Gilroy will have no second chances going forward.
It’s win or stay home, as the Gilroy Mustangs host the Serra
Padres tonight at 7 p.m. at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
GILROY – Gilroy will have no second chances going forward.
It’s win or stay home, as the Gilroy Mustangs host the Serra Padres tonight at 7 p.m. at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
Awarded a home game to begin the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs, the Mustangs face a familiar foe of season’s past. The Padres have handed Gilroy two lopsided preseason defeats in as many years, in games that were almost out of reach at halftime and full-scale blowouts by the time the fourth quarter rolled around.
Despite owning victories over Gilroy of 52-31 and 40-14 in 2007 and 2006, respectively, Serra coach Patrick Walsh doesn’t think that will play into tonight’s contest.
“I don’t think it gives any indication” of what will happen, Walsh said, noting that even this year his team has changed dramatically over the course of the schedule due to subtraction by injuries and a boost in morale and team camaraderie with wins.
Gilroy coach Rich Hammond is counting on his players having a carryover effect from last week, hoping they can summon the same effort they showed in a 47-0 win over Hollister. Many GHS players thought it would be their last home game of the season.
“These seniors know (for sure) it’s their last game on this field so they need to play with a lot of fire,” Hammond said.
The opponent the Mustangs see across the line of scrimmage tonight, however, will be no pushover.
Serra, like Gilroy, is a co-league champion. Forced to split the West Catholic Athletic League crown with Bellarmine, the Padres (7-3) combine a balanced attack on offense with heady defensive play and a very special group on special teams.
Fullback Jared Braun (929 yards, 14 touchdowns), halfback Adons Smith (492 yards, 6 TDs) and quarterback Cody Jackson (723 yards, 10 TDs) make up the three-headed triple-option monster that Serra employs. Jackson also has the ability to beat teams with his arm, completing just under 60 percent of his passes for 1,014 yards and 9 touchdowns to 4 interceptions.
“He’s been better at passing this year than last year,” Hammond said. “And he’s an explosive player in the run game.”
In last year’s meeting, Jackson ripped Gilroy for four rushing touchdowns.
“If this makes sense, like anything else you gotta take something away,” Hammond said. “For us it’s going to be about how well we stop the fullback and then everything else.”
Serra has its worries about stopping the other team’s offense, specifically a quarterback.
“I love Jamie Jensen,” Walsh said. “If I didn’t have such a close relationship with Cody Jackson, I would want for him to be on our team.”
In 10 games, Jensen finished just short of 2,900 yards passing while tossing 27 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He completed 64 percent of his passes in helping to lead Gilroy (9-1) to a share of the Tri-County Athletic League title with Palma and North Salinas.
Receiver Dante Fullard (70 catches, 1,200 yards and 14 TDs) and a cast of other athletes at the receiver positions has kept Serra’s coaching staff scrambling in preparation this week.
“It’s really tested us as a staff,” Walsh said. “We’re looking forward to the challenge … but we know that Jensen and crew will have some success.”
On defense, Serra is expected to use three linemen and a mix of linebackers and defensive backs in coverage. Junior safety Matt Vinal will have plenty of responsibility directing the Padres.
“My take on him is he seems to be a highly intelligent player,” Hammond said.
“I think Serra does an exceptional job with giving you a lot of different looks,” Gilroy’s coach added, saying in last season’s game the Padres showed more than 30 combinations of coverage and pass-rushing.
What Hammond sees as a possible weakness, though, is the fact that Serra has used six different starting cornerbacks in the six films he’s been studying.
One phase of the game that doesn’t always get a lot of attention but could decide the game is special teams.
Padres kicker/punter Greg Guttas puts “98 percent” of his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbakcs, Walsh said. He also has the leg to nail field goals up to 50 yards.
Gilroy’s Anthony Velasquez can also boot kickoffs deep, while Uvan Lopez handles extra points and field goals.
In the return game, Serra will rely on DonAndre Clark, who has speed on the level of GHS fullback Peter Guenhter, who made it to state as a sprinter last season in track.
“He’s incredibly fast,” Hammond said. “I’ve seen him take at least two punt returns back for touchdowns.”
Gilroy’s Richie Sotelo is equally explosive, as he had a punt return for a touchdown last week and also has taken two kickoffs back for touchdowns.
With no more mulligans available, tonight’s game will likely be decided on who makes less mistakes.
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Tickets to tonight’s game are available for pre-sale at the Student Services Center on campus.
Correction: It was incorrectly reported in an earlier version of this article that Serra was co-league champions with Bellarmine and Valley Christian.
