Girls’ golf thumps Wildcatz; boys’ water polo falls in
tourney
After another big win over a lower-rung team, the San Benito girls’ tennis team is sitting pretty at 4-1 in the Tri-County Athletic League standings. But after the ‘Balers dispatched Alisal 7-0 at Ridgemark on Thursday, head coach Ed Cecena was quick to say next week will be the real proving ground for his team.
“We’ve got two big ones coming up,” said Cecena, pointing to San Benito’s upcoming matches at Salinas and Notre Dame.
With only one TCAL team able to qualify for the Central Coast Section playoffs, the ‘Balers (6-6) know they need a win against Notre Dame next Thursday to have a realistic shot at the postseason. The tough Salinas squad which San Benito faces Tuesday may well win the TCAL, but the Cowboys’ ban from postseason consideration eliminates them from the running. Nonetheless, the ‘Balers will have their hands full with the Spirits, a team that swept them at Ridgemark on Sep. 12.
“Our focus these last three practices,” Cecena said, “will be to get a win and possibly tie Notre Dame.”
After winning handily against Gilroy, North Salinas and Alvarez, the ‘Balers pushed their TCAL winning streak to four matches by sweeping visiting Alisal. San Benito won all the individual matches in straight sets, including a 6-2, 6-1 win by Courtney Fisher and Athena Hernandez in their first match at No. 2 doubles.
GIRLS’ GOLF
Bolstered by a strong round by a surging Katie O’Brien, the San Benito girls’ golf team had its way with host Watsonville on Thursday, winning the Tri-County Athletic League competition by more than 50 strokes.
O’Brien, who began the season as the ‘Balers’ No. 4 golfer, fired a 44 at Pajaro Valley to take medalist honors from her No. 3 slot. “It was the third round in a row that she’s been in the low to mid 40s,” San Benito coach Chris Branon said. “She’s been very consistent the last three matches. Very consistent.”
Thursday’s round marked the first time all season that someone other than No. 1 Marissa Gutierrez carded the low round for the ‘Balers.
Gutierrez and No. 2 Ashley Bushaw shot 46 and 50, respectively, against their overmatched Wilcatz counterparts, but Branon said his top players’ rounds should have been even better. “It’s real easy to lower your game … to play to your competition,” the coach said, “and I think that happened in our No. 1 and No. 2 matches.”
Nydia Martinez fired a 49 to complete the ‘Balers’ team score of 189. Jordan Archer (55) and freshman Jenny Glosser (62) also played for San Benito.
The ‘Balers return to action Tuesday when they play in a TCAL group competition hosted by Santa Catalina at Monterey’s Old Del Monte Golf Course at 3pm.
BOYS’ WATER POLO
Looking to improve its posteason chances, the San Benito boys’ water polo team has entered tough tournaments this season, hoping to test its mettle against top-notch competition. Two weeks after splitting its four games at the Scott Roche Invitational, including losses to Bellarmine and Los Altos, the ‘Balers (8-3) hit another bump in the road as they began play in the St. Francis Invitational in Mountain View on Friday.
San Benito’s first-round opponent was familiar, and so was the result. The ‘Balers fell to Los Altos 11-7 in a close match.
“We had it tied up into the fourth (quarter),” said San Benito coach Tom Agan, whose team previously fell to the Eagles 9-5, “and we let it slip away.”
While such contests figure to have positive long-term ramifications as the ‘Balers try to develop into a squad with designs on a run in the Central Coast Section playoffs, losing them sure leaves a sour taste. “It’s helpful and everything,” Agan continued, “but it’s just kind of frustrating. We didn’t really play to our potential today.”
All three of San Benito’s losses have come in tournament play. The team is in first place in the Tri-County Athletic League at 3-0.
The ‘Balers face Los Gatos as the St. Francis Invitational resumes today at 9:10am.
