After losing nearly half the team to graduation last year, San
Benito will try and pick up where it left off with a fresh crop of
talent this season
HOLLISTER
After battling through injuries and inconsistencies for two years, which had led to a pair of disappointing seasons in 2007 and 2008, an experienced, senior-heavy squad fell on the short end of a 28-10 game against Milpitas in the Division I championship last December.
The final image of the San Benito Haybalers in last season’s title game was understandably bittersweet, a mix of emotions and thoughts as players reflected on just how far they had come, what they had gone through and experienced, and just how close they came to what would have been an improbable turnaround season.
But to take that lasting image — and everything that was wrapped up with it — into the 2010 season would almost be unfair. Of the 73 players listed on the varsity roster at the beginning of last season, the Balers lost 35 to graduation, or roughly 48 percent of the team.
“I always think you have to look at everything new,” San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said. “It’s a new slate.”
That statement may hold more weight than any other team in the Tri-County Athletic League this season.
After compiling a 10-3 overall record last year and a 4-2 mark in the TCAL, senior-heavy San Benito earned 14 all-league selections last season. The team returns just one of those all-league players in first-team defensive lineman Marcos Silva, however.
“There’s a lot of pieces that need to fall into place,” said Cameron, whose teams in the past have always been strong on the defensive side of the football.
That, too, may be the case again this year — it often is with Cameron’s teams. But what was lost on defense won’t be easily replaced at all.
Gone is the TCALs Defensive MVP in Michael Murphy, as are his fellow linebackers in Taylor Coustette, Robert Pinedo, Isaak Ramos and Larry Mendoza, a core that helped provide the Balers with the league’s stingiest defense — just 154 points in 13 games last season.
At the line, Adam Robles and Brantly Mott are gone, while in the secondary, Jordan Ashford, Alex Alvarez and Sal Ornelas have all gone way of graduation.
To keep matters interesting, a scheduling conflict between the Central Coast Section and San Benito High School prevented the Balers from taking part in two-a-day practices this year, which left the somewhat green football team with roughly 10 padded practices prior to last Friday’s live scrimmaging in Morgan Hill, and just 15 practices prior to this Friday’s first game at Andrew Hill.
“But it went really good. We walked away healthy and that’s the most successful thing right there,” Cameron said of last week’s scrimmage. “The kids got after it, but we’d like to get a little more after it.”
While the defensive side of the football was hit hard, the offense returns a couple key pieces, most notably Cody Hendricks, who saw limited action last year for the Balers but still compiled 417 yards and six touchdowns on 80 carries.
“I think we’re looking pretty good as a whole,” Hendricks said last week. “The line is performing. The backs are hitting the holes hard. The receivers are doing really good on the blocks and catching the balls. Everything looks good from my point of view.”
Bob Rawles will take over as the team’s offensive coordinator this season, while last year’s OC, Bryan Smith, will coach quarterbacks and fullbacks in an effort to complete classes at Cal State – Monterey Bay.
Quarterback Tyler Decker returns from last year’s team as well, although he too saw limited action behind starter Trevor Fabing last season.
The limited action Decker saw, however, came in the Central Coast Section playoffs when he helped lead the Balers past Independence in the first round and Salinas in the Division I semifinals.
“His running is phenomenal and his pitches are perfect,” Hendricks said.
The lack of preseason action, for a team that lacks starting varsity experience, won’t help in the long run, though. A difficult non-conference slate, with games against Andrew Hill, Oak Grove, Wilcox and Palo Alto, should provide enough of a test prior to the regular season.
“It just kind of builds from one game to the next,” Cameron said of the non-conference schedule. “It’s challenging and it’s definitely made to get us ready for league play.”
Cameron doesn’t feel there are any expectations for this year’s team in regards to last season’s success. It’s a new slate, he said, with plenty of new players and talent.
It’s a new season, one that Cameron expects will get better every week.
“It’s just one week at a time. It’s just about getting better every week,” he said. “But the people you play against, they’re getting better, too.”
Who To Watch For
Key Losses: Of the 73 players listed on the varsity roster at the beginning of last season, the Balers lost 35 to graduation, or roughly 48 percent of the team. Many of those losses will be felt on the defensive side of the football, as San Benito boasted several senior studs at the linebacker positions and in the secondary.
The Tri-County Athletic League’s Defensive MVP in linebacker Michael Murphy is gone, as is fellow first-team linebacker Taylor Coustette. First-team defensive backs Alex Alvarez and Jordan Ashford also graduated.
On the offensive side, starting signal-caller and first-team quarterback Trevor Fabing graduated, as did running back Nick Acosta and offensive lineman Courtland Thompson, both of whom were first team all-league selections as well.
San Benito will also be without the services of all-league selections like wideout Andre Cornell, offensive lineman Issac Ramos-Cornejo, linebacker Robert Pinedo, defensive back Sal Ornelas and defensive lineman Brantly Mott and Adam Robles.
Key Returners: The Balers return just one of their league-high 14 all-league selections from last year’s team in senior defensive lineman Marcos Silva, who earned a first-team nod last season.
Also on defense, linebackers Enrique Ramos and Ryan Di Salvo are back, while Conner Stevens is expected to be roaming the defensive secondary once again.
