San Benito in all-or-nothing game against Palma on Friday
night
The block heard ’round San Benito County last week carried with
it implications that stretched beyond the Prune Bowl.
The VFW Memorial Trophy did, in fact, return to Hollister for
the first time since 2007, while the Balers snapped a three-game
losing streak to Gilroy in the process and reached 30 wins in the
all-time series with their sudden, last-ditch 34-32 victory.
San Benito in all-or-nothing game against Palma on Friday night
The block heard ’round San Benito County last week carried with it implications that stretched beyond the Prune Bowl.
The VFW Memorial Trophy did, in fact, return to Hollister for the first time since 2007, while the Balers snapped a three-game losing streak to Gilroy in the process and reached 30 wins in the all-time series with their sudden, last-ditch 34-32 victory.
But what may have been lost in the rousing postgame celebrations, at least initially as the Balers spilled out on to the field to collect their winnings, was how the improbable punt-block-turned-touchdown-catch in the waning moments of last Friday’s rivalry matchup ensured this Friday’s game will actually mean something.
“Opportunity knocking,” San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said.
When Enrique Ramos blew through Gilroy’s line and got nothing but his right thumb on the punt attempt, launching the football — improbably — straight up and then straight down into the waiting arms of lineman Marcos Silva, San Benito’s Week 10 matchup with Palma was guaranteed to have much more on the line, much more than pride and bragging rights.
“Now we have a chance to play for a share of the league championship,” Cameron said last week, discussing the importance of beating Gilroy in the Prune Bowl.
For as up-and-down of a season as San Benito has had, its current three-game winning streak has positioned the team in an all-or-nothing situation. A win over Palma on Friday night, and the Balers will split the Tri-County Athletic League title with both Palma and Salinas (barring that Salinas defeats North Salinas on Friday night). A loss to Palma, however, and the Balers finish the regular season in third place behind runner-up Salinas and outright league champ Palma.
“I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” said Cameron, who admitted that a Week 10 matchup with Palma, with the TCAL title on the line, was something he began pondering when San Benito’s bus pulled out of Everett Alvarez following a 21-0 Baler victory on Oct. 29.
“Last week’s victory was such a booster,” he added. “We persevered somehow in that game. It was nice to see opportunities fall our way.”
Palma, Cameron said, will sometimes show a read-zone option in the spread formation, although likely won’t throw the ball 55 times like Gilroy did. The Chieftains (8-0-1, 5-0 TCAL), who are one of two undefeated teams remaining in the Central Coast Section, are anchored by running back Jack Baird, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in rushing last week against Seaside.
The Palma senior ran for 255 yards and two touchdowns on 28 attempts in a 38-21 road victory.
“He’s having a great season,” Cameron said. “He gets the lions share of the carries.”
San Benito is 0-2 this season when allowing a single rusher to eclipse 100 yards on the ground.
Although Baird is the go-to, quarterback Ryan Morrison can either throw or pass. His 632 yards in the air on 55 of 96 passing is third best in the TCAL, while his 419 yards on the ground on 80 attempts is 10th best.
The Chieftains also boast 6-foot-4 Noah Allen and 6-foot Tanner Sherman at the wideout positions, as well as 6-foot-2 Cameron Neff at tight end — three players whose height alone will cause mismatches for San Benito.
The Balers didn’t let Gilroy’s passing game beat them in the end, though, while Cameron is hoping everything that comes with a Prune Bowl victory will spring-board the Balers into Friday’s contest with Palma.
After all, it’s Week 10. And for San Benito, it actually means something.
“We gave up a lot of yards passing. But the thing that was great was that we persevered,” Cameron said. “We hung in there, and hung in there, and hung in there, and we never gave up.”
San Benito will host Palma Friday night at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
