Menlo School, Menlo-Atherton are poised for more tennis success

Don’t expect any slippage for the 2021 fall season from either squad. Both teams return a number of players from the spring roster and will once again challenge for league and section titles.

While the Knights have a culture that breeds success, there will be a little more incentive this season after seeing their 256-league match winning streak broken by Harker School and, just to prove that wasn’t a fluke, the Eagles dominated the Knights in the CCS championship match.

“They’re eager to play a full season, that’s for sure,” said Shine, referring to a 12-match season in the spring and a two-month layoff between the end of the regular season and the playoffs.

At M-A, Sorenson has graduated only two key players over the last two years. The one graduate from the spring team, Charlie Smith, will most likely be replaced by freshman Tessa Ellingson — both on the roster and in the lineup.

“She’s good. She’ll be an asset. Probably play No. 2 singles,” Sorenson said. “We’re pretty much as strong — if not stronger — than last year.”

Shine, who started his coaching career in 1980, took over at Menlo beginning the 1994-95 season, helping lead the Knights to 26 straight league titles, 10 CCS championships and three Northern California titles.

Sorenson started his high school coaching career in 1984 at Sacred Heart Prep before moving down the street and around the corner to take over the M-A program in the fall of 2005. The Bears have won six straight Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division crowns and were undefeated during the spring season.

Both coaches credit a lot of that success to the schools at which they coach. Both have created programs that draw quality players and the most surprising thing is that there is enough talent to go around.

Shine believes that the culture created at Menlo, along with the highly motivated students who enroll at the private school, help lead to success.

“I just think the kids that go to Menlo … are really driven in the classroom and on the [court],” Shine said. “These kids are used to working really hard. I think they want it more. They’re more motivated.

“I think it kind of feeds off itself. … Kids kind of want to go here. The tennis players know they’ll get better (playing at Menlo).”

Sorenson cites the affluence that surrounds both schools in the town of Atherton, one of the most expensive places to live in the United States.

“I’m no sociologist,” Sorenson said, “but any time you draw from an affluent area, the golf and tennis skills are going to come with the students.”

While they both may be flushed with top talent, it might be their depth that is their biggest asset. Menlo graduated a pair of four-year seniors, including Addie Ahlstrom, who is playing at Brown University.

But for the Knights, it’s a matter of next person up. Tricia Zhang, who has played mostly at No. 2 singles the last two season, is expected to slide into the No. 1 slot.

“It’s just next man up,” Shine said. “Tricia Zhang has played (No.) 2 the last couple of years. I think she’s excited to be playing there. She’s been thrown into the fire since she was a freshman.”

From there, he can plug in the likes of Brynn Brady, C.C. Golub and Charlotte Yao — three seniors playing their fourth varsity seasons — and junior Natalie Westermann, who enters her third varsity campaign.

“They’re all a year older, a year stronger. I’m looking for good things out of them,” Shine said.

The Knights go into the West Bay Athletic League season as a contender, however, instead of the favorite as defending league and CCS champ Harker School stands in their way.

The M-A roster also goes deep. Ava Martin, who took over the No. 1 spot last year as a sophomore, is one of the best singles players in the CCS. She recently played in the U.S. Open qualifier in New York. Slot freshman Ellingson in at No. 2 and Sorenson then has some strong options to fill out the singles spot and set up a strong doubles team. Emma and Mara Williams, both juniors, and Lila Motamedi, a senior, are all returning starters and will be key components in the Bears’ quest for an official seventh straight Bay Division crown.

“We’re much like the (San Francisco) Giants,” Sorenson said. “We are mix and match.”

While the Bears may still be the class of the PAL, Sorenson said he can feel the rest of the Bay Division closing the gap on M-A. Aragon, Burlingame and Carlmont are always in the mix, while San Mateo and Hillsdale have seen their stock rise over the last couple of seasons. Sorenson also thinks Woodside is a rising program.

“I think there was a period of time where there was a bigger gap between us and the rest of the league,” Sorenson said.