If the Mustangs are going to have any chance of being on the
right side of the scoreboard against Junipero Serra High School
this Saturday, the team will need to once again slow one of the
best running backs in the Central Coast Section.
Gilroy – If the Mustangs are going to have any chance of being on the right side of the scoreboard against Junipero Serra High School this Saturday, the team will need to once again slow one of the best running backs in the Central Coast Section.
Last season, Gilroy gave up more than 20 yards per carry to Serra’s De’Leon Eskridge in a 40-14 loss at home. He finished the game with 213 yards and three touchdowns en route to becoming the West Catholic Athletic League Running Back of the Year, totaling 1,628 yards on the season and 28 TDs.
“He kind of reminds me of Eric Dickerson,” GHS coach Rich Hammond said. “He’s kind of a force-field runner, doesn’t juke but people just bounce right off him.”
Last week, Gilroy faced the best runner in the section, Nevin Gardiner from Oak Grove, giving up 213 yards and three touchdowns.
With Eskridge leading the way, Serra (2-1) finished 2006 with a 9-3 record and a semifinal loss to the Oak Grove Eagles (a team that beat Gilroy last week 27-21) in the CCS Open School Division.
According to Serra coach Patrick Walsh, the Mustangs (1-1) should expect to see Eskridge on both sides of the ball.
“He’s a great player. He’s got a lot of speed. He’s kind of the spiritual leader of our offense,” Walsh said. “He’s a good kid and he’s also a heck of a football player. He’s also playing defense for us this year, safety and corner.”
With scholarship offers from Utah, San Diego State and San Jose State, Eskridge is one of several Serra players who will be suiting up for Division I programs in the coming years. Outside linebacker J.P. Hurrell is only a junior but has already received a full scholarship offer to Cal.
“J.P., he plays some offense too, but he plays so hard on defense he almost wears himself out,” Walsh said. “He’d be one of our better running backs, and we’re trying to work him into that role. But he’s really an electric player. He’s always flying to the ball.”
With a double-wing offense, Serra will look to pound the ball up the gut, as well get the Mustangs off balance with some misdirections.
After facing one of the top teams in the section last week in Oak Grove, coach Hammond described this Saturday’s game as an equally challenging, but somewhat different test for Gilroy.
“It’s a great measuring stick for us again,” he said. “It’s like comparing filet mignon to a really good T-bone. It’s just a matter of preference (as to who is better).”
Serra’s coach was equally flattering when assessing the difference between the Mustangs of 2006 and this season.
“Oh man, the improvement that coach Hammond has made in one year is remarkable,” Walsh said. “In selling his kids last year and laying the foundation, I’m really impressed with what he’s done with that program. And obviously that offense is nothing like it was last year.”
Walsh also noted that after seeing Gilroy go at it with Oak Grove last week, his team will need to be at the top of its game.
“It’s on the film, I don’t have to tell ’em,” he said. “And that’s a team (Gilroy played), we lost to last year. If (our players) think I’m trying to Knute Rockne them or Lou Holtz and sandbag them, they better realize they’re going toe to toe with one of best teams in the section.”
