Granite Bay jumps on Vacaville - 4 TDs in first quarter

Granite Bay jumped all over Vacaville on Friday night on its way to a convincing 34-13 win. The victory improved the team's record to 3-2 but also brought a positive finish to the non-league portion to their schedule, as the Grizzlies are enjoying a bye week before Sierra Foothill League play begins Sept. 29. "It was a nice win," Granite Bay coach Joe Cattolico said. "Our kids did a good job against a perennially good football team and that's a good accomplishment. We got off to a fast start with four touchdowns in the first quarter. We came out and played really well early on both sides of the ball." Carter Jackson had a big game for the Grizzlies, scoring three times in the first quarter and rushing for a game-high 147 yards on 17 carries. Jack Marek gained 67 yards on only six carries, while Isaiah Ene rushed for 42 yards and also scored a touchdown. Joseph Cattolico caught three passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. "The kids up front did a good job blocking," Cattolico said. "Our backs ran hard. We also had Frank Cusano back for the first time in a few weeks and he definitely helped us on both sides of the ball." Kai Randall and Marcus Maveety led the team with seven tackles, while Cusano, Kellen Ashford and Ene were in on six tackles. The Grizzlies caused four turnovers, as Jason Hill made an interception, while Cusano, Marek and Adam El-Arid had fumble recoveries. The Grizzlies have a much-needed Friday off and will use part of this week to get healthier after playing five physical games in a row. Cattolico said he hopes the bye week doesn't lead to his team losing an edge. "Obviously, we've got a lot of things we need to get better at," Cattolico said. "We would have liked to win those games that we lost, but more importantly, the kids have gotten better each week. They've had to face adversity through injuries and just by playing good teams." Granite Bay opens league play Sept. 29 at home against Del Oro.