Grizzlies Take A Long Trip North

Last Friday, the Grace Grizzlies found themselves in Kooskia facing the Clearwater Valley Rams.  The trip was a two night trek for the Grizzlies.  The Grace football team left to head north late Thursday night.  They delayed their leave time so that they could stay home long enough to support the Grace volleyball team on their senior night.  After pulling out of Grace at 8:30 Thursday night, the Grizzlies made it to Jerome where they spent the night.  On Friday morning, the Grizzlies continued their trip up north arriving at the game field in Clearwater Valley with time to spare.  Even with the long road trip, the Grizzlies entered the game as the favorites to win.  Neither team has had a game at full strength this season as both squads have had banged up players keeping them from their full potential.  On Friday night each team saw the return of some key players to their lineups, increasing the strength of each team.  The Rams welcomed back their quarterback who has missed much of the season.  The Grizzlies were thrilled to have versatile player Braden Kimball back on the field for the first time since their opening game of the season.  Kimball would play a crucial role in the game plan for the Grizzlies.

The game started with the Grizzlies on the receiving end of an attempted onside kick from the Rams.  With the recovery, the Grizzlies were set up near midfield.  It would only take Grace two plays to score.  On the second play from scrimmage, Draper pitched the ball to Mathews who broke a tackle and ran for forty-nine yards and the score.  The lead didn't last long however, as the Rams scored on a run of their own from midfield and the game was tied at six.

On just the Grizzlies third offensive play Kimball made his presence known scoring a touchdown from sixty-five yards out and Grace took the lead once again 14-6.  After some fast and furious scoring the defenses settled in.  The Grace defense made the first stop forcing a turnover on downs.  Following the turnover the Grizzlies put together a good drive taking the ball all the way down to the three yard line facing a fourth and goal.  A missed block and a blitzing linebacker doomed the Grizzlies as they were caught in the backfield turning the ball over on downs at the ten yard line and the first quarter came to a close.

In the second quarter of the game the Grizzly defense continued to hold forcing the Rams to punt on the next possession.  Following the punt Grace made a long drive capped off with a touchdown pass to Derek Hill from Draper and the Grizzlies pushed the lead to 22-6.  The first half would come to an end when the Grizzly defense once again forced a turnover on downs.

The entirety of the third quarter was a defensive battle.  The Rams would start the quarter in good field position and on offense.  After driving down near the goaline the Grace defense made a stand.  With the Rams having a fourth and goal they ran the ball outside and looked like they would score but the Grace defense got there in time knocking the runner out of bounds at the two yard line.  Grace would get out of the shadow of the endzone with another good pass play to Hill but their drive would stall as well and the quarter would end with them turning the ball over on downs near midfield.  

Starting the fourth the Rams would slip past the stout Grizzly defense with their second score of the game.  The score now stood at 22-12.  After scoring the Rams kicked an onside kick that they recovered, setting themselves up in good position again.  Kimball made his next big play with the Rams driving when he made a diving interception at the four yard line.  Once again the Grizzlies needed to get some breathing room and got it with a pass to Cooper Andersen.  Once the Grizzlies got the ball out away from the goal line it didn't take them long to score this time with another Kimball run and the score stretched to 30-12.  Once again the Rams would be able to move the ball down the field but once again the Grace defense would make a stand in the red zone.  Following a turnover on downs the Grizzlies took possession with just twenty-seven seconds left.  With the nature of the maxprep playoff rankings the Grace coaches made the decision to not go to victory formation.  They felt they needed one more score to keep them in the playoff race.  After some completed passes and a penalty that went against the Grizzlies which negated a score Grace was left with one second on the clock and a final chance at a hail mary.  Draper took the snap and heaved the ball to the back of the endzone where who else but Braden Kimball came down with the ball with the time expired.  Grace gets the win in this one 36-12.

This Friday the Grizzlies host cross county rival North Gem for the Grizzlies senior night.  This will be a fun game to watch with a lot of senior power from each team.  Kickoff is an early one at 6:00 p.m.