With only 10 players on his roster, San Benito High girls volleyball coach Dean Askanas has to pull up a junior varsity player and use one of the assistant coaches just to hold an intra-squad scrimmage.
But make no mistake: The Haybalers — despite their somewhat thin roster — won’t be making any excuses. That’s not the way Askanas operates.
“We have a very athletic group, athleticism at almost every position,” said Askanas, who is in his ninth year as San Benito’s coach. “This is the smallest roster I’ve had here, and 13 would be an ideal number. But it just didn’t work out that way this year because some girls from the JV weren’t ready to come up, and we had another player who tore her ACL over the summer.”
Askanas would love nothing more than to make a return appearance in a Central Coast Section tournament championship match.
The Haybalers — who were 4-3 entering Thursday night’s match at Homestead-Cupertino — last reached the CCS finals in 2008, when they finished as the Division I runner-up for the second straight year after winning it all in ’06.
“We want to be playing for that championship again,” Askanas said. “If we can improve our middle blocker position and get healthy, we’ll be a real contender.”
San Benito has two big-time offensive talents in senior outside hitter Alexandria Smallwood and freshman outside hitter Marisa Villegas, who rank first and second on the team in kills, with 57 and 55, respectively.
“Allie is probably the strongest hitter on our team,” Askanas said. “She’s also passing really well and is mentally tough. Marisa is probably the most talented and strongest freshman I’ve had in my 22 years of coaching. She’s exceptionally fast, she’s got great hand-eye coordination and she doesn’t get fazed mentally, either.”
Senior setter Erica Chapa has elevated the level of her teammates’ play by making sound decisions and playing at a quick pace that keeps the opposing team on its heels and constantly guessing defensively.
Chapa plays all six rotations — meaning she never leaves the floor. The Balers have also been buoyed by the play of sophomore middle blocker Haley Leifheit and senior opposite Serena Adame.
“Haley still has to work on her blocking skills, but if she sticks with it, she’s a potential collegiate player,” Askanas said.
After the Homestead match, the Balers won’t have another match until they play in the Harbor Invitational on Sept. 21.
