Teams lose first match, get set for next race
The San Benito High School cross country team
– the team that has dominated the Tri County Athletic League for
nearly half a decade – had a rude awakening Monday as both the
Baler boys and girls varsity squad were swept at home by Salinas in
the first dual meet of the season.
Teams lose first match, get set for next race
The San Benito High School cross country team – the team that has dominated the Tri County Athletic League for nearly half a decade – had a rude awakening Monday as both the Baler boys and girls varsity squad were swept at home by Salinas in the first dual meet of the season.
“It didn’t go as I wanted it to go,” San Benito High coach Jess Morales said. “They beat us in all the races. I don’t know when that last happened but it’s been several years. I take my hat off to them. Our boys took them a little too lightly, but we’ll bounce back.”
Heading into this season the Baler boys varsity team was going for its fifth league title in a row and the girls squad was looking to three-peat as league champions. On Monday the boys’ team lost by a 25-30 score and the girls fell 20-38.
Despite the loss Baler runner Courtney Allen was the first to cross the finish line for the girls’ team on the 3.1-mile Park Hill course. Allen posted a time of 20.30. Unfortunately for the Balers not another San Benito High runner would cross the finish line until the 22.14 minute mark. That’s when Vanessa Farias came in to take seventh place.
“Salinas took second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth in that race,” Morales said. “They came more prepared than us.”
Rounding out the Baler girls finishers was Ann Marie Rich, who finished ninth with a time of 24.05. Crossing the finish line just seven seconds behind her was Elizabeth Moreno and following her was Christina Vasquez, who finished 11th.
The boys’ varsity race was won by Salinas’ Robert Anderson, who posted a time of 17.39 over the challenging course. Just two second after that came Baler runner Lance Villasignor.
From there the Cowboys took the third- and fourth-place spots before Adrian Rodriguez crossed the line at the 17.50 mark to finish fifth. Baler junior Frankie Rivera finished a second behind Rodriguez to take sixth place.
Rounding out the Baler finishing times was Erik Rodriguez, who finished eighth with a mark of 18.13. Curtis Wright finished six seconds behind his teammate to finish ninth while freshman Jose Costello finished 12th with a time of 19.44.
Despite the surprise loss, Morales remained upbeat about his squad.
“They caught us off guard,” he said. “The guys were a little overwhelmed. But we have fighters on this team, and they’ll be back and ready for league finals. We’re still the team to beat. I’ve got a lot of faith in our guys.”
