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After strong performances throughout league competition and the Central Coast Section semifinals, the Hollister High track and field team continued its postseason success by qualifying six entries into the CCS Finals scheduled for May 23 at Gilroy High School.
Senior Daniela Orsetti headlines Hollister’s qualifiers after tying for first overall in high jump entering the finals. Hollister also advanced its girls 4×100 relay team consisting of Lianni Preciado, Paige Pierson, Ana Kaplansky and Rylee Skow, with Blithe Richards serving as an alternate.
Distance standout Prienna Chavez qualified in both the 1600-meter and 3200-meter races, while Andrew Parra advanced in the boys 1600-meter race. In field events, Nola White qualified for CCS Finals in shot put after continuing her strong postseason rise.
According to head coach Ryan Shorey, the top three finishers in each event at CCS Finals will qualify for the CIF State Championships, giving several Haybalers an opportunity to continue extending their postseason runs against some of California’s top competition.
Even after graduating nearly 50 seniors from last season’s roster, Hollister once again found itself competing among the top programs in the Pacific Coast Athletic League and CCS.
Throughout the spring, the Haybalers relied on a younger group of athletes who steadily embraced larger varsity roles while continuing the program’s championship standard.
“We knew it was going to be tough coming back after 50 seniors graduated,” Shorey said. “They had a lot of shoes to fill.”
Assistant coach Robert Macias said younger athletes quickly adapted to the expectations placed on the program.
“We were pretty young coming into this season,” he said. “A lot of juniors, sophomores and freshmen stepped up.”
That growth became visible across nearly every event group as Hollister continued finding success in relays, distance races, jumps and throwing events throughout the postseason.
Senior sprinter Jacob Jackson helped lead Hollister’s relay teams while continuing to improve individually in the 200- and 400-meter races. Jackson said one of the highlights of his season came during senior night against Palma High School when he ran his first sub-22 second 200-meter race.
“Our 4×4 was a lot of fun as well,” Jackson said. “I accomplished a lot of the goals I set at the beginning of the year, but it’s not over.”
Jackson said the relay teams continued improving throughout the season despite injuries and lineup changes.
“We started realizing that we could really do something special at the end of the season,” Jackson said.
For Jackson, the postseason also carries added meaning knowing each meet could be his last in a Hollister uniform.
“As a senior, every meet is your last meet of that genre,” Jackson said. “I want to make the most of it.”
Orsetti became one of Hollister’s breakout athletes after transitioning from distance running into high jump competition this season. Despite being new to the event, she quickly emerged as one of the Haybalers’ top jumpers and captured a victory at the West Coast Relays earlier this year.
“I used to do distance, so jumps has been extremely new to me,” Orsetti said. “Getting this far in my first year in jumps is extremely fun, and I’m very proud of myself for that.”
Orsetti said winning the West Coast Relays became one of the most memorable moments of her season.
“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Orsetti said.
The throwing events also became a major source of growth for Hollister throughout the spring.
Senior Carter Campbell said the throwers group steadily improved while continuing to motivate one another during practices and competitions.
“There was a lot of growth for me,” Campbell said. “It was nice seeing all the incoming people and how they developed.”
Campbell added that one of the most rewarding parts of the season was watching teammates continue gaining confidence.
“Seeing all the growth this year was really cool,” Campbell said.
White described this season as one of the biggest confidence boosts of her athletic career after reaching CCS-level competition following years of development.
“From not even going to CCS last year to making it this year, it’s a ton of confidence,” she said.
White also emphasized how important mindset becomes during postseason competition.
“You have to be ready mentally. If you don’t have the mentality for it, it’s kind of hard.”
Senior Kaleb Srch pointed toward the team’s overall development as one of the defining themes of the season.
“This year has been extremely good when it comes to development,” he said. “Especially for me personally.”
Srch said athletes throughout the roster consistently broke personal records and improved throughout the year.
“We’ve been doing more PRs than we normally have,” he said.
For senior Alexander Sugiura, competing at the CCS level helped him better understand what it takes to compete against some of the section’s top athletes.
“When you make it to CCS, you realize there’s levels,” Sugiura said. “There’s always going to be somebody faster than you.”
Still, Sugiura said competing against elite athletes eventually helped him gain confidence.
“I realized they’re just human,” Sugiura said.
Several athletes described league finals as one of the defining moments of the season after both Hollister teams secured league championships before celebrating together with a victory lap around the track.
Junior sprinter Ana Kaplansky said the finals reflected how much the team had grown throughout the season.
“It was a really awesome experience,” Kaplansky said. “Winning league and taking the victory lap was something I’ll definitely remember.”
Kaplansky also emphasized the mental side of track and field.
“This sport is 90% mental,” Kaplansky said. “If you don’t have a strong mindset, you’re not going to have as much success.”
Sophomore Paige Pierson said one of the biggest lessons she learned this season came from stepping outside her comfort zone and trying new events.
“I think it taught me to not be scared to try new things,” Pierson said. “You never know what you’re gonna be successful at unless you try it.”
Pierson added that the chemistry within the program helped athletes continue improving throughout the year.
“Our team has just been doing really well,” Pierson said. “We’ve all improved a lot.”
According to the coaching staff, among the most rewarding aspects of the season has been watching athletes continue buying into the culture and expectations that have helped keep Hollister among the region’s top programs year after year.
“All the work they put in over the years finally comes to fruition,” Shorey said.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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