San Benito High football coach Chris Cameron called Friday night’s road contest against Alvarez a “must win” game.
The Haybalers were coming off two agonizing last-minute losses to start Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division play, and another defeat would essentially knock them out of championship contention and further damage their chances for a berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
Unfortunately for San Benito, it couldn’t find a way to win another game that went down to the wire. Despite a gallant comeback effort, the Balers fell short in a 34-27 overtime loss. In all likelihood, San Benito (3-4 overall, 0-3 in league) probably has to win its remaining three games to make the postseason.
The Balers host Seaside and Palma before closing out the regular season against North Salinas at Rabobank Stadium.
Against an upstart Alvarez (6-1, 2-1) team, the Balers never had the lead. The Eagles led 27-13 before San Benito scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the last coming with 3:44 left in regulation, to make it 27-27.
Alvarez scored a TD to open up the OT period, which has each team starting on the opponent’s 10-yard line with four downs to score. San Benito couldn’t respond, as Edric Gamble intercepted a R.J. Clark pass in the end zone to seal the outcome.
Gamble, a senior quarterback/free safety, was the best player on the field, finishing with 223 yards rushing while adding 86 passing yards. Gamble accounted for all five Alvarez TDs, with scoring runs of 12, 52, 14 and 10 yards, to go along with a 33-yard TD pass.
Ezzie Lovato accounted for both of the Balers’ TDs in the fourth quarter, on scoring runs of 35 and 8 yards.
