After two disappointing losses in the Open Division playoffs, the Knights pulled off a huge upset in the first round of the NorCal Division 1 tournament. Staff photo: Bella Scola.

By Connor Van Ligten

In the CIF-NorCal Division 1 tournament, the 13th-seeded Knights pulled off a stunning upset of the 4th-seeded Clayton Valley Charter team by a score of 65-61 on Wednesday. On the Ugly Eagles’ home court, Menlo wasn’t given much of a chance. However, an explosion by senior Riley Woodson powered the team to a victory in what is one of the biggest wins in program history.

Senior Joe Foley was swarmed all night by Clayton’s double and triple teams, managing only five points, but was still able to dish out four assists and come up with two steals. However, Woodson shouldered the scoring load for the Knights, dropping a game-high 31 points with 19 rebounds and four blocks. Woodson was nearly unstoppable in the paint, getting to the line frequently during the night and was a nightmare on defense. Sophomore Cole Kastner was another major contributor with 14 points and 10 rebounds of his own, and senior Thomas Brown provided timely scoring in the second half, scoring eight points in the game.

The Knights will play their next tournament match in Fresno against 12th-seeded Central, who pulled off a major upset of their own over the 5th-seeded St. Francis, on Saturday at 6:00 pm.