MJC now has little margin for error

If nothing else, the Modesto Junior College Pirates can move forward without "The Streak" hanging over them.

They had won 14 straight Golden Gate Conference games, a run extending a few days over three years, until last weekend's disappointing 36-20 loss at Chabot. The Hayward venue has not been kind to them over the years, and the Pirates continued the trend with six turnovers and a night to forget.

With that, Modesto (4-3, 1-1) plans some Halloween tricks Saturday night for the Cabrillo Seahawks of Aptos.

The painful consequences to last week's loss are thus — MJC's margin for error has vanished. The Pirates trail first-place Laney as they purse a third straight GGC title, and a win this weekend could set up a high-stakes game at Laney a week from tonight.

"Losing that game (at Chabot) hurt the group a little more than losing a preseason game," coach Sam Young said. "This is a talented team that needs to show that it can bounce back."

Cabrillo (4-3, 1-1) built a 29-7 lead over Merced last week before turning back a Blue Devil comeback 29-27. Safety Anthony Bendana, a sophomore from El Dorado Hills, blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown, kicked a field goal, registered nine tackles and intercepted a pass to preserve the Seahawks' win.

MJC prepares for a team that does not huddle on offense and deploys only one down lineman on defense.

"They are unorthodox on both sides of the ball," Young said. "It's confusing where their pressure comes from on defense. It's a unique system, but they are a veteran team and well-coached by Bill Garrison."

The Pirates focus on Cabrillo while knowing, however, it's more about them than the opponent. The way they lost last week — rallying from a 13-point deficit into the lead before giving up three touchdowns in the last 10 minutes — stung more than the loss itself.

"It hurt everybody," running back Cody Ball said. "Our captains (Mike Ward and Pedro Rodriquez) told us we can't lose from here on out."

• NOTES — Game time is 7 o'clock Saturday night at MJC Stadium. ... Ball has rushed for 252 yards and scored two touchdowns the last two weeks as his workload increased following a knee injury to Casey Cotta. Young said Cotta, who missed the Chabot game, practiced Wednesday and probably will see action against Cabrillo. ... MJC blanked the Seahawks 31-0 during a driving rainstorm last year at Aptos.

Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at ragostini@modbee.com or 578-2302.