The would-be kick ricocheted into the air and defensive lineman
Marcos Silva corralled the errant football in the back of the end
zone for the go-ahead touchdown, as the San Benito Haybalers
leapfrogged the Mustangs with 2:14 remaining in the game en route
to an improbable, come-from-behind 34-32 triumph in the 54th annual
Prune Bowl at the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex
— a game that Gilroy appeared to have in the bag just 30 seconds
earlier.
GILROY
San Benito’s Enrique Ramos stands all of 5-feet-11-inches off the ground. But the senior linebacker probably felt like he was 100-feet tall on Friday night in Gilroy.
“It feels pretty great,” he said.
His trusty thumb feels just fine, too.
With the Mustangs punting from their own end zone and grasping to a five-point lead late in the fourth quarter Friday, the agile linebacker burst through the line and put his thumb — and only his thumb — on an Eric Vegas punt attempt.
The would-be kick ricocheted into the air and defensive lineman Marcos Silva corralled the errant football in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, as the San Benito Haybalers leapfrogged the Mustangs with 2:14 remaining in the game en route to an improbable, come-from-behind 34-32 triumph in the 54th annual Prune Bowl at the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex — a game that Gilroy appeared to have in the bag just 30 seconds earlier.
It was an instant classic, and one that ended Gilroy’s three-year reign. The Balers now control a 30-23-1 record all-time in the series.
“I’ve been dreaming about this,” Silva said.
Three years worth of pent up euphoria spilled out on to the center of the field at the final buzzer as the Balers reclaimed the VFW Memorial Trophy from Gilroy, somehow outlasting a Mustangs offense that appeared unstoppable at times and racked up 569 total yards in the process.
The Balers only led the game for three minutes and 20 seconds, but a wild fourth-quarter finish ensured Gilroy’s offensive attack became secondary to the story.
After Jourdan Soares batted down a fourth-and-goal passing attempt in the end zone with 2:41 remaining, the Mustangs appeared poised to hold on to their 32-27 lead, as well as the VFW Memorial Trophy for a fourth straight year.
But an ineffective three-and-out by Gilroy on the ensuing possession didn’t help one bit. The drive netted -6 yards and ate up all of 27 seconds off the game clock, setting up a fourth-and-16 from the Gilroy 4 and San Benito’s game-winning, punt-block sequence.
“We were going for the blocked punt,” Ramos said. “I just put my hand up and it hit my thumb. I was just hoping it went up so someone would catch it. It was good that Marcos was there.”
Silva said he’s been dreaming of making the game-winning play. What better time to do it than against your biggest rival?
“I was so … I can’t explain it,” he said. “It was such a good feeling.”
“Everyone was so pumped up to win this week, to get that trophy back,” Silva added. “It made our season. It didn’t matter if we had lost all the games up to this. Winning this game was that important to us.”
For Gilroy (1-8, 0-6 TCAL), a win seemed certain, despite how much of an underdog it was entering the contest. Although the Mustangs had one last chance to orchestrate a game-winning 80-yard drive with 2:14 remaining, San Benito’s Matt Vallejo picked off a desperation pass by Niko Fortino at midfield to seal the triumphant win.
“We talked about it as coaches, we saw what they were doing and we still wanted to take advantage of it,” Gilroy head coach Greg Garcia said of the play calls late in the game. “We wanted to keep them back on their heels. We had our answers for what they were doing defensively but got caught. You play with fire, you’re going to get burned.”
The win by San Benito (6-3, 4-1 TCAL) was twofold; not only did it return the VFW Memorial Trophy to Hollister for the first time since 2006, but it also kept the Balers in line for a Tri-County Athletic League championship, which will be decided next week against Palma.
All of that would have been tossed out the window had San Benito lost, though, and the game appeared to be heading that way early on when the Mustangs’ offense could do no wrong.
“They came out blazing,” San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said.
Fortino, who finished with 465 yards and five touchdowns on 27 of 54 passing, connected with Soares midway through the first quarter on a 10-yard buttonhook that quickly turned into a 66-yard touchdown dash down the middle of the field.
Although Gilroy could not convert the two-point conversion, it tacked on another touchdown less than four minutes later — this time, Fortino to Julius Travis — on a 33-yard pass in the end zone.
San Benito didn’t awake until late in the first quarter when James Sanchez, who delivered a 51-yard run on the Balers’ first play from scrimmage, made it a track meet in the second series with a 79-yard touchdown run down the right sideline.
“I think it’s pretty tight. It’s the biggest rivalry game I’ve ever been in,” said Sanchez, who’d never played against San Benito’s nearby rival after he transferred from Sumner, Wash. The senior halfback, nevertheless, made his one and only Prune Bowl appearance felt to the tune of 164 yards and a touchdown on just seven attempts.
The Balers later pulled to within a point, at 14-13, when Michael Bocksnick bounced out to the right side for a 4-yard touchdown run just four minutes into the second quarter. But Gilroy’s passing game, especially in the first half, was in all-or-nothing mode, and the Mustangs responded with an 80-yard drive, culminating with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Fortino to Brent Newton.
“They were really, really, really fast,” said San Benito corner Jacob Martin. “Even when we cheated with a free safety over the top, they could still run. But we hung in there and we got them.”
Gilroy got the ball back again with 1:26 left in the first half, and began motoring downfield with buttonhooks and out-route passes. It wasn’t until Martin picked off a Fortino pass near midfield did San Benito’s pass defense begin to adapt.
“We were showing man, but we were actually in zone,” said Martin, who returned the interception 50 yards down to the Gilroy 5. Two plays later, Cody Hendricks dove up the middle for a 1-yard score to knot the game at 20-all entering halftime.
“Awesome,” Cameron said of Martin’s pick.
