Thursday’s Tri-County Athletic League finale between Gilroy and
San Benito featured two teams heading in opposite directions. But
after Jonathan Diaz De Leon put the visiting Mustangs ahead in the
25th minute, Gilroy had to thwart several high-percentage scoring
chances from the Balers in order to simply escape with a 1-0
victory.
HOLLISTER
Gilroy is heading to next week’s Division I playoffs. San Benito is not.
It’s funny how a rivalry tends to even the playing field, though.
“We made them work,” San Benito interim coach Matt Andrade said.
Thursday’s Tri-County Athletic League finale between Gilroy and San Benito featured two teams heading in opposite directions. But after Jonathan Diaz De Leon put the visiting Mustangs ahead in the 25th minute, Gilroy had to thwart several high-percentage scoring chances from the Balers in order to simply escape with a 1-0 victory.
At least on Hollister’s grass field, the two schools couldn’t have been more evenly matched. But only the Mustangs will advance to the postseason, scheduled to kick-off on Wednesday.
“We’re gonna go to the playoffs and this is just a reminder for them that we’re not finished,” Gilroy assistant coach Luis Galvan said of the narrow victory. Galvan was filling in for head coach Armando Padilla after the seven-year skipper was red-carded during Tuesday’s 4-2 loss against Alisal, a difficult defeat that supplied the Trojans with their third straight league title and positioned the Mustangs in second place.
“We’re trying to refocus and keep going,” Galvan added.
Planning to perhaps be overlooked by the Mustangs, San Benito was hoping to take advantage of its grass field, which has caused adjustment problems for Gilroy in years past, as its the only grass pitch in the TCAL.
In four of the last five contests at Gilroy, the Mustangs have defeated San Benito by three goals or more. But when the two teams meet in Hollister during that same timespan, Gilroy has never won by more than a single score.
Thursday’s matchup between the two teams stayed true to previous years.
“I think for playing on a grass field for the first time in our league, it was difficult to adjust to,” Galvan said. “But I think we we’re OK when we made the adjustments to grass. There were a lot of bouncing balls that were hard to control.”
In terms of the scoreboard, it took Gilroy exactly 25 minutes to adjust to the grass field.
That’s when Mustang junior Kristian Urias found Diaz De Leon on the right side of the box for the game’s only goal — Diaz De Leon slipping the ball near post for what would be the game-winner.
A somewhat back-and-forth first half between the two teams turned to San Benito’s favor in the second half, however. Gilroy’s keeper drew a yellow card in the 65th minute after he was called for pushing in the box, but San Benito’s Oscar Estrada sailed the ensuing penalty kick over the crossbar.
The scoring chances kept coming for the Balers, though. Andy Hurtado’s high, floating cross pass from the right side found the head of Ricardo Roque, but not the back of the net. Two minutes later, Hurtado took a free kick from 20 yards out and straight away, but the offering missed high, almost skimming the crossbar in the process.
“It’s not really disappointing,” Andrade said. “I’m just proud they were able to play through the whole game. They played with all their heart.
“They’re one of the top teams in the TCAL, and we took them to the 80th minute.”
San Benito completes its season at a 6-12-1 mark, 3-8-1 in the TCAL. Gilroy (9-2-1 TCAL, 13-4-2), meanwhile, will await to hear its seeding on Saturday prior to opening the Division I playoffs on Wednesday.
TEAM 1 2 F
GILR 1 0 1
SANB 0 0 0
