Because this is the first day to analyze Saturday’s game between
Gilroy and Serra in print, this week’s column will focus strictly
on the game.
Calling It as I See It
Because this is the first day to analyze Saturday’s game between Gilroy and Serra in print, this week’s column will focus strictly on the game.
A Green Phone submission on Saturday suggested there are no moral victories in football. GP disagreed, citing that positive lessons can be learned from a close, tough loss, in all sports.
Well, Saturday’s 52-31 loss at Serra was absolutely not a moral victory. Gilroy may have walked away with some positives from the second half, but in reality it got pushed around from the opening whistle. It was an old-fashioned butt-kicking, with some sloppy Serra turnovers and late GHS touchdowns skewing the scoreboard.
The recipe for a 35-13 halftime deficit involved Gilroy providing a dash of defiance and a touch of fool’s luck, while Serra poured in a can of whoop-ass. Aside from a few key plays made by the Mustangs, the Padres absolutely dominated every facet of the game.
Serra’s offensive line blew Gilroy’s defense off the ball consistently (the team amassed a school record of over 500 yards rushing). The Padres running backs ran through arm tackles with ease. Mustang quarterback Jamie Jensen took a hit on one out of every three plays. And talk about special teams dominance.
Serra’s De’Leon Eskridge had over 100 yards as a rusher and return man – including an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown; the team’s kicker booted a 31-yard field goal to go with five touchbacks on kickoffs, and most telling of all, the Padres didn’t punt to Gilroy once. They were forced to ponder the option on only one fourth down, which came with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter.
Sounds like someone got to live the high life of The Backup Punter for a day.
It’s worth noting the contest lasted three never-ending hours because of all the touchdowns and penalties and timeouts taken in the final minutes.
Both teams’ coaches dragged out the game. Gilroy’s goal was to have some positive points (figuratively and literally) to walk away with, while also fulfilling their duty not to give up. Serra’s goal was to show this wasn’t a close game if you only read the score and didn’t know the facts. If only the energy shown by GHS players and coaches during the final quarter and a half had been present directly after the National Anthem, then there might have been a contest.
It was the third game in a row, in the third game of the season that Gilroy has gotten off to sluggish start. Maybe this team wakes up better under the bright Friday night lights. But as coach Rich Hammond pointed out after Saturday’s game to his team, kneeling in front of him in the end zone, all Central Coast Section contests will be played on Saturdays. For a Mustangs squad playing the second ranked school in CCS, it was as clear as day that this team still has miles to go when it comes to consistency. Flashes might get Gilroy into the first or second round of the playoffs, but it’s unlikely that in the process the team would tack-on a TCAL title to its resume.
Palma, right now, has a better chance at that goal.
Other things worth
pointing out:
n Jamie Jensen showed moxie by taking six sacks and getting battered after most passes, but still getting up after each play. He could have gotten rid of the ball sooner at times, but considering the pass rush he was facing and blitzes coming from every direction, Jensen can’t take much of the blame. His efforts helped him set a school record with 466 yards passing, to go with three touchdowns through the air and one on the ground.
Jensen also did a pretty good job of delivering the ball while rolling out of the pocket. His only big mistake came on an interception on the goal line with 5:21 left in the third quarter, trailing 45-13.
Entering the season completely unproven, Jensen is now becoming a savvy, system quarterback. And the system seems to be working pretty well in quarters two through four.
EXTRA NOTE: According to high school beat writer Dave Kiefer of the San Jose Mercury News, Jensen was only 16 yards shy of tying the CCS record of 482, set by Jeremy Jordan of Los Altos in 1990. Coincidentally, Jordan’s team also lost by 21 points, only to Cupertino, 55-34
n The defense has once again been blown out by another team’s ground game. While one count had Serra totaling 484 yards, we had 509. Either way, it’s obvious that the Mustangs are getting no push up the interior. Worse, the team is also weak when it comes to stopping runners from turning the corner on the outside. This means hardly anyone is getting off their blocks.
n What a difference a healthy Marshad Johnson can make. After being limited with a groin pull in the first two games, the 6-5 ball-hawk skied for several passes over the middle, finishing with eight catches for 159 yards and a touchdown.
Gilroy recovered an onside kick and trailed 52-25 in the fourth quarter when Johnson made an incredible catch that no one else on the roster is capable of. It was a good 10-12 feet high in the air (think of the top of the box on a backboard for basketball).
From now on, Johnson should be given at least ten touches a game, especially when in the red zone. A simple isolation play for a jump ball would be a slam dunk – I mean – easy six.
n The refs were absolutely ridiculous on Saturday. Both teams were frustrated with what seemed like a group of half-interested, half-wits. The crew combined to call 25 penalties, 12 on Serra in the second half alone. Coaching staffs on each side of the field could be heard screaming in the final minute while the scoreboard showed a 30-point differential.
