Local Football – 11/13

As you will see below, the 2025 football season has come to a close for most of the teams we have been following this season. Playoff games remain, however, for the Lassen Grizzlies, Loyalton Grizzlies, Modoc Braves, and Placer Hillmen.

Bear River Bruins: In an exciting postseason bowl game at home last Friday night, the Bruins managed to beat the Lindhurst Blazers, 29-28. Thus, the Bruins ended their 2025 season on a positive note with an overall record of six wins and five losses.

Colfax Falcons: The Falcons gained 348 yards (160 on the ground and 188 through the air), while holding the visiting Luther Burbank Titans to only 53 yards (59 via passing and -6 with rushes), and posted a 42-14 postseason victory last Friday night.

Lassen Grizzlies: Following a decisive 53-6 victory over the Central Valley Falcons last Friday, tomorrow at 7 PM, the Grizzlies, seeded second in Division 2 of the Northern Section playoffs, will host the seventh-seeded Corning Cardinals in Round 1 of the Division 2 tournament. The Grizzlies, with an eight-win, two-loss record, compared to their opponents’ five-win, five-loss season, are a clear favorite to advance to the semifinal round of the playoffs against the winner of tomorrow night’s game between the Orland Trojans and the West Valley Eagles.

Loyalton Grizzlies: This Saturday, the Grizzlies will host the Burney Raiders in the first round of the 2025 8-man football tournament. Since the Grizzlies outscored the Raiders 24-20 three weeks ago, and MaxPreps.com ranks the Grizzlies higher than the Raiders, the Grizzlies must be considered the odds-on favorite in what promises to be another close game.

Modoc Braves: Last Friday evening, the Trinity Wolves visited Susanville for a very competitive contest against the Braves. Despite another stellar performance by Sutton Cockrell (164 yards gained in 27 carries), the Braves were unable to overcome the outstanding passing attack (277 yards gained from 11 passes) assembled by the Wolves. As a consequence, the Braves were defeated 13-20. Nonetheless, the Braves are now scheduled to travel to Redding for a Northern Section, Division 5, Round 1 playoff game, starting at 7 PM tomorrow, against the Redding Christian Lions. Given the Lions’ unbeaten record this year, along with the fact that the Lions beat the Braves 60-6 early last month, the honor of making this playoff game seems somewhat dubious. It will be a massive upset if the Braves topple the Lions and proceed on to a semifinal contest against the winner of tomorrow night’s game between the Fall River Bulldogs and the Los Molinos Bulldogs.

Nevada Union Miners: Last Friday night, the Miners hosted the Sacramento High Dragons for an action-packed Sac-Joaquin Section Bowl Game. Unfortunately for the Miners, while their rushing game, led by Rhyder Eelkema, who gained 162 yards in 22 carries, outmatched the Dragons’ excellent passing attack, a long kickoff return touchdown proved to be the difference in the final score, 35-34 in favor of the Dragons.

Placer Hillmen: After winning three of their five Foothill Valley Conference games, the Hillmen take their season record of six wins and three losses to Manteca tomorrow to play the (7-3) East Union Lancers in another Sac-Joaquin Section Bowl Game.

Portola Tigers: Last Friday, in their final game of the 2025 season, the Tigers hosted their traditional rival, the Quincy Trojans. In a game where the defensive squads dominated the course play, the Tigers managed to squeeze out a victory, upsetting their opponent 13-7.

Quincy Trojans: On the road for the second week in a row, the Trojans were unable to generate enough offense against the surprisingly strong defense mounted by the Portola Tigers to take home a victory. Instead, the Trojans finished their season with a 7-13 loss.

Truckee Wolverines: Back in early October, at home, the Wolverines beat the Elko Indians, 20-14. However, last Friday, after a long, five-hour trip for a semifinal playoff game in Elko, despite outgaining their opposition 309 yards to 301 yards, the Wolverines were able to get the ball into the end zone only once. Meanwhile, Elko scored three touchdowns with rushes, two with passes, and one with a pick-six return of an interception. Thus, the Wolverines were outscored 7-42 in their last game of the season. Nonetheless, having posted a 9-3 record during the 2025 season, the team had plenty of reason to be proud of itself.