The GW Graham Grizzlies put the hurt on the Frank Hurt Hornets Friday night at Exhibition Stadium.
Playing in their home opener, GWG’s senior varsity football team rolled up a 58-7 victory over their overmatched opponents, led by Logan Buchwitz. One of several talented juniors filling roster spots on the short-staffed senior squad, Buchwitz accounted for 26 Grizzly points on four touchdowns and a two-point convert.
No. 80 opened the scoring on the first offensive play of the game for GWG, hauling in a bomb from quarterback Colby Bessette and scoring from 50 yards out.
The Hornets, believe it or not, briefly led in this game after scoring on their second drive.
But that was the last positive for the visitors, who were brutally steamrolled by the home team.
A 13 yard TD run by Bessette and a two-point convert run by Jaiden Claassen restored the Grizzly lead at 14-7 and they kept pouring it on.
Touchdown runs by Claassen and Andrew Locke pushed the lead to 28-7.
Buchwitz added a pick-six score when he got his mitts on a pass intended for a Frank Hurt running back and returned it 35 yards.
It was 34-7 at the break and the officiating crew went to mercy-rule running time early in the second half.
Buchwitz quickly added his second offensive major of the night, reeling in a 27 yard TD strike from Bessette, and when Grayson Frick came into the game at quarterback, Buchwitz caught one from him too, from 13 yards out.
Another junior callup, Kaleb Spanner, wrapped up the scoring with a 12 yard scamper, capped off by a two-point convert run by Ashton Young.
Moving to 1-0 and first place in the AA Eastern division standings, the Grizzlies prepare for another home game in two days (Friday) as they host the Robert Bateman Timberwolves at Exhibition Stadium.
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.