High School Sports

In the first several minutes of every match, Manny Ceja measures up his defender in a couple of different ways. A student of the game, the San Benito High junior forward has become a potent goal-scorer by being aware of his surroundings and sizing up opponents.

Before the start of her junior year, Jessica Curto’s family moved from the Sacramento area to Hollister. While it’s never easy for a teenager to switch high schools, Curto said the transition was made easier by her San Benito High teammates.

Down to stoppage time, the San Benito High girls soccer team looked as if it would have to be relegated to a draw with visiting Sobrato in their non-league contest on Dec. 21. It would’ve been a tough pill to swallow given the fact that the Haybalers had controlled the run of play, dominating the possession for long stretches.

Starting at the age of 5, Davonte Butler had a schedule: Go to Morgan Hill to hit in the batting cages or play in a game before showing up at San Benito High to watch his older brother, Anthony, dazzle for the basketball team.

After a rough start, things are trending upward for the San Benito High boys basketball team. Since losing their first two games of the season, the Haybalers have won three of their last four contests, including a thrilling 52-51 overtime win over Hillsdale of San Mateo on Tuesday.

Mitch Burley wouldn’t be surprised if his team had a different leading scorer from game to game this season. Burley, who is in his sixth year as the San Benito High girls basketball coach, said he has a roster filled with several solid players who complement each other well.

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.