The San Benito High track and field team can usually count on 100-plus athletes trying out for the squad every year.
With an enrollment of 2,825 students–one of the largest in the Central Coast Section—the Haybalers are rarely short on numbers or depth. Coach Bob Rawles expects another exciting and productive season, hopefully culminating with a top-three league finish.
“We hope to make Christopher and Palma nervous,” Rawles said. “On paper, those two squads are loaded. But I like our first month and how it’s gone. I like how the kids are working as a team with the coaches, and we’ll see if there’s a big resurgence. We’ve got some decent surprises, and if we get a break here or there, then maybe we can bite some thumbnails off and make it exciting at the end.”
On the boys side, plenty of excitement revolves around junior Shraee Harrison, who has returned to the track after taking his sophomore season off to focus on basketball. In a March 11 home league meet against Salinas—the boys won 72-64 and the girls won 85-51—Harrison won the 200-meter run in 22.5 seconds, the 400 in 53.52 and was part of the victorious 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams that posted times of 46.08 and 3:45.92, respectively.
“I’m excited to see how much Shraee has grown,” Rawles said. “As we get later into the season, we’ll see him performing at an even higher level.”
When asked if Harrison could win the 400 race in the Central Coast Section Championships, Rawles said, “Those expectations are on the table.” Rawles also expects solid performances from Matt Reikowski in the pole vault and jumps.
“I think Matt is set for a great senior year,” Rawles said.
Other athletes who are expected to have a standout season include junior Elijah Changco, who won the 3200 and was second in the 1600 against Salinas; Jose Ruiz, who was second in the 800 in a solid early-season time of 2:09.80; Harrison Hamrick, who was second in the 100 in 11.68; and Colby Noble, a sophomore who won the discus with a throw of 108 feet, 8 inches.
On the girls side, things have to start with super sophomore Marisa Villegas, who won the 400 and 1600, the latter by 1/100th of a second over teammate Amy Quinones, who won the 800 and should be a force in both the half-mile and mile.
Quinones also excels in the long jump; she’s the defending Gabilan Division champion in that event. The 4×400 relay team of Villegas, Quinones, Anjelica Collins and Shannon Skowbo has posted some fast times early on, and if they continue to improve, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that they’ll make the CCS Finals.
Skowbo also flourishes in the triple jump, and she nailed a mark of 33-.5 against Salinas. Rawles said the girls should be particularly strong in the distance running events, with freshman Samantha Cortez and junior Katherine Monteon looking to make noise in the mile and two mile.
The Balers continue to produce top-notch talent despite having a dirt track, of which Rawles said was a part of “the worst facility in America.”
“Yet year after year, we keep putting kids on scholarships,” he said.
Indeed, former San Benito standouts Jason Roascio (Wyoming), Vanessa Estrada (Northern Arizona) and Liz Reikowski (Haverford) are just some of the past track and field athletes from the school who are now flourishing in college.
