San Benito uses match to build for playoff run
Gilroy – The San Benito wrestling team knew that matching up against Gilroy last night would be like taking on Goliath. While the Haybalers dreamed of playing the role of David, they realistically hoped to learn from competing against one of the state’s best teams with the Tri-County Athletic League Championships just days away.
While the result was predictable–Gilroy rolled to a decisive 58-13 victory–San Benito felt it gained valuable experience that should help the team as it embarks the postseason.
“I was happy with the effort our guys gave,” said ‘Balers head coach Matt Olejnik. “Even our guys that got beat came out and wrestled. We weren’t in awe of them. The opportunity to wrestle with that caliber of opponent … when we get to Sections, it can only help us confidence-wise.”
The Mustangs, the top-ranked team in the Central Coast Section and No. 6 in California, used pins in two of the first three matches in the upper weight classifications to take an early lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
With Gilroy forfeiting the 103-pound match and San Benito the 112 and 119, the TCAL dual meet quickly turned into a chess match as the coaches tried to maximize their wrestlers’ strengths by slotting them at atypical weights.
San Benito suffered the brunt of the maneuvering, losing five straight matches from 125 through 145-pound.
The sizable Haybalers’ cheering section came to life during the night’s most hotly-contested match. As San Benito’s Josh Ramirez and Gilroy’s Ethan Ogle battled through the first round in the 152-pound competition, both teams’ benches and all of the fans seemed to appreciate the wrestlers’ determination to remain on the mat and duke it out.
Ramirez used a first-period takedown to grab a 2-0 lead, but Ogle fought back with a takedown of his own with seven seconds left in the second to pull within 3-2. The Haybalers’ freshman came up big in the end by picking up Ogle and slamming him to the mat to the raucous delight of San Benito’s supporters.
“What I was happy with was that I didn’t give up,” said Ramirez, who prevailed 6-2. “In the third round, I was gasping for air and I thought, ‘I’m already ahead. I might as well put my whole mind and body in it.'”
San Benito senior Ryan Dunn gave the ‘Balers their only other non-forfeit points by winning a 12-1 decision over Gilroy’s Daniel Gamez in the 215-pound match. With Gamez seemingly content to prolong the match by backing down and off the mat, the Haybalers’ leader wasn’t able to secure a pin.
Gilroy received pins in the 189, heavyweight, 145, 160 and 171-pound matches, while also getting technical falls at 130 and 140.
San Benito’s Chris Mora (125-pound) and Luis Barocio (135) both wrestled up one weight class and challenged throughout their matches before succumbing via decision.
“We thought if we could match up with some things, we might get five wins,” said Olejnik. “With the lineups the way they were, we did about as good as we could’ve done tonight. Most of our guys are seasonal. You can see the difference in seasonal wrestlers versus guys who wrestle year-round.”
Mora spoke of what the Haybalers hoped to bring into the match.
“We just wanted to focus on trying to see what we’ve got,” said the San Benito senior, who has been dominant in the bulk of his 119-pound matches this year. “We were trying to be there mentally more than psychically. We had some pretty good matches. As a young team, I think we did pretty well.”
Having dealt with the feelings of losing to his team’s arch rival in recent years, Gilroy head coach Armando Gonzalez was pleased with the Mustangs’ effort and gracious in victory.
“When Hollister was at their height four or five years ago, they put on a clinic like we did tonight,” said Gonzalez. “This was a young team versus an old, veteran team. They both wrestled with a lot of dignity, pride and honor. It was just good, hard wrestling.”
The ‘Balers now turn their attention to the postseason. San Benito returns to Gilroy to compete with the rest of its league rivals in the TCAL Championships on Saturday, an event Dunn believes his teammates are now better prepared for.
“When knew Gilroy had a stacked line-up,” said Dunn. “We wanted to find out if we can contend for top-three in CCS. We know we definitely have five or six guys who can compete with the best in the section. This was a good warm-up. We’ll try to contend with Gilroy again on Saturday and then go into Sections and wrestle hard.”
