SALINAS, CA — It’s been quite a ride for the San Benito High football team over the last month.
The Haybalers snapped Palma’s 16-game MBL-Gabilan unbeaten streak — which dated back to the inception of the equity league nearly three years ago — then proceeded to run roughshod over North Salinas and the rest of its Central Coast Section Division I playoff competition.
But that all the paled in comparison to what the Balers did Friday night in the CCS D-I Championship game against MBL-Gabilan rival Salinas.
San Benito’s defense held one of the most prolific and high-scoring offenses in the entire CCS to a single score and Chris Blake scored both of the Balers' touchdowns as No. 3-seeded San Benito held off top-seeded Salinas 14-7 to claim its seventh CCS title in a game played at Rabobank Stadium.
The Balers held the Cowboys to their lowest point total since week 1 and Blake had the game-winning 85-yard kick return touchdown and a 31-yard touchdown reception for San Benito.
“It was definitely one of those plays that just happened,” said Blake about his long kick return in the third quarter. “I cut left and saw there were a bunch of defenders so I spun right and hoped for the best.”
Blake’s return came just 16 seconds after Salinas tied the score 7-7 with 3:29 to go in the third quarter when Salinas quarterback Zach McDermott scampered 30 yards for the touchdown.
Once San Benito got the lead back its defense clamped down on McDermott and the Cowboys quick-strike offense.
The Balers (9-4) held McDermott to 165 yards passing as he completed just 15 of his 33 attempts and intercepted the senior three times -- two of which came in the red zone in the first half. McDermott also rushed for a team-high 60 yards on 15 carries in the loss.
“I watched film on them everyday after school and I would see (McDermott) lock onto one receiver -- he doesn’t look around he just throws it,” said San Benito defensive back Isaac Regalado who had two of the Balers three interceptions. “He either throws it or scrambles and I saw him lock onto my side and I just went.”
Austin Cascio recorded the other interception for the Balers.
San Benito coach Chris Cameron, though, had high praise for Salinas’ star quarterback.
“He’s the best player in the league and I think we did a good job on him,” McDermott said. “We had to get pressure on him and he was going to try and take the game into his own hands and we knew that.
“Our defense kept coming up again and again as we bent but we didn’t break.”
Salinas (8-5) turned the ball over three times to San Benito’s one.
The first half was a defensive coaches' dream as the teams combined for 200 yards (101 for Salinas and 99 for San Benito) as the teams went into halftime tied 0-0.
San Benito — who finished tied for fourth in the MBL-Gabilan — got things started early in the second half by racing 57 yards in seven plays resulting in an R.J. Clark 31-yard screen pass for a TD to Blake.
“We totally caught Salinas’ defense off guard because we hadn’t run any screens all night,” said Blake of his touchdown reception. “Just a great play call by coach (Bryan) Smith and great blocking by our O-line. We ouldn’t have done it without them.”
Senior running back Bruce Leighton led the Cowboys with 131 yards of total offense (43 rushing, 88 receiving) while fellow running back Jeremiah Garcia ran for 44 yards on six carries and receiver Kevin Crosby caught four passes for 42 yards in the loss.
“We just didn’t finish, that’s all it came down to,” said Leighton. “Our whole team improved so they’ll be moving forward and will be able to contend for years to come, but it’s our last show. It didn’t go out like how we wanted.”
Offensively Salinas outgained San Benito 317 yards to 198.
“It’s a great feeling -- it’s not like we outplayed them this game. They had the edge on us,” said San Benito coach Chris Cameron.
Salinas — co-champions of the MBL-Gabilan — reached its first CCS title game since winning it all in 2001 against San Benito. Mistakes proved costly for a stellar team that defeated the Haybalers 17-13 on Oct. 3 in Hollister.
“I was just off my game tonight," said McDermott who finished the season with over 2,000 passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards and over 30 touchdowns. "I couldn’t do anything with the ball. It’s just inexcusable with this high caliber of team we have plus playing another high caliber team in Hollister. I wish I could have this one back.”
Cowboys coach Steve Goodbody, who just finished up his ninth season as coach of Salinas, credited San Benito’s defense for making plays when it needed to the win.
“It’s a championship game and it’s always going to come down to a few plays,” he said. “It was a great defensive battle and they have a hell of a defense. The defense put good pressure on us — they’re a great team. We said all year it’s going to take a great team to beat us and that’s a great team.”
Albeit a great team that started 0-3 in league play this season including losing each game by a touchdown or less and even one in overtime.
Playing in a league as difficult and as deep as the MBL-Gabilan, San Benito could’ve folded up, but it overcame its mid-season struggles and now are CCS champions for the second time in the last three years.
“This is the tightest group I have ever played with in all the sports I’ve ever played,” said Blake, a senior. “We are such a tight group, everyone has each other’s backs and it’s just a great family. I consider every one of these guys my brothers.”
