For the second straight week, the Gilroy High football game was
all but over after the first quarter.
And for the second straight week, the Mustangs were the ones
closing the door early.
For the second straight week, the Gilroy High football game was all but over after the first quarter.
And for the second straight week, the Mustangs were the ones closing the door early.
This time a 21-point opening act led to a run-away 35-13 win at Watsonville Friday night.
“We’ve emphasized getting after it,” GHS head coach Darren Yafai said, “starting strong … setting the tone.”
They certainly set the tone against the Wildcatz.
Like when Gilroy took a 35-0, first-quarter lead at Gunn last Saturday, the Mustang offense and defense again took turns dominating the opponent.
How did the first three series play out for both teams?
First, the Wildcatz were held to three-and-out. And then the Mustangs drove 57 yards and scored on a 11-yard touchdown run by tailback Justin Sweeney.
Then the Wildcatz were held to three-and-out. And the Mustangs drove 68 yards and scored on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Peter Mickartz to wideout Jorden Newton.
The Wildcatz (0-3) followed that up with another three-and-out. And the Mustangs drove 63 yards and scored on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Mickartz to tight end Jared Gamm.
“The D came out hitting hard and we came out executing early,” Mickartz said. “If you can do that, a lot of times the other team’s morale will do down quickly.”
If Watsonville’s morale wasn’t squashed in the first quarter, that was taken care of during the Mustangs’ first drive of the second half.
“We didn’t want to let them hang around,” Mickartz said. “So the offense decided we were going to pound them like we did at the start of the first half.”
So already up 21-0, Gilroy methodically marched 72 yards in under three minutes. Mickartz, who finished the game 7-of-9 passing for 116 yards, capped off the drive with a 20-yard touchdown strike to Z-back Louie Guttierez.
“Watsonville almost came back against Salinas last week,” Yafai said of the Wildcatz’ 19-13 loss. “So we told the guys at the half that it was a 0-0 game.
“We told them to remove any possibility of them regaining some confidence.”
That confidence never came.
The Wildcatz, who have advanced to the CCS playoffs the last two seasons, added a pair of meaningless fourth-quarter scores, but were thwarted earlier in the half by interceptions from Gilroy defensive backs Shea Lemos and Sean Velasques.
Velasques, who snared an INT for the second straight week, returned his 67 yards before being caught at the Watsonville 7-yard line.
“I saw the guy behind me, but I thought I could get there,” the junior free safety said. “I should’ve dove.”
No worries. A few plays later, Mickartz and Gamm connected for the second time to give Gilroy a 35-0 lead.
“I think we spread it out great,” Yafai said. “And Peter threw the ball really well.”
And that Sweeney guy wasn’t bad, either. Despite sitting out much of the second half for the second straight blowout, the area’s leading rusher ended up with 157 yards on 19 carries.
But clearly the wealth was spread all around against the Wildcatz – both offensively and defensively.
“The whole team pitched in,” Lemos said. “It was just one big team effort.”
That team effort has the Mustangs sitting at 3-0 heading into next week’s home game against San Lorenzo Valley.
“I think a lot of people are starting to turn their heads,” Lemos said of his team’s impressive start.
“I think they’re starting to think about Gilroy a little bit.”
