Gilroy head coach Rich Hammond congratulates the 'Baler players last season. The VFW Trophy changed hands for the first time in five years after the Mustangs beat San Benito 57-27.
The sidelines at Andy Hardin Stadium this week were noticeably bare.
Unlike in years past, the VFW Memorial Trophy - rising approximately three feet off the ground - stood over football practices like a deity of sorts, watching its owner prepare for another battle against the Gilroy Mustangs.
For five years it sat there, only until Gilroy - led by the arm of quarterback Jamie Jensen - seemingly opened up the skies with 486 yards passing last year en route to 57-27 Prune Bowl victory.
The trophy is gone, and the sidelines at Andy Hardin Stadium are noticeably bare.
"This is huge," said 'Baler running back Mitchell Cook, who returned to the roster two weeks ago from a broken collarbone injury he suffered earlier in the season.
"This is the game I was looking forward to all year," Cook added. "It's the last game of the season. All the work you put into it, it all adds up to this."
Despite the down year the Haybalers have had, though, going just 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the Tri-County Athletic League, the Prune Bowl itself is said to be a self-motivator.
Not only that, but Gilroy is knotted in a three-way tie atop the TCAL after their disappointing 42-12 defeat to North Salinas last Friday. One more loss, with San Benito acting as spoiler, would most likely bounce the Mustangs from their first-place perch and another TCAL crown.
And if there is a way to do it, if there is a way to exit Gilroy with the VFW Trophy in hand, the North Salinas Vikings may have provided a blueprint last week.
"North Salinas did a great job playing defense," San Benito head coach Chris Cameron said.
In that game, Gilroy's Jensen threw four picks.
"We gotta get a win before playoffs, especially after that North Salinas game," said Jensen, who has thrown for 2,432 yards on 62 percent passing this year, including 25 touchdowns. His favorite target is Dante Fullard, who leads the TCAL with 62 receptions for 1,062 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Cameron said the Vikings were rather uncharacteristic of themselves, though. Normally a team that is constantly bringing pressure from seven players, the Vikings pressured Gilroy with just three players all night.
"And they got great pressure from three guys," said Cameron, who noted that Gilroy receivers dropped several balls, while the Vikings defense pocketed two touchdowns.
"It was good to see that," Cameron said. "We're gonna mix up how many guys were gonna bring, how many guys were gonna cover with. I don't think we have quite the ability to do what [North Salinas] did because our personnel isn't quite the same ..."
Last year, San Benito didn't necessarily apply pressure on Jensen, who was given a considerable amount of time as a result and was able to stand back in the pocket and pick apart the 'Balers defense.
San Benito decided to cover more in that game, but when Jensen would roll out of the pocket, the coverage would break down.
"When guys break out of coverage and the quarterback is rolling out, you can stretch the field and that's what they did," Cameron said. "Obviously, we're gonna try and do something a little bit different, but we've still got to stay on coverage.
"We have a multitude of tools in the tool chest ... Last year, we didn't have any big-time rush looks. Where this year we're always coming, and it's either gonna be with three, four or five (players)."
Stopping Gilroy's attack is only half the battle, of course. Getting into the red zone and finding paydirt is something that has plagued the San Benito offense all season. In fact, they've been shutout in their previous two games.
Quarter-back Trevor Fabing, who suffered a concussion against Salinas on Oct. 31, will start behind center Friday and will be backed up by Tyler Decker.
"I feel good," Fabing said. "We're gonna try and pound it against them and keep their offense off the field.
"They're gonna load the box against us to make us pass a little bit ... When we get the ball on offense, we're gonna have to score to keep up."
Offensive coordinator Bryan Smith said the team has been focusing on defending the inside blitz while also being able to pound the ball off-tackle.
"We're gonna have to come out and play our best football game of the year to beat them," Smith said. "I would imagine they have something to prove, they want to prove, and would like to prove it against us.
"Who else would you like to prove it against then your arch-rival? So, we'll have to play the best game we've played the whole year."
Smith feels the 'Balers will be able to get off passes as well, but the film from the North Salinas game showed a physical and aggressive Vikings team that took it to the Mustangs.
"And the pressure is on them," Fabing added. "If they don't win, they don't get the TCAL Championship."
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
Although the Hollister Free Lance does not have any obligation to monitor this board, the Hollister Free Lance reserves the right at all times to check this board and to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to the Hollister Free Lance in our sole discretion and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. The Hollister Free Lance also reserves the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions. All threats to systems or site infrastructure shall be assumed genuine in nature and will be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. Submission of any comments will be considered permission to use online or in print.
