Baler boys a strong prospect to best Live Oak
There’s a new sheriff in town
– and he’s wearing a Baler bathing cap.
While the Live Oak girls’ swim team is expected to win its
umpteenth league title in a row again this year, the San Benito
boys team appears to have enough young guns to overtake the
perennial powerhouse Acorns at what they’re best at.
Baler boys a strong prospect to best Live Oak
There’s a new sheriff in town – and he’s wearing a Baler bathing cap.
While the Live Oak girls’ swim team is expected to win its umpteenth league title in a row again this year, the San Benito boys team appears to have enough young guns to overtake the perennial powerhouse Acorns at what they’re best at.
Just last week the Baler boys beat Live Oak in a league meet and now have a firm grip on their first league title in half a decade as the second half of the season gets underway.
“We’re definitely deeper than any other team in the league right now,” said San Benito High swim coach Leif Nordstrom. “Our JV team is stronger and our varsity team from top to bottom is strong.”
Last year the Balers sent 10 boys to the Central Coast Section Championship meet. Nordstrom pointed out that this year’s goal – in addition to winning league – was to qualify more individuals to the prestigious section meet.
So far the Balers have already qualified freshman swimmers Shelli Reed and Lacey Larson from the girls’ team and junior Blaine Curtis, who is tops in the league in the 200 IM event. Baler swimmers David and Joel Smith are also expected to qualify.
While all the buzz this spring is about the strength of the San Benito High boys team and the Live Oak girls squad, there’s a new coach at Sobrato High this year who gives Morgan Hill’s newest high school instant recognition.
And it’s not because her daughter, Ronni, is one of the top swimmers at cross-town rival Live Oak. No, Lynn (Vidali) Gautschi was an Olympic medal winner at both the 1968 and 1972 games. Her teammate was Olympic legend Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the ’72 games. In 1968, Vidali took the silver medal in the 400 IM and won a bronze in the 200 IM in the ’72 summer games.
A longtime swim coach at Live Oak, Gautschi left in 1996 after guiding the Acorn girls team to a CCS title in order to have more time to raise her family.
During her 17-year stint at Live Oak, Gautschi’s teams put together a 13-year stretch in a row without losing a single league meet. At Sobrato, she’s at the helm guiding a young team with very little experience, but she’s excited to be back.
“It’s all about getting better and self-improvement this year,” said Gautschi. “We may be able to beat Notre Dame and Salinas. That’s my goal for this year.”
This year the Bulldogs have four varsity boy swimmers and five girls. There are four boys on the JV team and 16 on the girls’ team. Gautschi could call them up to varsity, but doesn’t feel that it would be beneficial at this point.
Sobrato’s top swimmers this year are freshman Lance Wolfsmith and sophomore Sky Sandberg. Both are best in the freestyle events.
On the girls’ side, Taylor Windgassen and Katelyn Smith are best in the 200 IM.
Across town at Live Oak the Acorn girls’ squad, which is lead by Ronni Gautschi, Laura Schope and Laura Melroy has not lost a league meet this season. While the boys team has only lost to San Benito.
“The girls are strong and so are the boys,” said Live Oak coach Mac Haines. “The difference is that Hollister has more depth. Our best swimmers are just as good as or better than their swimmers. The difference has been their depth of fourth and fifth-place finishers. It’s really a tale of two high schools. They keep getting bigger and we’re getting smaller.”
This year, the top male swimmers at Live Oak are sophomore Mike Wu, freshman Steven Rick and seniors Justin Short and Shea Coleman. Rick has yet to be beaten this year in any breaststroke event.
In Gilroy, there’s a little more excitement over the girls’ varsity team this year than the boys. Part of that has to do with the coach’s rule.
One senior who did is Sam Whittaker. He’s been effective this season in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, and is the fastest swimmer on the team.
Another strong swimmer on the boys’ team is sophomore Daniel Shields. Clark is most impressed with his desire to work hard and his leadership skills.
On the girls side freshman Maegan Collett, who swims the 100 fly and 100 back, has not lost a meet in three weeks.
Another strong freshman swimmer for the Mustangs is Melissa Davis, who swims the 200 IM and the 500 free.
Although a league title is not on the radar screen for either one of his squads this season, Clark hopes to send some swimmers to CCS – but he knows that won’t be an easy task either.
