:28; senior Hannah Cenci’s sixth-place finish in 18:40; senior Laura Amador’s 11th in 20:04; freshman Madeline Libbey’s 17th in 21:32; junior Itzel Macedonio’s 20th in 21:59; frosh Brianna Lehane’s 23rd in 23:21; and senior Serena Spry’s 34th in 30:17.

The cross country Dragons will host Analy and Windsor in nonleague tri-meets at 4 p.m. this Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Maxwell Park course.