Despite a wind and rain-filled storm, the San Benito swim team continued to swim will within the Tri-County Athletic League with a dominating performance over rival Gilroy High.
And it really wasn’t that difficult for the Balers.
The girls squad took first in only four of the day’s 11 races but won comfortably 102-61.
San Benito didn’t have the best team or swimmer in the pool, but they had more depth.
“The girls swam great,” Gilroy head coach Tom Clark said. “The problem is, we just don’t have any depth.”
Because of the Mustangs lack of depth the Balers ran away with the contest. The closest race of the day belong to the team’s 200 Free Relay, which earned two Central Coast Section qualifying times.
The final leg between San Benito’s Caitlin Schafer and Gilroy’s Michelle Shields came down to inches. Schafer pulled away at the final moments.
San Benito’s team of Schafer, Rachel Estep, Haley Larson and Katarina Ortiz finished with a time of 1:46.87. Shields’ team with Christina Collett, Amy Brolin, Kim Davis finished with a time of 1:47.07.
Shields, though, took first in 100 Free (58.29) and 50 Free (26.24) to help lead the Mustangs.
San Benito’s Alex Varga (200 I.M.) and Estep (100 Back) won the only individual races for the Balers.
“They actually did great,” Schafer said. “It was cold. It was obviously bad weather. I didn’t want to lay everything out with the girls. We didn’t put our best necessarily races forward. So when we go to TCALs we will be shifting things around. I wanted to see other things today. So they had a great meet.”
On the boys side, Gilroy, again, was outmatched by San Benito’s depth.
With only one varsity swimmer – Michael Shields – Gilroy competed in only two races. Overall, San Benito dominated and won 117-12.
Meanwhile, San Benito was forced to swim with its JV squad. And their times suffered, Schafer said.
“It was hard for the boys because they had no competition,” Schafer said. “They were close in their two varsity races. Its good for the JV boys because they get to swim up with the big boys. It’s good for them but it’s not for the varsity boys. But we will deal with it.”
In Gilroy’s only varsity races, Shields made sure the Mustangs would get some points. Shields competed with Quinn Six in the 50 Free and beat San Benito’s swimmer for the first time.
Six and Shields were even through most of the quick race, but Shields finished just ahead of Six with a time of 22.76. Six finished with a time of 23.18.
“For me it’s always been, I’ve always swam against him and he has always been one step ahead of me,” Shields said. “It feels good to finally out-touch him. For me, it feels good to be able to know I have that ability to go that hard.”
Shields also took first in the 100 Free with a time of 51.62.
In the other nine races San Benito took first, but didn’t record a CCS qualifying time.
“We were really kind of checking out some things,” Schafer said. “I thought that I saw some promising things. Basically this is like a little road map how you get to the league championships.”
San Benito travels to North Salinas at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
