High School Sports

Michael Camacho, Miguel Puga, Matt Ramon and Michael Guzman are the top returners for a San Benito High wrestling team that has hopes of challenging state powerhouse Gilroy for the Monterey League Bay Gabilan Division championship.

The San Benito High girls soccer team is coming off arguably its best season in program history, winning its first-ever Central Coast Section playoff game (not counting a forfeit victory it received four years ago). The Haybalers were expected to return up to nine starters this season, a huge haul that would’ve made them the odds-on favorite to win the Monterey Bay League’s Gabilan Division and make a deep run in the postseason.

A season that started with league and section title aspirations ended in heartbreak for San Benito High Friday night. Seemingly in control of its fate, the host Haybalers instead absorbed a crushing 35-28 loss to Milpitas in a Central Coast Section Open Division I playoff semifinal.

It’s been a couple of tough weeks for the San Benito High football team. Two weeks ago, the Haybalers lost a gut-wrenching 14-6 decision to rival Palma. Last week, they were good enough to beat Salinas in the opening round of the Central Coast Section Open Division I playoffs. However, they lacked execution and overall discipline, committing a season-high 17 penalties.

Angel Garcia waited. And waited. And waited. Sweat dripping down his face after a grueling run, the Anzar High senior stood near the score post for what seemed like an eternity waiting to see if he had qualified to the CIF State Cross Country Championships for the second straight year.

It wasn’t an artistic masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but the San Benito High football team will take a win any way they can get it—especially when it’s in the postseason. Despite a rash of injuries, the No. 2 seed Haybalers had more than enough to beat Salinas 21-10 Friday in a Central Coast Section Open Division I playoff opener.

Surrounded by family, friends, teammates and coaches, Marisa Villegas couldn’t help but get emotional as she a letter of intent to run track and cross country at UCLA. After all, the San Benito High senior heard no less than a half-dozen people use the word “role model” to describe what she has meant to them over the years.

Drew Williams made a verbal commitment to play baseball at UC Santa Barbara in May 2015. On Thursday, Williams made things official, signing a letter of intent in the office of San Benito High School District Superintendent John Perales. Even though the senior shortstop knew this moment was coming for a while, he felt a wave of overwhelming joy when he signed his letter of intent.

Coming off an emotional loss to rival Palma, the San Benito High football team needs to rebound in a hurry if it plans on extending its season. The Haybalers (9-1) earned the No. 2 seed in the Central Coast Section Open Division I playoffs, opening with a 7 p.m. home game on Friday against fellow Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division member and No. 7 seed Salinas (5-5).

The soggy eyes and faraway looks said it all—this one hurt the deepest. Faced with a chance to beat its rival and win its first league championship since 2011, San Benito fell short in a 14-6 loss to visiting Palma Friday night.