Setting the pace from the start, San Benito’s Rachel Shimabukuro
clocked a 5:58 on the first mile and helped lead the Lady Balers
past visiting Salinas Monday by a comfortable 21-40 margin.
HOLLISTER
San Benito’s Rachel Shimabukuro decided not to listen to her coach on Monday.
Good thing.
“He wanted a 6:30 first mile,” said Shimabukuro, a senior harrier on the Lady Balers cross country team, referring to her coach Josh Morales.
“I was like, ‘I don’t think so.'”
Shimabukuro instead preferred something with a little more speed. Setting the pace from the start, the state-qualifying runner clocked a 5:58 on the first mile and helped lead the Lady Balers past visiting Salinas Monday by a comfortable 21-40 margin.
Shimabukuro finished first overall in 20:28.
“I woke up this morning and I was like, first place, I can do it,” said Shimabukuro, who recorded a personal-record 19:21.8 at the Serra Invitational last Saturday at Crystal Springs in Belmont.
“It was hard, but I was here mentally today.”
And Shimabukuro’s fast start on Monday may have equaled the first-place finish, too. Jumping out to a quick lead at the gun, Shimabukuro never trailed in the race and defeated Salinas’ Kelsey Palassou by approximately 20 seconds.
“They had good runners,” Shimabukuro said. “I looked over my shoulder and the gap was getting bigger and bigger each time.”
Monday’s race marked the first time San Benito has hosted a meet at what some called the “river” course. Normally running a home meet at Park Hill, San Benito hosted Salinas Monday on a looped dirt route behind Andy Hardin Stadium.
“It was tougher than I thought,” said Jose Castillo, who finished first for the San Benito boys cross country team, third overall. “It’s flat, but it gets you on that last mile.”
Castillo’s 17:15 led the Baler boys by about 30 seconds, but trailed Salinas’ top-two runners in David Perez and Max Bell. The pair of Cowboys clocked a 16:58 and 17:02, respectively, to lead Salinas past San Benito, 20-37.
“They had more heart, that last edge,” Castillo said of Salinas. “Our guys, we just have to put it together.”
Castillo said Perez and Bell pulled away with about 800 meters to go in the race.
“They took off on me,” said Castillo, who recorded a 15:52.2 at the Serra Invitational on Saturday. “When I looked back, [Salinas] had that little kick and got our guys … it’s pretty disappointing.”
Castillo noted that at least four of San Benito’s seven varsity runners were battling illness on Monday.
Saturday’s invitational at Crystal Springs was a far more positive experience for the Baler boys, which finished second overall behind Bellarmine (80:22) with a combined team time of 82:35.
The Lady Balers, meanwhile, finished third overall with a 102:12 behind Aptos (94:46) and Mitty (100:37).
——
San Benito v. Salinas
GIRLS
1, R. Shimabukuro, SB, 20:28; 2, K. Palassou, SAL, 20:58; 3, D. Casillas, SB, 21:54; 4, M. Duarte, SB, 21:58; 5, C. Villalobos, SAL, 22:05; 6, V. Estrada, SB, 22:13; 7, J. Cook, SB, 22:26; 8, A. Hill, SB, 22:45; 9, G. Tobias, SB, 22:58; 10, H. Land, SAL, 23:06; 11, K. Chin, SAL, 23:26; 12, S. Ramirez, SAL, 23:39; 13, B. Ramirez, SAL, 24:26.
BOYS
1, D. Perez, SAL, 16:58; 2, M. Bell, SAL, 17:02; 3, J. Castillo, SB, 17:15; 4, C. Soratos, SAL, 17:44; 5, B. Tena, SAL, 17:44; 6, S. Hernandez, SB, 17:44; 7, E. Guzman, SB, 17:48; 8, C. Ortega, SAL, 18:02; 9, C. Gobell, SAL, 18:03; 10, S. Alcala, SB, 18:11; 11, O. Vasquez, SB, 19:13; 12, J. Rendon, SB, 19:19; 13, R. Esqueda, SB, 19:33.
