The Rocklin Thunder will square off against the Granite Bay Grizzlies at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Rocklin is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They walked away with a 19-8 win over Del Oro. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Thunder as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Rocklin got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Greyson Smith out in front who picked up 69 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Gered Linder handled things on the ground, rushing for 122 yards.
Rocklin's run defense was locked in: Del Oro could only muster three yards per carry. The team can thank Asher Runnion for the heroic effort on defense: he. Rocklin's ground attack was stronger, having averaged 4.7.
Breyden Dehner
| 08/22/25 vs Turlock | 3 |
| 11/14/25 @ Del Oro | 2 |
| 10/10/25 vs Monterey Trail | 1 |
| 08/29/25 @ Bishop Manogue | 1 |
Rocklin's defense didn't let Nolen Sauve, get away unscathed either: they got into the backfield for three sacks. Breyden Dehner was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two himself. He is becoming a predictor of Rocklin's success: when he posts at least one sack the team is undefeated (and 2-5 when he doesn't). Runnion was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, forcing one fumble, and making eight total tackles.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Granite Bay). They claimed a resounding 49-7 victory over Chavez. Considering the Grizzlies have won five contests by more than 27 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Rocklin better keep an eye on Isaiah Ene. He was instrumental in Granite Bay's win, rushing for 201 yards and three TDs on only 12 carries, while also throwing for 61 yards and one touchdown. Another player making a difference was Darnell Turner, who picked up 106 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
Rocklin now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Granite Bay, their record is now 8-3.
Rocklin came up short against Granite Bay when the teams last played back in October, falling 29-20. Can the Thunder avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
