If there is ever a sport where endurance and stamina play a vital role in winning and losing, it’s soccer. Becky Bonner, the third-year San Benito High girls soccer coach, makes sure her players will be in tip-top shape before they play their season-opener at Scotts Valley on Dec. 1.
Last year, the Haybalers had a solid season, winning the Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division championship with an 8-2-2 mark. They finished 10-6-3 overall before losing to Alvarez 1-0 in the opening round of the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
This year, San Benito plans on taking things one step farther.
“I think the goal is to improve every season no matter what you did the year before,” Bonner said. “It’s the same motto we have for practice—that every single day is a chance to improve.”
Bonner said there’s plenty of talent to work with, as the team returns six starters—midfielder Brianna Bengivengo, midfielder Irais Santoyo, midfielder Chace Miguel, forward Kayla Champion, defender Nicole Hauck and both of its goalkeepers in Jen Martin and Hailey Blackburn.
Bengivengo, Miguel and Champion are all physical players who battle hard for and often win the all-important 50-50 ball, and Santoyo and Hauck are key players who can help the team control the possession.
The Balers also have an influx of newcomers who should make an impact, including a pair of freshmen defenders in Rachel Peterson and Shantay Tamez.
“They’re extremely fast and tenacious beyond all other,” Bonner said. “They can read offensive plays really well and shut people down, and when they get the ball they’re able to distribute it and automatically start the attack.”
Bonner is particularly excited about the return of junior forward Austin Perez, who missed all of last season due to a torn ACL.
“She was on the varsity as a freshman, and she looks great now that she’s back,” Bonner said. “The girls are looking great—they’re in shape, they’re tenacious and they’re really working well together. It’s very obvious they have a good skillset, so we’re really excited for what the season can hold. We’re going to allow our work to show for itself once the season starts.”
San Benito plays a 4-5-1 formation, which has been favored by European teams for years but is not so common in the high school game. It’s primarily seen as a defensive formation, but the Balers plan to be offensive as well.
“Because we have the right skillset and girls with the speed and talent, we’re able to make it an offensive formation,” Bonner said.
After teams clamped down on San Benito in the second half of last season, Bonner realized another formation would do wonders.
“We are going to be utilizing another formation, so as the season goes on we’ll be able to shift and modify depending on the team we’re playing, and hopefully throw them off a bit. We’ll be more versatile as well.”
