Hollister looks good in four-team scrimmage but two key players
sustain injuries
With a couple of rough defensive hits against Salinas in its opening session at a four-way scrimmage on the brand new field of the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex Friday night, Hollister set the tone.
“It was good,” said Hollister coach Chris Cameron after the game. “We came out and played real physical…We played three real good football teams hard.”
Hollister and the Cowboys, and host Gilroy and Serra were the first users of the state-of-the-art fake grass field, which is encircled by a brand new track – the north end of which wasn’t yet dry by scrimmage time. The four teams shared the field, rotating so that each team got to play each other once.
The scrimmage left Cameron pleasantly surprised, especially with some of his younger players. The coach also noted forced turnovers and execution as high points.
But there were a couple low points the ‘Balers could have done without. During the course of the game, senior quarterback Karson Klauer and running back Jeff Weltz sustained injuries.
Weltz hurt an ankle and left early to have it checked out. Then Klauer got shaken up after a collision with another player. Though Klauer was the aggressor in the situation, Cameron said his pupils were “as big as binoculars” when he got up. Klauer left immediately after the game to get medical attention.
“(The injuries) are not good for us right now,” Cameron said. “We wanted to come out injury free and that didn’t happen.”
The ‘Balers open their season at home Sept. 2 with powerhouse Valley Christian, who had scouts at the scrimmage.
With fast and big Serra at the scrimmage, the ‘Balers got a taste of what’s to come six days from now. Serra, which plays in the competitive West Catholic League lost to league rival Valley Christian by two points last year. The Padres also defeated would-be TCAL champion Palma 28-21 early last season.
“We go out and play the best,” Cameron said of the opener against Valley Christian. “Right away, we’ll find out what we’re made of.”
