With under a minute left in San Benito High’s season-opener against York on Aug. 30, Zander Bonnet came in on a breakaway after receiving a pass from fellow junior Oliver Garcia, who took the ball away from his York counterpart.
Coming in alone on the goalie, Bonnet slammed the ball in the back of the cage, putting an exclamation point on the victory. Bonnet showed plenty of emotion on the score, as it exorcised some of the defeats the Haybalers had suffered against York in the past two seasons.
“That was my favorite moment because we had never beaten them in the last two years,” Bonnet said. “There was some yelling going on for sure, and it felt good for the team to get that win.”
Bonnet is more confident and stronger in the water this season, a crucial ingredient in a physically demanding sport such as water polo, where roughhouse tactics occur throughout a match. Through Sept. 15, the utility player has scored six goals three times in a match this season, and five in the York match.
The Balers are confident they can rebound from losses to Christopher and Monterey—the top two teams in the Monterey Bay League’s Pacific Division—when the teams match up again in a couple of weeks. San Benito dropped a 13-8 decision to Monterey on Sept. 8 and lost a 16-14 overtime thriller to Christopher on Sept. 13.
“We’ve learned a lot since we played Monterey,” Bonnet said. “We’re a more disciplined team, we’re stronger with the ball and we’re looking for the open pass now. We’re a completely different team.”
Bonnet said he was proud of his teammates for picking him up after he got ejected in the second quarter of the Christopher match. Bonnet had already scored four goals against Christopher before he was tossed, and he learned a valuable lesson in the process.
Bonnet no doubt had to realize as a leader on the team, he can’t let his emotions get the best of him, even in a heated game.
The San Benito-Christopher matches have been hotly contested over the last couple of years, with the outcome usually coming down to the final minute.
“We push them, and they push us,” Bonnet said. “Oliver, Josh (Corrigan) and Casey (Matsui) really stepped up in that game, and it was great the team played well and went above and beyond what they normally do. They really went out and got after it.”
Bonnet has embraced his role as a leader, as he will take aside younger players to give them tips on what to do in certain game situations. Bonnet also tries to get his team to stay focused and mentally tough.
“My leadership has really improved,” Bonnet said. “You try to show leadership in every situation. At halftime of a game, you talk to guys to keep them in a positive mood even if we’re down by 15 or something goals. You want the guys to keep their heads up, so we can continue to make the smart play every time.”
