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The moment didn’t feel real at first for Rudy Lopez Jr.
The 2025-26 Hollister High varsity basketball season had already delivered more than enough for the freshman guard. He had earned a starting role, helped lead his team to a league championship, and proved he belonged at the varsity level.
Then came the news that changed everything. He had been named Pacific Coast Athletic League co-MVP, becoming the first freshman in Hollister High School history to earn the honor.
“I was just focused on winning,” Lopez said. “I didn’t really think about awards like that.”
That mindset defined not only his season, but the identity of a Hollister team that grew into a champion. By the end of the year, the Haybalers finished 15-7 overall and captured their first league title in over a decade, powered by a young core that improved with each game.
At the start of the season, there were no guarantees. Like most freshmen, Lopez had to adjust to the speed and physicality of varsity basketball, head coach David Kaplansky said. He didn’t begin the year as a starter, instead working his way into the rotation while learning how to compete at a higher level.
“At first, I was nervous,” Lopez said. “My first varsity game felt different.”
The adjustment was real, but so was the preparation behind it. Long before stepping onto a varsity court, Lopez had spent years training and developing his game, getting himself ready for this moment.
“A lot of it came from the training I put in before high school,” he said. “I wanted to be ready.”
That preparation began to show early in the season. In just his third game, Lopez delivered a breakout performance, scoring 24 points and forcing a change in his role.
“That was kind of his coming-out party,” said his father, Rudy Lopez Sr. “Something clicked, and from there he just kept building confidence.”
From that point on, Lopez moved into the starting lineup and became a consistent presence for Hollister. He finished the season averaging nearly 14 points, eight rebounds, and over two steals per game, leading the team in all three categories.
For Kaplansky, it wasn’t Lopez’s production that stood out, but how quickly it came.
“His ability to score the basketball and transfer his skill set to the varsity level so quickly, that’s rare,” Kaplansky said. “You don’t usually see that from a freshman.”
As Lopez’s role grew, so did the attention from opposing teams. Kaplansky said that instead of slowing Hollister down, it opened the game up.
“When teams started focusing on him, it created opportunities for other players,” he said. “That’s part of why we were successful.”
That unselfish style became the identity of the Haybalers. Early in the season, Kaplansky said, the team was still learning how to play together, but a loss at the beginning of the year helped shift their mindset.
“I think that loss helped us,” Lopez said. “It made us realize we had to work together more.”
From there, Hollister began to grow.
Kaplansky said the chemistry improved, trust developed, and the team started to find its rhythm. By the end of the season, the Haybalers were a completely different group.
“I think we got a lot better as the season went on,” Lopez said. “We were a completely different team.”
That growth was built on connection. With players from different grade levels contributing, the team relied on each other and embraced their roles.
“What made this team special was how close we were,” Lopez said. “Everyone supported each other. Nobody was selfish.”
While scoring was a major part of his game, Lopez made it a point to contribute in other ways as well.
“I just wanted to affect the game in different ways,” he said. “Defense, rebounds, whatever the team needed.”
Over the course of the season, his game continued to evolve. Known early on as a perimeter shooter, Lopez became more aggressive attacking the basket and finishing inside.
“I think my biggest improvement was getting to the rim,” he said. “Before high school, I was mostly shooting threes, but this year I started driving more.”
Behind that growth was years of work and guidance.
“It was a very proud moment,” Lopez Sr. said. “We’ve been working together since he was young, getting him ready for this level. To see it come together, it wasn’t luck. It was a lot of hard work.”
For Lopez Sr., the season carried extra meaning because of what the team accomplished.
“I was focused on winning league,” he said. “That was our first one in 13 years. Then hearing he was MVP, it was a lot of emotions.”
Even with the recognition, Lopez stayed grounded throughout the season.
“He never asked about his stats,” his father said. “He was just happy we won.”
Now, the focus shifts forward. Hollister will move into the more competitive Gabilan Division next season, bringing a new challenge for a team that is still developing.
With a young roster returning, there is confidence that the program can continue to build.
“Since we’re young, I think we can keep building chemistry,” Lopez said. “We can get better every year.”
Hollister Haybalers (2026 Season)
15–7 overall
League Champions
Young roster with multiple freshmen contributors
Rudy Lopez Jr. (freshman season)
14.0 points per game
8.0 rebounds per game
2.0+ steals per game
Co-league MVP
First freshman in Hollister High School history to win league MVP
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour, United Way, Taylor Farms and the Emma Bowen Foundation.
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