San Benito eager to contend for TCAL title again this year
Hollister – For at least this year, San Benito swimming coach Leif Nordstrom is disappointed to not have Live Oak competing in the Tri-County Athletic League.
“We’re missing our biggest rival,” Nordstrom said of the Acorns, who took their always strong aquatics program to the Blossom Valley Athletic League along with the rest of their sports programs this season.
“For this year, I’m really disappointed. We’re so strong this year, I’d love to have that competition.”
With the absence of Live Oak, the ‘Baler boys team becomes the heavy favorite for a repeat of last year’s performance, when it won its second league title in school history.
“My main concern is I don’t want them to get too full of themselves,” Nordstrom said. “The expectation is to win league again. We’re focusing on individuals goals. We want to set more lofty goals for (Central Coast Section).”
The girls team also figures to challenge for the TCAL title. San Benito finished third last year behind Live Oak and Salinas, although it beat the Cowboys in their dual meet.
“The girls competition is going to be closer,” Nordstrom said. “They’ll have close competition with Salinas and Notre Dame.”
The ‘Balers opened the season by taking on Valley Christian last week, and despite falling to the Warriors, it was an encouraging experience.
“I was hoping we might have a chance to beat them this year, but we did very well,” Nordstrom said. “I schedule that meet because (Valley Christian) is so dominant. It’s a very humbling meet for our swimmers.
Valley Christian is one of several private schools that traditionally dominate at CCS. Bellarmine Prep has won 22 straight CCS boys titles – a state record for most consecutive titles in any sport. Archbishop Mitty has claimed the girls title four of the past five years.
While San Benito doesn’t figure to compete with those powerhouses, Nordstrom is hoping the ‘Balers can find themselves in the top two or three non-private school teams in the section.
A familiar cast of characters will lead the boys team, highlighted by seniors David Smith and Blaine Curtice.
Smith won the 100-yard freestyle at TCAL last season, as well as taking a close second in the 50 freestyle and swimming the anchor leg of the victorious 200-yard freestyle relay team. Curtice brought home TCAL titles in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100-yard butterfly.
Sophomore Brandon Drogemueller also looks strong, having won the 500-yard freestyle last season.
On the girls side, a pair of freshman have the ‘Balers hopeful for a league title run. Both Megan Geary and Demi Gatrell are fairly new to competitive swimming, but Nordstrom is excited about their potential.
“These two swimmers give us a lot more balance,” Nordstrom.
However, much of the attention will be garnered by sophomore star Shelli Reed. As a freshman, she won league titles in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard breastroke, while also turning in a standout performance on the anchor leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay to help the ‘Balers overtake Live Oak to win the event.
In the diving competition, Jason Andrade is looking for a strong senior season and hopes to overcome Salinas’ Sam Figueroa, who has won the last three TCAL diving titles.
“Jason is an incredibly hard worker,” Nordstrom said. “He’s been right behind (Figueroa) and he’s working to overtake him.”
Sophomore Jeff Scibuola, who is helped out by his gymnastics background, is another returning diver who Nordstrom said is “naturally gifted in diving.”
Two newcomers, Valerie Nicolaysen and Claire Badger, round out the girls diving team. Last year, San Benito didn’t have a girls diving team and lost out on valuable points to finish third at the league championships.
The ‘Balers will quickly face what figures to be their top league competition when they travel to Hartnell College to take on Salinas this week. The diving competition is at 3:30pm Thursday and the swimming is at 3:30pm Friday.
