Griffins get second shot at Marauders

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 12, 2026

Grossmont teammates surround Isaac Turner (1) after his 61-yard interception return for a touchdown sealed a 35–21 win at Glendale.

2026 GROSSMONT COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AMERICAN METRO BOWL — SCFA AMERICAN DIVISION SEMIFINAL
No. 3 Grossmont (7-3) at No. 2 Antelope Valley (8-2)
Saturday, Nov. 14, 6 p.m. — Brent Carder Marauder Stadium, Lancaster

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

EL CAJON — Grossmont College had a 17-point lead the first time it played Antelope Valley. The Griffins still led by 13 in the fourth quarter and lost by one.

Two months later, they get another shot. This time, a win puts them in the SCFA American Division championship game.

The third-seeded Griffins visit the second-seeded Marauders at 6 p.m. Saturday in the American Metro Bowl. The game doubles as a semifinal in the SCFA’s inaugural four-team American Division playoff. The winner meets Santa Monica or San Bernardino Valley on Nov. 21, with the higher remaining seed hosting.

“Our team is super excited about their playoff opportunity and they deserve every bit of this journey,” Grossmont coach Mason Mitchell said after the regular-season finale. “We have an opportunity to go out and get redemption on a few teams that will be in our playoff run and an opportunity to leave our stamp on this season.”

Antelope Valley took the first meeting 28-27 on Sept. 12 at Mashin-Roth Memorial Field.

Ethan Ford opened the scoring with a 46-yard touchdown run, and Melvin Spicer IV found Elijah Smith for a 44-yard touchdown as the Griffins built a 17-0 lead.

A 45-yard field goal by Jasper Brandenburg put Grossmont up 27-14 early in the fourth.

The Marauders scored twice from the 1 in the final quarter.

The second touchdown, by Daste Lee with 2:13 remaining, followed a Grossmont fumble at its own 16. The Griffins’ last possession ended in an interception. Grossmont outgained Antelope Valley 342-333 and recovered three fumbles, but committed 15 penalties for 129 yards.

The Griffins closed the regular season by finishing the kind of game that got away from them in September.

Glendale got within 23-21 in the fourth quarter last Saturday, but Michael Kearns III broke runs of 36 and 27 yards on consecutive carries before throwing a touchdown pass.

Isaac Turner sealed the 35-21 win with a 61-yard interception return.

Grossmont ran for 249 yards at Glendale and never punted. Kearns rushed for 100 yards on nine carries,

Ladarrione Perkins added 67 yards and a touchdown, and Spicer passed for 184 yards and ran for a score. Ford remains the team’s season rushing leader with 564 yards at 6.6 per carry, while Trenice Woods leads the receivers with 25 catches for 342 yards.

The Griffins averaged 184.1 rushing yards and allowed 99.0 per game during the regular season. That run defense will be tested by an Antelope Valley offense that piled up 513 yards in its 38-28 win at College of the Desert, which completed a 5-0 Metro League season.

Freshman quarterback Tyson Smith passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, earning SCFA American Division Offensive Player of the Week.

Isaiah Morgan ran for 121 yards, while Darrell Stanley caught nine passes for 135 yards and Shawn Irwin added six for 91. Both receivers scored.

The Marauders’ four sacks against Desert included two by Darren Coleman. Grossmont gave up five sacks in the first meeting, another reason staying out of long-yardage situations matters in the rematch.

On the other side, Jeremiah Savaiinaea Jr. enters with 10 tackles for loss and 4½ sacks, while Turner has six interceptions, two returned for touchdowns.

Projections have the Griffins as 7-point underdogs, with the Massey Ratings predicting a 35-28 final.

Grossmont finished second in the American Pacific League at 4-1, two league wins better than last season, when it beat West Los Angeles 21-20 in the Beach Bowl. Saturday offers a chance to win another bowl and earn a second postseason game.