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On the verge of its Homecoming game, the Hollister High varsity football team’s season has been cancelled.
San Benito High School District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum announced the rest of the 2026 season has been cancelled in a Sept. 21 statement.
“We recognize that this is disappointing news for our students, families, coaches, and broader school community,” Tennenbaum said in the statement. “We understand the time, effort, commitment, and support that go into a high school athletic season, and we recognize the impact his decision has on those who have invested so much in the program. This decision was not made lightly, and the district has carefully considered the circumstances and the interests of all our students.”
The announcement comes 11 days after the district announced head coach Thomas Sullivan was placed on paid administrative leave and that it was conducting an investigation related to “team activities.”
It also follows a few days after the program forfeited a home game against Alisal.
Tennenbaum’s statement says the number of available student-athletes is not enough to “safely field a team” for the remainder of the season.
That raises questions about how many players who were deemed eligible to participate in the game against Wilcox on Sept. 11 are no longer eligible.
The district has repeatedly declined to provide additional information about the district’s investigation into the program.
In the statement, Tennenbaum said the district is limited in what it could share because it wants to protect the students’ privacy and maintain the “integrity of the review.”
Following the announcement of the investigation and Sullivan’s leave, Hollister played its game against Wilcox with long-time coach Chris Cameron acting as interim, emerging with a 27-20 victory.
Hours before its scheduled game against Alisal on Sept. 17, the high school announced it had forfeited the game.
The Balers, who began the season with a record of 3-0, were scheduled to host Soquel on Sept. 25 for Homecoming at Andy Hardin Stadium before traveling to Palma the following week.
Hollister was also scheduled to play games against Monterey High, Carmel High, Salinas High and North Salinas High this season
Meanwhile, the school’s Homecoming activities including the Sept. 24 parade and Sept. 26 dance will go on, according to Hollister High Communications Officer Adam Breen, who added that the football program’s junior varsity and freshman teams will continue their seasons.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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