Grizzlies travel to Coal Mountain looking to bounce back against the Raiders

Scoutint the Grizzlies

The Creekview Grizzlies will hit the road again this week, traveling to Coal Mountain to face the North Forsyth Raiders. Last Friday, the Grizzlies had their hands full against defending Class 3A champion Calhoun, falling short after struggling to sustain drives. Creekview did find some success on the ground behind the tandem of Carson Lott and Travis Vines. The duo combined for 80 yards in the loss. Leading returning rusher Mason Munn saw limited offensive snaps but made his presence felt at linebacker, constantly pressuring Calhoun’s quarterback.

Quarterback Alex Penrod looked poised in his first start, showing strong chemistry with his brother, Austin Penrod, who hauled in seven receptions for a team high 73 yards including few highlight-reel grabs. Alex also contributed on defense with a couple of touchdown-saving tackles. In the secondary, Hayden Hansen and J.D. Russell impressed, while sophomore Hudson Stanley flashed potential as a budding defensive star.

Scouting the Raiders

North Forsyth opened its season with a 25–21 win over Wheeler, powered by senior running back Darron Parry, who racked up 129 yards and two scores. Parry combines breakaway speed with the ability to run through arm tackles. Sophomore back Fabiano Pinto adds a bruising complement to the Raiders’ ground game.

On defense, edge rusher Adriel Rojas—already holding 16 Division I offers—will be a player to watch. The Raiders limited Wheeler to just 201 yards of total offense and forced two interceptions in the win.

Pundit's Pick

This matchup serves as the penultimate tune-up for both teams before region play. With first-year starters still settling in, expect the winner to be the team that controls the line of scrimmage and establishes the run. Creekview’s young duo of Lott and Vines is promising, but Parry is a proven commodity. Look for both defenses to dial up run blitzes in an effort to force these talented but inexperienced quarterbacks into passing situations.

Prediction: Raiders by 4.