Gustavo Ramirez’s last high school game was a dream come true
before it started. The Sobrato graduate was hanging out in the
players’ parking lot outside Spartan Stadium on Wednesday when a
coach told him he was going to start at defensive end that night
for team South in the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Game
SAN JOSE
Gustavo Ramirez’s last high school game was a dream come true before it started.
The Sobrato graduate was hanging out in the players’ parking lot outside Spartan Stadium on Wednesday when a coach told him he was going to start at defensive end that night for team South in the Charlie Wedemeyer All-Star Football Game.
Moments earlier, Ramirez wondered how much, if any, playing time he would receive in the annual showcase of Santa Clara County’s top seniors. Now he was being depended on to slow one of the North’s most star-studded offenses in recent memory.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Ramirez, who last season anchored Sobrato’s offensive and defensive lines as a 6-foot-1, 270-pound tackle. “We have a lot of players, a lot of great ones who can start for any team. I knew I had to do something good.”
Ramirez seized the opportunity on the North’s third offensive play, contributing to a massive sack of UCLA-bound quarterback Christoph Bono (Palo Alto) that set the tone in a 24-13 victory for the South. Ramirez bullrushed tackle Gunnar Loos (The King’s Academy), then spun inside and converged on Bono in unison with nose guard Savelio Faasolo (Pioneer) and defensive end Cole DelValle (Lincoln) — a 745-pound sandwiching.
“We needed to get after them early, and that sack was huge,” South defensive line coach Jason Harms (Piedmont Hills) said.
Jaamal Rose (Valley Christian) blocked a punt on the next play, with Eric Vegas (Gilroy) recovering the loose ball, and the South took command for good on a 12-play drive that ate close to seven minutes. Harms’ son, Jason (Piedmont Hills), capped it with a 3-yard touchdown pass to running back Jonah Moon (Piedmont Hills).
It all started with the sack, though, a momentum-changing play that, for Ramirez and his new linemates, was the culmination of a month’s worth of practice.
“We’d always race to the quarterback or running back,” Faasolo said. “Gustavo (would) always be working hard, giving me a challenge. He’s one hell of a player, one of the classiest by far.”
Ramirez, who plans to play offensive line next season for West Valley College, treated the 37th Annual Silicon Valley Youth Classic like any big game he played in this year for the Bulldogs — right down to the “South All-Stars” he had etched into his hair earlier this week. Ramirez finished with 3 1/2 tackles, helping the South win in consecutive years for the first time since it won four straight from 2002-05.
Last year, the South won 27-24 on a late field goal by Live Oak’s Dylan Frechette.
“Honestly, it feels unbelievable to go out like this,” Ramirez said. “It’s unreal. These are some of the best guys in our area, and we really bonded. I was fortunate to play with them.”
The North featured most of the headline-grabbing talent, including four players from Palo Alto’s Division I state championship team in wideouts Maurice Williams and Davante Adams, a Fresno State signee, linebacker Michael Cullen and Bono.
“It was the best challenge I’ve had all year,” said Live Oak cornerback Dominic Bejarano, another West Valley incoming freshman, who collected a tackle while covering Adams and all-leaguer Martin Aycott (Los Altos) most of the night. “They were quick, but I was able to stay on my feet and keep them in front of me. That was my goal for the whole game.”
It was the South who took the initiative behind quarterbacks Zach Vaiana (Valley Christian) and Harms, who in fall led their schools to Central Coast Section title games. Harms was 12-of-17 passing for 131 yards and two touchdowns, while Vaiana completed 10 of 15 for 86 yards and rushed for a 7-yard score.
Harms would have had a third touchdown pass to Live Oak’s Cody Van Aken, but the 5-yard connection was called off because of an ineligible man downfield. Harms threw a fade to Van Aken on the next play only to be picked off in the end zone by J.D. Correa (Archbishop Mitty).
“I was bumming. But hey, at least I can say I scored a touchdown that didn’t happen,” said Van Aken, whose two catches were good for 19 yards and a pair of first downs. “It was unbelievable playing in (Piedmont Hills’ spread offense). We had so much fun.”
The North finally answered with 3:30 left before halftime, as Bono connected with Rocky Meszaros (Archbishop Mitty) for a 10-yard touchdown pass along the right sideline, cutting the deficit to 14-7.
After forcing the North to punt with 23 seconds left, the South extended its lead to 21-7 with a 25-yard scoring strike from Harms to teammate Juquelle Thompson. Thomas Dazzi (Bellarmine) added a 46-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to make it 24-7.
Bono, who was 14 for 16 for 137 yards, threw his second touchdown pass to Adams with 4:10 remaining, but the hard-earned upset was well in hand for the South.
“Really proud of these guys,” Coach Harms said of his defense that held the North to 212 yards and its lowest point total since 2000. “They were up against a tough offense, and they took care of business.”
Ramirez, who had most of his family and friends in attendance, called it the “highlight” of his two-year football career. He hoped his effort leads to more Bulldogs being asked to play in the Wedemeyer Game next year as opposed to the usual one invite.
“Once you get out here, you have to make plays,” Ramirez said. “I think we can five guys out here next year. I really do.”
Asked if he would come back to watch them at Spartan Stadium, Ramirez went silent for perhaps the first time all night.
“That shouldn’t even be a question,” he said with a smile.
