Palma isn’t used to being pushed aside four years running.
But on Friday night at Salinas Sports Complex, playing in what
is likely to be their final high school game against the
Chieftains, a slew of seniors helped the Gilroy Mustangs win 34-28,
while also improving their personal resumes against Palma to a
perfect 4-0.
Also with this story: photo gallery.
SALINAS – Palma isn’t used to being pushed aside four years running.
But on Friday night at Salinas Sports Complex, playing in what is likely to be their final high school game against the Chieftains, a slew of seniors helped the Gilroy Mustangs win 34-28, while also improving their personal resumes against Palma to a perfect 4-0.
From the freshman level on through the varsity ranks, Gilroy’s seniors have never lost to the private school from Salinas, which has won 22 league titles since 1984.
It’s only appropriate then, that a senior made the decisive play to clinch the victory.
With Palma just 12 yards shy of the end zone and facing fourth-and-goal, Gilroy defensive end Brandon Elam chased down quarterback David Fales for a sack, giving the Mustangs possession with just 56 seconds remaining.
“I played my hardest all game and I finally gave everything I had on that last play,” Elam said.
The victory wasn’t just monumental for just the seniors, it also kept Gilroy unbeaten on the season. The Mustangs are now 8-0 overall, 4-0 in the Tri-County Athletic League. A win Friday against North Salinas and a victory the following week against rival San Benito would give GHS its first undefeated regular season in school history, as well as its first-ever back-to-back league titles.
Despite knowing such milestones are within reach, Gilroy coach Rich Hammond wasn’t about to get ahead of himself, choosing to focus on the hard-fought win after the game.
“It was one of those deals where we got everyone buying in and laying everything on the line,” he said.
Keeping their composure despite going down 14-0, the Mustangs regrouped by forcing the Chieftains to go three-and-out with 4 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Senior quarterback Jamie Jensen, making his first appearance in the game after sitting out the Mustangs’ opening offensive series, immediately made his presence felt by leading Gilroy on an eight-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 6-yard touchdown catch by Dante Fullard (12 catches, 134 yards, four touchdowns overall). The extra point sailed wide, leaving Gilroy down 14-6 at halftime.
Gilroy’s coach would not discuss why Jensen did not start the game, calling it a “team matter.”
Storming out of the gates in the second half, the Mustangs scored 25 unanswered points to take a 31-14 lead. The run began on the second play from scrimmage of the third quarter, when Bryan Sanchez (3 catches, 78 yards) beat Palma’s coverage deep for a 53-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
Gilroy then took a 24-14 lead with 1:47 left in the period on a 1-yard sneak by Fullard, who caught an 11-yard touchdown less than four minutes later to put the Mustangs up 31-14 following an Ivan Lopez extra point.
Jensen was nearly flawless from the second quarter on, finishing the game 28-for-39 for 430 yards and three touchdowns.
“He played as good as I think I’ve seen him play,” Hammond said.
Palma wasn’t easy to put away, though, as Fales (13-of-22, 247 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception) found Bret Chernetsky (8 catches, 195 yards) for two fourth-quarter touchdowns, pulling the Chieftains within six. In between the two scores, Lopez added a 27-yard field goal for Gilroy to make it 34-21.
Using a bend-but-don’t-break philosophy, Gilroy’s defense stepped up when it mattered most.
“This team has beaten them all four years,” Elam said. “We’ve been down in this situation before. … It’s just the heart of the defense and the seniors.”
Offensive Play of the Game
The coverage may have been poor but seeing Jamie Jensen throw against his body, which was moving to the left, to hit Bryan Sanchez on a 53-yard touchdown to begin the third period was all the momentum the Mustangs needed. Gilroy coach Rich Hammond was effusive in his praise of Jensen after the game.
“He threw every ball he could have thrown,” Hammond said. “He threw the deep ball, he threw the ball off the scramble, he threw the ball off the blitz, he threw it short, he tucked it and ran it when he needed. He played as well as he could have played.”
Defensive Play of the Game
Defensive end Brandon Elam chased down David Fales for the sack to give Gilroy possession with 56 seconds remaining., Two kneel-downs later by Dante Fullard and the game was over. Here’s what Elam had to say about the play: “They tried to trap me inside, I rolled out off the trap and I came and got him. He tried to slow down to pass and I took him down.”
Hit of the Game
The picture tells part of the story. Safety Richie Sotelo, who also recorded an interception of Palma quarterback David Fales, absolutely crushed a Chieftain receiver to force a fourth down at the end of the third quarter. Gilroy went on to score the next series on a touchdown catch by Dante Fullard, who played amazing as usual.
