Grizzlies look for 2nd straight win, entertain Porum Panthers tonight

It’s amazing what a win will do for a team’s morale. Just ask the Gans Grizzlies, who finally got win No. 1 of the 2023 football season last Friday night as they outlasted the Midway Chargers 7874.

“(Getting first win of season) helps,” Gans coach Brian Morton said. “We needed that win to get us going. We’re halfway there. We’re clicking pretty good in certain aspects of the game. We’re still trying to find some identity on the other (defensive) side.”

The Grizzlies (1-3) will look to get their second straight win as they entertain the Porum Panthers at 7 tonight at Grizzly Field.

The Panthers (2-1) suffered their first loss of the season last week, losing 51-6 to Keota after winning their first two games of 2023 — 22-16 over Oaks and 45-0 over South Coffeyville.

“They are big up front,” Morton said about the Panthers. “They’re going to run the ball hard at us. I feel that’s one of our weaknesses right now when people come straight at us. It’s something we’ve been working on this week, so we’ll see if we can counter that.”

Now that the offense seems to be hitting on all cylinders after denting the scoreboard for 78 points last week, Morton said it’s now the defense’s turn to step up.

“Offensively, we’re clicking right now, but we can’t take that for granted,” he said. “We have to keep working on improving our timing and just moving the ball forward (downfield). We have to get better at open-field tackling. We have to fill our lanes. We’re giving up way too many open running lanes (for opposing running backs). Sometimes, it’s from overpursuing the ball. We have to break it down (defensively) better. we have kids who can do it, but we’re just falling short.”

Morton said the Grizzlies won’t be at full strength tonight, but he knows the most important games won’t begin for two more weeks when the District B-6 portion of the schedule arrives.

“We’re recuperating a few injuries this week,” he said. “We’ll be sitting a few (out of tonight’s game). We’re going to have to ask a lot from some of our younger guys that don’t have quite as much experience. It’s non-district game.”