Title races come down to the wire

Meanwhile, the South Division basketball titles are still up in the air, but it is the PAL soccer races that are the most interesting to watch.

A week ago, the Woodside girls’ soccer team was chugging along to another Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division championship, working on an undefeated season in the process; and a high seed and an opening-round home game in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs.

There was nothing to suggest anything was amiss after blasting Aragon 4-0 last Tuesday. But then, the Wildcats started leaking oil. They played Menlo-Atherton to a scoreless draw last Thursday. No big deal, they still hadn’t been beaten.

Until Saturday, when Aragon got its revenge, handing Woodside (6-1-1, 19 points) its first loss of the season with a 2-1 decision in a game that was a makeup for the match postponed from last month.

And now, that Bay Division title that was seemingly a given? Well, the Wildcats find themselves in a battle. With the loss, Woodside is within striking distance of two teams tied for second — Burlingame and Sequoia, that come into the final week of the regular season with identical 5-2-1 Bay Division records (16 points). Which means both the Panthers and the Ravens are one win, and one Woodside loss, from moving into a first-place tie.

Burlingame and Sequoia deserve a lot of credit for staying in the race. Both were beaten by the Wildcats in the first round — the Panthers lost 2-0, while the Ravens were beaten 6-3 — but both have endured and kept the pressure on Woodside.

Now both have a shot at moving to the top of the table. Burlingame gets the first crack as the Panthers will be at Woodside at 4:30 p.m. today, with Sequoia taking on Hillsdale. Thursday, the Ravens hosts the Wildcats, while Burlingame will be tested with a game against M-A.

But the girls’ Bay race is not the only one going down to the wire. In the Ocean Division girls’ race, Carlmont has been the class of the division, having put a perfect record of 8-0 (24 points) coming into the week.

Despite the Scots’ dominance, they haven’t shaken second-place Terra Nova, which at 7-1 (21 points) is only a win and a Carlmont loss from joining the Scots atop the table. The championship could be decided as soon as today, however, when the Tigers host the Scots at 4:30 p.m. Carlmont beat Terra Nova 5-1 Jan. 20.

The San Mateo girls’ (5-0, 15 points) have led the Lake Division all season, but even the Bearcats, despite their offensive output against Lake teams, still has Mills hot on their heels. The Vikings are, technically, in a tie for first place with a 5-1 record, which is also good for 15 points. But the Bearcats have played one less game so far.

Both San Mateo and Mills will decide things on the field as they meet in the regular-season finale Thursday in San Mateo. The Bearcats beat the Vikings 5-1 Jan. 25.

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The races for the boys’ soccer titles are equally tight. The Burlingame boys’ team has made it to the final week of the regular season still without a loss, in both Bay play and overall. But three ties means the Panthers have left the door open for second-place Aragon.

Unlike the Woodside girls, the Burlingame boys, with 28 points thanks to a 5-0-3 mark, holds a four-point lead over the Dons (4-1-2, 18 points).

Aragon, however, has work to do and then needs some help. Not only do the Dons need to win out this week — they have a pair of games against San Mateo and finish against Carlmont Friday — but they also need Burlingame to stumble against Menlo-Atherton or San Mateo.

In the Ocean Division, Hillsdale (7-1, 21 points) clings to a three-point lead over South City (6-2, 18 points). In reality, however, the two teams are tied as the Warriors will earn three points from a Westmoor forfeit in Friday’s game. That means Wednesday’s Knights-Warriors matchup in South City will decide the Ocean Division championship.

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The PAL South basketball titles are still up in the air as we enter the final week of the regular season.

On the girls’ side, the undefeated Hillsdale team (10-0) is the one to beat after the Knights throttled a previously unbeaten Burlingame team by 25 points last Wednesday.

And with Burlingame falling to Capuchino Friday night, the championship is Hillsdale’s to lose as the Knights hold a two-game lead with two games left to play.

On the boys’ side, Carlmont and Burlingame each have only one loss in division play, although the Panthers still have a game to make up. Menlo-Atherton, which has won four in a row, is a game back.

All three will play three games this week and, ,if the standing remain the same, there will be a pair of makeup games next week that will decide the division champion: Burlingame takes on Capuchino at 7:30 p.m. next Monday and will close out the regular season next Tuesday when the Panthers take on the Scots at 6 p.m. in Burlingame.

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117. To report scores or tips, email sports@smdailyjournal.com.