RYAN SILAPAN
Prep2Prep Senior Editor

July 30, 2016

For the first time in 23 years, the San Benito High football team will have a new head coach roaming the sidelines.

The Haybalers didn't have to look far to replace the legendary Chris Cameron, as offensive coordinator Bryan Smith was given the job.

Smith, who had previously been the offensive coordinator since 2007, takes over the reins for the San Benito legend and is looking to maintain status quo.

“I’ve been in the program for 10 years, so the transition has been fairly smooth,” Smith said. “On the offensive side we return five starters and on the defensive side we return eight, so we have a lot coming back.”

The Balers fell to eventual Division I Open Division champion Bellarmine in the Central Coast Section semifinals last year.

Smith won’t have the benefit of a cupcake or tune-up game as head coach of San Benito as the Balers begin its season with a trip to Atherton to take on the reigning CCS Open D-III and state championship qualifier Sacred Heart Prep. San Benito will also welcome Palo Alto before visiting Los Gatos and finishing up its non-league schedule against Wilcox.

This year’s non-league slate in the Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division will feature many high profile contests including the very first game of the Central Coast Section season.

Salinas will host the reigning three-time CCS champion and five-time Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League champion Aptos on Thursday Aug. 25 at The Pit.

That isn’t the only big opening weekend game in the MBL-Gabilan, as reigning champion Palma will make a 3 and 1/2 hour trek north to take on Sutter on Aug. 26.

The Chieftains, who were upset by Archbishop Riordan last year in the CCS D-III Open Division semifinals, will again take on another brutal non-league slate prior to the start of league.

After a trip to Sutter, Palma will have back-to-back home games against two of the top teams in the section, in St. Francis and Sacred Heart Prep, before wrapping up with a trip to Aptos on Sept. 16.

San Benito will get the first crack at the D-III Open Division Gators when the Balers will travel to Atherton on the first Saturday of the season.

Christopher will open its season at rival Gilroy before taking on perennial CCS power and offensive juggernaut Carmel two weeks later.

After winning the MBL-Pacific Division title last year, North Salinas got the bump up to the Gabilan, and will open its season at Alisal. The Vikings will have its hands full on Sept. 9 when they welcome Milpitas.

Alvarez will open up its season with a pair of games against MBL-Pacific teams in North Monterey County and a trip to Alisal before a pair of really tough games to close out its non-league slate.

The Eagles will make a trip to Burlingame — a team they lost to 30-0 last year — before facing Elk Grove. The Thundering Herd went 13-1 last year and whose only loss was to Folsom in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title game.

Palma is considered once again to be the early season favorite in the MBL-Gabilan.

“Palma is always up there,” Smith said. “Salinas is returning all five of their starting offensive linemen and they have a number of great athletes and big body guys there. Monte Vista Christian had a huge improvement and will be very competitive and is very well coached. I like to think we are apart of it as well.”