St. Francis Lancer Curtis Witt congratulates Sacred Heart Prep Andrew Daschbach after exciting 64-59 contest in CCS semifinals Tuesday at Independence High in San Jose.

Hats off to tiny Sacred Heart prep for coming within one trey, by Mason Randall of tying top-ranked St. Francis of Mountain View Tuesday in the CCS semifinals.

The Lancers prevailed 64-59 but clearly had the fear of God put in to them by their mid-Peninsula brethren. The Gators team featured several members of a football unit that defied the odds to win the Open contest this fall, including Randall, their QB. You would think that suiting Ben Burr-Kirvan even for one game might have been worth a bucket or two Tuesday when it counted most.

As I exited the game I brushed against the lines of sportsmanship, near the St. Francis bench. I greeted the reserve guard Riley Quinn, who saw no action Tuesday but was a contributor on football. We exchanged high fives and I said “Good game, son. Good luck”. I saw Quinn during warm-ups, running the drills with his mates. Here is a quote that Riley attributed to former Major League pitcher Jim Abbott and told a writer for the Chron two springs ago (and it does dovetail or overlap with my Susan O’Malley tribute yesterday):
“… believe in yourself, find your own way, and use the talents you’ve been given … great things can happen!”

My own observation is that as the years recede the difference between my opponents and my teammates blurs; now the distinction is between being able to run and play at all compared to when I would fill nearly ever afternoon with some type of exertion or game:

Riley Quinn top of key and his mates, preparing to play with and against boys from Menlo Park

And1: a bad pun in headline about the Saint’s hometown. Other than those warm-ups I’ve never seen Quinn; he’s been written about in local and national media.