PALO ALTO
– This Gunn fired a blank.
Thanks to a suffocating defense and another sterling performance
from running back Justin Sweeney, Gilroy moved to 2-0 with a 35-0
shutout win at Gunn High Saturday.
PALO ALTO – This Gunn fired a blank.
Thanks to a suffocating defense and another sterling performance from running back Justin Sweeney, Gilroy moved to 2-0 with a 35-0 shutout win at Gunn High Saturday.
“I’m pleased,” GHS head coach Darren Yafai said. “Going into this game, I really thought it was going to be more competitive – they have a bunch of returning starters from a 6-4 team.
“So it was nice we came out here and took care of business.”
The Mustangs didn’t take long to do it, either. With a dominating defense and a equally effective offense, Gilroy led 28-0 led by the end of the first quarter.
After quarterback Peter Mickartz got away with a near-interception on the game’s first play, Gilroy marched 77 yards in just over a minute.
Sweeney, whose first run went for 55 yards, eased into the end zone from the 1 and the Mustangs quickly took a 7-0 lead.
Then it was the defense’s turn. Facing an option offense they had prepared for all week in practice, the Gilroy defenders sent a message with a quick three-and-out.
“The D came out on that first possession and shut them down,” senior linebacker Jared Gamm said. “I think that set the tone early.
“It showed we knew how to defend the option.”
The Mustangs, who continue their road swing with a trip to Watsonville Friday, continued to show they know how to run the ball, too.
Aided by gaping holes created by the offensive line, the Gilroy backfield – tailbacks Sweeney, Marty Sustaita, Eric Rodriguez and fullback Tim DeLeon – carried the ball on 10 of 11 plays during the team’s second possession.
The drive chewed up 70 yards and was capped off with a 12-yard touchdown run from Sweeney, who finished the game with 171 yards on just 14 carries.
“My line just keeps making me look good,” said Sweeney, who is averaging nearly 10 yards a carry in the Mustangs’ first two games.
Meanwhile, continuing to look confused in its first game running the option, Gunn fumbled the exchange on the first play of the next series.
When senior safety Justin Sabla picked up the ball and ran it into the end zone, the Mustangs were in command at 21-0.
And they weren’t even done yet.
After a shanked punt, the Gilroy offense took over at the Gunn 26 and promptly scored their third touchdown in as many possessions.
It was Sweeney again – this time on a dive over the right pylon from about the three-yard line.
“We didn’t want to let them hang around,” wide receiver Jorden Newton said. “So we just kept pushing.”
So following its first non-scoring drive of the game, Gilroy came right back with a two-play, 32-second drive. After Sweeney ran for 28, Mickartz connected with Newton on a 30-yard touchdown strike.
With six minutes remaining in the first half, it was already 35-0 Gilroy.
“We expect to be efficient each week,” GHS offensive coordinator Tim Pierleoni said. “And that was efficient.”
The Gilroy defense was no less impressive. At halftime, the Mustangs had gained 362 yards – and had given up just 62.
And although most of the Mustang starters watched from the sidelines in the second half, the Titans still ended up gaining just 130 yards of total offense.
“We just wanted to shut down the option and watch out for any passing,” said junior free safety Sean Velasques, who snared one of two GHS interceptions – the other belonging to fellow junior Jay Raven.
“I think the defense showed how good we are.”
How dominating was the unit? Gunn’s two longest gains of the day came on a pair of fake punts.
“I wasn’t really worried about our defense because they were pretty sure of their option responsibilities by the end of the week,” Yafai said. “All that work in practice helped. They were ready to go.”
According to Newton, that focus applied to the whole team – and it showed.
“We just came out to play … and now we’re 2-0,” the senior said. “That’s pretty sweet.”
