Gonzales football

 To a degree, it's exactly what head coach Art Berlanga wanted to see.
 How would his squad respond when falling behind?
 Oh, it had happened before to the unbeaten Spartans. But that was in Week 2 when the program was still searching for their identity.
 This is the midpoint in the season, where Gonzales is in uncharted waters, chasing a 5-0 start.
 What was witnessed was no finger pointing, no panic, no problem.
 The Spartans recovered, securing a 20-point win over Pajaro Valley. As a result, they are 5-0 for the first time since Larry Welch was roaming the sidelines in the mid 1970's.
 Berlanga put his footprint on this program the minute he stepped on campus. And while the results weren't immediate, the sacrifices are paying dividends.
 Since starting 0-6 last fall, the Spartans are 8-1. In five games this fall, they are averaging 40.1 points a game.
 Gonzales has a tailback in Payton Flores that is on pace for a 2,000 yard rushing season. A lineman in Pablo Villasenor, who has colleges eyeing his 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame.
 Most importantly, Berlanga has established a culture of belief, not hope. He has 29 players all with a common goal, and that's bringing pride and respect back to Gonzales.