Hollister plays well on both sides of the ball to pick up its
second win of the season; Prune Bowl up next
San Luis Obispo – The defense was working, the running game was working and quarterback Karson Klauer was on the money when he needed to be as the San Benito High football team salvaged its preseason with a hard-fought 28-14 win over San Luis Obispo on Friday night to bring its record to 2-3.
First to the defense. San Luis Obispo running back Stuart Hill had been running over opposing defenses in recent weeks. Before Friday’s loss to Hollister, Hill had racked up 200+ yards in two straight contests. He had rushed for over 800 yards going into the game and the Haybalers knew they were going to have their hands full with the 5-8, 165-pound back.
But the ‘Baler defense stepped up big against Hill, holding the Tigers’ feature back to just 51 yards on 21 carries. When it came to defending the pass on Friday, the Haybaler defense bent but didn’t break as quarterback Conner Reese completed 16 passes for 225 yards and one touchdown. The Tigers were forced to go through the air late in the fourth but Hollister’s Anthony Francis intercepted a pass with 20 seconds left to put the game away.
Offensively, Hollister’s Jeff Weltz led the ‘Baler ground attack with 72 yards on 10 carries for one touchdown, a three-yard dash across the goal line in the third quarter to break the tie and give Hollister a 14-7 advantage.
And, while the focus of Hollister’s offensive attack was on the ground, the game’s biggest highlight came on one of Klauer’s two passes downfield.
PLAY OF THE GAME: With the game tied at 14-14 and less than two minutes left to play in the game, Klauer went to the left sideline with a pass intended for Jason Ramirez. As the ball made its way down to the Haybaler receiver, it didn’t look like there was going to be any way for Ramirez to make the catch as Stuart Hill was draped all over him. But Ramirez somehow managed to reel the ball in using only his left hand as his right was being held by Hill. Penalty flags flew on the blatant defensive pass interference but Ramirez was able to power his way through Hill and across the goal line to put Hollister up 21-14.
DRIVE OF THE GAME: After Ramirez’s highlight-reel catch put the Haybalers up 21-14, the Hollister defense came up with a huge stop. San Luis Obispo’s Reese was nearly picked off on first down and then Mark Sullivan stopped Hill on second down, setting up a third down play that saw Reese throw another incomplete pass. The Tigers went for it on fourth down but the snap sailed over Reese’s head and was recovered by Hollister’s Nate Mendoza at the San Luis Obispo 10-yard line.
On the first play of Hollister’s ensuing possession, Weltz broke an eight-yard run and Klauer took it in on the next play from two yards out.
