San Benito High lacrosse coach Don Jones expected the team to take its lumps this season.
After all, the Haybalers were fielding a program for the first time in school history, and growing pains are a reality for every new squad. However, San Benito ended its inaugural season on a high note, defeating Soquel 8-4 on May 8.
Even though the Balers had been awarded a forfeit victory against Harbor prior to the season-finale, the coaches and the players still went into the Soquel match as if they were still winless on the year.
“We didn’t actually play the game on the field to win that game (against Harbor), so even though it went down as a win in the record books, it didn’t feel like we had earned it,” Jones said. “We scored on our man-up offense, and from the third quarter on we were rolling. Soquel had only 12 or 13 players, but hey, we were the better team that day, and thank goodness for that.”
San Benito, which finished the season at 2-13, certainly earned the victory against Soquel, rallying from a 2-0 deficit in the opening quarter to win going away. Nick Hernandez had a team-high three goals, John Summers and Treven Jones added two goals each and Tyler Benedetti had one score.
Once the match ended, the players doused Jones with ice water.
“It seemed like everything we had been practicing for the past three months came to fruition, and that was cool,” Jones said. “It was just nice to see our guys’ hard work pay off finally.”
Jones was particularly encouraged because the team kept its morale up even as the losses piled up.
“I’m way encouraged because these kids are so excited about the game of lacrosse,” Jones said. “Their energy brings energy to the coaching staff.”
At the team banquet last Saturday, several players earned awards, including goalie Kane DeAlba (MVP), Bailee Nelson (most inspirational player), Treven Jones (most improved) and Bryan Noble, who earned the Broken Stick Award as the player who showed spirit and always played with supreme effort. San Benito has its netminder for the next three years, as DeAlba played the position for the first time as a freshman.
“For someone who had zero experience playing goalie, what Kane did was phenomenal,” Jones said.
As the only girl on the team, Nelson proved to be a legitimate talent. Nelson was a reserve who earned significant minutes.
“Bailee was able to play with the boys and proved she had game,” Jones said. “She was able to run, check and cradle the ball just like the boys, and she had no fear.”
Jones said Noble displayed tremendous character and leadership skills, which was instrumental in helping the team stay positive throughout the season. Jones said Treven Jones was one of several players who showed remarkable growth from the start to the end of the season.
“What I saw from Treven is his game just developed a little bit quicker than other people over the season,” he said.
Although the official season ended on May 8, six seniors on the team have been invited to play in the Mission Trail League All-Star Game on May 30 at Rabobank Stadium.
The list includes Noble, Summers, Dalton Shepard, Andrew Eclarin, Jose Bustillos and Eli Riddle. After just one season, Jones said everyone around the program was fortunate to have the support and administration of the school and people like athletic director Tod Thatcher.
“We are blessed where we’re at,” he said. “Tod takes care of all the scheduling, the field is lined perfectly and is everything is taken care of wonderfully. I didn’t realize how fortunate we were until we went somewhere else to play.”
Jones, who expects at least a couple of the returning players to play on club teams in the off-season, said he can’t wait to see how the squad does next season.
“I’m so stoked that everything went well this year,” he said. “There was a lot of growth, and I’m looking to see even more progress next year.”
