Gavilan College goes after its first win of the season and a
chance to continue striving for a share of the Coast Conference
football title at 6:30 p.m. Saturday by visiting the West Valley
Vikings at Saratoga High School
GILROY
Gavilan College goes after its first win of the season and a chance to continue striving for a share of the Coast Conference football title at 6:30 p.m. Saturday by visiting the West Valley Vikings at Saratoga High School.
The second game of a five-game conference schedule pits Gavilan against 0-6 West Valley, a club in danger of going 0-10 for the second consecutive year.
Gavilan coach John Lango noted the Vikings “throw the ball well. Their quarterback (Tyler Ippoliti) is effective. He’s 6-foot-4 and runs the option well.”
Ippoliti has covered 592 yards and four touchdowns in 64-of-144 passing. Ippoliti is the second-leading ground gainer for the Vikes, running 59 times for 132 yards and a score. Chris Eke, with 141 yards, paces West Valley.
While West Valley has been limited to 51.5 yards on the ground per game, Gavilan is slightly better with 67.2 yards per outing. Sophomore workhorse Doug Stewart leads the Rams with 154 yards in 30 carries. Stewart also has snared 14 passes, two for touchdowns.
Lango has not decided on his starting quarterback for the weekend. If Cameron Hernandez (70 for 139, 737 yards) does not make his seventh straight start, Lango may switch to left-hander John Criswell. Sean Berglund has seen action in every game and may split time with Criswell Saturday night.
Ronnie Isles of West Valley will be the receiver with the best statistics Saturday, owning 21 catches for 238 yards and one touchdown. Gavilan’s top receiver, Matt McGill, has 20 grabs for 235 yards.
West Valley has given up at least 45 points in four of the six games this season. The Vikings scored a season-high 14 points in a 77-14 setback to College of San Mateo.
The conference grind for Gavilan continues Oct. 30 at home against the Monterey Peninsula College Lobos.
