The 2013 football schedule has been released, and the Balers will have a tough road if they want to give themselves a chance of defending their 2012 Central Coast Section Division I championship.
Nine of 10 teams on the Balers 2013 schedule had winning seasons in 2012. And all 10 teams played at least one game in the CCS playoffs, while the difficult schedule will also not have Gilroy or Christopher high.
Gilroy’s absence on the schedule also ends the long-standing tradition of the annual Prune Bowl, which was played every year since 1967. Dating back to 1954, San Benito holds the edge with a 32-23-1 record.
San Benito will open against a non-winning team from 2012. Pioneer, which finished last season 4-7, opened the 2012 season against the Balers as well.
In that game, San Benito edged the Mustangs 24-21 in overtime at Andy Hardin Field in Hollister. San Benito trailed only once in the game, after Pioneer scored the first touchdown in overtime.
San Benito travels to Pioneer this time for a 7 p.m. tilt on Sept. 6.
Afterward, the schedule gets tougher for San Benito. For the fourth consecutive year, San Benito will play Palo Alto. The Vikings have won all three previous meetings between the two teams.
The Vikings, two years removed from a state title, are coming off an 8-3 season and a berth in the CCS Open Division playoffs. Last year, Palo Alto blew open a close game in the final quarter to win 40-23 in Hollister.
This year, San Benito will travel to Palo Alto to face the Vikings for a 7:30 p.m. start on Sept. 13.
The Balers’ first home game will take place on Sept. 20 against new non-league foe Los Gatos. The Wildcats finished the 2012 season in the Division II championship game, losing to St. Francis 17-0.
Overall, Los Gatos finished 2012 with an 8-5 record.
The game is set for 7:30 p.m. in Hollister.
The Balers close the non-league slate hosting Oak Grove at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27. It will be the fifth time in six years the two team will play each other. Over that time, Oak Grove holds a 3-1 record against the Balers.
Last year, the Eagles finished 10-1, losing its only game to Archbishop Mitty in the first game of the CCS Open Division playoffs.
The second year in the Monterey Bay League will also be slightly different for San Benito, as Alisal, Seaside and Monte Vista Christian make the leap to the Gabilan Division.
The Balers will celebrate their homecoming on Oct. 25 against Monte Vista Christian. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. Last year, the Mustangs finished 8-3 and took third place in the MBL’s Pacific Division.
Senior night is scheduled on Nov. 8 against Alisal at 7:30 p.m. The Trojans finished 8-3 last year. San Benito eliminated the Trojans in the CCS DI playoffs with a 28-0 victory in Salinas.
The Balers regular season closes on Nov. 15 against Palma at the new Rabobank Stadium in Salinas. Palma, which won the MBL’s Gabilan Division last year, finished the season 8-3 a year ago, losing in the Open Division’s first round to St. Ignatius.
Last year, Palma defeated the Balers 31-14 in Hollister.
The full schedule:
Sept. 6 – Pioneer – 7 p.m.
Sept 13 – Palo Alto – 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 – Los Gatos – 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 – Oak Grove – 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 – Salinas – 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 18 – Monterey – 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 25 – Monte Vista – 7:30 p.m. *
Nov. 1 – Seaside – 7:30 p.m.
No. 8 – Alisal – 7:30 p.m. **
Nov. 15 – Palma – 7:30 p.m.
Bold – home game
* – homecoming
** – senior night
