GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – An injury-depleted No. 4 seeded Bears squad made the trip to Gridley last Friday night to take on the unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Bulldogs in the Northern Section CIF Division III semifinals, where despite a gallant effort, they were shutout 0-22.
Coach Anthony Tapia reported that the Bulldogs had two big plays early on in the contest and that his team missed a couple opportunities that could have had an impact on the outcome, but overall was proud of the effort his team put forth.
Although no other statistics were provided by Pierce, Tapia did comment on the fortitude his team showed and the excitement he has looking forward to next season when the Bears return to Division IV.
“The resilience this team showed was unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of,” said Tapia. “I hope we never have another season with the number of injuries that we suffered this year, but week in and week out this team answered the call. They wanted to win and our coaching staff had a lot of fun and pride running out with them on Friday nights. This team set the bar for future Pierce football teams and we are excited for the future of our program. I want to thank the community for their unwavering support as we take another step closer to bringing Pierce High School a championship. We are taking a short rest but will hit the ground running as we prepare for 2026.”
Pierce which finished with a 10-2 record overall, will say goodbye to 19 seniors on its roster, but have a strong group of returners that gained valuable experience in the 2025 season.