Sports

For the first time since 2007, the Hollister Vikings Pop Warner football program is sending one of its teams to the national championships in Florida. The program’s junior Peewee team (9 to 11 year olds) advanced to Pop Warner’s Super Bowl extravaganza after it beat Pacifica 14-12 in the Northwest Regional championship game at Rabobank Stadium on Nov. 14.

ATHERTON — Lesser teams might have wilted, but not San Benito.

The San Benito High girls volleyball team won 30 matches for one of the few times in school history, including their first league championship since 2007. But the Haybalers simply ran into a buzzsaw in Menlo-Atherton on Wednesday in a Central Coast Section Division I playoff semifinal at Piedmont Hills High in San Jose.

For Elijah Changco and Angel Garcia, the realization of earning a state berth was overwhelming. Changco, a San Benito High senior, and Garcia, a Anzar High junior, produced strong performances in the Central Coast Section Cross-Country Championships on Nov. 14 at the rugged 2.95-mile Crystal Springs Course in Belmont.

Another close game, another agonizing loss for the San Benito High football team. The Haybalers suffered a 22-20 home defeat to Monte Vista Christian on Nov. 13, and this one was somewhat costly. Rather than hosting a home game in the opening round of the Central Coast Section Open Division I playoffs, the No. 5 seed Balers (6-4) travel to play at No. 4 Menlo-Atherton (6-4) on Friday at 7 p.m.

The last time the San Benito High girls volleyball team was involved in a five-game match, it let a lead slip away. On Saturday, the Haybalers weren’t about to let it happen again. Not with so much on the line. San Benito won a thrilling 24-26, 25-17, 25-18, 18-25, 15-12 thriller over Palo Alto in a Central Coast Section Division I playoff quarterfinal, christening the newly renovated Mattson Gymnasium.

The San Benito High girls water polo team saw its season come to an end in a 16-15 overtime loss to Cupertino in a Central Coast Section Division I playoff second-round match at Sobrato High on Thursday. The No. 9 seed Haybalers finished the year at 15-9.

Suzy Brookshire made a verbal commitment to play softball for Sacramento State University in November of her sophomore year. Two years later, the San Benito High senior made things official after signing her letter of intent on the first day of the 2015 fall early signing period.

Callee Heen knew it was Hawaii-Manoa all the way. Blessed with one of the sweetest swings in the Bay Area, the 5-foot-8 San Benito High senior signed her letter of intent on Nov. 11 to play softball for the Rainbow Wahine.

San Benito treated its Central Coast Section Division I playoff opener much like a boxer treats a fight: It feels out the opponent, not exerting much energy in the first rounds.