Gonzales among best at Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove – Though the star athletes receive the lion’s share of the credit during the track and field season, it is a team’s depth that has the potential to make it a successful program. In a late-season invitational at Pacific Grove on Saturday, several Haybalers took advantage of the absence of some of the team’s stars to prove why San Benito is comprised of much more than one or two elite athletes.
With Amanda Boyd, Rigo Vasquez and Jeff Weltz among those enjoying a weekend off before the postseason gets going in earnest, San Benito had no shortage of other athletes ready to assume top billing in the eight-team meet.
Ashlyn Gonzales enjoyed the breakout performance of the day, winning two individual events, taking second in another, and running a leg in the Lady ‘Balers’ first-place 4×100-meter relay team. The sophomore won the 100-meter dash and the long jump, and finished tied with teammate Ashley Patton for second in the pole vault at 8-0. Gonzales also teamed with Carly Brigantino, Felicia Freitas and Lauren Villasenor to win the first relay.
“We used her all day,” San Benito girls coach Julio Trinidad said, “pushed her to a bunch of different events. Three firsts and one second? That’s pretty standout right there.”
Gonzales’ relay teammates all won an event on their own as well. Freitas won the 100-meter hurdles, while Villasenor took first in the 400-meter dash.
Brigantino gave the Lady ‘Balers a clean sweep in the pole vault by setting a new PR. After winning sixth in the CCS Top Eight meet at Los Gatos the weekend before, Brigantino cleared 9-7 to take first at Pacific Grove.
Two of San Benito’s top performers on the year declined to take the weekend off, choosing instead to keep the competitive juices flowing. Senior Todd Merrigan and junior Josh Schroder both broke the meet record in the pole vault, with Merrigan edging his teammate in attempts to win the event at 14-0.
Though the final scores had yet to be distributed to the San Benito staff, Trinidad and boys coach Iran White were confident that the ‘Balers took first in both varsity competitions.
White was glad the meet fell at a time when he could rest some athletes while giving others, such as senior thrower Matt Miller, the opportunity to travel to an invitational. Noting the upcoming TCAL and CCS meets, White said a weekend on the sidelines was well deserved for Boyd & Co.
“They’re going to have enough pressure on them the next couple of weeks,” White said.
Though the athletes competed despite the cold and mist, Pacific Grove was thrilled to be in a position to stage the invitational. White said the coaches bemoaned the host school’s inability to stage any of the previous meets Pacific Grove had scheduled for the season due to weather complications and a dirt track.
San Benito completes its Tri-County Athletic League season by hosting Live Oak on Thursday. The ‘Baler boys (5-0 TCAL) attempt to complete a perfect league season, while the Lady ‘Balers (4-1) look to head to the postseason on a roll.
Lest the Lady ‘Balers overlook the Acorns, White said the Live Oak girls have enough talent to give San Benito a good run.
“The girls’ team I hear is pretty tough,” said White. “It’s definitely a team the girls can’t take too lightly.”
The ‘Balers-Acorns meets begins at 3:30pm on Thursday in Morgan Hill. The track postseason begins with the TCAL Trials, set for May 10 at North Salinas.
