Gilroy High field hockey’s stellar regular season record of
21-1-2 has been washed away.
The clean slate was created by the Central Coast Section
playoffs, which start Thursday at 3 p.m. in Gilroy when the
Mustangs host Homestead in a first-round matchup.
GILROY – Gilroy High field hockey’s stellar regular season record of 21-1-2 has been washed away.
The clean slate was created by the Central Coast Section playoffs, which start Thursday at 3 p.m. in Gilroy when the Mustangs host Homestead in a first-round matchup.
Owning only one defeat, Gilroy can’t afford another in the single-elimination tournament. Luckily for the fifth-seeded Mustangs, the bracket looks to be in their favor.
Annual contenders such as Archbishop Mitty, Leigh, Saratoga and St. Francis are all on the opposite side of the 12-team tree. Fourth-seeded Presentation will play the winner of Gilroy’s game, while No. 1-seed Los Gatos is likely to be awaiting the winner of that matchup in the semifinals. Gilroy hasn’t played Presentation, but it owns a 3-2 victory over Los Gatos from earlier in the season.
“It sets up great for us,” Mustangs coach Adam Gemar said. “It’s definitely in our favor, at least to go further, but we take it one game at a time.”
The return of midfielder Laura Spellman, who missed roughly a month of the season due to injury, should give the team a boost.
“It’s huge,” Gemar said. “Her 80 percent is as good as anybody’s 100 percent, really.
“I think mentally she’s gotta get a little prepared, but the last few days in practice I haven’t noticed any mental lapses. And fitness-wise, she’s been staying with us.”
Gilroy could get another key player back in defender Katelyn Nebesnick, who has been out most of the season.
Facing Homestead for the second time this season – Gilroy won 4-1 in a tournament early in the schedule – Gemar said it’s an added bonus to be playing in front of the hometown fans.
“That’s always just fun,” he said. “Sure it gives us a mental edge paying at home, but it’s more just fun.”
