Wheatland demolishes Gridley, awaits Sutter

The chant poured out of the visitor's locker room, it's infectious drawl wafting through The Boneyard.

"Suuuuutter. Suuuuutter. Suuuuutter."

The time has arrived. After blowing by Gridley 56-13, the Wheatland High football team is now solely focused on a moment the Pirates have been salivating for since two-a-days — the chance to take on the Huskies for the Butte View League title.

"We told you a week ago not to say a word about (Sutter)," Pirates coach Javier Lopez said to his team at midfield. "But now it's time."

On Nov. 6, Wheatland will get a shot at home against Sutter in a battle of the BVL unbeatens. Aside from the bragging rights that come along with defeating your biggest rival, the winner of the tilt will take home field advantage into the Northern Section Division II playoffs.

But to ensure that the Pirates-Huskies face-off would still have such implications, Wheatland had to get by Gridley, a scrappy team that's lost a trio of games by a point this year.

And though this game would be lopsided by half, with Pirates' coaches talking about dinner instead of defense in the third quarter, Gridley did give the Pirates a little wake-up slap on the game's first possession.

Using a 30-yard flea flicker and a clutch 27-yard touchdown catch on fourth and long from Jessep McFarlane, Gridley opened up a 6-0 lead less than four minutes in the game.

There was no panic on the Pirates' sideline. Even after quarterback Jonnie Millington fumbled and lost the ball on Wheatland's first offensive possession, Pirates remained calm.

But on the field their play was anything but.

After the opening hiccup, Wheatland went on a tear. Derek Seward intercepted the pass right after Millington's fumble then absolutely obliterated the Bulldogs' defense from the running back position, scorching for 141 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries.

Add in a 43-yard punt return for a touchdown by Dalton McCoy, a 4-yard run through the goal line from Clint Johnson and a 10-yard scoring sweep from Lacarlis Moore and Wheatland would take a 41-6 lead into halftime.

On the other side of the ball, Wheatland was making life just as difficult for the Bulldogs — proving their opening drive to be an aberration. At halftime, Gridley had just 77 total yards from scrimmage, with negative 16 yards rushing.

With the a devastating defense and the ability to score with ease, the Pirates are no doubt excited about what lies ahead. But Lopez and his players are aware they are in for a challenge against the Huskies.

"Next weeks going to be hard," Wheatland Zach Downing said. "But we know what we have to do."

After the post game meeting, the Pirates came together for one last cheer.

"Championship."

The Gridley JV team won 34-14.