Although it narrowly missed the postseason, which it hasn’t
qualified for since 1983, the San Benito boys’ soccer team did
finish in third place in the Tri-County Athletic League, did enjoy
one of its better seasons in the last 10 years, and did collect
seven distinctions when the TCAL recently announced its all-league
awards.
HOLLISTER
Although it narrowly missed the postseason, which it hasn’t qualified for since 1983, the San Benito boys’ soccer team did finish in third place in the Tri-County Athletic League, did enjoy one of its better seasons in the last 10 years, and did collect seven distinctions when the TCAL recently announced its all-league awards.
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Although it was shutout of any of the league’s heavy hardware, including MVP honors and the player of the year awards despite several nominations, the Balers were recognized three times on the first team, three times on the second team, and earned a selection on the sportsmanship team as well.
Heading the list for the Balers were first-team selections Steven Mercado, a senior midfielder, junior defender Kenneth Hastings and senior forward Francisco Palomino; second-team selections in senior forward Brian Cruz, senior mid Ivan Martinez and senior defender Andres Hurtado; while Mercado also received a sportsmanship distinction.
Palomino, though, supplied the Balers with their biggest scoring threat in recent years. He finished with a league-high 23 goals scored this season, including a season-high four goals scored against Stevenson on Jan. 6, and two-goal efforts against TCAL foes Palma on Jan. 24, North Salinas on Feb. 1 and Everett Alvarez on Feb. 17.
Palomino, too, was one of four nominees for Offensive Player of the Year, which was awarded to first-team selection Jonathan Diaz de Leon of Gilroy, who helped lead the Mustangs to the league title behind an 18-goal effort.
The TCALs Most Valuable Player was given to Alisal’s Joni Cruz, who was not only named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year as well, but also scored 16 goals for the Trojans this season and helped lead an Alisal attack that advanced to the CCS postseason for an eighth straight year.
Meanwhile, the slew of league awards continued with Gilroy’s Kristian Urias earning Midfield Player of the Year, while the Player of the Year awards by class went to Gilroy’s Jorge Sanchez (senior), Gilroy’s Luis Galvan (junior), Salinas’ Jose Mendoza (sophomore), and Gilroy’s Luis Urias and Palma’s Zack Werner (co-freshmen).
San Benito’s Mercado (midfielder) and Hastings (defender) were both nominated for Player of the Year awards for their respective positions, but each fell short.
Gilroy’s Armando Padilla was named Coach of the Year.
Gilroy, which earned the TCAL title with an 11-1 record and held off runner-up Alisal (10-2), also collected four first-team selections to lead all member schools. Alisal and San Benito followed with three first-team nods apiece.
It was a similar breakdown at second team as well, with Gilroy earning four distinctions and both Alisal and San Benito collecting three each, including honors to Hurtado, Martinez and Cruz.
Cruz had a strong senior campaign for the Balers on the front line, compiling 14 goals for San Benito, which was second on the team. Cruz scored a season-high three goals against Salinas on Feb. 3.
The season ended painstakingly short for the Baler boys this past winter. Having finished in last place in the TCAL one year ago, and having finished as one of the bottom three teams every year since 2004, San Benito enjoyed its best season since at least 2003, when it placed third in the TCAL with a 5-4-1 record.
The Balers also took third place this season, but with a better record than their 2003 counterparts. San Benito finished 6-5-1 in the TCAL this past winter, 12-5-2 overall.
Tri-County Athletic League
MVP — Joni Cruz, Alisal
Offensive Player of the Year — Jonathan Diaz de Leon, Gilroy
Midfield Player of the Year — Kristian Urias, Gilroy
Defensive Player of the Year — Joni Cruz, Alisal
Senior Player of the Year — Jorge Sanchez, Gilroy
Junior Player of the Year — Luis Galvan, Gilroy
Sophomore of the Year — Jose Mendoza, Salinas
Co-Freshman of the Year — Luis Urias, Gilroy
Co-Freshman of the Year — Zack Werner, Palma
Coach of the Year — Armando Padilla, Gilroy
First Team — All-TCAL
Jonathan Diaz de Leon, Gilroy, junior forward; Jorge Sanchez, Gilroy, senior forward; Kristian Urias, Gilroy, senior mid; Luis Galvan, Gilroy, junior defender; Joni Cruz, Alisal, senior defender; Enrique Montano, Alisal, senior mid; Andoni Trejo, Alisal, senior mid; Francisco Palomino, San Benito, senior forward; Steven Mercado, San Benito, senior mid; Kenneth Hastings, San Benito, junior defender; Kevin Baker, Salinas, senior mid; Nathan Johnston, Salinas, senior defender; Ivan Ochoa, Alvarez, senior keeper; Miguel Bravo, Alvarez, senior forward; Damian Bejarano, North Salinas, senior keeper; Luis Leyva, North Salinas, senior mid; Daniel Johnsen, Palma, senior forward; Edgar Sotelo, Palma, senior defender.
Second Team — All-TCAL
Abraham Arreaga, Gilroy, senior mid; David Guenther, Gilroy, senior defender; Carlos Jimenez, Gilroy, sophomore keeper; Alejandro Gaeta, Gilroy, junior defender; Manuel Negrete, Alisal, senior mid; Ivan Manzano, Alisal, senior mid; Oscar Guijosa, Alisal, senior mid; Brian Cruz, San Benito, senior forward; Ivan Martinez, San Benito, senior mid; Andres Hurtado, San Benito, senior defender; Kyle Gilbert, Salinas, senior defender; Gilberto Ruiz, Salinas, senior mid; Alfonso Ayon, Alvarez, senior; Jose Bravo, Alvarez, senior; Albert Garcia, North Salinas, senior forward; Manuel Lazaro, North Salinas, junior mid; AJ Yates, Palma, junior mid; Tim Carroll, Palma, junior mid.
Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Team
Abraham Arreaga, Gilroy, senior mid; Joni Cruz, Alisal, senior defender; Steven Mercado, San Benito, senior forward; Luis Bernal, Salinas, senior defender; Valente Bravo, Alvarez, senior; Manuel Lazaro, North Salinas, junior mid; Bart Bruno, Palma, senior forward.
