The community is bustling with football fever as the Mustangs
and Cougars are opening their 2010
–11 campaigns on the same night. Mustangs blue, Cougars black
and teal – the colors will paint sections of the town.
One year ago, I covered the inaugural game in Christopher Cougars football history. It was also my first solo act as the Dispatch’s sports editor.
Twenty–four hours later, I was on the sidelines for Gilroy versus Live Oak.
I had covered plenty of high school pigskin, but never in Gilroy. Whoa, Mustangs’ football: it’s a good time out.
It has been a year, already.
I have exactly six new gray hairs in my goatee and my sleep pattern is, well, no longer a pattern. A little here, a little there.
I lost some weight, which is good because apparently at 27 it is a lot easier to grow a floatation device around your waist – especially eating Panda Express, L&L Barbeque and Super Taqueria once a week. The stuff is dangerous. I need to exercise more. I mentioned to GHS cross country coach Art Silva during the summer that I wanted to attempt a practice with the team. He keeps asking, I continue to make excuses. But, really, it was hot yesterday.
I started at the paper just as the prep sports scene in Gilroy was drastically changing. A shift in what was normal to a move to something extraordinary – at least in this area – two high schools.
One year later, the community is bustling with football fever as the Mustangs and Cougars are opening their 2010–11 campaigns on the same night. Mustangs blue, Cougars black and teal – the colors will paint sections of the town. It is a momentous occasion for Gilroy. No matter which side of the fence you are on – yes there is a fence, like it or not – it’s a night to be remembered. Which game will you choose?
CHS welcomes Sobrato, a team that went through a similar process in 2004 – it’s first season as a varsity program.
The Bulldogs are coming off of their best effort to date in 2009 – an 8–3 mark and a trip to the playoffs.
Interestingly enough, the game will feature just five seniors, obviously all on the Sobrato sideline.
Two young teams located in two cities “down the road” from one another on a night when one squad is launching into its varsity–level endeavor. I can sense the excitement you are feeling right now as you read this.
Sobrato is going to run the ball out of it’s wing–T offense and the Cougars feel like the defense will be their strength. That sounds like two trains heading in the wrong direction on the same track. The collision will be difficult to ignore. Dillon Babb, Travis Franco and company on the Cougars’ defense have been anxious to hit somebody. They will have their chance once the whistle blows.
As one Gilroy/Morgan Hill matchup ensues on Garcia-Elder Sports Complex, another is being acted out at Richert Field.
The Mustangs and the Live Oak Acorns continue their storied matchup, kicking off the season head to head for the second year in a row. How can you go wrong with a classic?
Both qualified for the playoffs a year ago, but that’s it, each ending the season with records below .500. Players on both sides want more and are confident they will get what they want. Tonight is the night to make their opening statements.
The Mustangs want to utilize their team speed to key their up-tempo-style of offense. Make your trip to the snack shack as abbreviated as possible, there’s no telling yet how quick this offense can strike. The Acorns’ defense, which returns five starters, coined themselves the “Wolfpack.” Whether they can stalk then hound the Mustangs’ ball carriers is a major factor in this one.
All four teams want the ‘W’ This community wouldn’t mind going 2-0 on the night. Enjoy yourselves out there. And hey, if you aren’t partial to any of the four teams and just want to see some quality South Valley football, the GHS/Live Oak game starts at 7 p.m. and the CHS/Sobrato encounter begins at 7:30.
Why not hit up both for a bit?
