Vikings edge San Benito 17-14 Friday to remain undefeated
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SALINAS
Vikings are historically known to conquer their opponents, but on Friday night against the San Benito Haybalers, the North Salinas Vikings barely made it out of the Salinas Sports Complex alive.
Trailing by three with less than a minute in regulation, San Benito marched 34 yards downfield to North Salinas’ 18. But with a rolling clock, no timeouts and a fourth-and-three situation upcoming, ‘Baler quarterback Trevor Fabing’s intended pass to Evan McFadden in the end zone fell incomplete, and North Salinas staved off defeat in the waning seconds to escape with a 17-14 victory.
“The defensive back made a good play on it, and Evan did a great job by getting behind the safety,” Fabing said. “But that’s how football goes. We played a great game, though.”
North Salinas improves to 6-0 overall, while the ‘Balers fall to 3-4, 1-2 in the Tri-County Athletic League, and left wondering what could have been.
“It proves that we can come out and play hard,” head coach Chris Cameron said. “We came off the bus ready to play tonight, and we gave them everything they could handle and more. We can play with supposedly the best teams in this league, because we played four strong quarters of football.
“I haven’t watched the film or anything obviously, but I think there is a pretty good chance we just totally outplayed them tonight, when you take away that one play in the first half … Just a couple of things and this game is a different football game.”
On the second to last play of the first half, North Salinas quarterback Mike Ramos found Marcos Martinez on a screen pass to the left side. The ‘Baler defense wrapped up the senior receiver’s legs in the backfield, but just before the wobbling Martinez fell down, running back Mark Ramos sprinted around the left side and received a lateral pass from Martinez.
Ramos didn’t stop until he reached paydirt 48 yards later down the left sideline, supplying the Vikings with a 10-7 lead at halftime.
San Benito would retake the lead early in the second half, but the broken-play-turned-hook-and-ladder-turned-touchdown was certainly not the way the ‘Balers wanted to end the first half.
“Outplay them, and we did,” said defensive coordinator Tod Thatcher said, when asked what the strategy was against North Salinas’ potent rushing attack. Although San Benito allowed 293 total yards, 204 of which came on the ground on 45 attempts, North Salinas tallied 117 of those rushing yards on just three plays.
Otherwise, San Benito allowed just 87 rushing yards on 42 carries. Defensive backs Conner Stevens and Jordan Ashford even picked off two passes early in the game.
“Just outplay them,” Thatcher added. “A couple breakdowns, but the one goofy play at the end of the first half, that was a difference maker. Three-point win and they had a seven-point play right there.
“We came out on the wrong end, but I truly believe we outplayed them in certain parts of the game.”
Trevor Fabing played his first game of the year for the ‘Balers behind center after he injured his hip-flexor during the preseason. The senior signal-caller looked seasoned, though, completing 12 of 22 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
“He got an opportunity tonight,” Cameron said of Fabing, “and I’d have to say he took full advantage of the opportunity tonight.”
After ‘Baler lineman Adrian Hernandez recovered the football on a botched North Salinas punt return, extending San Benito’s drive, Fabing found the end zone eight plays later.
On fourth-and-nine, he hit running back Anthony Padilla in one-on-one coverage for a 26-yard touchdown pass that supplied the ‘Balers with a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
North Salinas, however, scored the next 10 points unanswered, and got on the scoreboard on their ensuing possession when placekicker Erik Diaz hit a 44-yard field goal attempt that narrowly cleared the uprights.
Cameron said the mood was good at the break, despite the three-point deficit, and the ‘Balers quickly made up the difference in the second half when Evan McFadden returned the opening kickoff 56 yards to North Salinas’ 34.
Three plays later, Fabing found Andre Cornell on a 35-yard corner route in the end zone, giving San Benito a 14-10 lead.
The game went scoreless for the next 16 minutes of play, however. During that time, San Benito stuffed North Salinas on fourth-and-inches at their own 5.
But given a second chance in the ‘Baler red zone later in the game, and North Salinas took advantage. After Mike Ramos found Mark Ramos on a 30-yard pass play, running back Bobby Bautista went up the middle from two yards out to retake the lead for good, 17-14.
“We played excellent on defense and I can’t ask for anything more from anybody,” said defensive lineman Robby Sanchez, who, along with lineman Sam Doty, found himself in on short-yardage offensive plays Friday as well. “We played better than what the scoreboard showed.”
San Benito will have a bye next week, and won’t return until Oct. 31 when they’ll host Salinas at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister.
“This was a pretty good football team,” Thatcher said. “It should give us a little confidence going into the last three. We’ve seen it in our kids and now I think they need to start believing. I think this might be that spark they need.”
STATS
TEAM 1 2 3 4 F
SB 0 7 7 0 14
NS 0 10 0 7 17
PASSING
Trevor Fabing, SB – 12 of 22, 155 yards, 2 TD
Mike Ramos, NS – 4 of 10, 55 yards, 2 INT
Chris Santana, NS – 1 of 1, 34 yards
RUSHING
Trevor Fabing, SB – 2 attempts, 0 yards
Christian Maravilla, SB – 7 attempts, 17 yards
Anthony Padilla, SB – 10 attempts, 31 yards
Jeff Bernaldez, SB – 14 attempts, 50 yards
Mark Ramos, NS – 18 attempts, 83 yards, 1 TD
Bobby Bautista, NS – 17 attempts, 107 yards, 1 TD
Michael Benabides, NS – 1 attempt, 2 yards
Chris Santana, NS – 5 attempts, 21 yards
Mike Ramos, NS – 3 attempts, -9 yards
RECEIVING
Andre Cornell, SB – 3 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TD
Evan McFadden, SB – 3 receptions, 23 yards
Anthony Padilla, SB – 1 reception, 26 yards, 1 TD
Jacob Hunter SB – 1 reception, 8 yards
Dustin Franco, SB – 3 receptions, 25 yards
Daniel Maiello, SB – 1 reception, 10 yards
Donte Mosley, NS – 1 reception, 34 yards
Bobby Bautista, NS – 2 receptions, 25 yards
Marcos Martinez, NS – 1 reception, 0 yards
Mark Ramos, NS – 1 reception, 30 yards
TOTAL OFFENSE
San Benito – 253 yards (155 pass, 98 rush)
North Salinas – 293 yards (89 pass, 204 yards)
JV Note:
The San Benito junior varsity team defeated North Salinas 14-0 Friday and earned their first win in the Tri-County Athletic League.
The Haybalers are now 1-2 in the TCAL, 2-3-2 overall.
“Our guys played well, which is what we expected them to do,” coach Luis Espinoza said. “We did a good job.”
San Benito got on the scoreboard when Matt Vallejo returned a punt 40 yards to paydirt early in the second quarter to supply the ‘Balers with a one-score lead.
Later, San Benito orchestrated an 18-play drive that stretched from the end of the third quarter and well into the fourth, and finished with a two-yard touchdown run by Zach Rodriguez and a 14-0 ‘Baler lead.
“Our offense came out to play,” Espinoza said, “and our guys did well.”
San Benito has a bye next week, and won’t return until Oct. 30 when they’ll host Salinas in Hollister at 5 p.m.
Frosh Note:
No details were reported from Thursday’s freshman game. More to come.
