‘Balers need to win 2 of their remaining 3 games to have a shot
at the postseason; They’ll host Salinas Friday
HOLLISTER
Three games remain on the schedule for the San Benito Haybalers, and two wins could push them into the postseason.
It’s simple enough, really. And the ‘Balers, which are fresh off a bye week, will have their best chance of earning one of those two wins tonight, Friday, when they host the Salinas Cowboys at Andy Hardin Stadium in Hollister.
“It’s a must-win game for us and it’s a must-win game for them,” head coach Chris Cameron said. “If either of us want a chance at the postseason, then these are must-win games, period.
“I think we need to win two of the three (games remaining), starting with this week. We’ve got to win this week, number one. And if we win one of the next two, I can almost say with complete confidence that we’re in for sure.”
Two more wins would put San Benito at an even .500, and not only have they played all “A” level schools, but they would pick up bonus points if both Oak Grove and Wilcox win their respective leagues.
But any thought of a postseason berth is contingent upon the ‘Balers beating Salinas (2-2 TCAL, 5-3 overall), which is currently on a two-game winning streak after having fallen to Gilroy 45-2 on Oct. 10.
The Cowboys have since defeated Alisal 27-20, and beat Everett Alvarez last week by a narrow 21-19 margin after the Eagles scored 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Alvarez had a chance to tie the game in the final minute of regulation, but their two-point conversion failed and Salinas eked out the victory.
For what it’s worth, San Benito didn’t even allow the Eagles to get on the scoreboard three weeks ago when they beat the visiting Alvarez team, 10-0.
But clearly, it’s offensive output that separates the ‘Balers and the Cowboys, as San Benito has yet to score more than 15 points in any game this season.
“That’s pathetic,” Cameron said. “To me, that’s a challenge I threw out to our kids yesterday, that we have never scored three touchdowns in a game. Never. The challenge for the kids, and the kids should be taking this to challenge themselves, we need to go out and score three touchdowns on offense. But we haven’t been able to do that.
“I think if we get three scores on offense, we’ll win this football game.”
It would likely be enough, as San Benito’s defense has been more or less stifling all season – with the exception of the Oak Grove game.
“It’s going to be a challenging game,” Cameron said. “We need to establish a good running game. Burn the clock. Grind the ball. Keep the defense off the field.”
The defense, for the most part, will see Salinas run a pro formation with split backs. Alvin Jelks (169 att., 846 yards, 7 TDs) gets the bulk of the work from the backfield, and is listed second in the TCAL in rushing yards, while Corey Souza (25 att., 155 yards) should see some looks as well.
Quarterback Ryan Gregg is the team’s biggest threat, throwing for 500 yards on 31 of 82 passing, including five touchdowns and 10 picks. He is also rather mobile, running for 186 yards and five touchdowns on 58 carries.
Wide receiver Brandyn Crosby (15 rec., 264 yards, 4 TDs) could also present some challenges for the ‘Balers secondary.
“They have one or two formations that they really make a living out of,” said Cameron, who, along with the ‘Baler football team, were able to witness last week’s Salinas-Alvarez game.
“But they give you a bunch of other stuff that you’ve really got to prepare for,” Cameron added. “Otherwise, you’re gonna get gouged.”
