GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - In their first league game of the season, the Gridley Bulldogs traveled to Orland to take on the Trojans, on Friday, Oct. 11. After an unscheduled bye week, the Bulldogs battled hard but ultimately fell short against the division-leading Orland Trojans on the Trojan homecoming night. The final score was Trojans 35, Bulldogs 17.

The Bulldogs started off with the ball and instantly went to quarterback Gus Stogsdillwho did almost everything himself. With four designed quarterback runs, Stogsdilltried his best to light a fire for the Bulldogs, on that first drive, but ended up throwing a pass that tipped off the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by the Trojan defense. If not for an Orland penalty on the play, the interception would have certainly been run back for a touchdown.

Orland then tried to establish their running attack with six straight rushing attempts but were eventually forced to punt. The defense for both teams would hold up on three straight drives as each team traded punts until Orland got the ball for their third drive, after a short punt from Gridley. Orland, with a short field, would attack the Bulldogs with a balance of passes and runs, ultimately driving for their first touchdown of the game from senior running back Manny Rodriguez. After a successful point after attempt, the score was 7-0.

Gridley would then get the ball back and on the first play from scrimmage senior running back Luis Murillo took the ball all the way to the Trojan end zone and just like that, the game was tied 7-7. The Bulldog defense would force a turnover on downs on the proceeding Orland possession sparking the Bulldog offense to march down the field with a long 13-play drive that had runs, passes, penalties and timeouts. It was just enough for the Bulldogs to get into field goal range and make the score 7-10 going into halftime and stunning the Orland homecoming crowd.

The second half would start with the Bulldog’s senior outside linebacker Nathan Zumwalt catching his second interception of the game from Trojan junior quarterback Luke Schager and setting up the Bulldog offense on a short field. The Bulldogs would then go back to Stogsdill who would run it in for a touchdown in just five plays, making the score 7-17 early in the third quarter. 

The game would then take an unexpected turn for the Bulldogs as Orland would get the ball back and make up for their turnover with a drive filled entirely with running plays. After seven rushing attempts, Trojan running back Manny Rodriguez would push it in for a touchdown making the score 14-17. 

After a four and out for the Bulldogs, Orland quarterback Luke Schager would score a long running touchdown on just the second play of the drive, and then do the same thing but on the first play of the Trojan’s next drive, making the score 28-17 at the end of the third quarter.

The Bulldogs would try to get back into the game in the fourth quarter by throwing the ball, but a mix of receivers dropping passes, good coverage by the Trojans and missed throws by the quarterback would doom the Bulldogs, and effectively end the game. The Trojans would end up scoring again late in the fourth making the final score 35-17, giving the Trojans a win both in their homecoming game and first league game.

The Orland Trojans will be on the road Friday, Oct. 18, against Las Plumas while the Gridley Bulldogs will look to get back in the win column at home against the Oroville Tigers also on Oct. 18, both games after press time.