Win a squeaker over a power program and people will give you a
pat on the back. Win a blowout over a power program and people will
give you respect.
Win a squeaker over a power program and people will give you a pat on the back. Win a blowout over a power program and people will give you respect.
After a 35-14 victory over the visiting Palma Chieftains on Homecoming Friday, one thing can be said about this year’s edition of Gilroy High varsity football: The Mustangs are for real.
A 1-yard sneak by Dante Fullard gave Gilroy a 7-0 lead with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter before Palma answered back with a 68-yard touchdown run by Nate Ramirez (17 carries, 141 yards) less than 30 seconds later.
The next three quarters, however, belonged to the boys in blue.
Travis Reyes ran for a 1-yard touchdown (nine carries, 60 yards), Fullard caught a 9-yard score (five catches, 52 yards) and Danny Contreras (eight catches, 135 yards) caught a 3-yard “mini curl” before turning the play into a 70-yard touchdown, allowing Gilroy to post 21 unanswered points and hold a 28-7 advantage in the fourth quarter. By the time the Chieftains scored for the second time, an 8-yard touchdown reception by John Bonano (nine catches, 80 yards), only four minutes remained in the game.
As it turned out though, that was plenty of time for the Mustangs to recover an onside kick and gallop down the field in eight plays, culminating in Reyes’ second score of the contest, a 4-yard carry for his 14th touchdown of the year.
“In terms of how well the kids played and the reward for them – because we went and played two rock ’em, sock ’em games early and I think they made us better for tonight – for our kids to get a reward for that I think was tremendous,” GHS Coach Rich Hammond said. “I think this helps them believe if we play like this, who knows what we can do or how far we can go.”
Referring to the team’s two defeats to Oak Grove and Serra earlier in the season, Friday’s win helped Hammond’s squad make a statement to the rest of the Tri-County Athletic League if not the entire Central Coast Section.
Gilroy improved to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the TCAL, taking over sole possession of first place in the league. Palma dropped to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the TCAL, losing their first league game since 2005.
“It’s indescribable,” quarterback Jamie Jensen said. “We came out with a big win and it was obvious too. The defense played really well, the offense put up points. We just clicked on all cylinders.”
Jensen was excellent in taking what the defense offered and hitting the open receiver. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 247 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
What may have been most impressive in the Mustangs’ mauling of the TCAL champs of the last four years was the constant pressure Palma’s David Fales (20-31, 155 yards, 1 TD) was under. Five different defenders for Gilroy helped sack the quarterback and seven different players recorded a tackle for a loss of yards.
Senior Stephen Guiterrez, who switched positions earlier in the year from fullback to defensive end, had two sacks and a fumble recovery.
“It felt freaking good man,” Guiterrez said. “I worked hard and stuff like that. I feel so good inside. I just got it in my head that I was gonna give it my all. That was the biggest game of my life right here.”
The same could be said for several players.
“I think we just played out first complete game of the year,” Hammond said. “I would give the thing an A, A-plus. That’s one of the premiere teams in the section. For us to come out and play the way we did is incredible, amazing and a credit to the kids.”
