The Best of BHS Athletics in 2010-11

With the 2010-11 athletic year in the books, here is a look at some of the top accomplishments from Burlingame High School teams and athletes:

1. Boys Basketball: Burlingame stunned St. Ignatius 68-56 in one of the Panthers’ most in an outstanding decade to earn a spot in its third straight Central Coast Section championship game. The program’s first section title – as Burlingame lost in the final for the sixth time, all since 2003. But the Panthers did follow up with a 22-point win in the first round of the Northern California playoffs behind 15 points and 17 rebounds from star post Rodrigo Puliceno. Burlingame also went 10-0 in the Peninsula Athletic League’s Bay Division as Puliceno collected MVP honors, and then won the PAL tournament for the fourth straight year.

2. Boys Soccer: After winning its first PAL Bay Division championship in four years, Burlingame fell just short of claiming its first CCS crown since 1997. The top-seeded Panthers lost 3-2 to Willow Glen in a that included a frantic late charge from BHS to close within a goal in the final minutes after being down 3-0 early. Coach Mike Sharabi enjoyed a fantastic first year at the helm of his alma mater, and Cal-bound midfielder Stefano Bonomo anchored the team throughout a year in which Burlingame went 17-4-2.

3. Girls Volleyball: The Panthers rolled to a 28-6 season that included another dominant campaign in the PAL Bay. Burlingame went 14-0 to defend its league title. Senior outside hitter Michelle Neumayr capped her high school career by being named PAL Bay MVP for the second straight year. The 6-foot-1 Neumayr, who will play for Cal in the fall, racked up 607 kills on the season.

4. Girls Swimming: The Panthers won the on May 14. Junior Naomi Thomas, who was recovering from pneumonia, etched her name in two meet records. She swam the butterfly leg of the 200-yard medley relay, which won by eight seconds (1:49.07), and the 100 butterfly, in which she smashed her own record set a year earlier by more than half a second (55.22).

5. Girls Tennis: Burlingame junior Brooke Tsu captured her after rallying from a set down against Menlo-Atherton’s Paige Keating in the final.

6. Girls Track: Seniors Allison Daley and Madison Mason starred for BHS at the . Daley defended her league title in the 300-meter hurdles. Mason won the long jump and finished second in the triple jump. Daley went on to finish second in the CCS finals in the 300 hurdles to earn a trip to the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships for the second straight year.

7. Gymnastics: Burlingame’s Alix Angelopulo enjoyed an outstanding performance in the CCS championships by consistently placing in the top spots. Angelopulo was second in the bars (9.725), floor (9.750) and vault (9.325), and fourth on the beam (9.500). She earned the silver as an individual performer and helped the Panthers edge Gunn for fourth place.

8. Baseball: Zac Grotz collected as the Panthers finished tied for second place with Carlmont at 9-5. After going 7-1 with a 1.16 ERA in the regular season, Grotz hurled a gem in the opening round of the CCS Division II playoffs, but was outdueled by Los Altos’ Mitch Kehlet in a . Burlingame finished the year 16-12.

9. Softball: The Panthers upset No. 5 Monterey 11-0 in the first round of the CCS Division II playoffs on May 18 in Monterey. Merry Grace Chambers went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs and three RBIs, and pitcher Melissa Christmann delivered a shutout on the big stage as No. 12 seed Burlingame rolled.

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Interested in the top athletic feats in other parts of San Mateo County? Here are the highlights from , , , , San Mateo, , and .