SALINAS – A 61-yard touchdown bomb from quarterback Nick Marra
to Nico Sandoval late in the fourth quarter breathed new life into
the Gilroy High football team, sending a shock wave of energy up
and down the sideline, but a disastrous first half could not be
erased as the Mustangs were corralled by the Salinas Cowboys 42-28
in Tri-County Athletic League action Friday night in Salinas.
SALINAS – A 61-yard touchdown bomb from quarterback Nick Marra to Nico Sandoval late in the fourth quarter breathed new life into the Gilroy High football team, sending a shock wave of energy up and down the sideline, but a disastrous first half could not be erased as the Mustangs were corralled by the Salinas Cowboys 42-28 in Tri-County Athletic League action Friday night in Salinas.
The Mustangs’ (2-4, 1-1) chronic slow starts this season have impeded their ability to fully execute their offensive attack – and the storyline has become a broken record. But something clicked in the fourth quarter – on both sides of the ball – and the needle found the groove, spinning the Mustangs in the right direction heading into their bye week.
Gilroy shut out Salinas 21-0 in the final quarter, with the defense forcing a fumble and the offense scoring through the air and on the ground.
“Even when we began the third quarter it was still slow building,” head coach Greg Garcia said. “That switch that turns on later on in the game is something they have to come out with. You have to have confidence going in. When things don’t go your way, there is no folding.”
Down 42-7, Marra connected with Bryan Sanchez for a 42-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Sanchez used his speed to get behind the safeties and Marra hit him in stride as the senior receiver coasted untouched into the end zone.
“With Nick, his switch clicked,” Garcia said. “He had a monster inside of him today.”
On the Cowboys’ ensuing drive running back Josh Estassi fumbled and senior defensive tackle Eddie Tapia pounced on the loose ball.
Mixing up some effective running plays with short passes, the Mustangs took advantage of the turnover and put together a balanced eight-play, 66-yard scoring drive capped by a four-yard Jordan Holler rushing touchdown to make it 42-21 with six minutes left in the game, one play after he dashed up the right sideline for a 24-yard gain.
As a team, the Mustangs rushed for 109 yards – their best output of the season – Holler leading the way with 53 yards on nine carries.
Marra and Sandoval scorched the Cowboys on the Mustangs next possession to pull them within two scores, 42-28, but time was the enemy at that point.
“I saw the corner bite on the post so we threw the wheel behind him,” Marra said. “It was there all game, I just couldn’t hit it. Finally, we hit it.
“We finally got a running game going, that brought everybody up and we were able to get some passes up top.”
Sandoval, who also had an interception late in the second quarter, was the Mustangs’ biggest offensive threat, catching nine balls for 109 yards and two touchdowns, the first of which knotted things up at 7-7 midway through the opening period.
“Nico had the heart of a lion,” Garcia said. “He was the leader in the locker room. He lit up the team. When he came out here I saw the fire in his eyes. He was a football player with emotion.”
However, the tie game did not last long as the Cowboys (3-3, 1-1) proceeded to score on their next four possessions heading into the break.
The Mustangs held one of the TCAL’s top rushers, junior Alvin Jelks to under 100 yards rushing (99 yards on 18 carries), but couldn’t contain him in the red zone. Jelks scored three times in the first half to help his team leap out to a 35-7 halftime advantage.
“It’s emotion, we come out with no emotion,” Marra said. “We just have to attack.”
Marra hit 11-of-21 for 209 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
The Mustangs have next Friday off, before taking on Alisal in two weeks.
“Bye weeks are horrible,” Garcia said. “I want to focus on football and make sure we take care of business and we fix things for our future.”
