Mustang gridmen head to Hollister for Friday’s critical T-CAL
match-up vs. ‘Balers
GILROY – The battle lines were drawn long ago.
It’s either Gilroy Mustang blue or Hollister Haybaler red for the annual Prune Bowl – which dates back to the 1910s with the coveted VFW Trophy becoming the prize in 1956.
This Friday night at 7:30 p.m. the newest student-athletes to play for the Mustangs and Haybalers will find their place in one of the top three longest running high school football rivalries in the state of California.
“This week has doubled in implications. Not only is it the Prune Bowl and a huge rivalry game. This week also has playoff implications and league standing implications,” said head coach Darren Yafai, who is 1-3 in four Prune Bowls at the helm. “Both teams come into this game 4-1-1 and both teams are shooting to make the playoffs. Now this is a game that not only is a huge rivalry game, but it’s a crucial game in each teams’ push for the CCS Playoffs.”
Last season, Hollister poured it on for a 41-6 victory at Gilroy High. Two years ago, Gilroy went into San Benito County and pulled off a 37-20 victory. This year, the match-up does not get any closer with two young, hungry units on both sides of the ball.
“Hollister is possibly the bigger and stronger team, and Gilroy probably has the edge in speed. That was the case two years ago when we won. We were a little deeper athletically and had team speed,” Yafai said. “It was one of those typical Gilroy-Hollister contrasts in style. It’s been a reoccurring contrast each year.”
The Haybalers are riding a four-game winning streak – brushing off an opening loss to Valley Christian and then a tie with Seaside. The Mustangs won their first four games before fighting back to tie Alvarez and falling last week for the first time against Salinas.
“I think it’s not a matter of keeping your emotions settled. Both teams are going to be sky high. I don’t see either one of these teams losing emotion with any momentum swing,” Yafai said. “This is a game that is going to be high energy the whole game. The team that does not turn the ball over is the team that is going to win.”
Gilroy turned the ball over twice last week and were held to only one touchdown – compiling only 165 yards of total offense against a big, tough Salinas defensive front. This week, Hollister brings another bruising defense to work against.
“This week it could be a struggle at times, too, because Hollister has a defense up there with Salinas. They are big and physical. They come off blocks well and they swarm to football,” Yafai said. “We’re going to have to somehow throughout the game form some assemblence of a running game… It’s not going to be easy against a defensive front like Hollister has.”
Senior tailback Melvin Bryant – who leads the Mustangs in rushing with 411 yards on 77 carries – could not find any room to run against Salinas. Junior tailback Marty Sustaita – who averages just under seven yards per carry – rushed for a team-high 41 yards last week, while senior quarterback Ben Hemeon was forced to scramble for yardage the entire game.
“Part of that is because as you go through a season defenses start catching up with the offenses and defenses have a lot more game film to scout by,” Yafai said. “Salinas High, game-six, they just happened to be by far and away the best team we faced in six games. Salinas is notorious for having a great defense.”
This week, the Mustangs are going to mix things up even more to try to prevent the powerful Hollister defensive line from shutting them down like Salinas did.
“Offensively, we’ve been real diverse up to now and you might see us open it up a little more… We’re going to have to,” Yafai said. “It keeps defenses off balance because we have such a varied offensive scheme. Defensive coordinators that we faced will kid wikth us saying that they had a miserable time preparing for us because there is so much to prepare for.”
The Gilroy offense is only as strong as its front line – which will be up against another big, physical Hollister defensive front. Senior guard Jose Albarron leads the bunch made up of sophomores Bobby Best and Matt Hunkin, juniors John Torres, Kevin Collins and Mark Kennedy, and senior Derek Hentschke.
“What makes it a tougher task is we’re really young. Out of our five-man offensive line we use seven kids to play five positions. Out of those seven, only two are seniors,” Yafai said. “(Albarron) is probably game in and game out our steadiest. He’s the only returning starter in the group. He’s got the heart of a lion. He was a starting wrestler on the CCS Champions last year. He’s one of captains and leads by example.”
The Mustang defense has continued to keep the games close and give the offense a chance to go for the win. Coach Yafai credits defensive coordinators Greg Garcia and RIch Hammond for the major turnaround from last season.
“They put in an 18-hour work day on Sunday just in game prep. A big part of our success on defense is attributed to our two defensive coordinators working their tails off over the weekend,” said Yafai, who acquired Hammond from the Hollister coaching staff this season. “It’s been a strange week for him but an exciting week for him.”
This time around, Hammond – a former Haybaler football player and coach – will be wearing Mustang blue for the first time up against his alma mater. Yafai has also coached on both sides – starting his coaching career at Hollister before coming back to his alma mater at Gilroy High.
“I love it. I got to play in this game when I was in high school. Four of our five coaches played and coached in this game,” Yafai said. “We need a win. We need to get back on the win column. It’s also important for our school and football program to get that trophy back in our trophy case.”
