GAZETTE PHOTO BY DAN TUCKER GRIZZLY WINGBACK TOMMY STICKLES (RIGHT) TRIES TO AVOID A LIVINGSTON DEFENDER AS GARRETT SIMPSON (LEFT) HELPS CLEAR THE WAY AT LAST FRIDAY NIGHT’S FOUR-TEAM SCRIMMAGE IN LIVINGSTON. THE GRIZZLIES WILL OPEN THE SEASON THIS SATURDAY AT TRUCKEE. After last Friday evening’s scrimmage against three other valley football teams, Mariposa’s second-year head coach, Bob Kelly, is cautiously optimistic.

“I thought it went pretty good, but as always, we’ve got a ways to go,” Kelly said. The Grizzlies scrimmaged against Livingston, Orestimba, and Gustine, all of which they will meet during the regular season this year.

“We’re way ahead of where we were at this time last year,” Kelly said. “The players know more things, and we’re still developing and sharpening execution.”

Mariposa played each team well, in most instances dominating on the offensive side of the ball, but their were defensive gaps. The Grizzlies were missing their two starting tackles in Chad Harlow and Cody Peterson, which hampered some of the execution.

“Our intensity level was improved, but we still need to raise it. We have to get more consistent on every play. We can’t just do some things well one time, and not another. Consistency is a priority right now.”

The Grizzlies will open their season at Truckee this Saturday on the Wolverines’ field at 2 p.m., a half-hour later than previously announced.

Truckee sits at 6,000 feet, so Kelly plans on arriving on Friday to get his team acclimated. “We’ll do some running on Friday, just to expand their lungs,” Kelly said.

The Wolverines have already begun their season. They opened with a 35-15 win over Bishop, boosted by three touchdowns through the air.

“They already have their first-game jitters out of the way,” Kelly said, “so they are ahead of us in that category.”

The Grizzlies’ mentor praised the play of 6’5”, 250- pound tight end and defensive end Cody Wichmann at the scrimmage. He said the standout senior “played hard and real well on both sides of the ball. When he wanted to dominate, he dominated.”

“Our line play got better over the course of the scrimmage,” Kelly said. “They are understanding what we are talking about in being aggressive in a three-step drop, and they’re finishing their blocks better.”

“If we play as well as we can, we have a chance to win every game on our schedule, and Wichmann (Cody) and A.J. (Hall) are helping lead that effort,” Kelly added.

Kelly said everyone is healthy for the trip to Truckee. He added that Cody Christopher performed very well in the scrimmage and earned a starting slot in the backfield. He’ll be flanked by the senior Hall, with junior Justin Kinalele in the wingback position and senior Kevin Foraker calling the signals.

The junior varsity game will begin at noon.

A map to the Wolverines’ field, which is visible from Interstate 80, is available on the school’s Web site at mchs.mariposa.k12.ca.us. Click on the “activities and athletics” link on the left and look for the map link.