Gridley senior quarterback Eli Punzo (5) rushes the ball on Friday, Nov. 21 in the Bulldogs’ 22-0 win over Pierce. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Gridley 22, Pierce 0

GRIDLEY, CA (YSBC) - The Gridley Bulldogs football team accomplished history on Nov. 21 when they shutout the Pierce Bears 22-0 for a trip to the CIF Northern Section Division III championship and secured their 12th victory of the season.

Gridley head coach Daniel Zumwalt expressed to Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports that the season continues to be magical as this journey has been an insane ride.

The Bulldogs had some relief in the backfield as junior running back Marcus Duncan returned to the depth chart after recovering from an injury.

Zumwalt told YSBC that Duncan has been a part of some of the most explosive plays of the year and that saying proved it again as Duncan led the Bulldogs with 129 rushing yards on the night, including a long rush of 45 yards.

Gridley sophomore Michael Sandoval (23) returns an interception in the Bulldogs’ 22-0 win on Friday, Nov. 21. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Duncan has 791 yards on the year heading into the NS D-III title game scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.

Gridley faced a Pierce squad that has been dissipated over the last month with significant injuries and that is the way the game of football works. 

Bears head coach Anthony Tapia told YSBC it was a struggle because there were so many moving parts and adjustments to have multiple players starting and moving to positions they haven't played in all year.

There isn’t a question that Pierce was down top performers as more than 75% of their offensive production didn’t play in the semifinals against the Bulldogs.

Despite the Bears missing talent, Gridley has dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season as well. Bulldogs senior quarterback Eli Punzo had another efficient night of controlling the prolific offense.

The “Boneyard” is expected to be packed as the Orland Trojans will visit Gridley for the second time this year. The Bulldogs topped the Trojans 29-26 on Oct. 10 in the Westside League opener and Zumwalt told YSBC that it’s always more challenging to beat a team twice in the same season.

Gridley junior running back Marcus Duncan (6) rushes into the open field on Friday, Nov. 21 in the Bulldogs’ 22-0 win. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Maxwell 17, Biggs 8 - A couple chapters closed on the Biggs 2025 football season as they were beaten in the CIFNS Division V playoffs on Nov. 21 as the Wolverines fell to the Maxwell Panthers 17-8.

Both teams left it all on the field as it was a battle on the gridiron. Maxwell had an 11-8 lead at the half and Biggs head coach Brian Harrison couldn’t have been happier with the performance the Wolverines had in the loss to the Panthers.

Biggs senior quarterback Skyler Long ended the game with six completed passes for 86 yards and rushed the ball for a team-high 72 yards in the loss.

Wolverines’ sophomore running back Hudson Brewer scored the lone touchdown for Biggs as he rushed for 65 yards and hauled in three receptions for 27 yards in the defeat.

Defensively, Brewer haunted the Panthers with 11 tackles, three for a loss and two sacks. 

For Harrison, the end of the road as a coach for the Wolverines has come. Harrison told YSBC that he informed the school after the loss that it was time for his 20-plus year coaching career to take a back seat.

Harrison has enjoyed being around the Wolverines program as a standout all-area player to being a major contributor on the coaching staff.

Harrison is a proud resident of the Biggs community and it’s clear as day of what his contributions have meant to the program over the years.

Harrison was at the helm of the Wolverines program where he went 27-21 and had three consecutive .500 seasons.

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