Three is a crowd, but four makes some pretty good company.
Editor’s Note It’s the guy’s turn. Four athletes picked out of a wealth of talented seniors at Gilroy High School. Each has the right amount of confidence and humility, which blended together, creates the ideal student-athlete.
Jesse Delgado, Greg Hamik, Eddie Malick and Jordan Holler have each impacted GHS in his own way and all will be remembered for their achievements and jaw-dropping, memorable performances.
The Dispatch honors these four individuals as the Male Senior Athletes of the Year. Congratulations and the best of luck.
Delgado’s list of accomplishments goes on, and on, and … on
Wrestling is full of aggression. It is the ultimate test of will and survival.
Blank stares on the faces of those about engage with one another on the mat emotionally define the focus it takes to enter the circle.
Locked in a match on the mat, Jesse Delgado’s demeanor is fierce. Always on the offensive; he is quick to strike, take down an opponent and rack up the points. A relentless machine.
Off the mat, Delgado’s personality couldn’t be more opposite. He is quiet, reserved, thoughtful.
“Sometimes I like my alone time,” the accomplished prep wrestler said. “I like to write a lot. I’ll write a story about something funny or something serious. Anything that comes to mind. It keeps me from losing my mind sometimes.”
An instant success as a freshman, Delgado moved to Gilroy from Salinas prior to the eighth grade. The change in location didn’t disrupt the one constant in his life.
“Ever since I was little, since I was like 5 years old, it has pretty much been my life,” Delgado said. “Everything was revolved around wrestling.”
Because of that, this time of year – wrestling’s offseason and with graduation last Friday – Delgado can’t help but feel a bit odd.
“It’s just weird that this part of the year there is nothing about wrestling. I’m not thinking about wrestling,” he said. “I’m just thinking about missing my friends and moving on to college. Usually wrestling is my main focus. It’s just weird.”
Headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall, where he plans to wrestle at 125-pounds, Delgado will get back to watching his wight, and stop going out to eat with friends once the high of graduation wears off. His enthusiasm for writing lead to a decision to major in communications.
Delgado is the most recent in a line of decorated grapplers to exit Gilroy High in the last few years, and may rank as one of the most consistently successful wrestlers. His resume is loaded with first-place finishes, including four consecutive Central Coast Section championships and two national championships; one as a sophomore and one as a senior, becoming the first senior from GHS to claim a national title.
But through all of his podium appearances, Delgado’s state title at 119-pounds his junior year is his most gratifying moment during his four years.
“At the time it didn’t feel different than any other match. But waking up in the morning it just felt like there was a huge rock off of my chest,” Delgado recalled. “When I was little my dad wouldn’t let me go watch the high school wrestlers because he said I had to earn my way to state. It’s always been prestigious. More prestigious than nationals, to me at least.”
Delgado said his dad – whose name is Jesus, but goes by Jesse, hence Delgado’s nickname ‘Little Man’ – played a major role in his development and credits his dedication and coaching to much of his success.
“He always pushed me. I didn’t necessarily want to be pushed as hard as he pushed me, but I wouldn’t have made it this far with out him,” Delgado said.
Like any polished athlete, Delgado is reserved in speaking of all he has accomplished – even though he could fill a U-haul with all the hardware he owns.
“I’m really not all cocky,” Delgado said. “Some people on campus didn’t even know I wrestled. I don’t hang a bunch of stuff up in my room. I mean, my national trophy is just sitting there by my computer.”
Delgado is humble personified.
Malick: A cut above the rest
From entering competitive swimming at the age of 8, to a scholarship to attend Union College in Kentucky, it has been quite a journey for Eddie Malick – a journey that began in part because of his disdain for running.
“When I was younger I was good at other sports, it’s just, I didn’t like to run,” he said. “I didn’t like running in the hot weather. I kept doing it because it was fun and the friends I made and I was good at it.”
Swimming run in his genes. His father and uncle both swam competitively and his younger sister, Brittney will be a sophomore on the GHS swim team next season.
“It’s a family thing,” Malick said.
Malick was a four-year varsity water polo player as well as a strong performer on the swim team. The amount of hours in the pool practicing for the two sports worked hand in hand in fine-tuning Malick’s skills in each.
Water polo is strenuous on the legs, constantly treading water. Malick’s leg strength became an asset and worked wonders in the breaststroke, which became his bread and butter during his sophomore year.
“It really works out your legs so my breaststroke kick got a lot better,” Malick said. “(GHS swim coach) Tom (Clark) just started focusing on that stroke.”
Malick’s talent is recognized beyond the GHS pool. He is well known throughout the section’s swimming community and is liked by his peers and competitors.
Malick qualified for the Central Coast Section consolation finals his sophomore year. and he went on to finish fourth overall his junior year and fifth this past season.
More than anything, the tight-knit relationships formed on the small but mighty GHS swim team are something Malick won’t soon forget.
“Everybody on the team I’ve known since I was young, like really young. It’s almost like a part of your family. It’s something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. The fact of getting to grow up with them and getting to know them so well, they are all people that I’m never going to lose contact with.”
Despite not having a fondness for running, Malick knows the training regimen will be a lot tougher in college, conceding the fact that there will be some out-of-pool exercising to tend to.
