Ben Hemeon
&
amp; Raquel Butler
GILROY – Great moments do surround Gilroy High’s Athletes of the Year, but dedication and leadership are what define this year’s two senior student-athletes who exemplified the very best in Mustang pride.
Three different seasons are in a school term and The Dispatch’s Male Athlete of the Year Ben Hemeon was competing at the highest level in each one as the starting quarterback for the football team, a forward for the basketball team, and the power-hitting first baseman for the baseball team.
“It was something I always wanted to do,” said the three-sport athlete who carried a 3.7 grade-point-average in his senior year. “Some people say you have to pick between one or two or even three sports, but I liked keeping busy and also being able to pull off good grades.”
Four events in one season is when the garlic capital’s Female Athlete of the Year Raquel Butler stepped on the sporting scene, excelling in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dash for the track team as well as anchoring the Lady Mustang top relay team.
“I surpassed what I expected because I was definitely not expecting to make it to state. That was pretty awesome,” said Butler, who finished 15th in the state in the 400m, while maintaining a 4.2 GPA. “I think track made it easier because I knew right after practice I had to do my homework so I wouldn’t procrastinate. I knew I had to do my work.”
Hemeon started off the year by quarterbacking the garlic gridmen for the second straight season and earning a first-team All-League selection.
“It was my last season of football so it’s really a tough thing to let go,” said Hemeon, who scored five touchdowns in one quarter during the Mustangs’ 35-0 victory over Monte Vista Christian.
The Gilroy standout was also invited to play in the annual Charlie Wedemeyer High School Football All-Star Game for seniors in July.
“He was just a really, really neat guy. He was hard-working. He’s one of those guys who make it fun to coach teen-agers,” said head football coach Darren Yafai of the team captain. “He provided some good senior leadership for us. He was a veteran quarterback on a very young, inexperienced team.”
In the winter season, Hemeon switched from throwing touchdown passes and avoiding the rush to shooting baskets and blocking out for the Mustang basketball team.
“Basketball was not my strongest sport, but I had a fun time playing with my friends,” said Hemeon, whose next transition to swinging the bat and fielding grounders was his greatest season of all.
“This past offseason what made the difference in his football and baseball seasons was weight-lifting. He really bought into our weight-lifting program,” Yafai said. “I told Coach Wheeler and Ben that he was going to hit five home runs or more back in January.”
Hemeon hit eight home runs to break one of three Gilroy High single-season records, also setting school marks with 51 runs-batted-in and finishing with a .500 batting average.
“I couldn’t wait for baseball to roll around,” said Hemeon, who was recently named to the All-CCS first team. “It made it really special to finish on top and finish with a bang. It was like a dream come true really.”
In the final game of the regular-season, Hemeon hit a 400-plus shot over the centerfield fence at Live Oak High School. His storybook season led the Mustang diamondmen into the CCS Playoffs, where he went 2-for-4 with an RBI against Valley Christian.
“It was just great to watch. You would think the kid was going to cool down sooner or later and he just didn’t stop,” said baseball skipper Clint Wheeler of his team captain. “You don’t find kids any better than him on and off the field and in the classroom. He was one of the best kids I’ve ever had to come out of Gilroy High.”
Hemeon plans on playing baseball at Sacramento State next season and is majoring in liberal studies so he can become a teacher.
“It would be awesome to play college ball, but I’ll just take it step by step and see how everything works out,” said Hemeon, who will graduate with the rest of his class later today. “I’m ready to go graduate tomorrow. … Fond memories and all my friends, Gilroy was the best. I loved it.”
After being plagued by shin-splints and a hamstring injury her junior season, Butler primed herself for another dominating track campaign, winning three league titles in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dashes.
“She’s mentally, spiritually and physically one of the most strongest female athletes I’ve ever coached,” head track coach Guido Zvigzne said. “She really was hurting a couple of years back and she worked through that. Especially after falling down (in the CCS Semi-finals), it takes a lot of character to get back up and make it to the state meet.”
Following a state-qualifying sophomore season in the 100m, Butler was well on her way to a second straight appearance when the junior stumbled in the 400m championship heat. One year later and at 100 percent, Butler capped a dominating league run with a state-qualifying time in the 400-meter.
“Every time I just thank God that I cross the finish-line,” Butler said. “I have to say that was the most awesome because I did run my fastest and had so much fun.”
Butler shattered the Gilroy High record for the 400m by three seconds with her personal-best time of 56.32 and then reclaimed her status among the state’s top athletes.
“It’s crazy,” said Butler of the state meet. “It’s an awesome experience. You get to see how fast they run and see how you’re ranked among them.”
Butler plans on running track for San Diego State next year and majoring in communications.
“It will be a new experience, but I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Butler said. “I want to do public relations for the NIKE track team.”
