The 2025 season did not get off on the right paws for the Gans Grizzlies football team as they were blanked 44-0 by the visiting Keota Lions on Thursday night at Grizzly Field.
The Lions (1-0) set the tone right off the bat as Remington Tomlin returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to put the Lions ahead 6-0 with just 13 seconds elapsed into the game. The two-point conversion run failed.
After the Grizzlies (0-1) were stopped on their initial drive of the game, the Lions scored on their second drive as Traiten Bryant scored on a 12-yard run with 7:15 remaining in the quarter. Quarterback Jesse Cox hit running back Keyven Peck for the two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead for Keota heading into the second period.
On Gans’ next possession, the Grizzlies were stopped, but punter Leland Locust pinned the Lions at their own 1-yard line near the end of the first quarter.
Unfortunately, the Lions went 99 yards to paydirt as Cox scored on a 2-yard run. Bryant scored the two-point conversion for a 22-0 lead with 7:35 left before halftime.
The Grizzlies had their most successful drive of the opening half as they got into Keota territory, but Gans quarterback Jasper Green was stopped just short of the line to gain, and the Lions took over possession at their own 40 with 5:07 left in the first half.
The Lions wasted no time as Cox connected on a 60-yard TD pass to Gabriel Jones with 3:05 left in the first half. Bryant’s two-point conversion run put Keota ahead 30-0 at halftime.
“It was a very rough first half,” Gans coach Gary Hixon said. “I thought when we came out, we looked pretty good, but trying to teach our kids that we can’t live on every play. We have to live one play at a time, and forget the play that is over with — especially if it’s a negative play.”
If there was one positive thing to the second half for the Grizzlies, it was the fact they came out more spirited to start the third quarter.
The Grizzlies took the second-half kickoff and went as deep as the Keota 31, only to see running back Anthony Vasquez stopped on fourth down at the Keota 31 with 8:40 left in the third quarter.
The Lions cashed in the takeaway as Peck scored from three yards out with 5:07 remaining in the period. Bryant’s two-point conversion run put Keota ahead 38-0 after three quarters.
The Grizzlies tried to mount a score on their ensuing possession, only to fumble the ball with Peck making the recovery for Keota at the Gans 42 with 2:20 remaining in the third period.
Another positive takeaway for the Grizzlies was the Lions were unable to put the game into mercy-rule status by getting a 45-point, or greater, advantage in the second half.
The final score for the Lions came with 11:10 remaining to play as Jayven Seyler scored on an 8-yard run. However, the two-point conversion pass play failed, keeping the score at 44-0 — one point shy of the necessary 45 points to see the mercy rule enforced.
Keota also had another chance later in the fourth quarter, in which a running clock was instituted. With 2:38 left in the game, Seyler was denied the end zone as he was stopped at the Gans 1. The Grizzlies moved the ball out to near their own 30 as time expired.
“I’m proud of our kids for doing that (coming out energetic in the second half and keeping Keota from enforcing the mercy rule),” Hixon said. “We could have easily laid it down. Our kids put their heart and soul into this. They’re getting better. It’s encouraging to see this. Like I told them, they have to take baby steps before they can become successful. Everything is building towards our district (District BII-4). We’re looking forward to getting better as we go.”
The Grizzlies will remain at home this week as they will entertain the Oaks Warriors at 7 p.m. next Friday at Grizzly Field.
