BUTTE COUNTY, CA (YSBC) – The Biggs Wolverines and Gridley Bulldogs football teams opened the 2025 season with big statement victories on Friday, Aug. 29.

Both teams faced their first opponents of the 2024 playoffs and for Gridley, it was the same result, but a lot of new pieces that were imputed into new roles, shined. The Bulldogs had a new signal caller under center for the first time in four years as senior quarterback Eli Punzo is taking snaps.

Punzo found senior tight end Riley Engleman twice in the end zone as Engelman hauled in two touchdown passes for 37-yards in the win. Punzo carried the ball 12 times for 90-yards on the ground and controlled the offense.

Gridley head coach Daniel Zumwalt expressed to Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa sports that he was proud of the way that Punzo ran a controlled offense against University Prep. 

Biggs senior Russel Cote III (25) celebrates after making a big defensive stop in the Wolverines' 32-0 win over Weed on Friday, Aug. 29. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Senior running back Isaac Punzo and junior running back Marcus Duncan combined for 100 yards on the ground and Duncan powered his way into the end zone for his first varsity touchdown as a Bulldog.

The Gridley defense couldn’t have started out 2025 better than they did as they held an offense to under 250-yards of total offense. 

Zumwalt told YSBC that the Panthers attempted to contain senior defensive lineman Jason Davis Jr., but that only freed up so much more opportunities for the rest of the Bulldogs defense. 

The “Boneyard” won’t see Gridley jerseys roaming on Friday nights for a while as the Bulldogs get a bye week and have a couple of road games.

Gridley’s next action will be on Friday, Sept. 12 as they travel to Winters and take on the Warriors.

The Biggs Wolverines needed to make a statement on Friday night after their 2024 season ended way too early at the hands of the Weed Cougars. 

When YSBC checked in with Biggs during the preseason, we were told by multiple players that they didn’t want the game close, and they made that a reality in a 52-0 shutout win.

Gridley High School Varsity Bulldogs charge onto the field at their first home game, held Friday Aug. 29.

Wolverines head coach Brian Harrison told YSBC that they have multiple goals on both sides of the ball; they accomplished a lot of them on Friday night, including their rushing yards (368), completion percentage (75%) and first downs (16). Biggs had a controlling 32-0 lead at the half.

Wolverines senior quarterback Skyler Long completed six passes (two for touchdown passes) for 72 yards in the air and rushed for 125 yards and found the end zone four times. 

Biggs junior fullback Ayden Owen rushed for 73-yards on the ground and junior defensive back Cashton Acosta ran the ball four times for 67-yards and two rushing touchdowns.

There was a heavy cost as senior wide receiver/defensive back Hunter Seipert suffered a significant injury and will be out for a while. 

Harrison told YSBC that he is crushed for Seipert to lose significant time of his senior season but is happy that he will continuously be around the team on a consistent basis and will be a vocal leader from the sidelines.

The Wolverines defense put a hurt on Weed as they had five sacks, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and eight tackles for loss.