Soares selected to First-Team; Gonzales, Alba also
recognized
The scene after every Gilroy High football game this season framed senior Eric Vegas receiving kudos from the opposing coaches.
The midfield meetings weren’t the run-of-the-mill pat on the back for a job well done, but rather sincere compliments.
Vegas, listed at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, made it his No. 1 priority to dish out the punishment on offense and defense for a Mustangs team that struggled to find the win column in 2010.
The linebacker/fullback, with his deceptive quickness and weapon-like shoulders, lowered the boom more often than not. His reputation preceded him, and his mere presence on the field made him a target, whether it happened to be defenders aiming for his legs or offenses running plays away from him.
Vegas’ effort throughout the season earned him Tri-County Athletic League First-Team selections on both sides of the ball, a feat rarely accomplished at GHS.
Vegas led the Mustangs with 324 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 52 carries. And as GHS searched for an identity on offense, Vegas remained a key piece, taking snaps in the Wildcat formation or swing passes in the flat that usually resulted in massive collisions.
For the second straight season junior Jourdan Soares earned TCAL First-Team honors.
Limited for much of the early portion of the season with a broken hand, Soares, who was First-team all defense in 2009, slowly acclimated to the offense.
Seeing more and more time at wide out, Soares became a prime target for quarterback Niko Fortino – a tandem that will be seniors next year – and hauled in eight receiving touchdowns in the final five games of the year.
The agile and speedy receiver also returned a kick 95 yards in the Severance Bowl against Christopher High in the season finale.
Soares averages about 22 yards per catch and racked up 661 yards despite missing four games.
Senior Cordero Gonzales also garnered league honors, rewarded with a Second-Team offense
selection.
Though his certificate will say offense, Gonzales played nearly every snap on the offensive and defensive lines for the Mustangs while serving as team captain.
Wide receiver Ryan Alba was chosen for the Richard Chamberlin Sportsmanship Award, given to one player from each team in the league.
