Despite injuries, Gilroy’s defensive line has been surprisingly
effective
Some had not played defense going into this season. Some had not played defense as of a few games ago.
Because of injury, some are not playing defense now.
Through injuries and position changes, though, one thing has remained constant about Gilroy’s cobbled-together defensive line: the unit just keeps getting better and better.
“They’ve steadily improved throughout the season,” head coach Darren Yafai said. “When we started, our D-line had potential but they were very raw and inconsistent.”
Not any more.
By halftime of Friday’s 41-0 win at North Salinas, the D-linemen had already plowed through the Viking front for five sacks.
This coming from a unit that’s been decimated by injury, including the recent absence of a pair of mainstays, end Bobby Best and nose tackle Marcus Munoz.
“We’ve taken some losses,” Yafai said. “So it’s been a collective effort.”
All four regular starters – Best and Munoz, along with end Kevin Collins and tackle Rico Loza – have missed at least one game due to injury.
“That’s just part of the game,” defensive coordinator Greg Garcia said. “But we’ve been fortunate to have a bunch of players step in.”
Three of those players – John Torres and two of Friday’s starters, Andrew Ojeda and Armando Franco – have been plucked from the offensive line.
Among the others is a sophomore with little varsity experience, Travis Garman, and a 185-pound senior cornerback, Titus Karvon.
Playing at end and even nose tackle, Karvon is amazingly among the team leaders in sacks (six), right alongside Collins, Best and Loza.
“As long as we’re getting the job done,” Collins said, “it doesn’t matter who’s lining up where.”
It’s not as if any Mustangs has been entrenched on the line, after all.
Heading into the season, only Munoz – a spot starter in 2003 – had any meaningful varsity experience on the defensive line.
Best started at center last year, and Collins started at offensive tackle, while playing just a few snaps on the defensive line.
And, Franco backed up at offensive tackle.
Even with their defensive responsibilities this season, Best and Franco (now a guard) start nearly every down on offense.
“At the beginning of the season, I was more nervous than exhausted,” Best said. “But as the games go by, you just get used to it.”
Added Yafai: “The techniques are definitely different (on each side of the ball), but the thing these guys have going for them is they have plenty of experience in the trenches.”
As a unit, the 2004 group is much stronger – in the weightroom and against the run – than their predecessors, Yafai said.
But as the 7-1 Mustangs head into their final two games before the playoffs, he noted the D-line is still “like a puzzle.”
“As we go down the homestretch, it’s a big challenge because we’re trying to piece this thing together,” he said. “We’re asking a lot of kids to step up and make great contributions.”
So far, so good, according to Garcia.
“I’ve been very pleased,” he said. “To be honest, at first I thought they might be the weak link of the defense.
“But the kids have really stepped up and surprised me.”
JV/Frosh update:
Like the varsity football team, the JV and freshmen squads at Gilroy continue to roll right along.
The junior varsity ‘Stangs moved to 7-1 (2-1 TCAL) with a 25-15 win at North Salinas Friday.
Tailback JoJo Gutierrez rumbled 80 yards to the end zone on the game’s second play and GHS never looked back.
Z-back Paul Gonzalez caught a touchdown and ran in a score, while quarterback Matt Hemeon also snuck in for six points.
Meanwhile, the freshmen team looked sluggish early on, but still moved to 6-1-1 (2-1 TCAL) with an 18-6 victory over the Vikings.
Tailback Travis Reyes (two TDs) and Stephen Gutierrez (one TD) produced the points, while outsidel linebacker Ethan Ogle added an interception.
