GILROY – 3-0. 4-0. 5-0. 6-0. But who’s counting?
The Gilroy boys soccer team is. The Mustangs shutout their crosstown rival Christopher Cougars for the fourth time in as many years, winning 6-0 Friday at Garcia-Elder Stadium.
“In the locker room we said ‘6-0’. We wanted to keep that trend going and hopefully next year we’ll get 7-0,” junior Alejandro Flores said. Flores — who has nine goals this year — scored back-to-back in the 75th and 77th minutes of the game. Both goals were assisted by Andres Jimenez
Jimenez and Luis Urias also scored twice for Gilroy. Defending the triple threat of Jimenez, Urias and Flores, Mustang coach Armando Padilla said, is a tough task for any team.
Jimenez was the first to draw blood, sending the ball to the back of the net in the 19th minute off an assist from Urias. The duo changed roles as Jimenez assisted Urias used his head — literally — to score in the 28th minute and put Gilroy ahead 2-0 at the half.
The score could’ve been much worse, however, had it not been for Christopher goalie Carlos Arroyo. Arroyo made five saves in the first half alone, eight in the game.
“We tried our hardest, we tried to do everything we could,” Arroyo said. “They’re just a great team.”
Gilroy (9-2-2) was unable to score again until the 68th minute of the game. Urias passed to Jimenez who shot it to the center of the net for his 22nd goal of the year. Urias netted the final goal for Gilroy in the 79th minute off an assist from Flores.
“When you get those three guys together on the field good things are going to happen. Obviously it showed there in the last 15 minutes of the game,” Padilla said.
Urias has scored in four of the Mustangs’ last five games. He said that is due in part to a change in positions. But scoring or not, he’s just enjoying his time on the field.
“It’s my first year back since freshman year,” Urias said. “I didn’t play my sophomore and junior years, so I’m just out here representing Gilroy High and trying to have fun.”
Christopher’s dangerous Hibsen Tamayo-Davila had four shots on goal of his own. The Gilroy sideline was able to breathe a sigh of relief as his chances just missed and the Mustangs record remained unblemished.
“We didn’t know that he (Tamayo-Davila) had that kind of shot,” Padilla said. “We’re pretty fortunate that he didn’t get one in on us.”
Despite the fact they’ve been outscored 18-0 since the series began, Christopher isn’t getting down. Instead, the Cougars (2-7-5) are taking notes on their crosstown rival’s performance to better themselves.
“We know Gilroy High has got a very established soccer program,” CHS coach Ricardo Espinoza said. “We know we’re the new kids on the block; We’re only a few years old. It’s like the big brothers against the little brothers, but it’s always fun. We really enjoy this. The kids get pumped up for it. We want to try to catch up.”
The crosstown game, unofficially dubbed ‘El Classico’, awards the winner the Garlic Cup — a trophy donated by Gilroy Futsol. The trophy made its first appearance last year and Gilroy had no intention of giving it up. The Mustangs hoisted the trophy with smiles spread across their faces, knowing it will return to their case for another year.
“This is our house and we don’t lose at home,” Jimenez said. “We always have to win here — especially against our crosstown rivals. We have to show them whose house it is.”
