‘Balers look to run record to 4-0 with mighty Bellarmine
visiting tonight
Hollister – True enough, tonight marks the final preseason game for the ‘Balers. But not a single member of the San Benito football program is overlooking the team’s last non-league opponent.
With Bellarmine College Prep coming to town, the ‘Balers know they will have their hands full trying to emerge undefeated from their preseason slate for the first time since 2000. As is so often the case with teams from the West Catholic Athletic League, the Bells bring a full complement of athletes that give them the on-paper edge over most public school foes.
“They’re bigger than us and they’re faster than us,” San Benito offensive coordinator Rick Dukes said. “It’s the same old battle. It’ll be tough.”
Nevertheless, the ‘Balers (3-0) have played Bellarmine to a draw in the past two seasons, winning 17-7 at home in 2004 and falling 37-15 at San Jose City College last season.
A quick glance at the Bells’ 1-2 record would suggest the beginning of an off year for a team that finished tied for second in its brutal league in 2005 and competed in the CCS Open Division playoffs. But in a nod to Bellarmine’s strength of schedule, San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said he’s quite sure the Bells are as talented as ever.
“They’ve played two teams that would win our section,” Cameron said of the Bells, who fell 51-41 to Fresno’s Clovis and lost 38-14 to Jesuit of Sacramento. “If they’d be playing section teams, they’d be 3-0.”
Meanwhile, despite their gaudy record, the ‘Balers are well aware that they stand a few plays from being 1-2 themselves.
While San Benito’s defense has been the driving force behind the victories, the team’s offense has alternately had problems with turnovers and producing clock-eating, scoring drives.
After fumbling six times and coughing up four turnovers in their 30-10 win over San Lorenzo Valley two weeks ago, and following up by being shut out after the first quarter in a 10-7 victory over Wilcox, the ‘Balers need a superior offensive performance to challenge with Bellarmine.
“No. 1, we have to move the ball offensively,” Cameron said. “We can’t turn the ball over. … You give ’em opportunities, it’s going to kill us. It’s all over.”
The San Benito head coach also identified winning the special teams battle as critical to his team’s chances, especially in light of a disastrous sequence that began the ‘Balers’ undoing against the Bells last season. Trailing by a slim, 7-0 margin late in the first half, the ‘Balers were set to punt from their 20-yard line in hopes of heading to the locker room with a chance to win in the second half. Instead, a high snap led to a safety and a 9-0 Bellarmine lead, and then, after a long kickoff return, the Bells struck again with a scoring screen pass to completely change the complexion of the game in a minute’s time.
“We beat ourselves last year,” senior middle linebacker Chad Kakebeen said. “We didn’t fill our assignments and they just ran all over us.”
Last week, the ‘Balers had a field goal attempt blocked by Wilcox late in the fourth quarter, and saw the Chargers take possession at the San Benito 41-yard line with a chance to win. The ‘Balers’ defense held strong to preserve the victory, but Cameron said a similar turn of events against the Bells would prove much more costly. “Bellarmine takes that and wins the football game,” he said. “Whereas the other teams haven’t taken advantage of our mistakes, they will.”
Cameron also expects the Bells to test the ‘Balers’ defensive backs with a handful of long passes down the sidelines, as the otherwise stingy defense has been susceptible to the big pass play. Should San Benito establish an effective rushing attack and receive a similar performance from its defense, the ‘Balers coach said the game should be a good one. “That’s what I’m hoping, that it’s a low-scoring game,” he said, “because if it’s a shootout, we can’t keep up with them.”
Tonight’s game marks the third straight week the ‘Balers host a team that played in last season’s Open Division playoffs.
San Benito begins its Tri-County Athletic League season with a home contest against Alvarez on Sep. 29.
In addition to drawing motivation from the traditional public school vs. private school battle, the ‘Balers are eager to atone for their blowout loss to Bellarmine last year.
“We’ve definitely got a big chip on our shoulder,” Kakebeen said. “We’re 1-1 (against the Bells) right now. For the seniors, it means a lot to finish off with a win over them.”
