Gonzales football

Gonzales Spartans (5-5, 2-5)
 The playoffs were within the Spartans grasp. Closing the season with a win in one of their final two games would have catapulted them to their first postseason appearance in 11 years.
 Didn’t happen. Pressure?
 Well, expectations changed when Gonzales was sitting at 5-3, needing to win just one of its final two games -- both at home -- to lock up a spot.
  Instead, the Spartans fell by two to Marina and 10 to long-time rival King City, finishing 5-5 for the second straight season.
 "We just couldn't quite pull it off,'' Gonzales coach Kevin Bonincontri said.
  Is Gonzales ready to take the next step and launch itself into the playoff equation? The experience of playing for something other than pride certainly won’t hurt coming into this fall.
 "We got nervous and cracked under pressure last year,'' receiver Jose Espinosa said. "My hope as a senior is that I can help lead some of the younger players, and help us take that next step.''
  Yet, how do the Spartans replace 17 seniors, several of which were impact players, including Fabian Acosta, who scored six touchdowns in one game last year.
 A good starting point is Espinosa, who caught 45 passes for nearly 800 yards last fall. He is a sure handed receiver with deceptive speed. He will also see time on defense.
 The hope is Hernan Mojica or Scotter Morales will emerge as the quarterback. Both spent most of last fall on the defensive side of the ball for Gonzales.
 While Gonzales lost its top three leading rushers, Jesus Mendoza made the most of his opportunities last year with 120 yards on just 12 carries. He could match that in a half this year.
 Mendoza, who also caught 13 passes out of the backfield, averaging over 15 yards a catch, will have returning lineman Jose Sanchez and Gil Rodriguez to run behind.
 While Gonzales lost five defenders that had 50 or more tackles, Morales could be a demon on the outside as a pass rusher, along with 6-foot-4 Pablo Villasenor, one of seven sophomores on the roster.
 "We're a little low in numbers this year,'' Bonincontri said. "We have a good group of skilled guys. And we pulled up some sophomores that we believe will pull us through this year.''
 What has plagued the Spartans over the last decade is depth. Several players will likely start on both offense and defense. Ball control on offense and an opportunist defense are critical.
 If there is one telling stat that crippled Gonzales in big games last year, it’s the first quarter, where it was outscored 76-29. By comparison, the Spartans outscored opponents 236-130 in the final three quarters.