A scoreless third quarter was the calm before the fourth-quarter storm. Gilroy took the early lead and broke a 20-all game when Fortino hit Soares on a 19-yard touchdown pass in the corner less than three minutes into the final stanza. But the Balers once again responded, and grabbed their first lead of the game, just three plays later.
Bocksnick, who was wrapped up and appeared to be going down after a 5-yard run up the middle, shed the tackle and then spun away from the sleeping Gilroy secondary for a 52-yard scamper and a 27-26 lead with 8:13 remaining.
Similar to last week against Alvarez, when Bocksnick was wrapped up in the backfield before breaking a 57-yard touchdown run, Friday’s score likely doesn’t happen either if the San Benito sophomore isn’t wrapped up momentarily by a Mustang defender.
“It helped a lot,” Bocksnick said. “This is great. I have another two years of this. We’re gonna be seeing that trophy more often.”
Although Gilroy answered again — Fortino to Soares on a 55-yard touchdown pass play — the team’s five-point lead didn’t last.
A blocked punt changed just about everything.
Gilroy was without its placekicker, though, which could have turned everything in its favor. The Mustangs were limited to pooch kicks and two-point conversions (1 of 5), and had two drives end with a turnover on downs — from the San Benito 9, and later, the San Benito 23.
“Three extra points and maybe a field goal and (San Benito) don’t win that trophy,” Garcia said.
The Balers, meanwhile, compiled a season-high 405 yards in the game, although it was those special teams, which allowed kickoff-return touchdowns of 85 and 90 yards during last season’s 35-30 loss to the Mustangs, that got the final word.
“It made the difference in the game,” Cameron said.
The San Benito Haybalers will host Palma next Friday at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
SANB 7 13 0 14 34
GILR 14 6 0 12 32
SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
PASS (7:21) — GILR, Niko Fortino to Jourdan Soares, 66-yard touchdown, two-point conversion is no good; 6-0, GILR.
PASS (3:30) — GILR, Niko Fortino to Julius Travis, 33-yard touchdown, two-point conversion is good; 14-0, GILR.
RUSH (2:14) — SANB, James Sanchez, 79-yard touchdown, PAT (Tino Granados) is good; 14-7, GILR.
Second Quarter
RUSH (8:09) — SANB, Michael Bocksnick, 4-yard touchdown, PAT (Tino Granados) is no good; 14-13, GILR.
PASS (4:30) — GILR, Niko Fortino to Brent Newton, 15-yard touchdown, two-point conversion is no good; 20-13, GILR.
RUSH (:10) — SANB, Cody Hendricks, 1-yard touchdown, PAT (Tino Granados) is good; 20-20.
Fourth Quarter
PASS (9:39) — GILR, Niko Fortino to Jourdan Soares, 19-yard touchdown, two-point conversion is no good; 26-20, GILR.
RUSH (8:13) — SANB, Michael Bocksnick, 52-yard touchdown, PAT (Tino Granados) is good; 27-26, SANB.
PASS (7:07) — GILR, Niko Fortino to Jourdan Soares, 55-yard touchdown, two-point conversion is no good; 32-27, GILR.
RECOVERY (2:14) — SANB, Marcos Silva, PAT (Tino Granados) is good; 34-32, SANB.
SAN BENITO STATISTICS
Passing: Tyler Decker — 2 of 5, 15 yards; Michael Bocksnick — 2 of 3, 54 yards. Rushing: Tyler Decker — 11 attempts, 27 yards; Michael Bocksnick — 6 attempts, 52 yards, 2 touchdowns; James Sanchez — 7 attempts, 164 yards, 1 touchdown; Cody Hendricks — 16 attempts, 77 yards, 1 touchdown; Anthony Cervantes — 2 attempts, 6 yards; James Flook — 6 attempts, 11 yards; Conner Stevens — 1 attempt, -1 yards. Receiving: Cody Hendricks — 1 reception, 39 yards; Anthony Cervantes — 1 reception, 5 yards; James Flook — 1 reception, 10 yards; Kristian Servin — 1 reception, 15 yards.
GILROY STATISTICS
Passing: Niko Fortino — 27 of 54, 465 yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions; Jourdan Soares — 1 of 1, 34 yards. Rushing: Niko Fortino — 3 attempts, -16 yards; Romeo Travis — 6 attempts, 46 yards; Eric Vegas — 8 attempts, 31 yards; Jourdan Soares — 1 attempts, -7 yards. Receiving: Julius Travis — 10 receptions, 158 yards, 1 touchdown; Jourdan Soares — 9 receptions, 260 yards, 3 touchdowns; Ryan Alba — 2 receptions, 27 yards; Eric Vegas — 4 receptions, 31 yards; Brent Newton — 3 receptions, 23 yards, 1 touchdown.
TOTAL OFFENSE
San Benito — 405 yards (336 rush, 69 pass)
Gilroy — 569 yards (499 pass, 70 rush)
TURNOVERS
San Benito — 1
Gilroy — 2
SACKS
San Benito — 1 (Cody Hendricks) for -8 yards.
Gilroy — 3 (Brett Newton, Devon Castaneda, Eric Vegas) for -9 yards.
PENALTIES
San Benito — 3 for -25 yards.
Gilroy — 14 for -118 yards.
JV Note:
Look back for more on the San Benito junior varsity football team.
Frosh Note:
The San Benito freshmen football team easily defeated Watsonville 54-0 on Thursday, and improved to 9-0 overall on the season.
The Balers, who led 20-0 after one quarter and 40-0 at halftime, up their record in the Tri-County Athletic League to 5-0 as a result.
San Benito will host Palma next Friday at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m.
Below is the latest edition of the San Benito Score:
