Gridley senior Jace Griggs (88) rushes into the end zone for a touchdown on Oct. 2. Photo by Steven Bryla

GRIDLEY, CA (YSBC) - The Gridley Bulldogs football team ended the 2026 preseason with a gritty 14-7 victory over the Lassen Grizzlies on Oct. 2 and head into Westside League play with a ton of confidence.

Gridley head coach Dan Zumwalt told Yuba Sutter Butte Colusa Sports he wanted to limit the amount of turnovers they had the previous week where the Bulldogs were handed their first loss of the season to Colfax.

Gridley had six total turnovers in the 35-28 defeat to the Falcons.

Gridley senior linebacker Benny Dewsnup (33) makes a tackle on Oct. 2 during the Bulldogs’ win over Lassen. Photo by Steven Bryla

Zumwalt added the game against Lassen has been a battle over the past few seasons, especially with both teams trading home victories in the past couple of postseasons.

The Bulldogs had a great opening drive that moved downfield and Lassen had trouble stopping the run, but Gridley had its first of two fumbles recovered by the Grizzlies on the night.

Despite Gridley’s offense committing two turnovers in the game, the Bulldogs’ defense is not strangers to force their opponents to cough up and turn the ball over.

After a scoreless first quarter in the game, Gridley senior linebacker Benny Dewsnup intercepted a pass inside the Lassen 40-yard line.

The Bulldogs struck the scoreboard first with a little more than eight minutes remaining in the second quarter as junior quarterback Michael Sandoval rushed the ball from a yard out for a touchdown.

Gridley junior quarterback Michael Sandoval (5) squeezes inside the end zone for a touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 14-7 victory over Lassen on Oct. 2. Photo by Steven Bryla

Sandoval would make multiple other key rushes throughout the game, but after a couple drives were passed back-and-forth, Zumwalt called on Sandoval to go in at safety on defense.

The next play, Sandoval picked off a pass and ended a threat by Lassen towards the end of the first half.

Sandoval finished 18 yards on the ground and the first score of the game:

There is multiple words to describe the Gridley football team, but selfless is the best way Zumwalt can describe it.

“It’s something that has been building over the past couple of years, but this season the guys are just out there for one another,” Zumwalt said.

Gridley senior running back Manny Sandoval (2) rushes the ball during the Bulldogs’ win over Lassen on Oct. 2. Photo by Steven Bryla

Dewsnup and senior running backs Manny Sandoval and Marcus Duncan expressed to YSBC vividly about the selfless team they are.

The said that they don’t care about individual stars but the common goal they all have as a team is to get the W at the end of the night.

Duncan and Manny get a good amount of carries on a nightly basis, but the fluidity of the running backs of the Bulldogs says it all in the stat sheet.

Duncan finished the game with 80 yards on the ground while Manny was right behind with 70 yards rushing. Dewsnup ended with 51 rushing yards and led the team with nine tackles in the win.

Gridley senior Marcus Duncan rushes the ball on Oct. 2 in the Bulldogs’ win over Lassen. Photo by Steven Bryla

Gridley has five players who average more than 29.2 yards per game on the ground and the Bulldogs average more than 271 yards on the ground per game.

Gridley senior Jace Griggs extended the Bulldogs lead 14-0 after he punched in an eight-yard touchdown rush with five and a half minutes to go in the third.

The lone Lassen score came on the next drive as Grizzlies junior running back Royce Waltman scored on a one-yard touchdown rush with a little more than three minutes to go in the third.

It was a defensive battle for the rest of the game as both teams turned the ball over within the last five minutes of the game before Gridley lined up in victory formation to end the game.

The Bulldogs start Westside League play this week as they host Las Plumas on Friday, Oct. 9 with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Gridley senior Jace Griggs (88) gets the corner on Oct. 2. The Bulldogs’ victory against Lassen. Photo by Steven Bryla