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Articles by Mateo Cuellar-Koh
Bears Dominate Hillsdale on Senior Night
The Bears cruised to an 11-0 win over the Hillsdale Knights, capping off a league sweep and celebrating a dominant senior night performance on Friday night. Before the game, M-A honored eight seniors and their families in a heartfelt ceremony. Senior pitcher Jack Molise got the start for the Bears and immediately set the tone, retiring the side to end the top of the first. The Bears got the bats going early with sophomore outfielder Merrick Lee leading the charge with a swift double.
Boys Lacrosse Mauls Panthers in Dominant Fashion
The boys lacrosse team steamrolled the Burlingame Panthers in a decisive 14-4 victory on Tuesday night. This win adds to an undefeated 7-0 record in league play and an impressive 9-3 record on the year. From the get-go, the Bears jumped on the Panthers as senior faceoff Eric Torre won his first of many faceoff wins for the night. Senior attack Colin Kryger then quickly buried a shot in the top left corner of the net to get the Bears on the board.
Baseball Mauls Sacred Heart in Dominant Victory
M-A took down the Sacred Heart Gators in dominant fashion, winning 10-0 and improving their overall record to 8-4 on the season on Wednesday afternoon. Senior pitcher Jack Molise wasted no time establishing his presence on the mound, striking out the first three hitters of the game and gathering his first of nine on the day. With the Bears back in the dugout, senior first baseman Jimmy Zaharias got the bats going early by roping a two out single.
Boys Soccer Cruises to 7-0 Victory over Terra Nova
The boys soccer team bulldozed their way to a decisive 7-0 victory over the Terra Nova Tigers on Friday night, improving their record to 7-0-2 as they gear up to kick off league play. From the get-go, M-A relentlessly attacked the Tigers’ defense with multiple shots on goal. While Terra Nova’s defense made a valiant effort at first, the Bears’ prolific offense proved too much to handle.
Junior’s Best Seniors in Third Annual Powder Puff Game
The junior class of 2026 defeated the senior class of 2025 by a score of 12-6 in leadership’s third annual Powderpuff game on the football field during lunch last Wednesday. Each team was coached by M-A’s varsity football players—juniors Teddy Dacey, JT Roeder, and Matthew Kwon for the class of 2026 and seniors Devin Hyde, Xander Eschelman and Giles Hayhurst for the class of 2025. The class of 2025 kicked off the action with two runs to Aliyah Calvillo-Figueroa.
Bears Swamp Carlmont in Senior Night Victory
On Wednesday night, the boys water polo team took on the Carlmont Scots in a decisive 14-3 victory. Prior to the game, the Bears celebrated their players’ senior night, commemorating ten seniors and their contributions to the program. Seniors sported crowns and leis as they took photos with one another and their families. In addition, there was a moment of silence for beloved friend and teammate Dylan Scripo, who passed away earlier this year.
Students Turn Trash Into Treasure on 40th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day
Dozens of M-A students attended the California Coastal Commission’s 40th annual Coastal Cleanup Day at San Francisquito Creek last Saturday. The volunteers gathered and armed themselves with plastic bags and gloves. After a brief protocol training, the group transformed into a well-oiled, trash-removing machine looking to eliminate foreign items from a natural ecosystem only a few minutes from M-A.
Bears Breeze Past Woodside to Open League Play
The varsity girls volleyball team swept the Woodside Wildcats 3-0 in their first league game on Thursday evening. The Bears opened the match with an immediate ace from senior libero Kiela King. The Bears and Wildcats knotted the score 7-7, capitalizing on long rallies and kills from seniors Duru Ruacan, Sienna Morales, and Meki Maile. “They put pressure on us from the serving line early on, and we had to shift our serve receive to counter that,” King said.
Meet the New AVPs: Elaine Rivera-Rios
New Administrative Vice Principal (AVP) Elaine Rivera-Rios’ journey to educational administration was far from traditional. “Truthfully, I never intended to be in education,” she said. “I thought I was going to be a nurse.” Rivera-Rios will oversee transportation, after-school services, and food service. A Bay Area native, Rivera-Rios was born and raised in Redwood City and attended Woodside High School.
Boys Soccer Crowned as Victors in Contest of Champions Finale
Last Friday, Leadership’s Contest of Champions concluded in an epic finale between the boys basketball and the boys soccer teams in the Gladiator Games. The winner was decided by whichever team won two out of the three games: chariot racing, tug-of-war, and jousting. The boys soccer team emerged early from the tournament as champions with a score of 2-0, having won every match in the two games played. The finale kicked off with Leadership’s take on chariot racing.
In Memory of Omar Hussain
On Sunday, May 26, M-A student and football player Omar Hussain passed away due to an unexpected heart attack. Omar, a senior, was only two weeks away from graduating high school. Omar played defensive end for the football team throughout all four years of high school and had a profound impact on everyone. He was extremely passionate about the sport, and his immense love and care for both his teammates and the game shined through in every interaction he had.
M-A Students React to New Shift to Digital SAT
For nearly 100 years the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been synonymous with a physical, on paper experience. However, that all changed in March of 2024 when the College Board administered its first-ever digital SAT. The change was announced in 2022 and came after students and educators alike urged for the switch, claiming that more recently, .” Two of the notable differences include the digital test becoming adaptive and considerably shorter.
CIF Introduces New Regulation for Outdoor Sports Practices Amidst Growing Air Quality Concerns
Last October, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) implemented a regulation banning sports practices and games when the air quality is above 150. Due to rampant forest fires, hazardous air quality has been . Beyond coughing and itchy eyes, poor air quality can potentially lead to a greater risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
M-A Community Reminisces on Memories with Troy Franklin Following NFL Draft
Photos courtesy of Adhir Ravipati, Jenna Carson, and Matt Macleod. Franklin, who is currently at the Rookie Mini-Camp in Denver, was unavailable for an interview. The M-A Chronicle spoke with former head football coach Adhir Ravipati, alum (‘22) Matt MacLeod, and teacher Jenna Carson on their most treasured moments with Franklin––both on and off the field. “Troy is like my little brother.
Boys Lacrosse Dismantle Los Gatos
On Wednesday night, the boys’ lacrosse team hammered the Los Gatos Wildcats in a decisive 13-4 victory, which improved their record to 4-0 for the season. Junior Eric Torre won the opening faceoff, granting the Bears the first offensive opportunity to score. However, strong defense from the Wildcats halted any M-A advancement. Los Gatos would draw first blood as they scored the opening goal in just over eight minutes in the first quarter.
Team Traditions - M-A Chronicle
On the eve of every game, the boys football team enjoys a team potluck dinner in the G-wing, where they share food, crack jokes, play trivia, and discuss strategy. Before every game, players kneel in a circle and pray. “It’s a time for the team to come together and give thanks for the chance we are given to play for our school and teammates,” said junior Xander Eschelman. Afterward, they run through a line of high-fives from fans. Senior Khayri Jett said, “It’s a way to thank our supporters.
The Sports Betting Boom
Betting has been around for hundreds of years, but modern-day gambling is far from what it once was. While in theory, online gambling is illegal for those under 21, such restrictions are easy to bypass. As a result, online gambling—particularly sports betting—has become an incredibly popular activity among students at M-A. “It’s exhilarating,” an anonymous student described.
Boys Basketball Starts Season With Comeback Victory
On Wednesday, the boys basketball team opened up the 2023-2024 season with a 53-47 comeback victory over the Los Gatos Wildcats. The Bears won the opening tip-off but came up empty-handed in their first few offensive possessions. The first points came from sophomore guard Jacob Sutton, when he sank two free throws after being fouled on his way to the basket. Outstanding defensive performances by seniors Jack Anderson and Justin Moore held the Wildcats’ offense at bay.
Boys Water Polo Buried by Archbishop Mitty in CCS Semifinals
On Wednesday, the boys water polo team lost 16-1 in the second round of the CCS Division 1 playoffs to Archbishop Mitty Monarchs. The Bears won the initial swim-off but struggled to cash it in for a goal. A Mitty fastbreak left junior goalie Arman Azadpour one-on-one, where he made a spectacular save to preserve the tie. After a close shot by junior Dylan Scirpo as the shot clock expired, Mitty tacked on two early goals bringing the score to 2-0.
Girls Volleyball Overpowered by Saint Francis in Playoffs
On Saturday morning, the girls volleyball team lost to the Saint Francis Lancers in the opening round of the CCS Open Division playoffs in three sets, 17-25, 14-25, and 13-25. The Bears were looking to dethrone a strong Lancer team that is currently ranked 14th in the nation. The game started off with an M-A serve and point, but the Bears quickly found themselves in a hole down 7-4. The Bears continued to try and even the score but failed to erase the Lancers’ lead and fell 25-17 in the first set.
Juniors Earn Upset Win in Second Annual Powderpuff Football Game
A highly-anticipated matchup kicked off last Thursday on the football field during lunch, as the junior class of 2025 defeated the senior class of 2024 by a score of 21-0 in Menlo-Atherton’s second annual Powderpuff game. Each team was coached by M-A’s varsity football players—juniors Devin Hyde, Xander Eschelman, and Angelo Marin for the class of 2025 and seniors James Gray, Aaron Becker and Thomas Scott for the class of 2024.
What Motivates Our Teachers?
Cover Photo: AP Environmental Science and Biology teacher Erica Woll with graduating students. The average person works 40 hours per week. Over a lifetime, that adds up to around 90,000 hours. Clearly, one’s profession is an important part of their life. But how do people stay motivated to devote so much of their time and effort to their work? Finding motivation is difficult for any job but especially one that takes an enormous amount of energy and patience.
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