GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – The Big Game is here. The Harvest Bowl, played between the Gridley Bulldogs and the Live Oak Lions, gets everybody talking about football all week long up and down Highway 99 and serves up bragging rights to the winners.

Last year’s contest was won by Gridley High School by a score of 48-21. They used a forceful running game to overpower the Live Oak defense. The Bulldogs shut out the Lions in the second half of the game to pull away to the victory. The Lions had remained close at halftime, with the score 28-21.

The star of the game last year was senior running back Jorge Moran, scoring three touchdowns and rushing for 267 yards on 29 carries from scrimmage. Live Oak did have a 99-yard return for a touchdown on a kick-off .

This year Gridley’s record stands at 1-1, with last week’s win over Central Valley by a score of  36-22.

Live Oak’s record stands at 2-1, with an impressive win over Hamilton by a score of 45-12 last week.

The last time Live Oak won the Harvest Bowl contest was on September 14, 2012 at their home stadium. It was their 4th win in a row, with the score ending in a shut out at 26 - 0.

The Harvest Bowl is scheduled for this Friday night in Gridley, with the varsity game starting at 7:30.

The crowds are always big for the football battle between the two schools, so get there early to get a great seat and share in the pre-game fun.