Salinas football

 When the Cowboys ended a 15 year losing streak to Palma on Oct. 6, the celebration was kept to the lockerroom.
 Concerns about an emotional letdown the following week were squashed when Salinas got off the bus and manhandled San Benito 41-13.
 Fast forward to Nov. 3 when it fell behind to Aptos in a battle of unbeatens in the Gabilan Division in the second quarter, only to bounce back and post a title clinching 31-21 win.
 An undefeated league season was big. So was ending its longest losing streak to any program in the county.
 Yet, through it all, you got the feeling that the Cowboys had a bigger goal, perhaps a vision of what lied ahead in the future.
 Knocking off a 12-0 Milpitas team -- one that humbled them 27-0 back on Sept. 15 -- on the biggest stage Friday in the Open Division I finals was more than redemption. It was an expectation.
 "This team trusts each other,'' first year head coach Steve Zenk said. "This game (Milpitas), the way it was played, is exactly who we are.''
 That would be champions of the Gabilan Division and Central Coast Section Open Division I, the programs first CCS title since 2001.
 No question emotions were warranted. I'm sure few slept much last night. This was worth stepping back and relishing the moment.
 Still, the journey isn't over. Salinas is playing a 14th game for the first time in school history when it competes next Friday in the Northern California divisional bowl championships.
 All of  a sudden the Cowboys, who tied the single-season school record for wins with 11 in Friday's win, find themselves one win away from playing for a state title.
 That was not a vision when the year started. But it is now. This is a humble group, with a lunch pale attitude that trusts the process
 You could look at this magical run to a pair of titles as a year long redemption tour. But now that has changed to a championship tour.