It’s not as if the dual meet between San Benito and Salinas
hasn’t ever come down to the very last event. It has. Several
times, in fact, including the last two years, which saw the Balers
and Cowboys split key league victories as a result of claiming the
4×400 relay. But while last Thursday’s dual at Andy Hardin Stadium
carried with it the similar implications
— Salinas was leading 66-65 entering the winner-take-all
1,600-meter relay — San Benito’s limited roster only added to the
final-event storyline.
HOLLISTER
It’s not as if the dual meet between San Benito and Salinas hasn’t ever come down to the very last event.
It has. Several times, in fact, including the last two years, which saw the Balers and Cowboys split key league victories as a result of claiming the 4×400 relay.
But while last Thursday’s dual at Andy Hardin Stadium carried with it the similar implications — Salinas was leading 66-65 entering the winner-take-all 1,600-meter relay — San Benito’s limited roster only added to the final-event storyline.
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The team was shorthanded, losing anchor leg Jason Roascio at the beginning of the meet. But even then, even with a jumbled foursome that included Scott Medina running the anchor leg instead of Roascio, and 100-meter runner Michael Bocksnick running the first leg, San Benito still managed to live up to its top billing.
It beat Salinas by roughly four seconds in the 4×400 relay, and outlasted Salinas in the end, 70-66.
“Coach came to us and told us to spread the word and let everyone know it was all about the 4×400, just like it was the last two years, maybe three,” Medina said after he paced the Balers’ to a hand-time of 3:27.
Salinas recorded a 3:31.
A year ago, it was Roascio who ran down the Cowboys’ anchor leg in the 4×400 relay, and vaulted the Balers to a 73-63 victory, while two years ago, Salinas got the last word in the relay event and edged San Benito 71-65.
On Thursday, Roascio experienced discomfort around his shin following the 4×100 relay (an event the Balers won in 45.03), and San Benito coach Iran White pulled him for the remainder of the meet as a precaution — not wanting to force the issue, especially on the Balers’ hardened track. White did say Roascio’s shin discomfort was more of an aggravation than an injury, however.
Medina, too, was experiencing some discomfort in his right foot, and was pulled from his specialty — the high-impact 300-meter hurdles. But the discomfort for Medina wasn’t enough to be sidelined completely.
He took first in the 400 (51.09) and first in the high jump (6-0), and while the loss of Roascio did open up several other holes in the event lineup, most notably in the 200 meters and, of course, the anchor leg to the 4×400 relay, Medina managed to fill in quite nicely for his down teammate.
He helped seal San Benito’s come-from-behind victory with his last-leg performance in the 4×400, and he also took first in the 200 meters with a 22.87, with teammate Bocksnick trailing in second place with a 23.97.
“I put him in there for that reason,” White said of the 200-meter run by Medina.
David Kret also earned points for the Balers with a first-place performance in the 800 (1:58), while San Benito also swept the shot put behind Enrique Ramos (49-03) and Emmett King (45-02).
Medina’s absence from the 300 hurdles didn’t hurt the Balers too much, either, as San Benito still took second and third in the event behind Taylor Lothman (42.26) and Justin Rendon (44.22).
Perhaps the most important storyline to come out of Thursday’s meet, though, was that San Benito’s four-point victory over Salinas ensures an undefeated season through Tri-County Athletic League play — a feat that awards the Balers six additional points toward the upcoming TCAL Championships on May 13. The Balers went undefeated through last season’s slate, however, and lost to the Cowboys by three points at the year-end meet.
“It’s best position you can enter the league finals with,” White said. “But Salinas can still win.”
Salinas did win the girls’ meet on Thursday by a 79.6 to 56.3 margin.
The Cowboys sealed the victory late when they took first- and second-place in the 200 meters, but San Benito head coach Bob Rawles was still pleased with his team’s performance, nonetheless.
“We competed so well,” he said. “Everyone gave their all for each event. We’re going through a sick bug, but that’s no excuse. They’re a great team.”
The Baler girls took first place in eight events, including a sweep of the 1,600 meters. Vanessa Estrada was first in 5:36, Megan Pape was second in 5:51, and Molly Lamanna took third in 5:53.
Pape also took first in the 3,200 with a 12:44.
The San Benito girls also fared well in the field events, where Krystal Alnas took first in the shot put (34-05), Melissa Castro took first in the high jump (4-08), and Savanna Wilson took first in the long jump (15-04).
Afterward, Rawles told his team he’s looking forward to seeing how well they perform at TCALs on May 13.
“I’m proud we’re competing as the team that I signed on to coach for,” said the first-year head coach.
San Benito is off until this weekend, when select members will compete at the Top 8 Invitational in Los Gatos. For those who aren’t competing, their next meet will be the TCAL Trials on Tuesday, May 10 — a pre-qualifier to the TCAL Championships.
JV Note:
Salinas took both the boys’ and girls’ meets in the junior varsity ranks on Thursday, as the Cowboys defeated the Baler boys 91-45 and the Balers girls 86-37.
