Salinas football

 That gasp of air you heard exhaled came from the Cowboys bench.
 Salinas was not a lock to make the postseason a ninth straight year -- until last Friday when it beat Alvarez to snap a three-game losing streak, clinching fourth in the Gabilan Division.
 While five teams have traditionally come out of the Gabilan for the postseason party, only four are guaranteed spots.
 Now Salinas has a week off to rest and recover for the second season.
 Salinas coach Steve Goodbody didn't make excuses. In fact, he did not mention it at all until after his squad finished the regular season.
 But injuries were a factor in the month of October for Salinas.
 Several were difference makers, such as safety Oscar Sanchez, who returned against Alvarez after missing five weeks, and made an immediate impact in the mind of Alvarez coach Brad Mendes.
 More are on the mend for the playoffs, where Salinas will be seeded in two weeks into the Open Division I bracket.
 At 5-5, it might be difficult to earn a home game.
 An argument, though, can be made that Salinas has played some of its best football on the road this fall, with one nailbitting 9-3 loss to Milpitas.
 A healthy defense will keep Salinas in any game.