In a Tales of Two Cities’ community college football teams, one
theme emerged from Gavilan’s 35-25 loss to visiting College of San
Mateo – it was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves.
n By Bob Burch Sports Writer
Gilroy –- In a Tales of Two Cities’ community college football teams, one theme emerged from Gavilan’s 35-25 loss to visiting College of San Mateo – it was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves.
In the first half, the 3-2 Rams built a 12-0 lead over the Bulldogs, allowing the opponent a net nine yards.
After the 20-minute halftime, San Mateo emerged from the lockerroom with a promise to correct its mistakes. The Bulldogs struck for two touchdowns in the first three minutes and 12 seconds at Mustang Stadium, finished with 35 points in 30 minutes, then kept the Rams at bay for much of the remainder of the contest to move to 4-1.
Coach John Lango’s Rams draw a bye this week. Coast Conference play awaits Saturday Oct. 16 when Gavilan plays at DeAnza at 1 p.m. The Rams and Dons each went 3-1 in conference play last season.
The Rams considered the Bulldogs the toughest opponent in the five-game pre-conference schedule. San Mateo, a member of the top-rated Nor-Cal Conference, owned a 28-14 nod over College of Sequoias, the team giving Gavilan its first loss 34-26.
“We’ve got to play two halves,” Lango said. “(San Mateo) made some good adjustments at halftime and we didn’t adjust fast enough coming back.
“We did some good stuff, but we missed some tackles (in the second half) which is uncharacteristic of us. They took it to us a little bit (with two quick TDs), but we responded right back with our own touchdown.”
Gavilan may be ready to defend its conference title after an impressive first half of domination on defense and strong hints of a balanced offensive attack. The Rams covered 122 yards on the ground, paced by El Ray Henry’s 110 yards on 30 assignments. The Rams added 143 passing yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Henry, the sophomore who will defend his Offensive Player of the Year next week, managed his ninth 100-plus yard effort, one of only five runners in the 42-year history of the school’s program with that many century games.
“We weren’t playing very well,” agreed San Mateo coach Larry Owens of the game’s first 30 minutes.
“We weren’t blocking. I tried to challenge our guys to do a better of job of running, passing, catching and tackling. It was a real gut check for our guys. I knew this was going to be tough, because Gavilan’s a good team.”
Joe Griffin raced to touchdowns of 31 and 30 yards early in the third quarter to wipe out the Gavilan 12-0 edge.
“Joe didn’t have many opportunities in the first half (11 yards on six carries),” said Owens. “Our offensive line played 10 times better in the second half.”
While the Bulldogs earned just three first downs in the first half, Gavilan came up with a touchdown, field goal and safety.
The game featured seven punts before Gavilan took advantage of a Janall Arthur interception off a deflected Kevin Linnell pass to set up a series at the Bulldog 37 with 1:14 to play in the first quarter.
Lango decided not to punt on fourth-and-nine at the Bulldog 36. The move paid off when Will Kilday drilled an 11-yard slant pass to Guy Blightman. The Rams reach the 13 before calling on Horacio Arteaga for a successful 30-yard field goal with 11:29 left in the half.
Gavilan punter Curtis Lilly cornered the Bulldogs at the three with a 51-yard boot with 2:52 left in the half. On the first play for the Bulldogs, Linnell fumbled the snap and fell on the ball in the endzone for a safety and 5-0 Ram cushion.
Gavilan forced another Bulldog punt with 1:20 left in the half, then covered 31 yards in four plays for a touchdown. Kilday found wide-out Steven Conner on a 21-yard pitch to the one with 35 seconds left. Lango then sent defensive lineman Roy Sims into the game as a fullback and the 285-pounder bulled over easily for the six points with 14 seconds to go.
The Bulldogs needed six snaps to take a 14-12 lead. Griffin slipped off left guard for a 31-yard score with 13:55 left in the third quarter, then swept the left side for 30 yards and a 14-12 lead with 11:48 showing.
Gavilan responded to the deficit with a crisp 11-play march over 59 yards to a go-ahead score. Kilday converted a fourth down on a quarterback sneak, then found Conner open for 18 yards to the San Mateo 18. The Rams took advantage of a dropped interception bid in the endzone by Bulldog corner Ryan Battle by having Kilday roll out to spot Daniel Salinas open for an 11-yard TD reception with 6:23 left. Gavilan’s two-point try failed, leaving the Bulldogs down 18-14.
The Bulldogs, not needing to punt in the second half until the closing 88 seconds, scored on its next two series to take a 28-18 lead. Quarterback Dion Pickett led San Mateo to five first downs and a score with 29.8 seconds to go in the third quarter. Pickett had a fourth-and-15 from the Gavilan 17 and threaded a strike to tight end Brent Tenbruggencate in the endzone.
Pickett added a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon O’Bannon, the wide-out grabbing the short slant pass and juking past two potential tacklers to paydirt with 12:31 left.
San Mateo added a final touchdown with 6:48 left when a Lilly punt was blocked and Battle scooped up the ball and raced 26 yards to a score.
Gavilan battled into the final minute, back-up quarterback Rhett Van De Mark lobbing a 10-yard TD pass to Salinas with 27.4 seconds to play.
Sims finished with three sacks and joined with linebackers Eric Williams and Korey Gray to bottle up the Bulldogs in the first half. Tyrone Monroe helped the special teams unit with a 55-yard punt return. Gavilan finished with an edge in total offense, 265-206. KIlday went 18-for-32 for 133 yards. Blightman and Conner each managed four receptions.
