The battle for the king of El Toro will once again be waged on Richert Field Saturday.
Live Oak is aiming to defend its title of champion of Morgan Hill and increase its dominance in the series against Sobrato, which stands at 5-1, which includes a Bulldogs forfeit.
“If a player can’t get up for a rivalry game, they shouldn’t be playing football,” said Acorns coach Mike Gemo.
If the last three years of the game are any indication, El Toro Bowl could come down to the final possession.
Starting in 2010, the games have been decided by seven points or less, including 2011 where Sobrato was forced to vacate a 28-21 win because of an ineligible player.
Before 2010, however, the games were lopsided. Live Oak won the first two editions of El Toro Bowl by a combined 49-7. Sobrato then won the 2009 game 27-6.
This year’s installment leaves a lot up in the air.
On the one hand, both teams are licking their wounds after losses in week 2. The Acorns are coming off a 28-6 loss to Christopher while the Bulldogs suffered a 28-0 defeat in Gilroy.
Sobrato yielded 242 yards to Gilroy’s Brandon Boyd. Live Oak, meanwhile, saw Trevor Bearden go from 400-plus yards in week 1 to less than 50 in week 2.
On the other, Live Oak has the more experienced team and one of the most potent weapons in the section at its disposal. Sobrato, meanwhile, graduated most of its veterans last year. It were those vets who jumped out to an early 20-0 lead against the Acorns before giving up 23-unanswered points.
“As far as our preparedness and as far as what we’ve got to do, this has got to be just another game,” King said. “We just got to take another couple of steps just to get better. For us, that’s what it’s all about right now.”
Despite being shut down last week against Christopher, Live Oak still looks to Bearden to carry the load against Sobrato.
“(The team) took that loss with a grain of salt and they’re ready to get back to work,” Gemo said. “They realize that one game doesn’t make or break our season.”
Last year, Bearden didn’t make much of an impact in the game as he was nursing an injury. But this year, he looks to be featured prominently.
Gemo said the offensive line is going to get after it this week to try to secure some holes for Bearden.
“They’ve got to keep working. There were plays there (last week), we just weren’t making the block. Christopher was big and physical and they out manned us Friday night,” Gemo said.
King knows full well that the game is going to come down to how well Sobrato can control Live Oak’s premier back.
“In my opinion, he’s the best back on the Central Coast, so we’ve got our work cut out for us this week,” King said.
Sobrato has a strong weapon of its own in JoJo Nunn who both coaches said was a speedy receiver that can cause problems for defenses.
“Being that one receiver they got out there, he’s got some speed, he can catch the ball. We got to make sure we can get a good pass rush and we should be OK,” Gemo said.
Gemo said he and the coaches are stressing to the players that they have to play fundamental football, regardless of who is lining up against them.
Gemo stressed that ultimately, you can throw out everything that either team has done in the previous two weeks because both sides are going to be ready to face off against the kids most of them went to school with before high school.
“The records get thrown out the window in rivalry games: They’re going to be ready to go against us and we’re going to be ready to go against them,” Gemo said.
King said for as ready as his team is, he recognizes the boys are still developing at football. He said the game is very much going to be an opportunity to get better as it is to take on a rival.
“We’re the young pups and we’re playing in the big boys league and they’re not going to take it easy on us, and we appreciate that because that’s what it’s all about,” King said.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday. Presale tickets are being sold at both high schools until 4 p.m. Friday.
