San Benito High girls volleyball team returns eight girls from
last year’s 18-19 team
After a season of continued growth, the San Benito High girls
volleyball team’s expectations are high with possibilities.
After returning four starters from last year’s team that
finished with an 18-19 overall record, and 6-6 in the Tri-County
Athletic League, head coach Dean Askanas is expecting some overall
growth and a better team this year.
San Benito High girls volleyball team returns eight girls from last year’s 18-19 team
After a season of continued growth, the San Benito High girls volleyball team’s expectations are high with possibilities.
After returning four starters from last year’s team that finished with an 18-19 overall record, and 6-6 in the Tri-County Athletic League, head coach Dean Askanas is expecting some overall growth and a better team this year.
But he isn’t ready to say how good they are or will be – at least not yet.
“We are a good team, but it’s hard to say what to expect when the whistle hasn’t blown yet,” he said.
But Askanas will rely on those four returning starters – seniors Katherine Breger and Megan Kelley and juniors Ellie Burley and Raelynn Heredia – to increase the team’s win total in the new season.
And those four expect some good things as well.
“Right now our offense looks really strong,” Heredia said.
Overall, the four players have heavy goals for the team.
“We want to win TCALs and do well in the CCS (Central Coast Section),” Breger said.
To win, the team will have to balance out its youth with some varsity experience gained by the roster last year. The team only returns two seniors – Breger and Kelley – and a freshman – Erica Chapa – will play a key role during the season, Askanas said. Overall the team has one freshman, two sophomores and seven juniors on the squad.
“We are a young team and a couple of girls will be playing some different positions, but they are talented,” he said.
The team will also need to replace Sara Yamasaki, who was voted onto last year’s All-TCAL team.
But the team doesn’t think that will be an issue.
“We are young but a lot of us have been a part of this team for a while,” Burley said. “A lot of girls were on varsity last year.”
Overall the Balers lost only four players from last year’s team – one-third of the roster. Most of the 12 girls on the 2011 varsity squad have played with each other for at least portions of the past three years.
“We have a lot of experience playing together,” Breger said.
And for the Balers, the combination of youth and experience will lead them back to a winning season and possibly their first TCAL championship since 2007.
“We are pumped up and excited,” Breger said.
The Balers opened their season Thursday against Harbor at San Benito High. Look online at freelancenews.com for results.