——
Serra Invitational — Crystal Springs, Belmont
Combined CCS Boys Team Times
1 Bellarmine 80:22
2 San Benito 82:35
3 Serra 83:31
4 Carmel 83:49
5 St. Francis 84:01
6 Prospect 84:40
7 Aptos 85:33
8 Cupertino 85:52
9 Alisal 85:58
10 Woodside 86:02
San Benito Boys
6 Castillo, Jose JR 15:52.2 Champ Boys
18 Vasquez, Omar SO 16:26.0 Champ Boys
22 Guzman, Eddie JR 16:41.3 Champ Boys
26 Hernandez, Said SO 16:45.3 Champ Boys
29 Alcala, Sergio JR 16:50.4 Champ Boys
40 Esqueda, Ricardo FR 17:30.7 Champ Boys
7 Esqueda, Victor SO 17:35.8 JVB
46 Rendon, Justin JR 17:40.7 Champ Boys
9 Aguilar, Jorge JR 17:45.3 JVB
17 Alcala, Manual SR 18:17.3 JVB
51 Burley, Matt JR 19:18.8 JVB
55 Hernandez, Steven JR 19:23.9 JVB
56 Rodriguez, Robb FR 19:49.5 Frosh-B
71 Hill, Aaron FR 20:11.2 Frosh-B
80 Martinez, Gustivo FR 20:30.4 Frosh-B
107 Pacheco, Josh SO 21:12.0 Soph-B
106 Rendon, Nathan FR 21:26.8 Frosh-B
123 Hernandez, Cesar SO 21:49.9 Soph-B
124 Dukes, Talyor SO 21:56.5 Soph-B
145 De Alba, Abraham JR 22:18.2 JVB
134 Durden, Nick FR 22:18.9 Frosh-B
151 Ferrejra, Alex SO 22:37.9 JVB
146 Carrana, Cesar FR 23:00.4 Frosh-B
168 Barajas, John SR 23:53.3 JVB
175 Cortez, Cesar FR 24:25.1 Frosh-B
Combined CCS Girls Team Times
1 Aptos 94:46
2 Mitty 100:37
3 San Benito 102:12
4 Santa Cruz 102:49
5 Leigh 103:07
6 Carmel 104:18
7 Harker 104:51
8 Sacred Heart Cathedral 105:46
9 Notre Dame-SJ 105:49
10 Scotts Valley 105:49
San Benito Girls
15 Shimabukuro, Racheal SR 19:21.8 VG
50 Casillas, Dayna SR 20:29.6 VG
55 Duarte, Michelle SR 20:34.4 VG
63 Hill, Amanda FR 20:49.7 VG
69 Dukelow, Kaitlin FR 20:56.8 VG
1 Tobias, Grace JR 21:04.2 JVG
86 Vasquez, Kristina SR 21:18.4 VG
2 Trujillo, Cynthia FR 21:31.1 JVG
6 Cook, Jessica JR 21:58.7 JVG
8 Pape, Megan FR 22:24.4 JVG
18 Shorey, Linnea JR 23:16.4 JVG
161 Deidrick, Amy FR 23:29.1 VG
23 Meza, Izadela JR 23:51.7 JVG
59 Renteria, Ashlyn SO 24:30.3 FSG
32 Miskin, Emi SR 24:36.8 JVG
38 Genesy, Claire FR 25:07.7 JVG
83 Gonzalez, Corina SO 26:29.4 FSG
68 Martin, Jaqueline JR 26:31.8 JVG
89 Llamas, Diana FR 26:49.5 FSG
92 Barrientos, Samantha FR 27:03.5 FSG
100 Meza, Grezia SO 27:54.3 FSG
85 Kovach , Emily JR 29:28.1 JVG
86 Guzman Corona, Lillana SR 29:28.8 JVG
87 Bautista, Alyssa JR 29:39.4 JVG
117 Casillas, Kayla FR 33:13.5 FSG
118 Perazzo, Nicollette FR 33:21.2 FSG
