Live Oak hopes to bounce back from loss to Gilroy in home opener
Friday
MORGAN HILL — The Live Oak coaching staff has cooked up a game plan to upset Salinas on Friday at Richert Field, but it’s going to take every Acorn doing his part each play.
The Cowboys (0-1) are a solid team, hence their No. 15 rank in the Central Coast Section by MaxPreps, whose offense thrives with flawless simplicity. They don’t outsmart their opponents; they break them down with an intimidating style of play.
“They’re a big, physical team. They pound the ball,” Live Oak coach Jon Michael Porras said Wednesday. “They know you know what play’s coming next, but they’ll run it until you stop them.”
Coming off a run to the Large School section semifinals, the Cowboys have a strong offensive line and a premiere tailback in Alvin Jelks, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards as a junior in 2008.
Jelks stood out in last year’s meeting with the Acorns, when Salinas scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to deal Live Oak a humbling 40-14 loss.
“They’re pretty predictable,” Porras said. “They just give the ball to Mr. Alvin Jelks on powers, dives and traps. They love giving him the ball.”
Porras hopes to exploit the subtle weaknesses Salinas showed in last week’s 54-20 loss to La Costa Canyon, ranked No. 5 in the state by MaxPreps. The Acorns plan to use a larger bevy of running backs. Speedy junior Jacob Montoya is due for more carries after his spirited effort in Friday’s Week Zero loss to rival Gilroy, Porras said.
“Every time he gets his hands on the ball, he’s going full speed. We’re going to have him come in to keep Mike Singleton fresh,” the third-year coach said.
Though the Acorns’ biggest goal is to open their 2009 home stand with a win Friday starting at 7 p.m., Porras also wants them to mesh more in preparation for the annual El Toro Bowl versus Sobrato. The Sept. 25 showdown marks the final nonleague game for both Morgan Hill teams.
Porras said his team put in a great three days of full-contact practice this week — and that’s saying a lot.
“They approached it very well, I have to admit,” Porras said. “I don’t give credit too often for hard work, but they’ve earned it. I feel pretty good about this game.”
