There’s a distinct pattern playing out for the San Benito High football team, and it’s not a trait shared by winning teams.
The Haybalers have trailed at halftime in all three games this season, and they paid for their slow start once again in a 28-14 home loss to Los Gatos on Friday.
“We played horribly,” Haybalers coach Chris Cameron said. “They (Los Gatos) won the game, but a lot of it came down to how many mistakes were we going to make.”
Unfortunately for San Benito (1-2), the answer was too many. If the Balers weren’t fumbling the ball — they committed five fumbles, recovering four of them — they were committing numerous false-start penalties.
And when they weren’t being flagged, the Balers looked ragged as they had two snaps sail well over the head of punter-kicker John Canes.
It wasn’t a pretty performance by any stretch of the imagination, leaving the San Benito coaching staff to call out the players’ performance and heart afterwards.
“It’s a challenge to our guys’ character,” Cameron said. “We didn’t play well – we took a step backward. In terms of execution, effort and focus, we didn’t have it.”
The Balers trailed the entire way, but got to within 21-14 on David Stanton’s 19-yard touchdown run with 7:10 remaining. However, Los Gatos’ Corey Olivet returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to put things away.
“That took the wind out of our sails,” Cameron said.
For the second straight game, San Benito’s defense gave up big plays at critical moments, and the offense stalled at key times. At times, though, the Balers looked every bit the equal of the Wildcats (1-2), who are a perennial Central Coast Section power.
At other moments, however, the Balers — who were missing a couple of starters due to injuries — looked discombobulated and out of place.
“We were trying to learn some new things, and the timing wasn’t completely there,” said Stanton, who completed 4 of 7 passes for 71 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown pass to Cody Freitas in the second quarter. “I thought we were better than Los Gatos and could’ve beaten them, but our mistakes cost us the game.”
Los Gatos outgained San Benito, 334-241. The Balers received another strong performance from running back Zak Hicks, who finished with a team-high 73 yards on 12 carries. Hicks spent most of the game lowering his shoulders and bowling over Los Gatos defenders.
“Zak was fired up to play and delivered,” Cameron said. “It would sure be nice (if some of his teammates had the same intensity and effort).”
If San Benito can smooth over its issues, other teams will have to watch out. The Balers are lethal on the option with Hicks emerging as a punishing runner, along with Justice Felice and Damian Botelho being used for runs up the middle.
When San Benito decides to pitch the ball to the perimeter to Hicks or Canes, it adds another dimension to its attack.
However, the Balers put the ball on the ground three times via option pitches, and few things demoralize an offense more than botching a routine pitch.
It’s one of the many things the Balers will have to improve if they want to turn around their season.
