The Gridley Bulldogs will head out to square off against the Oroville Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Gridley will come into the matchup with an undefeated record on the line.
Gridley proved they can win big last Friday (they won by 50) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 29-26 win over Orland.
Gridley got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Eli Punzo out in front who rushed for 125 yards and one score on only ten carries. Punzo's longest rush was for an impressive 52 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Marcus Duncan got in on the action as well, returning a kick for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Oroville duked it out with Corning on Friday. The Tigers were dealt a 49-0 defeat at the hands of the Cardinals. The contest marked the first time this year in which the Tigers were not able to get on the board.
Gridley's win bumped their record up to 6-0. As for Oroville, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 1-5.
Thursday's game might be decided on the ground. Gridley has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 271.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Oroville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 169.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Gridley against Oroville in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 42-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bulldogs since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
