First things first, the Gilroy High football team does not like
its opponent in tonight’s 7 p.m. Central Coast Section Open
Division championship game at San Jose City College.
First things first, the Gilroy High football team does not like its opponent in tonight’s 7 p.m. Central Coast Section Open Division championship game at San Jose City College.
In fact, outside of Tri-County Athletic League play, there isn’t a team the Mustangs had on the 2007 schedule they wanted to beat more than the Oak Grove Eagles.
A 49-0 defeat to the Eagles in 2006 made sure of that. A 27-21 defeat to Oak Grove in Week Two of this season only served to reinforce the Mustangs’ less than fuzzy feelings about their upcoming opponents.
Even the coaches have been somewhat at odds.
GHS Coach Rich Hammond and Oak Grove’s Coach Ed Buller did not exchange game film in the two school’s meeting earlier this season after Buller refused to exchange tape before last year’s game. It is the only team Gilroy has played under Hammond’s two-year watch that has not given up – as well as received – footage of former contests.
And as you probably guessed, the pair didn’t swap hugs and home videos before tonight’ game.
Not that it really matters. Both schools were certainly able to track down video of prior games, and knowing the styles of the two squads, little is expected to change from past performances.
Gilroy (10-2) will throw the ball until quarterback Jamie Jensen’s arm gives out (which isn’t likely after throwing for almost 4,000 yards this season), and Oak Grove (11-1) will try to run the ball whether it’s through or around an opponent (which has happened with regularity as running back Nevin Gardiner rushed for more than 2,000 yards for the second straight year).
They’re style of play is “extremely arrogant, kind of like Los Gatos,” Hammond said after the last practice of the year Thursday. “They’re going to try to run the ball down your throat and they don’t care what you do.”
Gilroy’s coach estimates Oak Grove has five players (Gardiner, receiver/cornerback Stacy Long, safety Jabbari Carr, tackle Aaron Huck and defensive end Mark Forrest) that have the talent to be legitimate Division I college football prospects. What Hammond questions, however, is the mental preparation some of Oak Grove’s players put in before a game.
“Their strength is they’re extremely talented and they’re fundamentally sound, but not a very disciplined team,” he said.
Some Eagles are known to take downs off when the ball isn’t coming their way, which could result in big plays if Gilroy stays patient.
Conversely, the Mustangs have a reputation for being a finesse football team that only outscores people, despite a defense that has proven to be much better than it was the first time it faced Gardiner and Oak Grove.
Whether each team’s reputation is well deserved will only be decided between the lines, but here are some other factors that could affect the outcome of the game:
– Zero coverage: Oak Grove likes to go man-to-man against receivers on defense, with little help over the top. The result will either be big plays or missed opportunities for the Mustangs’ offense. Jensen won’t have much time, though, as Oak Grove will be blitzing a minimum of six people almost every play.
– Blitzes galore: Gilroy’s defense will also try to shoot the gaps to get tackles for negative yards. This will make the Mustangs susceptible to giving up big gains on the ground, or on screen passes – such as the tight end screen Oak Grove scored on to seal the game in its 35-21 win over Bellarmine in the semifinals.
– Experience: Oak Grove has been in a section title game for the last three seasons, but haven’t won one since a 24-20 victory over San Benito in 2004. Coach Buller has over 200 career victories on his resume.
– No Experience: Gilroy High has never been this far – in the Open Division no less, which groups the eight best teams in the section into one bracket – and almost no one expected them to get here in the first place. Despite the hype and pressure of big games, Gilroy’s players have rolled with it because they believed in themselves all along. The team’s relaxed approach is a far cry from its excitable coach.
“They’re their typical selves, staying loose,” Hammond said Thursday. “I don’t get nervous, but I’m definitely not loose.”
While accepting that his team performs best when playing care-free, GHS’ coach has tried to make sure he gets one idea to stick in his players’ minds: Leave everything on the field.
“It’s the last game,” Hammond said. “We’re not holding anything back.”
