Huth, Perreira bring leadership into today’s CCS opener
Hollister – For the two players on the San Benito girls soccer team who have been here before, tonight’s Central Coast Section Division I playoff opener will have a little more meaning.
Brittany Huth and Ashley Perreira are the only links to the Haybalers’ 2003-04 squad that advanced to the postseason, where they fell in the first round to Los Gatos 4-1.
Now the two seniors – who were freshman on that prior CCS team – are looking to do some damage and end their San Benito careers on a high note when the No. 12 ‘Balers host No. 6 Leigh at 6pm today at Andy Hardin Stadium.
“I’m more experienced. I kind of know what to expect now,” Huth said, comparing this year to her freshman season. “I’m more ready for it.”
Both players admitted being surprised at what this team has been able to accomplish – returning to the CCS playoffs and winning the first girls soccer league title in school history.
“This year was kind of a surprise,” Perreira said. “I wasn’t expecting us to make it this far.”
Given what their sophomore and junior campaigns were like, it’s hard to blame them for being surprised.
In the year following the last CCS berth, the ‘Balers had a solid season, finishing in third place in the TCAL and just missing the playoffs. But that senior-laden team graduated much of its firepower – namely Jennifer Vanderburg and her 132 career goals.
Last season was a true rebuilding year. San Benito went winless in league play, going 0-10-2 to finish in a distant last place.
Entering this season, improvement was expected, but the consensus around the league was that the ‘Balers would be a middle of the pack team.
“I knew we’d do better than last year, but I didn’t think we’d go this far,” Huth said.
Coach Mike Schurig, in his sixth year at the helm of San Benito and 12th overall as a coach, sees that special desire in the team.
“They don’t want to lose,” Schurig said. “With the depth we have, we seem to be really hungry for it.”
Schurig said that while the 2003-04 team may have been his most talented team, they lacked some important intangibles that caused them to struggle in their CCS loss to Los Gatos.
“That was probably the strongest team I’ve had, but they didn’t come to play,” Schurig said. “It took us half the game to get into it and by then it was too late.”
In that contest, the Wildcats opened a 4-0 lead before San Benito’s Jenny Maheu scored the lone goal in the 68th minute.
This time around, Huth, the recently named TCAL Midfield MVP and a ‘Baler captain, is going to make sure the team enters this game with confidence.
“The main thing is just keeping everybody in it,” Huth said. “I want everyone to go in thinking we can win.”
One benefit San Benito has is this game will be at home, thanks to the ‘Balers league championship.
“We fortunate to be healthy and at home,” Schurig said. “Leigh’s a turf team and they’re going to be playing on our small field and they’re not happy about that.”
For the seniors, it’s a special experience to have one more game at home.
“It’s pretty cool to have home-field advantage,” Perreira said.
Huth is hoping for a little more support from the school and the community and pointed out that the team has been pretty unstoppable in home games.
“Considering we only lost one game at home this year, it’s pretty big,” Huth said. “Hopefully, we’ll get more people to come watch us because not a whole lot of people come to our games.”
The winner of tonight’s game advances to the quarterfinals to face No. 4 seed Monta Vista on Saturday at a site and time to be determined.
