The Mustang kickers have lived in the lead throughout their
dominating playoff run into Friday night
’s CCS Division I Championship against top seed Watsonville at
PAL Stadium in San Jose.
The Mustang kickers have lived in the lead throughout their dominating playoff run into Friday night’s CCS Division I Championship against top seed Watsonville at PAL Stadium in San Jose.
But unlike previous victories over Leland in the quarterfinals and Gunn in the semifinals, where Gilroy had the comfort of three-goal cushions at halftime, the garlic bunch was forced to play from behind.
Wildcatz’ senior Juan Vasquez scored six minutes into the game to put the Mustangs behind by a goal for the first time in the post-season, and junior teammate Armando Martinez netted a pair of second-half goals to end Gilroy’s season-long unbeaten streak, 3-0.
Watsonville came out determined, and took advantage of some uncharacteristic errors by the Mustangs to claim the section title for the first time since 1996.
Meanwhile, Gilroy, which last won CCS in 1991, started flat and never got into a groove, losing in regulation for the first time in 27 games.
In front of a boisterous crowd of hundreds to pack the stadium stands, the Mustangs simply missed their opportunities and the Wildcatz capitalized on three of theirs.
Gilroy, which scored 10 goals in three playoff games, including six in the first half, was blanked for the first time all season long. The Mustangs, ranked No. 2 in CCS at season’s end, came into the championship game with a 21-0-5 overall record and the Wildcatz, ranked No. 1 in CCS, were 24-1-1 before Friday’s victory.
Gilroy claimed the school’s first league title since 1984 this season.
