The Tulelake Honkers will venture away from home to take on the Loyalton Grizzlies at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Loyalton took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Tulelake, who comes in off a win.
On Friday, even if it wasn't a dominant performance, Tulelake beat Burney 14-8. The Honkers haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Max Robison and Zeke Perez. Robison rushed for 137 yards and one TD on only 14 carries while Perez rushed for 58 yards and one touchdown. The bulk of those rushing yards came from one huge play: a run that gained an incredible 72 yards.
Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Tulelake proved: they limited Burney to a paltry 3.3 yards per carry. While one picked up at least six total tackles, Robison stood above the rest. He rushed for 137 yards and one score on only 14 carries. Tulelake didn't have any issues in that department, having averaged 7.7.
Yovani Perez
| 10/10/25 vs Burney | 12 |
| 10/03/25 @ Plumas Charter | 10 |
| 09/26/25 @ Bonanza | 6 |
| 09/04/25 vs Butte Valley | 5 |
| 11/22/24 vs Hayfork | 5 |
Tulelake's defense also made the game a nightmare for Killian Biles, racking up eight sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Yovani Perez and Miguel Alcala, who racked up six sacks between them. Perez has been hot, having also posted five or more total tackles the last five times he's played. Jose Luis Zaragoza was another major factor on D, picking up a sack, forcing one fumble, and making five total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Loyalton fell victim to Hayfork and their airtight defense on Friday. They were dealt a 52-0 defeat at the hands of the Timberjacks. The Grizzlies haven't had much luck with the Timberjacks recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Loyalton's loss dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Tulelake, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Saturday's contest might be decided on the ground. Tulelake has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 250.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Loyalton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 163.2 rushing yards. There's a good chance Saturday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Everything came up roses for Tulelake against Loyalton when the teams last played back in November of 2024, as the squad secured a 58-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Honkers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
