Joseph Barnes’ 108 yards and Jon Castro’s 93 yards in the first half pushed the Mustangs past the Grizzlies on their 40-20 win Friday night, their first playoff game since 2008.
Gilroy kept the ball on the ground rushing with six different players with Barnes leading the charge with 12 carries and two touchdowns. All on the first half as Gilroy took a 40-0 lead into the break.
“It motivates us, brings us more hope, and it shows that we are a good team and have a lot of weapons and we can execute and do big things,” Barnes said.
Gilroy’s first drive was a preview of what the game was going to be. Four different rushers helped move the ball 64 yards and Christian Rodriguez finished it with a 2-yard run to give the Mustangs the early lead 6-0. Gilroy finished all drives in the first half with a touchdown.
The Gilroy defense did not allow Gunderson to respond. On the second play of the Grizzlies’ ensuing drive, Castro intercepted the ball on Gunderson’s 17-yard line after wide receiver Keyhsaun Mcleod deflected the ball on his attempt to come up with the catch.
Barnes made the Grizzlies pay with a 14-yard run to increase the lead 13-0.
“We came in prepared and ready to dominate on the field,” Barnes said.
The Mustangs would strike again in the first quarter when Castro connected with Perez for a 7-yard pass.
Castro completed two of his five passes.
Castro found the end zone two more times in the second quarter; on an 18-yard run and on the games’ longest play.
Castro took the snap from his own 47-yard line and took a few steps back looking for a receiver. As his receivers ran across the field to his left, they opened a huge part of the right field. Castro took advantage of the pocket protection and the open field to his right. He made it inside the 10-yard line without being touched. A defender used his speed to get in front of him but he was blocked as Castro cut inside to increase the lead to 33-0.
Gilroy had 256 offensive yards while Gunderson had 66, all rushing, in the first half.
“Our guys came out, executed and we fired on all cylinders,” Gilroy coach Jubenal Rodriguez said.
The Mustangs used the big lead for the second half as an opportunity to rest some of the players like Barnes and Castro and give some of the younger players experience playing in a playoff game, which was the case for quarterback Brandon Weiler.
“The young guys got an opportunity to experience CCS-type atmosphere so it was awesome,” coach Rodriguez said.
Gilroy kept running the ball in the second half but with less success. They combined for 60 yards.
Gunderson tried to climb back into the game by giving Tyerinn Pollard more carries. He was limited in the first half to six carries for 26 yards, but in the second he had 83 yards on 10 carries and scored Gunderson’s first touchdown in the third quarter.
The Grizzlies scored their second touchdown on a Joseph Palacios 6-yard run to finish off a 59-yard drive.
The longest play for the Grizzlies came on their last offensive play of the game. Joseph Catano was running out of the pocket to avoid the pressure and threw the ball trying to connect with GP Bains near the 10-yard line. It looked the Mustang corner had a good read and position on the ball as he turned and waited for the ball to get to him. As he jumped, the ball got by him and Catano was right behind him to make the catch and run it into the end zone.
“We are looking forward to next week’s challenge,” coach Rodriguez said. “Soledad, they’re a good team, they’re well coached and the score will definitely not be going to be like (today).”
Kickoff on Friday will by 7 p.m. in Soledad, who dispatched Silver Creek 37-13 in the first round playoff game.
