In addition to trying to beat a Pacific Grove Breakers team that
is allowing less than eight points per game, Gilroy High football
could also have to battle the elements in its 7:30pm away game
tonight.
Gilroy – In addition to trying to beat a Pacific Grove Breakers team that is allowing less than eight points per game, Gilroy High football could also have to battle the elements in its 7:30pm away game tonight.
Forecasts predict an 80 percent chance of rain, which might pose some problems for the Mustangs’ vaunted passing-attack.
GHS quarterback Jamie Jensen is averaging more than 300 yards per game through the air, and has completed more passes than any other signal caller in the Tri-County Athletic League has attempted. But dealing with a slick football is something he has had little experience with this season. Working almost exclusively out of the shotgun formation, Gilroy’s exchange from center to quarterback could also be a tricky task.
Breakers coach Buck Roggeman says let it rain.
“You know what, whenever you look at a team with so much speed, you kind of hope for anything that can level the playing field as much as possible,” he said by phone Thursday.
Pacific Grove (5-0) was the runner-up in the CCS Small School Division last year and employs a 4-4 base defense, which Gilroy (3-2) believes will create plenty of opportunities to get their athletes into open space.
“It ends up they’ll cover our skill players with linebackers,” GHS coach Rich Hammond said. “I don’t think that’s a secret coach Roggeman doesn’t know about.”
There aren’t really any secrets on the other side of the ball either.
On defense, the Mustangs will spend a majority of their time trying to chase down running back Ian Hesse. A three-year starter on varsity, Hesse put on more muscle during the offseason and so far the hard work has paid off. He is averaging 103 rushing yards per game to go with six touchdowns on the season.
“Ian has been really good for us this year because he’s run outside well and inside well,” Roggeman said. “He has wonderful balance and vision.”
Distributing the ball out of a Wing-T formation, the Breakers run a “Rocket Sweep,” often bringing a player in motion to present the risk of a toss play to the outside. Keeping defenses honest is the threat of a quick hand-off up the gut or a play-action pass to go over the top. PG quarterback Daniel Connor is completing 53 percent of his passes for 86 yards per game. He has thrown four touchdowns and five interceptions.
With Gilroy focused primarily on stopping the run, the Nickel defense package GHS coaches installed before last week’s 47-0 win over Alvarez will receive a far greater test this game, in what is the first of a two-year home and home series – meaning next season the Breakers will play at Gilroy.
A level of clout was added to the mid-season matchup on Wednesday when Gilroy received a No. 14 sectional ranking from the San Jose Mercury News.
Coach Hammond believes the Breakers are viewing the contest as a statement game since the school has won 26 straight Mission-Trail Athletic League affairs but hasn’t had much success when playing larger schools outside its division.
“I don’t think they need a newspaper (ranking) for motivation,” he said. “Pacific Grove has motivation to play us because we’re (in the) TCAL and they’re (in the) MTAL and they want to prove they can beat a TCAL team.”
