With an unblemished record heading into this Saturday’s
Tri-County Athletic League Finals, the San Benito High swim team is
perhaps the favorite to take the league title in both the boys and
girls categories after each posted strong regular seasons.
Of course, that’s always easier said than done.
HOLLISTER
With an unblemished record heading into this Saturday’s Tri-County Athletic League Finals, the San Benito High swim team is perhaps the favorite to take the league title in both the boys and girls categories after each posted strong regular seasons.
Of course, that’s always easier said than done.
But while the Lady ‘Balers have a considerable leg up on the competition – perhaps its closest competitor, Salinas, lost to San Benito 114-71 earlier this year – the ‘Baler boys should have their hands full against the likes of Gilroy, Salinas and Palma.
And it will no doubt take a full team effort.
“I need a few of my front-runners to win, and our second and third (swimmers) to come through,” San Benito head coach Christine Schafer said. “Our relays are really key. We need to win two out of three relays. And diving, I need all of my divers healthy in diving.”
Despite a trio of competitors, the ‘Balers’ best competition will likely be Gilroy. San Benito edged the visiting Mustangs 93-90 in the TCAL opener on March 6, and Gilroy didn’t even compete with a dive team in that match, losing some 13 points in the process.
But with the amount of swimming talent that will be in attendance at Everett Alvarez High School Saturday, staving off Gilroy will be much harder this time around, as other schools gun for top places and much needed points en route to a TCAL title.
While Palma brings a balanced attack of both stroke and freestyle swimmers, and Salinas shines in the freestyle and could be a major threat in the 200-, 100- and 50-meter races, the Mustangs are anchored by well-rounded stroke swimmers Eddie Malick and David and Brian Pribyl, a strong threesome that perhaps make Gilroy the favorites in the medley relay.
San Benito will look to counter with the likes of Brandon Drogemuller, Kyle Reuther and Matt McCullough, who recorded a Central Coast Section qualifying time Friday in the 50 free (22.96).
“We are very strong in the freestyle,” Schafer said.
“But it comes downs to who races and how they raced on that day. Swimming meets like this come down to heart a lot of the time and our boys have a lot of heart. I’m betting on them.”
With the TCAL title taken away last year by the hands of Salinas, San Benito will look to reclaim the championship it had just two years ago. The Lady ‘Balers, meanwhile, will be looking to successfully defend last year’s championship when it took first place in nine of the 12 events to keep Salinas at bay, 405-359.
“We have a lot of depth in addition to really good top-level swimmers,” Schafer said.
So much depth that San Benito took first place in each and every event last Friday in Hollister, where the Lady ‘Balers cruised to a 129-39 victory over visiting Everett Alvarez.
San Benito saw victories in the 200 medley (Lacey Larson, Kate Schaaphok, Alex Whorley, Kelsey Larson; 2:14.99); the 200 free (Lacey Larson; 2:06.53); the 200 IM (Shelli Reed; 2:18.22); the 50 free (Demi Gatrell; 26.00); the 100 fly (Celina Stotler, 1:05.01); the 100 free (Jessica Drogemuller; 1:01.72); the 500 free (Megan Zozaya; 6:00.07); the 200 free relay (Shelli Reed, Anna Dickson, Sarah Kelso, Tiffany Hill; 1:57.72); the 100 back (Shelli Reed; 1:01.38); the 100 breast (Anna Dickson; 1:27.95); and the 400 free relay (Shelli Reed, Lacey Larson, Demi Gatrell, Megan Zozaya; 4:10.28).
Shelli Reed, meanwhile, clocked a CCS time in the 100 breast (1:11.75), giving her qualifying times in all eight individual events.
The boys followed suit against Alvarez, defeating the Eagles 115-53 after taking first place in 10 of the 12 events, including the 200 medley (Nick Angulo, Brandon Drogemuller, Matt McCullough, Josh Schafer; 1:50.45); the 200 free (Brandon Drogemuller; 1:49.68); the 200 IM (Nathan Thomas; 2:34.42); the 50 free (Matt McCullough; 22.96); the 100 free (Matt McCullough; 51.85); the 500 free (Nick Angulo; 5:44.22); the 200 free relay (Jordan Schafer, Kyle Reuther, Josh Schafer, William Reed; 1:40.01); the 100 back (Brandon Drogemuller; 1:01.29); and the 400 free relay (Kyle Reuther, Ryan Whiteside, Matt McCullough, Tyler Agan; 4:01.22).
“They had some good times,” Schafer said. “If the weather hadn’t been horrible, we would have had some great times.
“But it’s all coming together.”
