Live Oak head coach Robert Tilton (blue shirt) and assistant coaches play defense during a drill on Aug. 6 at Lions’ practice. Photo by Chris Pedigo 

LIVE OAK, CA (YSBC) – The Live Oak Lions come into the 2025 season with angst and a winning attitude but want to make a statement this season.

Live Oak was knocked out of the first round of the 2024 postseason by Lassen, who eventually won the CIF Northern Section Division III championship. Lions head coach Robert Tilton told Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports that they are continuing to expand on what they have established as a crew over the past couple of seasons.

Tilton added that they focused on the mental side of the game this offseason because if their mind wasn’t 100% there, how could they be 100% on anything else.

Tilton said the slogan “Why not us” and it was voted on by the team. “Why can’t it be us and go accomplish our goals that we set this year,” Tilton said.

Live Oak senior quarterback Bradley Perigo runs through a drill on Aug. 6 during a Lions’ practice. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Athletes

2027 quarterback Kaiden Dulan and 2026 quarterback will be the dynamic duo the Lions are going to rely on holding down the clean snaps under center. Tilton said that Dulan and Perigo will be playing on both sides of the ball, so the health of both athletes will be key for the offense to be successful.

Tilton added one of the best parts about his returners this season will be the lines on both sides of the ball. That was one of the biggest strengths for the Lions in 2024. “Athough we had a good part of our line experience graduate last year, we have so much returning in 2025 and were excited again,” Tilton said.

Another year of Live Oak football, and another year of an Ehrke dominating on the line on both sides of the ball. 2027 lineman Chase Ehrke expressed to YSBC that they are focused on getting better on a daily basis and they bonded great throughout the offseason to get ready for their first game on Friday.

Live Oak lineman battle against one another during a drill at the Lions’ practice on Aug. 6. Photo by Chris Pedigo

The Lions schedule is a competitive one as their non-league schedule has some familiar faces when they were in the Sacramento Valley League as they host Paradise and Winters. They will travel nearly 15 miles down the road to Yuba City and play a hungry River Valley team that is hungry for revamping their program as an independent this year. 

If Live Oak wants to bring the Harvest Bowl trophy home for the first time since 2012, they need to shut out all of the outside noise and believe in themselves to get the job done on October 24 at Gridley. Past senior classes claimed to be the class to get over the hump but is the class of 2026 going to be the one capable of ending a long drought against a cross-town rival.

Perigo told YSBC that the Lions need to go into the game with the right mindset, in years past it was.

“Oh well it’s Gridley; we don’t have a chance. This year we aren’t going in with that mindset,” Perigo said.

Live Oak junior quarterback Kaiden Dulan hands the ball off during the Lions’ practice on Aug. 6. Photo by Steven Bryla