Honor roll: The week’s best performances by San Mateo County high school athletes

Makoa Ah Tou, Hillsdale football. With senior running back Josh Violette getting injured in the Knights’ first series, Ah Tou stepped up to shoulder the load in Hillsdale’s 28-7 victory in the CCS Division IV opener last Friday at Mazzoncini Stadium. At 5-6, 135 pounds, Ah Tou was worth more than a yard a pound, carrying 31 times for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Jessica Dean, Hillsdale volleyball. We’re omitting Victoria Vanos from the weekly Dean & Vanos show, not because Vanos didn’t have an exceptional week, but because Dean went absolutely bonkers through the first three matches in Hillsdale’s CIF State Volleyball Championships Division I run last week. A senior outside hitter, Dean entered the state playoffs having cracked the 20-kill plateau just once in her varsity career. In Hillsdale’s three state playoff victories last week, Dean swung her way past 20 kills in each. She twice matched her career-high, with 24 kills against San Ramon Valley and Amador Valley, and went for 23 kills against Christian Brothers. For the record, though, Dean and Vanos each went for double-doubles in all three matches.

William Moffitt, Half Moon Bay football. While the Cougars came up short in a 47-28 loss to Menlo School in the CCS Division II opener, Moffitt closed out his outstanding varsity football career in a blaze of glory. The senior quarterback gained 335 total yards, most of HMB’s 386 yards of offense, going 17-of-29 passing for 186 yards while rushing 25 times for 149 yards and three touchdowns.

Justin and Landon Pretre, Menlo School boys’ cross country. It’s the year of the Pretre brothers. Or, maybe it’s more accurate to say, it’s the first year of the Pretre brothers. Justin, a junior, and Landon, a freshman, led Menlo to the team championship in the CCS Division IV cross country race Saturday at Crystal Springs. Paced several seconds behind individual champion Jeremy Kain of Scotts Valley (15:26.8), Justin Pretre took second place with a time of 15:29.7, while Landon Pretre finished third in 15:31.9. Rounding out the Menlo championship team was senior Nik Khuntia (11th, 16:49.6); junior Aiden Deffner (12th, 16:53.1); and sophomore Alex Boesch (19th, 17:17).

Ross Muchnick, Menlo School football. Sure, Sergio Beltran dominated the field in typical fashion for Menlo’s senior quarterback, but Muchnick came up big for two of the most pivotal plays in the Knights’ 47-28 win over Half Moon Bay in the CCS Division II playoff opener. With Menlo facing fourth-and-5 from HMB’s 48-yard line, Muchnick lined up to punt, but instead executed a well-timed fake by passing to Bob Enright for a 6-yard pickup and a first down. Later in the game, with HMB gaining momentum and readying to get the ball back with under a minute to play in the first half, Muchnick banged an impressive punt to push back the Cougars far enough that two pass plays of 25 and 27 yards weren’t enough to score before the first-half clock expired.

Maximilian Hohendorf and Ethan Brooks, Woodside boys’ cross country. The Wildcats raced to the team title in the CCS Division II cross country race Saturday at Crystal Springs, and it was a humdinger between Hohendorf and Brooks that blazed the trail. Hohendorf, a junior was Woodside’s top finisher, taking 11th place with a time of 16:07.2, edging out Brooks who took 13th in 16:07.7. Sandwiched in 12th place was Wilcox junior Robert Cooper with a time of 16:07.6.

Will Swart, Sacred Heart Prep boys’ water polo. Swart fronted the Gators’ 16-4 victory over Bellarmine in the CCS Open Division championship Saturday in Hollister. The junior contributed to seven of SHP’s 16 goals, scoring four times and assisting on three more. The title is the 10th straight CCS crown for SHP, and the program’s 14th all time.

Aidan Dimick, Carlmont boys’ cross country. Have a day, Aidan Dimick. The senior has been one of the top runners in the PAL all season, and now he is the top runner in the CCS. Not only did Dimick claim the Division I individual championship at the CCS cross country championships, his time of 14:58.9 was the best time of any runner in any division, and the only sub-15 minute time on the day.

Alexandra Viret and Izzy Klugman, Menlo School girls’ tennis. The Lady Knights wrapped up play in the CCS team tennis championships Saturday, settling for runners-up after losing 6-1 to No. 1-seed Harker in the finals. Viret and Klugman earned the only win on the day for Menlo at the No. 3 doubles position.