Gilroy's David Montes runs the ball for the Mustangs during their season opener against Live Oak Sept. 5.

GILROY—Gilroy capitalized on a pair of first half turnovers and cruised to a 27-0 win over visiting Alisal Friday night.
After a tough preseason to start the year, the Mustangs (2-4, 2-0 league) have won two games in a row to open league play and are still in the hunt for a postseason berth.
“We still think we have a chance at a league title,” said Gilroy coach Brian Boyd. “Alisal didn’t really show up tonight. I thought they were a lot better team than they showed tonight. I think they had some injuries, and we concentrated on not letting their big players beat us.”
The Mustang attack was led by a solid running game from senior David Montes, who rushed for 114 yards on 18 carries—including a 17-yard touchdown run at the start of the third quarter.
“David has very good vision,” Boyd said. “A couple times, I called the plays and I didn’t even see where he went because he has got that smaller statue and they lose vision of him.”
Mustang quarterback David Munoz connected with Patrick Hsu for a 5-yard touchdown catch in the Mustang’s next drive in the third quarter. Both scoring plays were set up on short fields after Alisal hooked the punt over the sideline, the second nearly knocking a Gilroy High cheerleader off her elevated cheering stand.
But it was the defense that set the stage early for the Mustangs. With players like Darius Alexander-Jones, Azriel Avila and Jasper Jauregui controlling the middle, the Trojans struggled to gain ground.
“We were able to contain their inside run,” Boyd said. “That is their whole game. In the second half, they were trying to toss outside, swing outside, screen or do anything they could with our big guys in the middle.”
Freshman linebacker Antonio Andrade, who made it tough on quarterback Frank Lerma and the Trojan offense all night, forced a fumble and returned the ball 25 yards to the 21-yard line, eventually leading to a first quarter touchdown.
“I was just trying to make a play and give the ball back to our offense,” Andrade said.
After a personal foul moved the ball to the 6-yard line, David Munoz contacted with Riley Filice-Hollar in the corner of the endzone with 4:53 left in the first quarter. The score put the Mustangs up 6-0 after the missed PAT.
“Our running game really opened it up for us,” Filice-Hollar said.  “We stayed on our blocks and were able to run it down their throats.”
The Mustang defense came up big again in the second quarter. Defensive lineman Jacob Varela recovered a fumble and took it in from 12 yards out. It was the first time he’s ever carried the ball during a game at any level since he has always been on defense, he said.
“Jasper popped the ball out of the guy’s hands. I picked it up and saw green,” Varela said. “It was the best feeling I have ever had.”
The Mustangs did have two turnovers in the game, but Alisal was unable to turn the mistakes into points.
“I told the guys we are going to work on ball security,” Boyd said. “They are trying to make stuff happen, but when we have bodies on us, we have to protect the ball. The way they are working at practice, I like how they are progressing.”
Notes: The 2013-14 CCS champion Gilroy High boys soccer team was honored at half time….The Gilroy JV team lost 35-14 to Alisal, while the freshman team lost 14-13….Captains for the game were Devin Nguyen, Darius Alexander-Jones, Matthew Castillo and Noe Garcia….The Mustangs wore pink socks to raise awareness for breast cancer, but will be returning to their traditional blue socks next week for the Homecoming game against North Monterey County, Boyd said.

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