Gilroy's goalie Alberto Reyes reacts after Bellarmine scored its

In much-anticipated rematch of CCS championship against
Bellarmine, Gilroy falls 3-0
Constructive criticism is quickly turning into real concern for the coaching staff of Gilroy’s boys soccer team.

Facing Bellarmine Prep at Garcia-Elder Sports Complex Friday night – a preseason rematch of last year’s Central Coast Section Championship, in which Gilroy won 2-0 – the Mustangs came out flat from the start and ended up getting flattened in the end 3-0.

“They outclassed us,” GHS co-head coach Brian Hall said. “They’re a much better team than we are right now. In a game like this, you can’t make mistakes.”

Mistakes were aplenty as the Bells all but sealed the match eight minutes into the second half when Michael Minutillo blasted a ball off the bounce with his right foot into the far top corner of the net. Cutting in between two defenders on a set give-and-go play from the left side of the box, Minutillo’s goal provided the final point of the game.

Gilroy, in contrast, had only two shots on target for 80-plus minutes of action.

The Mustangs’ best chance to score came with just six minutes left in the contest, when Adolfo Aldana drew a foul in the box. Jose Armando Hernandez took the ensuing penalty kick but the strike was sniffed out by Bellarmine’s keeper, who made a diving save to his right to preserve the shutout.

The only other shot by Gilroy to come close was a first-half header by Ricardo Enriquez, set up by a Bruce Ocana cross. The attempt ricocheted off the left post, though, leaving the Mustangs in a 2-0 hole going into intermission.

Gilroy gave up the two earlier goals in the opening 15 minutes of the match.

The first came in the 12th minute when Eric Masch struck a crisp free kick from 30 yards out past Gilroy keeper Alberto Reyes.

The second goal of the game was a header deposited into the net by Luis Guzman, who won the ball in the air on a corner kick. The corner and eventual goal was set up by a foul in Gilroy’s half of the field.

Bellarmine head coach Patrick Lowney said his team was playing exceptional for only its second game of the year.

“We’re playing great,” Lowney said. “We feel like if we play well, the results will come.”

The results on the season now have Bellarmine at 2-0 and Gilroy at 4-2.

Mustangs defenseman Jorge Montano thought his team fought hard, but was worn down by the size of its opponents, resulting in mental mistakes.

“They were really tall and I think we did a pretty good job winning the second ball because they won the first balls,” Montano said. “Their speed wore us down a little and stupid fouls set up shots.”

What was supposed to be an electric 80 minutes of soccer, pitting last year’s section finalists against one another, turned into a mismatch despite both teams returning the majority of their starters. Coach Hall said little was different from a year ago as far as talent on the field. It’s the timing and chemistry that is missing for Gilroy.

“They were bigger, stronger and faster, just like last year,” Hall said. “But last year, we developed a rhythm to our game, and we haven’t been able to do that this year.”

GHS co-head coach Armando Padilla agreed with Hall, but also noted that Bellarmine’s physical abilities caused many of the Mustangs’ mistakes.

“They have three things going – they’re physical, fast and have a little bit of skill,” Padilla said. “When you’re that fast and skilled you’re going to draw fouls.

“I’m sure there was a revenge factor there, but they just outplayed us,” he added. “We gotta find a way to get back.”

Gilroy will resume play at 6 p.m. Tuesday when the team hosts Alvarez.

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