Grizzlies crush Las Plumas in season opener
Friday, Aug. 30 the Lassen High School Grizzly football teams opened their seasons against the visiting Las Plumas Thunderbirds.
Freshman kicked off the night, defeating the Thunderbirds 36-22. JV had the most to prove, as they battled to the very end for a tie game of 18-18 against Las Plumas. The Grizzlies ended the night in a blaze of glory dominating the visiting Las Plumas 41-6.
Before the varsity hit the field the JV went out against a well-rounded Las Plumas JV team. That proved as tough an offense as defense.
JV Payton Cattrel was the most relied on player in the first two quarters of the game, scoring the first and second touchdowns of the game. The second coming from an over 80 yard run on first down following a turnover on downs by the Las Plumas in the second quarter.
Las Plumas redirected their defense after Lassen’s second touchdown as they shifted their focus to Cattrel who had carried the most yards in the game.
Las Plumas then pulled out and redirected on their offense, landing their first touchdown of the night late in the second quarter landing the two teams at 12-6.
Going into the second half Lassen JV returned the ball to Las Plumas who managed to tie the game early on in the third quarter, 12-12.
Lassen JV took the return, but couldn’t manage to get the yards they needed and so returned the ball via punt back to Las Plumas who made use of the time left in the quarter with their last touchdown temporarily leading over Lassen, 18-12.
Both teams went back and forth in the final quarter until Las Plumas fumbled the ball on a running play, where Lassen was able to make the recovery.
That fumble led Lassen to gain their last touchdown of the game by Juvan Reyo, tying the game, 18-18, with only 13 seconds left and with no kicker, the JV’s made an attempt at a two-point conversion but was unsuccessfully ending the JV’s opening game in a tie.
Following the JV’s challenging tie game, the varsity Grizzlies returned to Arnold Field and would not give Las Plumas a chance while they were on Grizzly grounds.
The Grizzlies took the return in the first half with Miles Ormachea receiving the return for the Grizzlies. The Thunderbirds defense seemed strong at the start getting the Grizzlies to fourth down and four yards to go but instead of a punt return the Grizzlies went big.
Quarterback Brock Wolf, unable to find a receiver, routed the Thunderbirds defense himself in a picture perfect running play for the Grizzlies first touchdown, with an extra point bringing the game to 7-0.
Grizzlies would continue their first quarter domination leaving Las Plumas with no chance at a touchdown, and the Grizzlies putting two more in the end zone.
Tavin Fowler would rush it from 20 yards back for the Grizzlies second touchdown and a successful PAT. Then to end the first quarter, quarterback Wolf shot an accurate pass to the end zone taking a major risk at fourth down and 14 yards to go to Aaron Ogburn who along with a successful PAT would bring the score to 21-0.
The Grizzlies defense would carry strong into the second quarter keeping the Thunderbirds offense unconfident and unable to make a play and they were forced into a punt return in the first minute of the second quarter.
The Thunderbirds showed they were not as versatile as their JV counterparts with multiple fumbles and their defense unable to keep up with the faster and quicker Grizzlies such as Ormachea, and Nick Valdez. Ormachea was able to bring the first downs while Valdez would bring the Grizzlies two more touchdowns in the second quarter ending the first half, 34-0.
The third quarter was very much like the previous two. The Thunderbirds managed to pull out some defense only letting the Grizzlies put away one more touchdown that was made by quarterback Wolf who rushed at the goal line, bringing the game to 41-0.
The final quarter had the Thunderbirds defense at the best they had been all night, and their offense even managed to sneak one touchdown in with no extra point or two-point conversion giving the Grizzlies a season opening win of 41-6.
The freshman played Chico Thursday, Sept. 5, JV and varsity faced Chico Friday, Sept. 6. Results were unavailable at press time but look for the results in the Tuesday, Sept. 17 issue of the Lassen County Times.
