Josh George may be only a sophomore, but Friday he played like
someone much older.
HOLLISTER
Josh George may be only a sophomore, but Friday he played like someone much older.
The calm and collected starting safety started at quarterback, replacing the injured Michael Bocksnick, for the first time as a varsity player Friday against Alisal. But nobody would have guess that was the case.
The sophomore rushed for 100 yards on the ground – including one touchdown – and threw for another 11 yards in the Balers 21-7 win over Alisal.
The win evens up the Balers record at 2-2-1 and gives them an important 1-0 start in Tri-County Athletic League.
“It’s really important,” George said. “Now we just have to shut out every other team. So, hopefully, we just go good and strong into the playoffs and get that CCS (title) we are looking for.”
And the Balers have their running game to thank for Friday’s win. The Balers pounded the ground, using eight ball carries to rush for 305 yards. Sophomore Zak Hicks lead the way for the Balers with 173 yards on the ground – including two touchdown runs of more than 30 yards.
“I was just seeing holes every time,” Hicks said. “I just have to really tip my hat off to the linemen. They really did a great job to make sure we got through and making sure we got those first downs and touchdowns.”
He added, “It’s such a rush to breakout downfield. It’s an adrenaline rush I just love it and I can’t get my mind off that.”
But the biggest improvement for head coach Chris Cameron and the Balers was four quarters of strong play – a first in the five-game-old season.
“We played a full four quarters,” Hicks said. “We started off a little edgy with a turnover but we kept on going. It was very important to show the TCAL league we can play football and we can bring it.”
Things almost fell apart for the Balers to start the second half.
With a 14-0 lead, after two second-quarter rushing touchdowns by Hicks and George, the Balers started with the ball on their on 20-yard line. After a couple of no-yardage plays, the Balers were forced to throw on third down and long. George tossed a one yard completion to Soto, who then tried to turn upfield.
An Alisal defender knocked the ball loose and into the hands of teammate Joseph Gutierrez, who ran 20 yards into the end zone to give Alisal its only points of the game.
But it could have gotten a lot worse for the Balers. Following an offensive three-and-out series, the Balers forced a punt on a short field from Alisal.
“It could have started to go the other way right there,” Cameron said. “But it didn’t. The kids fought through it.”
He added, “That was a big key point right there.”
Starting at the 5-yard line, the Balers slowly moved the ball down the field thanks to its methodically run game – until the Alisal 45-yard line.
It was there that Hicks broke out once again. Going straight into his linemen’s backs, Hicks bounced outside and down the sideline.
Hicks sprinted away from Alisal defenders and ran the last 30 yards untouched to give San Benito a 21-7 lead with a minute left in the third quarter.
“Zak Hicks is a freaking trooper,” Cameron said. “He plays with a lot of heart. He fights. His feet are always moving.”
And the score was all the team needed, thanks to a dominant performance from the Balers’ defense. Alisal used nine ball carries to rush for 159 yards. The Trojans also threw for another 24 through the air. But the Trojans offense never scored and didn’t have a rusher run for more than 100 yards.
“Like always, we make sure to do our assignments every play,” said Ryan Di Salvo, who had two sacks on the day. “The defense played well.”
The team did struggle in some areas – turning the ball over once and committing eight penalties in the contest.
“Hopefully we will be able to clean up some of those things,” Cameron said. I’m just proud of our team. The defense pitched a shutout and the offense scored all 28 points tonight – 21 for us and seven for them. It was a good win.”
San Benito will travel to Salinas on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to take on Salinas High.
“We have a tough, physical football team waiting for us,” Cameron said.
This week’s San Benito Score:
