Top 10
Although the pandemic temporarily put a pause on Paly athletics, the return of sports has brought many highlights. We look back at some of the top moments from this year. Photos by Jenna Hickey
May 25, 2021
- Hitting the Buzzer Beater
After losing to Los Gatos at the SCVAL championships in 2019, the Vikings and Wildcats faced off again after 2 years on the Wildcats’ home turf. In the 4th quarter with 6 seconds left and the score tied 7-7, senior Laney Henry hit a buzzer-beater goal to win the game 8-7, taking home a hard-fought victory.
2. Victorious Underdogs
Paly faced a tough match against the undefeated Serra Padres, who were ranked #4 in California at the time. Nevertheless, the Vikes started strong, scoring eight runs in the first inning to put the pressure on the Padres. The team ultimately emerged on top with a stunning 10-5 upset. The team relied on a strong senior class including five players who are committed to playing in college.
3. Boys Cross Country Wins SCVAL
While freshman Grant Morgenfeld led the Paly pack, Paly won the SCVAL championships in large part thanks to strong performances by the senior class. Two of the top five athletes overall were Paly seniors David Evans and Aleksei Seletskiy who both averaged a mile pace under 5:25 for the 5K race.
4. ShwarzbachCCS Champ
In 2020, Adar Schwarzbach (‘21) became the first boy to win a CCS wrestling crown for Paly in over a decade. Constant early morning gym workouts and individual drive yielded dividends as the wrestler took victory over Donte Lopez from powerhouse Gilroy. “In hindsight, CCS was two weeks before everything shut down, so I’m incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to make that memory,” he said.
5. Seletskiy Skims Record
With the shortened season, senior Aleksei Seletskiy made his time on the track count as he ran a 4:15 in the boys 1600m to become Paly’s second-fastest athlete ever in the mile. While he fell three seconds short of the Paly record, he will get another shot to break the mark at upcoming meets. “It came as a huge surprise that I was this close, and now with CCS happening, I have an opportunity to make it happen,” Seletskiy said.
6. Four-Time SCVAL Champs
Girls Volleyball has been one of the most dominant Paly teams over the past four years. This season, the senior class capped off their year with another league championship as they finished 8-1 in league. This marks the fourth consecutive league championship for the Vikes and a special achievement for the class of ‘21.
7. Leaving a Legacy
Three seasons after Gywn introduced Field Hockey to Paly, over 30 girls tried out for the 2021 season which led to the creation of a JV squad. In 2018, the varsity team scored a meager three goals over 18 games. This year, that figure skyrocketed to a remarkable 45 goals over nine games. The rapid success that the team has found can be attributed in large part to the patience and dedication of Gwyn.
8. Davante Adams Returns
Paly alumni and NFL star Davante Adams returned to the Bay Area and visited the Viking’s Varsity football team. In a collaboration with Eastbay, Adams gifted the team with new jerseys and signed cleats. While this year’s seniors lost the opportunity to have a true season, this was a defining moment of their time with the team.
9. Kim Conquers High Jump
Aaron Kim (‘21) set a new personal best in the high jump, reaching an impressive 6’7”. His performance was tied for the third-best height in California, and he came within an inch away from the Paly record of 6’8”.
10. Paly Senior Night Success
The senior night of ‘21 included a variety of sports given the condensed seasons and Paly did not disappoint. Vikings Football kicked off the afternoon with a 59-26 win. Girls Basketball then overwhelmed Wilcox 62-26. Paly Soccer was successful with the boys beating Santa Clara 2-1, with senior Leo Malchin scoring one of the two goals. To cap off the night, the girls secured a 3-0 win over Los Altos.
