Gans opens season at home vs. Oaks
Gans opens season at home vs. Oaks News Staff Thu, 08/25/2022 - 19:27
JIM CAMERON SPORTS WRITER
Gans will host Oaks-Mission today to kick off its regular season at 7 p.m. The Class C Warriors come to town off a 7-4 season last year that ended with the Warriors losing, 54-0, to Timberlake in the first round of the playoffs.
The Grizzlies are playing catch up after missing summer practice, but head coach Brian Morton is looking forward to seeing how well his 11 returning Grizzlies will look under the Friday night lights.
With the team‚s roster at 23 players this year, Gans gains better depth and a lot more experience due to the fact that most of the players‚ first time to dress out was last year. The Grizzlies‚ numbers grew this season due to an in-flux of experienced freshmen who joined the returning lettermen.
“We‚re already so far ahead from last year. We actually started last year not knowing if there would be a season,” Morton says.
“You‚ve got to use your personnel, and right now we have one receiver, Caleb Martin, that‚s proved that he can go get a ball. So when we‚re not running it, we‚ll try to get the ball into his hands down the field.”
The Grizzlies play three additional home games this year, and have six road games scheduled this season. After playing an abbreviated schedule last year due to COVID-19, the Grizzlies are looking forward to playing a full season this year.
The Warriors‚ offense returns four starters, including quarterback Ethan Parsley and his playmakers, tight end Jakeb Walker and fullback Alex Harlin, who combined for nine touchdowns last year.
Gans‚ defense will have its hands full trying to contain Oaks‚ balanced offensive attack and stopping the big plays.
The Oaks‚ defense returns four starters, including Malakye Hawley, a bruising defensive back that‚s looking to improve on two interceptions last year.
The Grizzlies‚ offense will be working to find ways to get past a tough Warriors defense and make them give up the goods with plays from Morton‚s bag of tricks designed to open up the run.
Hopefully, the more experienced Grizzlies, playing at home, can get past any first-game jitters quickly, to settle in and send the Warriors home with their first loss of the season.
