One can imagine the mild celebration at Salinas High Tuesday
evening. The Hollister High volleyball team had just clinched the
Tri-County Athletic League championship and has a two-game lead
with one game to go. Not much drama.
One can imagine the mild celebration at Salinas High Tuesday evening. The Hollister High volleyball team had just clinched the Tri-County Athletic League championship outright with a 15-3, 15-7, 15-5 victory over the Cowboys. The Balers, 27-4, 9-0 have a two-game lead with one game to go.
Not much drama.
“Oh, that’s right. That was the clincher,” mused Baler head coach Larry Nabzeska.
One can’t blame Nabzeska if he has other things on his mind. With a good Aptos visiting Mattson Gymnasium tonight and a very good Notre Dame team at home on Thursday to conclude the TCAL, that would be more than enough for Nabzeska’s Balers to be concerned about.
Throw in the fact the girls are dogged tired and beset with nagging injuries with no time for rest for the non-wicked.
“Aptos will be in the CCS Division I playoffs,” said Nabzeska. “And Notre Dame will be out for blood after we beat them down there. These are two tough matches. The Aptos coach has scouted us several times. He wants to make a name for his team by beating us. Notre Dame is always tough.”
The match with the Spirits will also serve as the Balers’ homecoming, but don’t rush the six Baler seniors – Nashia Alvarez, Kim Dabo, Jacky and Jenny Denton, Kaylie Kortsen and Sarah Groman – too quickly.
“My mom asked me what we wanted for homecoming,” said Alvarez. “I told her I didn’t want to talk about it. I don’t want it to be my last match at home.”
Meanwhile, Nabzeska is savoring his fifth straight championship since arriving at Hollister High. The Balers tied Salinas for the 1998 crown, then shared the ’99 title with Notre Dame. The Balers won the title outright in 2000, then were co-champs with Live Oak in 2001.
“It’s been phenomenal,” said Nabzeska. “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching some great players. It’s been a coach’s dream. I’ve had great support. Nobody has tried to hurt my program.”
Depending on what happens in the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs, Nabzeska may be looking for help from the California Interscholastic Federation, which runs the NorCal and State tournament. Nabzeska is fairly certain the Balers will be the No. 3 seed behind No. 1 St. Francis and No. 2 Mitty, that’s if the Lancers beat Mitty in the finals of the West Catholic Athletic League tourney. Nabzeska would want a safety net for NorCals for whichever team loses between the Balers and the Monarchs in the CCS semis. Only the two teams participating in the CCS finals are guaranteed a trip to NorCals.
“We’re the three best teams in Northern California and one won’t go to NorCals,” said Nabzeska, who has emailed CCS commissioner Nancy Lazenby Blaser about the situation. “That’s a lame excuse. Davis will be there and we beat Davis. We beat Mitty already. And if we beat Mitty, Mitty deserves to go, too. Something needs to be done. It’s unfortunate.”
Last season, the Balers went farther than any volleyball team in school history when it went all the way to the CCS finals before losing to Mitty. They were finally ousted by the eventual state champ Monarchs in the NorCal semis.
No matter what happens this year, the Balers should be formidable and will always be remembered for its achievements, which included putting Baler volleyball on the national map with a two-game win over Mitty.
Seeding for CCS is this Saturday at 1 p.m.
Fasten your seatbelt…
The Baler girls water polo team had little trouble with Notre Dame in the first round of the TCAL tournament Tuesday, routing the Spirits 17-3 at home. Sophomore Amanda Rodriguez had a career-high six goals as head coach Derek Kisling was able to rest his starters. The regs managed to chip in with four goals and five steals from Janelle Brandon and three goals and five steals from Britta Nordstrom. Regular varsity players Amy Abbass, Megan Willhoft and Stacey Lass had a goal apiece, while JV call-up Natalie Smith had the final Baler goal. Along with Smith, Kisling called up Val Britton and goalie Maison Nueve, who had three saves, replacing Erin Reed in the second half.
Regs Jenna DeCoite and Kathryn Adamek did not play.
The Balers will travel to Santa Catalina for Thursday’s semis to play the Cougars, who barely got by Gilroy 7-6 in a doubleheader at the Baler Splash Center.
At Live Oak, the Acorns popped the Padres of Carmel 12-1, while the Cowboys roped Monterey 14-4. Live Oak and Salinas will play in the other semi at Santa Catalina, which should be a good battle.
The two winners advance to Saturday’s 2 p.m. championship match at Live Oak, with the winner earning a berth in the CCS playoffs…
The Baler boys will play Saturday at 10 a.m. at Live Oak. An expected win would push the Balers into Saturday’s title match at 3 p.m.
Hence, there is a possible double-dip for Baler fans, which was so good, I used it again, but no more…
And if you want to see some quality football, you could do worse than Friday’s homecoming game at Andy Hardin Field between the Balers and Salinas. The Cowboys are ranked 2nd in the CCS.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m. This could very well be the best football game the Balers will be involved in all year…
Thursday is the first round of TCAL girls tennis at Ridgemark Tennis Center.
The Balers will send out Phoebe Bachofer and Elena Briber in singles and Nicole Conley/Danielle Patino and Allison Filice/Crista Hill in doubles.
“I’ll be o.k. as long as I don’t draw anyone from Notre Dame,” said Briber. “It would be great to play Phoebe.”
“We can win the doubles,” said Conley. “That would be great to send a doubles team and a singles to CCS.”…
And CCS cross country is Nov. 16 at Toro Park. Both Baler teams will be there.
