The football team came up short in the final seconds, falling to the California Grizzlies 23-22 on Friday night.
The Bears began the game on defense, and after successfully containing a few California runs, senior cornerback Terrence Stephens and senior linebacker Kaito Yoshida forced the Grizzlies to scramble and throw two incomplete passes. Yoshida continued M-A’s defensive pressure with an interception on the next play, getting the Bears the ball.
M-A kept the momentum on offense, with clever passes that steadily gained yardage. Senior running back Jamarlo Jackson displayed an amazing effort with a run up the middle to gain 17 yards and a first down, dragging the defensive line with him as they attempted to take him down.
Despite another series of completions, M-A fell just short after going for it on fourth down, turning the ball over. The next possession, California struggled to advance downfield, and back-and-forth pre-snap penalties left the Grizzlies needing 15 yards on first down. Still, California found its groove, and a massive 42-yard pass gave the Grizzlies the first touchdown of the game. A successful extra point left M-A down 7-0 with 1:16 left in the first quarter.
The Bears were unable to prevail, ending the quarter still trailing 7-0.
“I think that all these tough pre-season games are just going to bring us closer together and we will be even better further into the season,” Sokol said.
M-A started the second quarter resiliently, moving down the field with efficient plays, but a near-sack led California to an interception, which was run back to the 20-yard line. M-A kept the Grizzlies away from the end zone, however, forcing them to kick a 34-yard field goal, which gave California a 10-0 lead with 6:49 remaining in the half.
Determined to stop the Grizzlies’ run, senior kick returner Beau Courson started the next drive with a strong 32-yard return. Jackson followed with a run up the middle to gain another 18 yards. Senior quarterback Milo Lazare facilitated the momentum with multiple skilled handoffs, followed by his own run that resulted in a first down.
However, the Bears’ luck quickly ran thin, and they found themselves once again stuck on fourth down. Desperate not to have another scoreless possession, M-A decided to go for it, and an incredible pass to senior wide receiver Zachary Sokol brought the Bears within five yards of the end zone.
A huge block by junior running back Kennedy Monroe opened up a path for Jackson to take the ball into the end zone for M-A’s first touchdown of the game with 0:55 left in the quarter. The Bears attempted a two-point conversion, and once again Jackson scored, shoving his way through the pile of players to reduce California’s lead to 10-8.
The Grizzlies fought to make the most of the remaining time in the half, but it was to no avail. The half ended with M-A down 10-8.
To start the second half, M-A fumbled California’s kickoff, shifting possession to the Grizzlies at the 18-yard line. However, the Bears were quick to react, with a sack by senior defensive tackle Sione Pahulu pushing California back. Immediately after, senior cornerback Diego Madrid swooped in with an interception, putting the ball back in M-A’s hands.
Jackson took the offense by storm, snatching a handoff and running to complete a smooth first down. The spark continued, as Jackson darted through the middle for a 25-yard run, and Lazare added seven yards of his own.
The Bears began to struggle to advance the ball, facing fourth down with four yards to go. However, Lazare remained unfazed, finding junior wide receiver Kyle Gabriel to secure the first down and keep M-A’s hopes alive.
Relentless carries by Monroe and Jackson propelled the Bears closer to the end zone, and senior tight end Griffin Birk contributed an exceptional catch. The Grizzlies took a timeout to regroup, but it wasn’t enough to halt M-A’s momentum. Jackson found an opening up the sideline, charging his way to a touchdown with 3:11 remaining in the quarter. He didn’t stop there, cutting through the defense for a two-point conversion to give the Bears a 16-10 lead.
On the next drive, M-A’s defense continued to showcase its dominance, with a powerful hit by senior defensive end George Scott. Stephens picked off the Grizzlies’ pass as the Bears regained possession on California’s half, and smooth jukes by Jackson gained another 14 yards to end the quarter with M-A ahead, 16-10.
“I’m most proud of our turnovers. Our defense had three picks in total, so I think that’s just a game-changer. [It] helps our offense move the ball down the field,” Madrid said.
The Bears entered the fourth quarter with the same intensity, with crucial runs by Lazare and Jackson to put M-A just one yard outside the end zone. However, they couldn’t capitalize, and a ruinous fumble gave the ball back to California.
Madrid came in with a series of commanding hits, stopping a powerful push by the Grizzlies up the sideline. Still, California executed a 40-yard attack, securing a touchdown to put the Bears behind, 17-16, with just over six minutes left.
M-A emerged with a surge of urgency. Lazare connected with Birk, as Jackson remained unstoppable on his runs. Another Grizzlies timeout wasn’t enough to slow the Bears down, and offensive dominance by Lazare and Jackson put M-A in a promising position as they swiftly entered California’s half.
Immediately after a penalty on the Bears that caused Lazare’s touchdown to be reversed, Lazare delivered a 30-yard bullet to Jackson in the end zone. M-A had incredible success with the two-point conversions throughout the game, but this time it fell through, and the Bears held a 22-17 lead entering the final 2:38.
The Grizzlies read the circumstances and rapidly pushed themselves closer to the end zone, highlighted by a 39-yard rush. As California set up at first and goal with just over a minute remaining, M-A regrouped with a timeout. The Grizzlies were shaky, with a series of false starts pushing them back, yet they then weaved their way through the middle for a touchdown. Their two-point conversion attempt was demolished by Madrid, pushing the ball out of bounds just inches away from the end zone.
Trailing 23-22 with just 33 seconds on the clock, the Bears were in need of a miracle. Despite their best efforts, as the clock ticked to zero, the score remained unchanged, and the Bears fell 23-22 in a hard-fought battle.
“The offensive line completely owned the line of scrimmage all game. Even though we didn’t win, we started 0-4 last year and ended up going to NorCal,” Sokol said.
“I’m definitely looking forward to this week. O’Dowd, they’re a really good team,” Madrid said. “We just need to put on a win. Give something for the fans to cheer about, and just come down with the win, finish it up.”
The Bears will face the Bishop O’Dowd Dragons away on Friday at 7 p.m.
