It wasn’t that long ago when the San Benito High wrestling team regularly competed for Central Coast Section championships and had individuals vying to reach the CIF State Meet. First-year coach Steven Salcedo believes the program can get back to its once coveted position as one of the elite teams in the section.
“That’s the goal, to get things back where they used to be,” said Salcedo, who was the varsity assistant coach for the previous five years before taking the head position. “Things already are looking better. As far as depth is concerned, we’re more solid than we’ve been in a long time.”
Priority No. 1 on Salcedo’s list is getting the middle schools healthy on wrestling again. Budget cuts decimated many sports programs in Hollister’s middle schools several years ago, and that had a particularly adverse effect on the Haybalers wrestling program, Salcedo said. He pointed to Gilroy High as a model program for having the middle schools and youth club teams act as feeder programs to the high school.
“When those wrestlers get to high school, they’re ready to compete at a high level,” Salcedo said. “Because the wrestling programs at Spring Grove, Maze and Rancho San Justo just got re-established within the last two years, we’re trying to get back to that point. Right now we have some athletic kids coming in who just lack mat time and experience.”
The Balers will be solid as usual, led by returning standouts Michael Camacho and Tristian Medina. Camacho, a junior, was one win away from placing at last year’s Central Coast Section Championships. Aggressive, determined and powerful, Camacho must harness his energy and not lose his cool when things don’t go his way. Salcedo said Camacho will wrestle in the 180 to 190 pound weight divisions.
Salcedo said Camacho went to Jay Robinson’s Intensive Wrestling Camps last summer, spending a full month in Minnesota focusing on all things wrestling. The camp is one of the nation’s best for amateur wrestlers.
“I actually attended it when I was a kid,” Salcedo said. “It’s a kind of camp that can change a kid. Michael already has a lot of good tools, and with his athleticism and work ethic, he’s going to be that much better.”
Salcedo also expects big things from Medina, a senior heavyweight who missed all of last season due to injury. During his sophomore season two years ago, Medina finished as the runner-up in the Monterey Bay League Championships, which is the best league in the section.
“We really missed Tristian last year,” Salcedo said. “He’s an impact guy who is very aggressive and powerful. He uses his speed and agility to get around guys, and tends to beat people that way.”
Salcedo also sees plenty of other impact wrestlers, including Eric Fernandez, Brandon Rodriguez, Miguel Puga, Fayz Yasin, Edgar Campos, Vincent Jacinto, Michael Guzman and Matthew Ramon.
“I can’t wait for some of these guys to fulfill their potential,” Salcedo said. “You see a guy like Albert, who is new to the sport, but has natural skill. We’ve got to develop those skills and keep on progressing, and we’ll do that with competition. One thing that has been lacking the last couple of years is competition in a lot of weight classes. We finally have some of that this year, and it’ll make our guys tougher.”
Salcedo said the revitalization of the wrestling programs at the Hollister middle schools has already made an impact with the San Benito program, as a couple of freshmen are expected to make an immediate difference. Campos, Guzman, and Jacinto are all freshmen, a positive sign for a program looking for a return to glory.
“Hollister was a powerhouse, and a lot of that did come from the middle school and youth programs getting the kids ready for the high school level,” Salcedo said. “Now
kids are more ready than they’ve been in years’ past.”
