Subia, Giacalone are tough defenders
Gilroy – Small but mighty!
If you don’t believe that of Gilroy High senior defensive backs Frank Subia and Vince Giacalone, ask burly Alisal back Anthony Mose. A well-timed clean hit by the 5-6, 160-pound Giacalone sent Mose, at least 60 pounds larger, to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder.
But Subia and Giacalone are more than hard hitters and excellent coverage players. They are the traffic cops of the Mustangs’ defense, the players who call defensive signals. They also lead the team in tackles.
“They play both the pass and run well,” coach Rich Hammond said. “That’s not always true with safeties. They are really good at reading both run and pass. They are the heart and soul of our defense.”
Teams have not passed that well against GHS this season, but Subia, Giacalone and Co. face their stiffest test this season when the Mustangs face the Tri-County Athletic League’s top passing offense.
Brian Reader, the TCAL’s top quarterback completing 70 percent of his passes, has the league’s three leading receivers in Brett Taylor, Andrew Reyes and Kyle Harrigan with 63 completions between them.
“We’ll be using a lot of nickel (defense) this week,” said Subia, a 5-10, 150-pounder. “I’m excited about the challenge. We faced a lot of this (passing) in practice. I feel confident going into this game.”
Giacalone says the team isn’t hiding from last week’s collapse against Alisal. He expects the teams to bounce back.
“Everyone knows what happened already,” Giacalone said. “If we play like we did in the first half, we’ve got a great chance of winning. We need to focus and play hard. Hopefully everyone will be together on this.”
“We still think about the loss,” Subia said, “but we have nothing to lose in this game. Everyone expects us to lose. We have everything to gain.”
As alike as they are in skill level, Subia and Giacalone are opposites on the field. While both play hard and fearless, Subia is more mellow and quiet, the player you would least expect to get too excited on the field. Giacalone, meanwhile, is demonstrative, constantly yelling and screaming to keep teammates pumped up. He gets excited after big defensive hits.
“I’ve been playing since third grade,” Giacalone said. “I’m lucky I have the ability to know how to tackle. I know how important it is for me in the weight room. If I didn’t work out, I’d weigh 140 pounds.
“At the end of games, my bones hurt. You take a beating every time you’re hit. But I love to play and hope to continue playing next year (in college).”
This is another area where the two differ. Subia began playing in seventh grade, sat out three season for personal reasons, and is playing varsity ball for the second year.
“It was bad for me during games when i wasn’t on the field,” said Subia, who also returns punts. “I missed the game so I returned.”
Despite limited experience, Subia is a student of the game. And he believes in his teammates.
“Instinct is part of it,” he said of his ability to be at the right place at the right time. “You have to watch plays develop and react to what’s going on. Even if they make the catch, you’ve got to be there to make the hit to keep them from gaining yardage.”
Against Palma, keeping the big guns in check is essential if the Mustangs are going to have to chance to win.