“The training is a lot different. There are a lot more dry-land work outs and lifting weights,” he said. “I’m really competitive. It’s just how I am. I’m just going to work hard and be the best swimmer I can be there too.”
Malick has a few goals set for himself as he steps away from home and heads to Union; No. 1, making it to the Olympic trials, and No. 2, graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer information technology.
“I like computers,” he said. “Maybe get a job as an (information technology) guy somewhere. I kind of want to get my master’s in software development so I can write software.”
Malick is going to make the most out of the final two months before heading out to Kentucky. Hanging out with friends and taking surfing lessons top the list.
But what will he miss most, aside from his family and friends?
“The weather,” he said. “It’s going to get snowy in Kentucky.”
Hamik: A leader on and off the court
Lethal from 3-point range and quick to the hoop, Greg Hamik was the go-to guy on the hardwood for the GHS basketball team this winter.
Hamik wore his emotions on the court but never let them get the best of him. He was the Mustangs’ leader and took pride in that responsibility.
“I’ve always been competitive growing up. I just really like to win,” Hamik said. “Every day in practice I wanted to push my teammates, I wanted to help them out in any way I can. Anything to help my team win.
“I took advantage of everything my coaches taught me. You have to take criticism positively and go work on the stuff that you don’t do so well.”
Hamik improved each season and led the Mustangs in scoring this past season with 16.4 points per game, knocking down 54 3-pointers in the process. His scoring prowess led to his recognition by the Tri-County Athletic League as the co-Most Outstanding Player of the Year.
“Ever since I was younger I have always had a really good work ethic,” he said. “I feel like I have always worked harder than everybody else. Going into college I feel like that will give me an edge.”
His work ethic transferred into the classroom as well, paying his mom her dues for instilling in him the importance of achieving good grades way back in elementary school.
“I knew that I had to get grades, it was like second nature,” he said.
Hamik leaves GHS with a 4.0 grade point average.
Earlier in the spring Hamik signed his National Letter of Intent to attend Humboldt State University, where he will play point guard for the Jacks’ program.
Moving from a setting where he was known as the star basketball player, to being the low man on the totem pole, is a process and scenario Hamik is prepared to approach with the utmost humility.
“You have to be a lot more humble, especially since there are a lot of guys that have been there longer than you,” he said. “I want to make a good first impression.”
Sticking with the sports theme, Hamik will study kinesiology at Humboldt.
“Humboldt just got a new kinesiology center. I want to take advantage of that opportunity,” he said. ‘I’m thinking maybe sports medicine or anything with muscle development.”
One of Hamik’s lasting impressions of his time as a Mustang came this past season in a game against none other than San Benito.
In front of a packed house inside Bob Hagen Memorial Gym – and a Salinas TV camera – Hamik scored 15 points in a Mustangs’ 64-53 win.
“The atmosphere, the reporters, the TV and our fans – everyone came out – it was a fun experience to get out there and get a win,” Hamik said.
Another piece of GHS basketball life that Hamik will cherish is the bond he had with his teammates, especially with his best friends, Michael Aldridge, Michael Hartman and Max Fishler.
“That’s probably the best memory I will take away,” he said.
Holler: Confidence and competitiveness speak volumes
You don’t even have to finish asking the question before Jordan Holler answers it.
What is your favorite …?
“The Prune Bowl this year is by far the best one,” Holler said without hesitation describing his most memorable game as a Mustang.
It’s the obvious answer. For those who were there, his performance that chilly November evening was one for the ages.
“I hate them, like with a passion,” Holler said with conviction. “Last year we weren’t doing too well and they pretty much guaranteed they were going to beat us. I took it personally. I was living in the moment for that game.”
The annual rivalry game between GHS and San Benito for the VFW Memorial Trophy grows in intensity every meeting.
“You don’t think it’s as big as it is until you actually play in it,” Holler said. “It’s always going to be a good game. Both teams always come to play.”
Holler burned the Balers three times for touchdowns, each more electrifying than the next.
A 37-yard TD reception started the barrage. He then ripped off kickoff returns of 90 and 80 yards, in an eventual 35-30 GHS upset triumph.
It’s no surprise that the highlight game in baseball was also a contest against San Benito; a 7-6 victory this past season, in which Holler, a switch hitter, finished with a home run and four RBI to help the Mustangs to their first victory over the Balers in eight tries.
It was the only win Holler experienced against San Benito in three years on the varsity baseball squad.
“We just kept blowing games against them. We’d have the lead and lost it, I don’t know how many times,” he said. “It felt good to finally get a win.”
As two-sport standout, Holler prided himself on hard work and an obvious confidence flows through his actions on the football field and baseball diamond.
“I’ve always been that way,” he said of his self-assuredness. “I think football helps a lot. You get kind of cocky. Most people when they play baseball don’t get too pumped for it. I think I play harder than most people do.
“I get pumped up for every game still. I like playing every game as hard as I can.”
Holler’s hard work was evident during the football season. Playing offense, defense and special teams, Holler sacrificed every game for his teammates.
After some deliberation, Holler settled on attending Sacramento State University as his next destination, where he plans to walk-on the baseball team.
“I’ve been being recruited by them, they just didn’t have any money left,” Holler said. “It’s really exciting to see what I can do at the college level. No one knows who I am so I have to make a name for myself. I know I can play college baseball it just a matter of how long it will take for me to get in there.”
