The Lindhurst Blazers will invade the Gold Bowl on Friday evening to face Mariposa’s Grizzlies in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V gridiron playoffs.

The Blazers finished in third place in the Golden Empire League this season behind runner-up Highlands, and league champ Capital Christian, which is the odds-on favorite to claim the section banner.

Lindhurst is a mere shadow of the dominate team that vanquished Mariposa in last year’s first round playoff clash, 28-6. Gone is one of the section’s best running backs, and an experienced quarterback who led the Blazers to a 9-4 overall mark and second place in the section playoffs, falling to Marysville in the championship game, 33-19.

In stark contrast to last season’s team, the Blazers are averaging just 14.3 points per game compared to last year’s 37.2. Lindhurst finished the season at 4-6 and 4-2 in GEL play.

The Blazers averaged 172.4 yards per game on the ground, and 132.2 through the air. Mariposa finished the regular season averaging 251.11 yards per game rushing, and 66.2 yards passing, according to MaxPreps.com.

Lindhurst has an average, per-game offensive output of 304.6 yards, while the Grizzlies average 317.3 yards and 34.6 points per game. The Blazers gave up an average of almost 26 points per game.

Mariposa’s points per game average got a huge boost in its five Southern Athletic League contests. It whipped Turlock Christian, 42-0, fell to Le Grand, 24-14, then crushed Waterford, 56-18; Denair, 77-56; and Delhi, 73-0.

Leading the Blazers in rushing is 5’7” 165-pound senior Angel Vega. He is averaging 106.6 yards per game and has scored 6 touchdowns. His longest run from scrimmage is 51 yards.

Senior quarterback Kahlan Robinson has thrown for 4 touchdowns and pitched 8 interceptions. He averages 106.8 yards per game through the air and finshed the regular season with 37 completions in 83 attempts, connecting on 44 percent of his passes. Robinson is 6’3” and 180 pounds. Senior linebacker Ricky Dalton (5’9”, 165 pounds) leads Lindhurst in tackles with an average of 14 per game. The Blazers’ top receiver is 6’0” 180-pound junior wide out Stephen Paxton. Paxton has hauled in 28 passes for 433 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. His longest catch and run is 65 yards.

The Blazers will be beefy up front with three seniors tipping the scales are 250 pounds or better. Kameron Dansby is a 6’5” senior who weighs 315 pounds and plays tackle. Saul Cuevas, another lineman, checks in at 6’2” and 265 pounds, and is flanked by 5- 11” 250-pound Ben Alveraz.

“They’re pretty good, but not like last year,” said Mariposa head coach Bob Kelly of Lindhurst’s squad. “They beat their rival (Marysville, the defending section champ) to earn the playoff spot, so they took care of business.“

If we come out and do what we’re supposed to do, we’ll be alright. We don’t want to start slow. We need to come out of the gate,” Kelly added.

Calpreps has selected Mariposa as a 35-14 favorite.