They were left with one picture-perfect drive. They left
everything on the field.
SALINAS – They were left with one picture-perfect drive. They left everything on the field.
Hollister High matched up with Palma Friday night at the Salinas Sports Complex in every category but speed. The Chieftains took charge in the first half by busting loose on big plays en route to a 41-20 victory. The loss for the Balers (4-5-1, 2-3 Tri-County Athletic League) eliminated them from Central Coast Section playoff contention. It was the first time the Balers won’t be in CCS since 1993. The victory by Palma snapped a three-game losing streak to the Balers, as well.
The junior-laden Chieftains (9-1, 4-1 TCAL) didn’t waste much time on their first possession. The Chieftains Luke Lippincott took a pitch outside left tackle on the first play from scrimmage and went 52 yards virtually untouched for a score.
The Balers could have folded their collective tents, but came right back with their best drive of the year. After Danny Donahue broke through the Balers’ wedge to tackle Danny Brooks at the Baler 14 on the ensuing kickoff, Lee Osborne hid behind his offensive line and optioned right. The Chieftains defense lost Osborne just enough for him to complete a 35-yard gainer. Tommy Martinez then powered off the right side for 10 tough yards.
Two plays later, Armando Larez ripped through the middle, spinning twice away from tacklers for 14 more yards. An option pitch to Larez gained nine additional yards to the Chieftains’ 11. Sophomore Chris Brigantino, who will be the Balers feature running back next season, bulled his way for six rugged yards, carrying tacklers with him. On third-and-goal from the two, Osborne tucked the ball in and rolled in for a Baler touchdown.
Ten plays. No penalties. No passes. No fuss. No muss. Vintage wing-T.
But, Palma had too many horses in the old corral. Quarterback Chad Bozzo, who showed top-flight speed in racking up 132 yards on six first-half carries, rolled innocently to his right from his own 33 and continued all the way down the Chieftains’ sideline for a 67-yard TD. Within three plays, the Chieftains had regained the momentum back.
They would never look back.
Though the Balers Jose Garcia recovered a fumble to halt a Chieftains’ drive early in the second period, the Chieftains weren’t stopped on their next possession. Bozzo play-faked and found a wide open Tim Cambier for 31 yards to the Baler 15. Bozzo got outside for 14 yards, just narrowly missing another TD as he stepped out of bounds inside the Baler one-yard line. Lippincott dove over on second down.
A Baler turnover late in the second period at their own 36 didn’t help matters. Bozzo exploded once again on a misdirection run, taking it 36 yards for the score.
The Balers attempted some gadgetry on their first chance in the second half. Chris Uribe took a double reverse and threw fairly deep downfield, but the Chieftains Cody Nielson made a nice defensive play and intercepted. Seven plays later, the Chieftains were in for another TD when backup QB Daniel Romero hit Cambier for a six-yard TD pass.
Osborne led the Balers on their second score of the night when he picked up his own fumble behind the line of scrimmage and zipped through the center of the line for 18 yards to the Palma 19. After losing six yards, the Balers Tommy Martinez used a key block from Jonathan Lopez to score on a sweep around the left side from 25 yards out. Martinez totaled a career-high 69 yards on 11 carries. He also scored the Balers’ final TD of the night on an option pitch from three yards out.
The game was hard-hitting, which is usual fare when the Balers and Chieftains butt heads.
“We knew it was going to be a physical game,” said Palma coach Jeff Carnazzo. “It always is when we play Hollister. They took it to us and had us on our heels on that first drive. But, we establshed ourselves and regained control of the game.”
Carnazzo was particulary impressed with Osborne, who ended his prep career with 118 yards rushing on 18 carries.
“We were fearing Osborne in practice all week,” said Carnazzo. “He was the guy we had to stop. We knew he was going to get his yards, like a Ronnie Drummer or a Andy Palacio. Osborne’s a great competitor.”
It was also the final game for Baler center Clay Peer, who at one sequence in the second half, made three crunching tackles in a row when he was on the defensive side of the ball.
“I left everything out on the field,” said Peer. “Our offensive line played great. It was the best we played all year. We sold out tonight.”
Late in the game, the Baler coaching staff could be seen smiling, as if they knew their troops had given their all. They had played their best and were simply beaten by a better team, a team which could very well be the Division I section champ for the third straight season.
The Balers, who had battled week in and week out with adversity all season long, had reason to be proud.
Junior varsity: Palma 28, Balers 14. Jeff Hawks had an 11-yard TD run, then passed to Alex Gonzalez for a 15-yard TD pass. Karson Klauer recovered an onside kick for the Balers, who ended the year 4-5-1.
Freshmen: The Palma frosh ended the year undefeated with a 40-13 rout of the Baler freshmen.
