Central Coast advances to GSAFL Conference championship game
GILROY –– Defense was the key to the Central Coast Barnstormers’ 35-0 victory over the Oakland Vipers Saturday in the second round of the playoffs.
The Vipers threatened several times, especially in the later part of the game, but the strong Barnstormer defense kept them off the board.
The biggest threat of the game was in the fourth quarter with less than two minutes to play. Oakland had the ball on the Barnstormers’ 10-yard-line.
Following the snap, the Viper backup quarterback found himself under immense pressure from the Barnstormer defense and coughed up the ball.
Linebacker Lance Goularte, a San Benito High graduate, scooped up the ball and ran it back, nearly uncontested, for 90 yards.
While the game was not in doubt at that point, it was just the final nail in the Vipers’ coffin.
The play was set up by an interception thrown by Gilroy’s James Pottruff, the third turnover given up by the Barnstormers in the game. But each time the offense made a mistake, the defense stepped in and made sure Oakland would never capitalize.
“At this point, defense will win games,” said head coach Norm Kabbani.
Kabbani was pleased with his defense that has only given up six points in the last four games they played.
But while the defense was busy keeping the Vipers off the board, the offense was busy giving the defense room to work.
First blood was drawn in the second quarter when quarterback Brian Smith, out of Chico, connected with running back Derrick Morrison for a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Morrison finished the day with 77 rushing yards on 15 carries, including an eight-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Smith connected with an additional six-yard touchdown pass to San Jose’s Rigo Munoz in the third quarter.
The final touchdown came from a one-yard carry from Benny Morales.
Oakland was hurt throughout the game by costly penalties, including one during a Barnstormer two-point conversion that failed but was later converted following an encroachment penalty.
The Barnstormers will next their face rivals, the South Bay Buccaneers, who have beaten the Central Coast team in the past.
However, spirits are high amongst the team.
Running back Tommy Jimenez said although they fell to the Bucs earlier in the season, he was confident that they could turn things around Saturday.
“They beat us, but we made mistakes,” Jimenez said. “If we beat ourselves, then we’re out of the game.”
Kabbani is also confident that the Barnstormers can pull it off.
“We can do it,” Kabbani said. “We have a very balanced offense and our defense is peaking at the right point in time.”
He added that the game will be tough and hard fought on both sides.
“It is going to be all out war,” Kabbani said. “This is one I want to win.”
The Barnstormers will have their work cut out for them, facing a team that is ranked No. 2 west of the Mississippi.
“We’re going to have to play great if we want to win,” Kabbani said.
Originally Saturday’s game was going to be played on the Buccaneers’ field, but due to lack of field availability, the game has been scheduled to play at South Valley Middle School in Gilroy at 1 p.m.