San Benito also returns seniors James Flook and Cody Hendricks to the offensive backfield, while senior quarterback Tyler Decker, who started for an injured Trevor Fabing in two of the Balers’ three postseason contests last year, returns as well.
On special teams, Celestino Granados returns as the team’s placekicker. As a junior, Granados compiled 64 points for San Benito.
Quarterbacks: Although he saw limited action during last season’s 13-game slate while sitting behind starter Trevor Fabing, senior signal-caller Tyler Decker did help lead San Benito to a pair of postseason victories last season, including a 13-9 victory over Independence and a 14-13 win against Salinas.
It was the only two games Decker started during the season, and his final stats were sparse as a result. He finished with 46 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing for 68 yards on 3 of 12 passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
But Decker appeared to take a step forward last season when, as a junior, he helped orchestrate a come-from-behind win against Salinas in the Division I semifinals.
With San Benito trailing 13-0 at halftime, Decker hooked up with James Flook for a 29-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter, then found wideout Andre Cornell for a 42-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter, leading the Balers to a one-point victory.
Decker will be the starting QB for San Benito this season. His backup was not announced at press time.
Running Backs: The key position to the Balers’ triple-option oriented attack, which saw five players eclipse at least 100 yards last season, San Benito will look to the ground as usual this season.
The lead returner will be Cody Hendricks, who ran for 417 yards and six touchdowns last season on 80 carries. Hendricks is expected to be the team’s starting fullback. At the wingback position will be James Flook, who has looked strong in preseason workouts, while James Sanchez is said be the team’s halfback. San Benito often calls upon several ball-carriers throughout the season, though. Quarterback Tyler Decker should see plenty of action running the football as well after he ran for 118 yards on 46 carries last year.
Receivers: With any one of San Benito’s running backs a possible target coming out of the backfield, the Balers return wideout Brandon Rodriguez for his senior season. Rodriguez had five catches for 57 yards last year.
Another player to watch for is Jake Hunter, who was injured for much of the season last year at the tight end position. Nevertheless, he still compiled 74 yards for San Benito with six receptions.
Offensive Line: Head coach Chris Cameron could not be reached for comment regarding this year’s offensive line, which lost a handful of players to graduation last year, including all-league selection Courtland Thompson and Isaac Ramos-Cornejo.
Defensive Line: San Benito’s defensive line also took a bit of a hit with the loss of all-league selections in Brantly Mott and Adam Robles.
In fact, of the 14 all-league selections San Benito garnered last season, only one returns in senior lineman Marcos Silva, who was a first-team all-TCAL selection last year. Silva had 44 tackles, 2.5 sacks and recovered two fumbles for the Balers in 2009.
Linebackers: Perhaps the position that was hit hardest to graduation last year, the Balers still return key backers in Enrique Ramos, Ryan Di Salvo and John Huaracha.
Ramos, a senior, had 30 total tackles last season, including 11 solo tackles with one sack and one forced fumble, while the junior Di Salvo is expected to contribute after delivering 28 tackles 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Huaracha, meanwhile, also a junior, had 29 tackles for the Balers last season.
Defensive backs: With three of the starting four defensive backs gone from last season, the Balers will look to retool around returner Conner Stevens, who had 48 tackles and two interceptions last season at the strong safety position.
Also making noise during the preseason was free safety Lucas Haro and cornerback Matt Vallejo.
2010-11 Schedule
9/3 @ Hill 7 p.m
9/10 @ Oak Grove 7 p.m
9/17 v. Wilcox 7:30 p.m.
9/24 v. Palo Alto 7:30 p.m.
10/1 @ Alisal 7:30 p.m.
10/8 v. Salinas 7:30 p.m.
10/22 v. N. Salinas 7:30 p.m.
10/29 @ Alvarez 7:30 p.m.
11/4 @ Gilroy 7:30 pm.
11/12 v. Palma 7:30 p.m.
Notes: All games are subject to change; San Benito will honor its CCS championship teams from 1984, 1985, 1986, 2000 and 2005 on Friday, Sept. 24; Homecoming is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 22; Senior Night is Friday, Nov. 12.
2009 Results
Overall: 10-3
TCAL: 4-2
Notes: The Balers won their first eight games of the regular season in 2009, including wins against Lincoln (56-0), Wilcox (31-7), Oak Grove (24-6), Alisal (44-0), Alvarez (44-0), Hill (17-7). North Salinas (29-15) and Salinas (29-10). The team’s first loss didn’t come until Nov. 6, when host Palma swiped a 24-23 victory against the Balers.
Coaching Staff
Head coach, OL: Chris Cameron
Def. Coordinator, ILBs: Tod Thatcher
Off. Coordinator, RBs: Bob Rawles
QBs, FBs: Bryan Smith
Secondary: Jay Ehret, Ryan Bartylla
WRs: George Ford
RBs: Mike Souza
OL: Tate Edwards
DL: Ed Schmidt
OLBs: Anthony Vasquez
Special teams, kickers, punters, holders, snappers: David Clay
Notes: This is Chris Cameron’s 17th season at the helm of the San Benito High football team; Bob Rawles takes over as the team’s offensive coordinator, while last year’s OC, Bryan Smith, moves to quarterbacks and fullbacks coach.
