‘Balers show plenty of positives in scrimmage with Gilroy;
special teams at top of need-to-improve list heading into Aptos
Hollister – It was only a scrimmage, but the San Benito football team was amped up enough to be playing at live-game speed. With Tri-County Athletic League rival Gilroy in town for a practice session, the ‘Balers took full advantage of their tune-up in bringing smash-mouth football back to Andy Hardin Stadium Friday night.
“Our kids got after them big time and we executed pretty well,” San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said. “The intensity was there. We were able to ride a wave and it was really good.”
With the ‘Balers set to open their season at Aptos on Sep. 1, the coaches were pleased to see San Benito’s offense and defense take the action to the Mustangs throughout much of the evening. The disparity between the rivals was most notable in the first 11-on-11 scrimmages, when the ‘Balers’ first-team defense largely thwarted any real forward progress by Gilroy’s offense and then San Benito’s first-team offense was able to maneuver for a few first downs when the teams switched sides.
“I like how we got after it on both sides of the football,” ‘Balers offensive coordinator Rick Dukes told the team afterwards.
In an evening that otherwise offered plenty of positive notes, San Benito’s poor play on special teams stood out. The punt coverage and PAT snaps that followed the first-team 11-on-11 drills were the only times when the ‘Balers clearly showed that they have plenty of work to do before Aptos. The botched handling of a punt inside the team’s five-yard line and a blocked point-after attempt were among the mistakes that Cameron and his staff said could prove costly when the season starts.
“You can lose a game and you can win a game on special teams,” Cameron said. “We stunk on special teams tonight. We’re going to have to make some great strides there because I don’t want to lose games in the kicking game.”
With opening night less than a week away, San Benito most all of all wanted to walk away from Friday’s scrimmage with a completely healthy squad. Inside linebacker Chad Kakebeen was banged up after one play, but Cameron expressed hope that his player would be able to avoid being sidelined for a lengthy period of time.
Gilroy was not as fortunate. Late in the scrimmage, Matt Hemeon, the Mustangs’ projected starting quarterback, ran through the line and collided with San Benito’s second-team defenders, suffering a leg injury that appeared to put his season in jeopardy for the second straight year.
“I just feel real bad for him and his bad luck,” first-year Gilroy head coach Rich Hammond said of Hemeon.
The evening was noteworthy for another reason – Hammond returning to a field he starred on as a ‘Balers safety and later coached on with mentor Chris Cameron. Patrolling the Gilroy sidelines with a blue visor, Hammond said it didn’t take long to put his past aside.
“It felt funny at first walking in, but you know, the group of guys I’m coaching, they’re a real special group,” he said. “We’ve got what I call a brotherhood. They’re my guys and I wouldn’t have wanted to be with anyone else.”
The guys on the other side of the field, the ones wearing red helmets, had plenty of positives to take from the scrimmage. Among them was an encouraging review from new signal-caller Ronnie Fhurong.
“Our offense is holding on to the blocks strong enough for me to have time to pass,” the junior quarterback said. “I felt comfortable.”
With Dukes, the offensive coordinator, identifying the offensive line as one of the area’s he believed the ‘Balers needed to improve the most heading into the scrimmage, Fhurong’s assessment indicated San Benito is heading in the right direction.
The ‘Baler coaches wanted to have a chance to review film of the scrimmage before offering insights on how the remaining positions up-for-grabs would be filled.
With the Aptos scouting report ready to be digested as the team returns to practice after the weekend, San Benito is ready to hit the ground running.
As assistant coach Ed Schmidt told the ‘Balers in the post-scrimmage meeting, “All our goals start on Monday.”
