ORLANDO — A combination of injuries, fatigue and simply being outsized proved lethal for the Gilroy Browns.
The junior midget team lost 36-0 to the Jensen Beach Falcons (Fla.) at the 57th Pop Warner Super Bowl at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Dec. 10 in Orlando, ending their whirlwind season.
The loss cut the Browns’ season just short of it’s first Super Bowl championship berth since 2001. The Falcons, on the other hand, would go on to win the Division II title.
“I don’t want to use any excuses really, but a couple of my players were feeling sick the night before,” Browns coach Richard Salazar said. “We were banged up a bit, but they were the better team that day. It was a great time, a great experience for the players. My players kept their heads up, they played tough throughout the whole game. They gave it all they had and they represented our city. I’m very proud of them.”
Gilroys’ trip to the Super Bowl began on Nov. 9 with a 39-26 win over the No.1 seeded Daly City which sent them to the league championship game. The Browns picked up a decisive 24-8 win over Brentwood in the league championship game on Nov. 16 to win the title and punch their tickets to Orlando.
The Browns won their opening round game of the Pop Warner Super Bowl, 28-20, against the Wareham Tigers (Mass.) on Dec. 7.
“It really was an awesome experience,” Salazar said. “I’m really proud of the boys and girls — I have a girl on the team — so of the team. …They held their heads high, shook hands and we had a great time. There’s nothing better than being in the greatest place in the world — Disney World.”
In the two years Salazar has coached the team, Gilroy is a combined 20-5-1 and has scored 530 total points.
