Girls track looks to get ‘back to the basics’ this year
With some 74 girls on the San Benito track and field team, coach Laurie Cottrell is simply trying to figure out where everyone will go.
Depth, with plenty of returning talent, will most likely not be much of an issue for the Lady ‘Balers, which are the defending champions of the Tri-County Athletic League.
While they’ll certainly be seeking to stave off Salinas, which they edged in the TCAL Finals last year by 10 points, the rather youthful Lady ‘Balers will also be looking to build.
“It was an awesome year last year,” said Cottrell, who was the jumps coach for San Benito in 2007. “This year, it’s about rebuilding and coming back to the basics … The girls we have now are stepping up to what should be a good team this year.”
Fresh off the Mount Pleasant Relays last weekend, San Benito opened their TCAL season at home Thursday to Everett Alvarez (no results reported at press time).
Although they didn’t compete with a full team, as the Mount Pleasant meet is an all-relay event, Cottrell noted that many personal records were set at the invite-only affair.
PR’s in the very first meet of the year can only be a good sign for San Benito, which will likely excel in the distance events this season.
Anchored by junior Courtney Allen and Kristina Vasquez, both of whom competed for the cross country team in the fall, the Lady ‘Balers should fare well in the 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter events.
Allen took first in the 1,600 (5:08.61) at last year’s TCAL Finals, while Vasquez, who was on the junior varsity squad at the time, finished first as well (5:36.89). Vasquez also took first in the 3,200-meters (12:21.20).
In the throws, sisters Sarah and Lila Yoldi will return in the shot and discus events. Lila grabbed first in the shot put at TCAL’s last season (36-6 1/2), while Sarah was second in the discus (106-0) behind teammate and graduating senior Morgan O’Laughlin.
“We have a young team but we do have some seniors out there that are taking on more events,” Cottrell said.
The coach added that two seniors in Ashlyn Gonzales and Megan Garrett will compete in all three jumping events, with Gonzales also possibly competing in the pole vault.
Last year’s TCAL champ Monique Lassaga will return in the pole vault after she cleared 8-6 last season, while last Saturday, teammate Natalie Becker PR’ed in the pole vault by clearing 9-0.
Hurdlers Lili Villagomez and Ellen Dungy finished in second and third place, respectively, in the 100 hurdles at last year’s TCAL meet, and return to the squad this season.
“My goal this year is the same,” Cottrell said. “I want to win but at the same time we want to rebuild our team and build team unity and sportsmanship.
“We have a lot of talent, we’re just trying to get them into the right events.”
