Salinas football

 Seldom do coaches or players feel good about themselves after a loss.
 Friday was the exception for Salinas.
 Losing never feels good.
 Yet, holding a Central Coast Section D1 power - a program that was one step from playing for a state title last year -- to three field goals is a barometer for Salinas to measure themselves by.
 Milpitas came into the game averaging over 41 points a game, had knocked off North Coast Section power Antioch two weeks earlier. It's virtually the same group that throttled Salinas 40-6 last fall.
 The Cowboys ignored the hype. Instead their defense kept Milpitas out of the end zone, limited that juggernaut offense to a field goal in the first half.
 Yeah, Salinas should feel good about themselves going into Gabilan Division play. It withstood the challenge of a program that some believe might be the best in the CCS.
 Now comes the hard part in bottling that effort. Because if the Cowboys play like this in the Gabilan, they're going to make a run at supremacy.
 Salinas can't play much better than it did defensively. The offense will soar again. This was a morale boast for a program that talks about improving each week. Mission accomplished.