A loss to Gilroy High School on Saturday night would be a new
experience for the Los Gatos Wildcats.
Gilroy
A loss to Gilroy High School on Saturday night would be a new experience for the Los Gatos Wildcats.
Winning nine straight games after tying St. Francis 3-3 on Sept. 14, Los Gatos is a near perfect 10-0-1 after devouring DeAnza League competition. The team won all six of its league contests by a combined point total of 260 to 55.
Senior running back Nick Kalpin has arguably been the best player in the section at his position, rushing for 2,284 yards and scoring 35 touchdowns. He also plays outside linebacker, and along with tight end/linebacker Kiko Alonso – who is receiving a full scholarship to play at Oregon next year – the two provide a tandem that makes the Wildcats a very dangerous team.
“They’ve ridden the back of Kalpin all year long,” GHS Coach Rich Hammond said. “He’s extremely strong. I think he’s 6-foot, 210 pounds. He’s not super-shifty, but he hits the holes … [Alonso] is the real deal. He’s probably the best football player I’ve seen defensively (at the high school level). I can’t think of anyone who was as good or as dominant.”
Hammond made note of Alonso’s athleticism when the linebacker was able to run down Palma’s Nate Ramirez in a 20-14 first-round victory in the Central Coast Section playoffs last week. Amazingly, Ramirez, an excellent athlete in his own rite, was caught after having a three-yard head start.
Alonso had 17 tackles in the contest and also caught the game-winning touchdown on a flea-flicker in the final minutes.
With offensive and defensive linemen that weigh anywhere between 220 and 285 pounds, the Wildcats are a strong, aggressive team that likes to run through an opponent on offense, and over an adversary on defense.
But facing a team like the Mustangs (9-2), Los Gatos could expose their Achilles’ heel.
Gilroy’s hurry-up offense, platoon system and overall depth has worn opponents down in the second, third and fourth quarters this season. The players most affected by such a pace are those who play offense and defense.
The Wildcats have eight individuals that are full-time starters on both sides of the ball, and eleven total that will see plenty of action on offense and defense. Hammond also pointed out that every Los Gatos lineman will play the entire game.
“I think that’s going to help us,” Hammond said. “Typically guys rush us, try to rush the quarterback, and that’s going to be a hard thing to do (for an entire game), when that’s something they’re not used to doing.”
If the Wildcats choose to drop back into coverage, they run the risk of allowing quarterback Jamie Jensen to find receivers running rampant through the secondary. Jensen needs just 12 yards to set a new CCS record for passing yards in a single season. His continued ability to find Gilroy’s receivers and backs is something Hammond is counting on.
“I don’t think they can match up with us man for man,” he said. “I don’t think they have enough speed.”
Los Gatos will almost assuredly counter by taking a ball-control approach. Gilroy’s coaches estimate that 75 percent of the offensive calls this season have gone to Kalpin, with Alonso eating up most of the other touches.
“I think in order for us to win, somebody in our front seven is going to have to have a really big game,” Hammond said. “And offensively, there’s not going to be a guy they can try to take away.”
Notes:
– Los Gatos can throw the ball despite being more of a running team this season. Quarterback Andrew Gomez has tossed 12 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions and completed 61 percent of his passes. His 81 yards-per-game average, however, will have to be much higher Saturday.
– Linebacker Kiko Alonso is expected to line up over tight end Marshad Johnson when playing defense, which Coach Hammond thinks will play a pivotal role in the game.
“Marshad, he usually towers over people, but since their linebacker is 6’3″, it’s going to be an interesting match.”
– Hammond admitted Wednesday that twice this year teams have been suspected of spying during halftime against Gilroy. One occasion came when a GHS assistant discovered a person hiding in a bathroom stall, in the Mustangs’ locker room, during a talk with players. The other occurred when coaches found two individuals listening in to a gameplan with their ears planted against the locker room wall.
– Hammond said he thought the junior varsity players pulled up for the playoffs have done an excellent job in their short time with the big boys.
“There’s new life and energy,” he said. “They’ve really helped us on special teams, and we’ve been able to mix them in on our offensive and defensive scout teams. Sean Hale and Travis Reyes have been taking reps as 34 [Nick Kalpin] – we still want to see that speed in practice – but at the same time we’ve got guys who are energetic and excited about the process.”
