Gilroy, Live Oak gridmen square off in season finale
GILROY – It is hard to detail which team is hungrier to get the win this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. when the 1-8 Gilroy High Mustangs host the 0-8-1 Live Oak High Acorns in the season-finale rivalry game.
While the Mustangs have not tasted victory since a week-two win over Santa Cruz back on Sept. 20, the Acorns only non-losing week was a tie with North County on Oct. 4. But one of these neighboring rivals will end their disappointing seasons on a positive note inside Mustang Stadium.
“They’re kind of a team a lot like us. A team that had high expectations coming in and then things haven’t worked out the way we wanted them to,” Mustangs’ head coach Darren Yafai said. “This is going to be a fun, fun game. It’s two teams extremely hungry for a win in a rivalry game.”
After Live Oak dominated the garlic gridmen throughout the ’90s, Gilroy has won the last two meetings – including last year’s one-point thriller in which the Acorns failed on a two-point conversion to end the game.
“We’re hoping to make it three in a row,” Yafai said. “You are going to see two teams playing with a lot of intensity and a lot of emotion.”
But the Mustangs will once again be short-staffed as three starters – senior tailback J.L. Mangono, junior lineman Jonathan Vasquez, and cornerback Robert DeLuz – will not suit up because of poor grades as well as two other reserves.
“Other guys need to step up,” Yafai said.
Stepping back into the Mustangs’ starting line-up for the first time since a two-touchdown showing against Santa Cruz is junior halfback Melvin Bryant – who broke his arm on the first play of Gilroy’s loss to San Lorenzo Valley.
“Right in the nick of time,” said Yafai of Bryant’s return. “He could have been the difference-maker in some games for us this year if he did not get hurt.”
Also returning from injury is junior quarterback Ben Hemeon – who played about half of last week’s game after coming back from bruised ribs. Hemeon, also the team punter, is expected to split time at quarterback with senior John Kirkish.
“They’re probably going to split time,” Yafai said. “They’re both going to play quarterback.”
Live Oak quarterback Oren Catrett is the biggest worry for the Gilroy defense – which has put together back-to-back solid showings against North Salinas last week and Palma two weeks ago.
“They have one of the better quarterbacks in the league, Oren Catrett. He took us apart last year… They also have great running backs and pretty good receivers,” Yafai said. “We’ve played scrappy (on defense) the last two weeks against Palma and North Salinas. Going into the fourth quarter, we held them both in check.
“It’s a good rivalry,” he added. “I think we match up real well against them. Our offensive and defensive lines are a lot alike. They’re both scrappy, but not real big. We’re hoping to get a little bit of a push this week.”
