Grizzlies look to bounce back against Wind River after loss at Shoshoni

The Rocky Mountain Grizzlies fell to Shoshoni 32-6 Friday in a contest where turnovers and special teams plays proved decisive. Despite the final score, the team showed promising moments on both sides of the ball, giving head coach Jessee Wilson reason for optimism heading into this week’s crucial playoff-determining matchup against Wind River.

“The game in Shoshoni had some really good moments. We moved the ball really effectively and played solid defense,” Wilson said. “However, we turned the ball over far too many times and gave up a punt block for a touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown. It is really difficult to win when we make those critical errors.”

The Grizzlies’ offense generated 214 total yards, showcasing moments of efficiency despite the turnover troubles. Triffen Jolley led the ground attack with a strong performance, rushing for 118 yards on 23 carries, including an explosive 41-yard run that helped set up the team’s lone touchdown. The rushing attack totaled 125 yards on 45 attempts, with Jolley accounting for nearly all of the positive yardage.

In the passing game, Joaquin Scheeler completed six passes for 60 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Lafe Files added 29 yards through the air on two completions. Mason Moss proved to be a reliable target, hauling in two receptions for 26 yards including a touchdown catch. The aerial attack totaled 89 yards on 8 completions.

The game started with Shoshoni capitalizing on good field position after a solid kick return, scoring on a fourth-down pass and converting the extra point. The Grizzlies responded with an impressive seven-play, 67-yard drive, culminating in Scheeler’s touchdown pass to Moss. However, Shoshoni immediately countered with a kickoff return touchdown,
shifting momentum back in their favor.

Throughout the middle quarters, the Grizzlies put together several promising drives but struggled to convert them into points. A 10-play drive reached the Shoshoni 35-yard line before ending in a fumble, and a nine-play, 60-yard march to the Shoshoni 20 in the third quarter met the same fate. Despite these setbacks, the defense kept the game within reach until the fourth quarter.

“Despite all of that it was a one score game going into the fourth quarter,” Wilson said. “So I thought our defense did a really great job of keeping the game within reach despite our errors on offense and special teams.”

The game’s turning point came in the fourth quarter when a blocked punt was returned for a touchdown by Shoshoni, followed by a muffed kickoff that led to another quick score. These special teams miscues, combined with five total turnovers, proved too much to overcome.

Looking ahead to Thursday’s crucial matchup against Wind River in Pavillion, Wilson and his staff are focusing on ball security and special teams execution while building on the positive aspects of their performance.

“We’ll continue to stay the course with an emphasis on holding onto the ball and making some adjustments on kickoff and kick return,” Wilson said. “I like the way our run game is trending, and we had some success on play action, so we’ll look to build upon that this week.”

With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Wilson has been emphasizing a particular mindset to his players. 

“I’ve been talking to our players about playing ‘like the rent is due,’” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to pay the rent, because now there are no more extensions. I really think that our guys have what it takes to respond to adversity. They’ve got each other’s backs, and I’m excited to see how they attack this week.”

The Grizzlies will look to secure their playoff berth when they face Wind River this Thursday in what amounts to an early playoff game. 

“Win and we are in, lose and we are out,” Wilson said. “So it’s the biggest game of our season thus far.”

Wind River presents a formidable challenge, despite graduating several key players from last year’s state runner-up team. 

“Wind River is a well-coached team,” Wilson said. “They like to play a pretty physical brand of football with one of their main sets being the Maryland I. They have some big guys up front and a few solid athletes they like to run the ball with.”

The do or die nature of Thursday’s game adds an extra layer of pressure, but Wilson sees this as an opportunity for his team to demonstrate their resilience. 

“I think pressure reveals character. When the chips are down how are you going to respond?” Wilson said. “I think football is a great tool to teach resilience, and we’ve been tested each week, so I think that resilience that we’ve built up over the season will help us execute while being under pressure.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.