Grizzlies roll past Modesto Christian, 37–6

MCHS dominates on the ground and on defense to remain unbeaten in Southern League play

Mariposa County High School controlled Friday night’s Southern League matchup from start to finish, defeating Modesto Christian, 37–6, in Modesto. The Grizzlies outscored the Crusaders in every quarter and paired a 262-yard rushing attack with a disruptive defensive performance to improve to 4–1 overall and 2–0 in league play.

Senior running back Rusty Bull led the offense with 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns, continuing a season-long streak of at least two rushing scores in every game he has played. Junior quarterback Austin Battles added 83 yards on 10 carries, an average of 8.3 yards per attempt. Together, Bull and Battles accounted for 176 of Mariposa County’s 262 rushing yards.

Mariposa County also completed its passing opportunities for 44 yards, giving the offense 306 reported yards. The ground game supplied the foundation, while the defense repeatedly shortened the field and prevented Modesto Christian from building momentum.

Whilel noting that the team’s success to date has been a concentrated team effort, Head Coach Chase Pometta commended several players for solid contributions. “John Ogilby returned after leaving week one with a shoulder injury.  He’s been working hard to get back on the field, and he stood out Friday night.  Defensively he was flying around the field, and he came up with a big 32-yard touchdown catch. Lyell Marcis stepped up on defense, both setting the edge in the run game and dropping into coverage in pass,” Pometta said.

“Rusty ran for two touchdowns with the defense keying on him all night. Ethan Briese had two sacks, including one that resulted in a safety.  He has been relentless in the pass rush all year. Devin Coca played downhill at linebacker all night and shut down the run in the second half, and Jiah Esh had a huge 59-yard interception return for a TD,” the coach added.

The Grizzlies recorded three sacks and intercepted two passes. Briese and Lyell Marcis combined for all three sacks, and Marcis added one of the interceptions. Esh produced the game’s biggest defensive scoring play, returning his interception for a touchdown.

The 31-point victory was Mariposa County’s fourth win by at least 31 points this season. The Grizzlies have now won 13 of their last 16 games dating to last year and have outscored opponents 206–41 through five games. Modesto Christian fell to 1–4 and suffered its eighth consecutive home loss dating to last season.

The Grizzlies return home this Friday, for a 7:15 p.m. Southern League game against the Delhi Hawks. The matchup is listed as Mariposa County’s homecoming game. The Grizzlies enter at 4–1 overall, 2–0 in league and on a two-game winning streak.