OAKLAND, CA (MPG) - The Gridley Bulldogs boys’ soccer team’s best season in program history ended last Saturday in Oakland as they lost the 2023 CIF NorCal Division V Championship to Leadership of Hayward 2-0.

Gridley (14-7-2) head coach Jesse Barajas expressed to the Herald that Leadership came out with a quicker pace than what they saw on an earlier film of the season.

“They came out quicker than we thought, and… [there] was a lot more tactical passing strategy,” Barajas said.

Barajas added saying that they adjusted the best they could after noticing the differences in the first 10-15 minutes of the game but two early goals in the first 25 minutes had the Bulldogs in an early hole.

“You could tell a lot of them (Leadership) played club ball by the way they were in sync with one another on the field,” Barajas told the Herald.

Gridley wasn’t able to make anything up, but Barajas recalled on a conversation he had with his assistants when they were his players during the structuring of the CIF soccer postseason tournament expanding after sections and they all agreed one day they’d get to the very last day of the season.

To get to the NorCal Division V final, the Bulldogs beat Venture Academy of Stockton in the first round on February 28 and got by Denair on March 2 when they won in penalty kicks.

“To be able to get to the last day of the season with this group was great,” Barajas said.

Barajas noted that this team held one another accountable, but no one ever pointed fingers at one another.

This was the farthest Gridley has been in its program history and the only team in the Northern Section to reach a final in NorCal play.

With the big roster Barajas carries year in and year out, the Bulldogs will be back in the groove of things next season and will be ready for another strong run next season!