It’s a ranking that even the San Benito High softball team can
love. At long last. Picked as the No. 1 team in the Central Coast
Section, the No. 1 team in California and the No. 2 team in the
nation by MaxPreps
— yep, the nation — the Haybalers can finally sit back and
reflect on their 29-1 season and sixth straight CCS title.
HOLLISTER
It’s a ranking that even the San Benito High softball team can love.
At long last.
For a program that isn’t exactly new to a top-50 national ranking, but one that often ignores where it stands amongst other teams on a national list during the regular season, San Benito’s final ranking to cap the 2011 season is one that it can finally embrace.
Picked as the No. 1 team in the Central Coast Section, the No. 1 team in California and the No. 2 team in the nation by MaxPreps — yep, the nation — the Haybalers can finally sit back and reflect on their 29-1 season and sixth straight CCS title.
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“I think during the season, we didn’t want to let it get in our heads,” senior shortstop Jessica Vest said of the team’s usual disregard for national rankings. “But at the end of the season, it’s something we can be proud of.”
What’s done is done. There are no more games to be played, nothing more to live up to.
“That’s pretty astounding,” said San Benito manager Scott Smith, who, during the regular season, preferred to downplay the national rankings as to not bring unwanted distractions and pressures to his ball club.
Although it’s not the first national ranking San Benito has garnered, No. 2 in the nation is most assuredly the highest.
In 2007, following a 32-3 season in which it won its second straight Central Coast Section title, San Benito finished with the No. 50 ranking by Rivals.com. Then, to open the 2008 season the following year, the Balers garnered the No. 23 ranking in the StudentSports.com Fab 50 national softball rankings.
The team was again listed nationally at No. 33 in the Powerade Fab 50 in mid-April — its first national ranking since the 2008 season — then moved up to No. 8 by MaxPreps later that same month.
However, the team’s one and only loss on the season followed — a 10-2 defeat to El Camino Real of Woodland Hills, which Smith believes may have been as a result of the team’s national stature.
“It played into it,” he said in late April. “We were trying too hard.”
But never allowing the spotlight to produce a prolonged negative effect, the Balers, who opened the season with 19 straight victories, closed out the year with 10 straight wins, a Tri-County Athletic League title, a CCS championship, and the No. 2 ranking in the nation.
Meanwhile, according to ESPN Rise, the Balers are currently listed at No. 12 in the nation.
“I think the trip to Vegas helped the team get on the national radar, so to speak,” Smith said, whose Balers went 5-1 at the 2011 Spring Jamboree in Las Vegas and finished in third place. “But it was also a good test, to show the kids that they are that good.”
Although the CCS has changed the rules to limit the amount of games played, leaving San Benito’s 32-win season of 2007 practically untouchable, so too will be this year’s .966 winning percentage.
“Tough to beat,” Smith said.
Its No. 2 national ranking, meanwhile, won’t be easy to retain, either.
“To have other people appreciate what we’ve done, it feels pretty good,” senior first baseman Jessica Steigelman said.
MaxPreps Top 10
1 — The Woodlands, Texas, 42-1
2 — San Benito, California, 29-1
3 — Canyon del Oro, Arizona, 35-1
4 — Alexander Central, North Carolina, 29-1
5 — American Heritage, Florida, 27-1
6 — Los Alamitos, California, 27-4
7 — Braden River, Florida, 22-2
8 — Bartow, Florida, 24-2
9 — Tippecanoe, Ohio, 31-2
10 — Sarasota, Florida, 24-3
