Ronni Gautschi never put a limit as to what the San Benito High girls water polo team could accomplish this season.
Now we know why. The Haybalers, who had not won a tournament in a couple of years upon entering the 2014 season, won their second tournament of the season in convincing fashion last weekend, blasting Pioneer 16-3 in the championship game of the Watsonville Tournament.
“There was nothing I didn’t think they couldn’t do,” said Gautschi, the first-year coach who was a standout at San Diego State before playing two years professionally in Italy. “Coming into this I knew if the girls could learn how to play together as one, they could do whatever they wanted.”
Indeed, San Benito has done just that, improving to 14-3 overall and 5-1 in Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division play entering Thursday’s showdown with Soquel (the result was not available when this edition went to press).
First-place Soquel dealt the Balers their only loss in league play in the first week of September. The Balers, who enter the match on an 11-game winning streak, are confident the outcome will be different this time around.
“I want to beat them bad, and more importantly, the girls want to beat them bad,” Gautschi said. “I told them they could have this Friday off if they win.”
Not surprisingly, the Balers are excelling in almost every facet of the game, including being ferocious defensively. In going 4-0 in the tournament, San Benito allowed just 24 goals, and only 13 to three opponents: Turlock, Pitman of Turlock and Pioneer.
The Balers’ toughest contest was their first, a pool play game against previously undefeated Alameda. San Benito edged the Hornets, 12-11, pitching a shutout in the fourth period.
Grace Larson was simply unstoppable, finishing with six goals. Riley Drexler had three goals, Erin Hepner two, Hayleigh Smith one and goalie Rachel Smithee had seven saves in a superb performance.
It was by far the toughest match for the Balers, who in addition to steamrolling Pioneer, had no problems beating Turlock 12-5 and Pitman 11-5. Shannon Stephens had five goals against Pitman, and Hepner had four tallies against Turlock. In goal, Smithee had nine saves.
Against Pioneer, the team’s scoring balance was evident as Heather Smith scored four times, while Larson, Hepner, Stephens and Hayleigh Smith had three goals each. San Benito returned every starter from a team that finished 4-8 in league a year ago. The Balers already have won twice as many games they did from 2013, and there are still plenty of matches remaining.
“Every time they win, it’s exciting, but at the same time, I knew they could do it,” Gautschi said. “The girls deserve all the credit for working hard and playing as a team. A lot of players maybe had confidence issues coming into the season because the team relied on Erin to shoot and score last year. Now we have seven players who are really good, and that’s what I love about this team the most.”
