JUNIOR VARSITY RUNNING BACK JAMES PALMER SPRINTS FOR THE ENDZONE IN A SCRIMMAGE LAST SATURDAY AT DENAIR. THE JV SQUAD, UNDER NEW HEAD COACH DENNIS BLESSING, PLAYED WELL AGAINST ALL THREE OPPONENTS INCLUDING GUSTINE, TURLOCK CHRISTIAN, AND DENAIR. GAZETTE PHOTO BY DAN TUCKER In last Saturday’s scrimmage at Denair, Mariposa’s junior varsity football team stood shoulders above the competition.

The young Grizzlies mauled Turlock Christian, Denair, and Gustine enroute to scoring eight times and never yielding a touchdown.

New head coach Dennis Blessing said, “I thought we did really well on both sides of the ball. We didn’t give up a score, and all 38 players got on the field. It was as good as I had hoped for.”

Blessing had high praise for sophomore quarterback Brendan Bernard. “I thought he had tremendous vision and didn’t make very many mistakes.” Bernard was 7-for-11 in the air.

Two defenders earned starting slots for tonight’s home opener in Pioneer Market Grizzly Stadium.

Sophomore Clinton Sjostrom had an outstanding scrimmage and landed the middle linebacker slot, and Brendan Miller has claimed the free safety position.

In tonight’s home opener against Summerville at 5:30 p.m., Bernard will start under center, and he’ll be flanked by starting running backs James Palmer and Liam Fieldsted who both had solid performances in the scrimmage. Palmer broke loose on a 40- yard touchdown scamper.

Blessing said there are still a number of starting spots yet to be earned, but things are quickly beginning to take shape. He also credited the new facility, at least partially, with the volume of players that have turned out this season.

Blessing said that he still has four players in conditioning, but when they are ready, he will have a roster of 44. “I think the new field has a lot to do with kids wanting to participate,” Blessing said. “It’s great.”