High School Sports

It’s been a memorable season for the Christopher and San Benito girls volleyball teams. Now in their seventh year as a program, the Cougars have their best team yet under fourth-year coach Brian Calimpong. The Haybalers, meanwhile, are on the cusp of winning their first outright league title since 2007.

Christopher will take the field tonight for the final time in 2015. Senior night, normally bittersweet, will just be bitter as the team must take the field less than a week after the passing of Jennifer Pierleoni.

Even after winning the Monterey Bay League Pacific Division Cross Country championship last year, Monica Ruelas didn’t feel victorious as she crossed the finish line. But after repeating as Pacific Division champion Oct. 31 at Toro Park in Salinas, the Gilroy High junior was elated.

Christopher volleyball dropped its home finale, falling 3-0 to Monte Vista Christian. The Cougars fell 25-17, 25-13, 25-26. 

GILROY—When sisters Jenna, Evelyn and Margo Clonts learned they’d all be suiting up for the Mustangs varsity squad this year, each had a different reaction.

GILROY—Gilroy’s game against San Benito Tuesday looked more like a practice. It was a mismatch for both teams as the perennially strong Mustangs took on the first-year Haybalers and the score showed it. Gilroy cruised to a 9-0 win, marking its eighth shutout victory this season.

GILROY—Lizette Alcantar led Gilroy-area golfers at the Monterey Bay League-Pacific Championships, carding a 100 at the The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch in Salinas Monday.

GILROY—Christopher girls tennis swept doubles play on its way to a 5-2 win over Alvarez Thursday on the road.

GILROY—Until Friday night’s game, the last time the San Benito and Christopher football teams had played each other was in 2012. The Cougars probably wouldn’t mind if it was another three years—at a minimum—before they played the Haybalers again. San Benito mauled its third straight league opponent, 50-7.

GILROY—For the last seven years, Anthony Bollendorf has called the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex home. The Mustang senior running back has left his sweat, blood and tears out on the field but never scored a touchdown—until tonight.