Salinas running back Andrew Russo has run for 800 yards and has
scored 14 touchdowns
In its 2006 campaign to repeat as champions of the Central Coast
Section, the San Benito High football team has played nearly
flawless football.
In fact, had it not been for four or five botched plays this
season
”
we would be 8-0 right now,
”
Balers coach Chris Cameron said.
Salinas running back Andrew Russo has run for 800 yards and has scored 14 touchdowns
In its 2006 campaign to repeat as champions of the Central Coast Section, the San Benito High football team has played nearly flawless football.
In fact, had it not been for four or five botched plays this season “we would be 8-0 right now,” Balers coach Chris Cameron said.
Instead, the Balers are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in league, and they are ranked No. 13 in the section as a result of their heartbreaking loss to No. 2 ranked Palma just two weeks ago in Salinas.
Tonight at 7:30 p.m. the Balers wrap up their regular season home campaign against Salinas (4-4, 2-2) before traveling to Gilroy in the season finale for a showdown with the 3-5 Mustangs in the Prune Bowl.
Heading into tonight’s showdown with the Cowboys, Cameron is most concerned with mental mistakes and turnovers.
“We need to win the game,” Cameron said. “The No. 1 priority is to see us improve in some of the areas that I think we need to improve on so that we can make a big push heading into the playoffs. We need to cut down on turnovers and penalties, convert on third down and not give up the big play.”
If the Cowboys are to make a big play against the swarming Baler defense it will come by way of their star running back Andrew Russo.
This season Russo has scored 14 touchdowns for the Cowboys and has run for nearly 800 yards in the process.
“We’re going to have to stop him,” Cameron said. “He’s a major percentage of their offense and he plays linebacker on defense. We’ll be focusing on him.”
Another player that Cameron and his staff will be game-planning for is Micah Wilson, who has been very effective for the Cowboys this season at both tight end and the strong safety position.
This year Wilson leads the team in tackles and interceptions and is third on the team in receiving.
“He’s a force for them,” said Cameron after studying film on Salinas and analyzing their schemes.
While the Balers have some concerns against Salinas, there are a number of reasons that San Benito should be licking its chops as well.
One of those reasons is Cowboys starting quarterback Michael Sisson. Although he has thrown for 850 yards this season, Sisson has been prone to throw his passes to the wrong person.
So far this season Sasson has 10 interceptions to go with his three touchdown tosses, which should be music to the ears of the Balers’ championship-level secondary and line backing core, which is led by linebacker Johnny Sanchez and interception specialist Zach Canez.
This season Canez has five picks and Sanchez in the win 33-6 last week over Alisal set the all-time school career record for tackles with 322. It was a record that had stood since 1998, the year senior Brian Baxter picked up his 321st in just his 35th game for the Balers.
“I think Johnny broke the record playing one less game than Baxter,” Cameron said. “And he still has a few games to go to add to that. He’s a heck of a player.”
The other advantage that the Balers will have is that the game will be at home. On top of that, Salinas may be forced to take the field without its head coach Steve Goodbody, who had been faced with the need for a possible emergency appendectomy earlier in the week.
When the Balers have the ball tonight look for a big dose of Tim Lango, who leads the team in rushing with 715 yards on 109 carries. This season the Balers star back has made his way to the end zone six times.
“Timmy is great. He’s a super worker from January through the end of the season,” Cameron said. “He works hard. He’s in the weight room and he does all that I ask of him. He’s the type of player who leads by example. He’s really come a long way for us the last few years.”
