In a contest marred by penalties, the Golden Valley Grizzlies overcame the Canyon Cowboys 14-10 Friday night, marking their second consecutive victory in the Foothill League.
Both teams entered the game looking to capture their first league win of the season.
The first quarter was largely uneventful, but the action began to pick up in the second quarter. Cowboys Quarterback Carson Soria connected with Wide Receiver Jeremiah Herreres deep in Grizzly territory, setting up a field goal and an extra point that put Canyon ahead 10-0 at halftime.
However, the game was plagued with infractions, resulting in 18 penalties by the break. The Grizzlies, determined to respond in the second half, made adjustments to counter Canyon’s defense.
Golden Valley Quarterback Jayce Johnson found the end zone early in the third quarter with a rushing touchdown, narrowing the lead to 10-7.
The Grizzlies continued to push, and with just over five minutes left in the game, Wide Receiver Derek Guevara, playing running back in place of the injured Joseph Lewis, scored another touchdown on a strong run off the left side, putting Golden Valley ahead 14-10 after a successful extra point.
Canyon’s attempts to reclaim the lead fell short, and despite a fumble recovery that momentarily revived hopes, they could not convert. The Cowboys now sit at 0-5, still searching for answers as they head back to the drawing board.
The game saw a staggering total of over 25 penalties, which dominated the narrative. “It was one of the worst first halves of football I’ve seen in 31 years, not so much our play, but the penalties,” said Golden Valley Head Coach Dan Kelley. “There seemed to be a penalty on every play.”
Kelley praised his defense for rallying in the second half but acknowledged the challenges ahead. “We’ve got a big one next week against Hart, a versatile quarterback who can throw and run. We have our work cut out for us, and if we only play two quarters of football like we did tonight, it’s going to be a long night.”
Golden Valley will face the Hart Hawks next Friday night, while Canyon travels to Castaic on the same evening.
