Gilroy High football pulls off first win ever against perenially
power Palma
The Gilroy High football players made themselves heard loud and clear Friday night at the Salinas Sports Complex.
And they made a little history while they were at it.
The game that started with a clear statement – Gilroy marched 80 yards for a touchdown against perenially power Palma – ended with an even clearer one:
Gilroy 29, Palma 22.
For the first time in program history, the Mustangs celebrated a victory over the Chieftains.
“Definitely one of the biggest wins in Gilroy football history,” head coach Darren Yafai said to his team afterward. “People will be talking about this one for a long time.”
They’ll be talking about GHS tailback Justin Sweeney for awhile, too. All he did was rush for 301 yards on 33 carries and contribute three touchdowns – this against a defense that gave up just seven points in a early-season tie versus nationally-ranked De Le Salle.
“What can you say about that guy?” Gilroy quarterback Peter Mickartz said. “Just incredible.”
From the start, it was clear the Mustangs weren’t planning on bowing down to the Chieftains, defending CCS Division I champions.
After a pair of opening-drive passes from Mickartz to Jorden Newten, Sweeney broke loose for a 59-yard touchdown run. Then, in a play the ‘Stangs designed while watching Palma film, Mickartz the holder rolled out and threw a 2-point conversion to Jared Kaczorowski.
“It was huge,” Mickartz said of the opening statement. “We needed that kind of start.”
Turns out that was just the beginning.
Palma responded with a touchdown and a two-point conversion of their own, but the Mustangs responded right back – albeit with three points, not six.
After Sweeney runs of 38 and 30, the Mustangs settled for a 20-yard field goal from Neil Martin. And after a Palma three-and-out, Gilroy again stalled inside the 10 – taking a 14-8 lead with Martin’s 19-yard field goal.
Only when Palma took the lead early in the second quarter – running back Brendan Bartley somehow juked-and-jived his way to a 29-yard touchdown – did Gilroy come alive in the red zone.
Another long gainer by Sweeney – this one for 38 yards – was followed up a few plays later with a Sweeney four-yard touchdown run, which was followed up by a Sweeney two-point conversion on a shuttle pass from Mickartz.
“I think we shocked them,” Sweeney said. “I don’t think they took us seriously in the first half.”
TCAL’s leading rusher – the aforementioned Sweeney – racked up 211 yards in the first half alone.
“When we hand it to No. 1, good things happen,” GHS offensive coordinator Tim Pierleoni said. “I can’t say enough about what he means to this team. We put it on him and he got it done.”
So did the defense. The Mustangs put constant pressure on the duel-threat quarterback Chad Bozzo, who was forced to throw an incompletion on fourth down late in the first half, preserving a 22-15 Gilroy halftime lead.
“I don’t think they knew what hit them,” GHS defensive back Shea Lemos said. “We showed them this isn’t the normal Gilroy.”
In the second half, the Mustangs came out of the lockerroom as quick as they did at the start the game. The defense forced a three-and-out, Sweeney returned the punt to the Palma 45 and nine plays later Mickartz found Sweeney for a 10-yard touchdown pass with six minutes left in the third.
It was the last points the Mustangs would score. The defense did the rest.
Palma did pull within seven to start the fourth quarter after taking advantage of a tipped interception. And even though Martin missed a 37-yard field goal with less than six minutes remaining, the Mustangs did chew up 60 yards and more than five minutes of the clock.
Then, with the Chieftains at the Gilroy 26 and driving for the game-tying score, Gilroy linebacker Joe Cano punched the ball away from Bozzo. The highly acclaimed quarterback recovered it briefly, but lost it again when GHS senior linebacker Jared Gamm bounced on the ball at the Mustang 44 with just over three minutes left.
Mickartz connected 32 yards to Newten on a crucial third down. Sweeney gutted out 11 yards for a crucial first down.
And then Mickartz took a knee. And history was made.
Players ran around the field. Coaches hugged. Tears flowed.
Senior offensive lineman John Torres was one of many who let his emotions flow down his cheeks.
“I can’t even describe it,” he said as he ran to join the celebration ensuing in front of the Gilroy fans. “We’ve worked all through high school and never beaten this team.
“But we believed all along.”
Coming off a heart-wrenching, 7-6 loss against San Benito, it didn’t seem anyone around town believed the Mustangs could pull off the stunner in Salinas.
“The players and the staff,” Yafai said, “were truly the only ones who thought we could get it done.”
They thought right.
“This feels great,” said Lemos in between hugs. “The whole team is going to go down in history. Any time people think of Gilroy football they’re going to think of this team.”
And for all those involved in Gilroy football in the present day, it’s a night that won’t be soon forgotten.
“We just beat Palma,” said Yafai, still squarely placed on Cloud 9 even 30 minutes after the final play. “In my 15 years of coaching, this is far and away the best I’ve ever felt after a game.”
He had plenty of company – no doubt about it.
“This is the greatest feeling I’ve ever had,” senior defensive end Kevin Collins said after the game.
Greatest feeling on a football field?
“Greatest feeling ever,” he replied. “Anywhere.”
It was simply that kind of night.
