"I'm very excited in terms of where we have been seeded and our bracketing," Hallada said. "I think my only team I was looking out for was Hollister. They've kind of been the end of the road for us the past two years, and it will be nice to get to the championship at the end with them, and maybe end their road in the championship game."

Gilroy's coach certainly doesn't lack for confidence, and according to Hallada, neither do her players.

"They're very excited," she said. "They kind of had the same attitude as I had said about Hollister. They want to beat Hollister. They want to see Hollister in the championship."

Before that can happen, however, Gilroy (19-8) will have to deal with a pesky first-round game with Leland High School (14-13) on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Salinas Sports Complex. Then there's a likely second-round contest Saturday against No. 3 seed Homestead, which compiled a 22-5 regular season record. But to hear Hallada tell it, having played through a rough and rugged Tri-County Athletic League schedule, which left the Mustangs with a third-place finish behind San Benito and Notre Dame, should allow her girls to be ready for anything.

"I think the TCAL is easily one of the toughest leagues," she said.

So what's there to know about Leland? Not much, Gilroy's coach said.

"I try to go into each game just kind of playing how we know how to play," Hallada said, "not worrying about the opponent so much as just worrying about ourselves."