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In a must-win situation to guarantee a spot in the Central Coast Section playoffs, Hollister High football dropped its final game of the season 35-14 to undefeated Palma High at Andy Hardin Stadium.
With the loss, the Balers finished the season 3-5 in league play and 3-7 overall.
Though the Hollister defense limited the highest scoring offense in the league to 14 points in the first half, Palma continued to rely on its running game and took full control of the game in the fourth quarter, scoring on its first play of the final frame to take a 28-14 lead.
On its next drive, Palma took advantage of great field position after Hollister punted the ball to its own 32-yard line. The Chieftains ran the ball into the endzone in four plays with about 8 minutes left in the game for the final margin at 35-14.
“We were in it the whole way until the very end,” first-year Hollister head coach Thomas Sullivan said. “[I have] nothing but a lot of pride for these guys.”
Hollister opened the scoring against the Chieftains with a 66-yard drive that included a 41-yard connection between senior quarterback Cruz Raquet and Jordan Quezada on a third down and three near midfield.
Three plays later, the duo connected again for an eight-yard scoring play as the first quarter ended.
Quezada led the Hollister receivers with 92 yards on eight catches. The Balers totaled 117 passing yards and 65 rushing.
The receiver also impacted the game on special teams giving the Balers great field position on two occasions.
Down 21-7, Hollister forced a punt from Palmas’ 32-yard line. Quezada caught the ball near his 15-yard line and used his speed and agility to evade would-be tacklers along the left sideline to Palmas’ 34-yard line.
“He is exciting,” Sullivan said. “He is a fun player to coach. Jordy is very talented.”
Two plays later, Quezada caught a pass for nine yards to put the Balers on the 2-yard line. The next play Raquet ran the ball into the end zone to narrow the score to 21-14 with 3:40 left in the third quarter.
Quezada gave the Balers more good field position in the fourth quarter when he returned a kick from about his 10-yard line to Hollister’s 43-yard line. That drive, however, ended with the Balers turning the ball over on downs at Palmas’ 33-yard line.
It was the second time Hollister had turned it over on downs. Hollister opened the game with a 55-yard drive that ended on Palmas’ 25-yard line after the Balers were unable to convert on a fourth down and two.
For Palma, junior running back Eli Dukes accounted for 192 yards of the Chieftains’ 212. He also scored four touchdowns, including a screen pass he turned into a 69-yard scoring play.
The league did not release the teams and brackets of the playoffs as of publishing. The quarterfinals are scheduled to begin Nov. 14.
“It’s always sad to see the possibility of this being our last game and seeing those guys move on but we know that we’re here for a short time and we’re going to make the most of it,” Sullivan said.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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