The GW Graham Grizzlies gave one of the province’s top AA programs a run for their money in preseason football action, losing 34-22 on the road last Friday.
The Grizzlies sent their varsity crew to Nanaimo to take on the John Barsby Bulldogs.
The defending AA provincial champs put the boots to GWG in the first half.
Cole Virtanen took the opening kickoff 76 yards for the first Barsby major.
Trenton Anderson scored on a one yard plunge and Chris DeGoutire scampered 36 yards for another TD.
Barsby quarterback North Rainey found tight-end Tyler Hill on a seven yard scoring strike to give the Islanders a 28-0 halftime lead. But the Grizzlies made a game of it in the second half.
Treyvon Walsh scored two TDs, one on offence and one on defence. Offensively he caught five passes for 51 yards and ran twice for 65 yards. Defensively, he forced a fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
Workhorse running back Brett Westad scored the other GWG major while carrying 28 times for 119 yards.
Kirk Samulak led the defence with eight tackles while Tyler Sprott and Westad had six apiece.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our small family,” said GWG head coach Laurie Smith. “That was probably the best team in the province and we took it to them on the road.”
