Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com

By Ray Hamill — Last year College of the Redwoods ended a three-decade wait for a bowl game victory.

Now they’re hoping to make it two straight as they get set for Friday night’s 2024 Grizzly Bowl against West Hills Coalinga.

The big game will take place at the Redwood Bowl and this is the third straight year the Corsairs have got to host a postseason game.

And preparations have been going well for a CR team that is eager to get back on the field after losing their regular-season finale against Siskiyous two weeks ago.

“We’ve had some good practices and our kids are excited about getting to play a postseason game,” CR head coach Jason White said. “And there’s a lot to play for.”

The two schools have faced off twice in the past three years and will be familiar with each other.

Those two games were split and each was a close showdown, so local fans can expect more of the same on Friday night.

“We kind of owe them one. They beat us last year,” White said. “And we want to end the season on a good note. (The loss to Siskiyous) left a bad taste.”

The good news for the Corsairs is that they have not dropped back-to-back games in the three years White has been in charge and this is the third straight winning season for the program since it was reestablished for the 2022 season.

This group of players has shown they can respond well to losses.

“A lot of teams will let one loss transition into two losses,” White said. “And our guys have not been that way. They’ve stepped up and bounced back. And watching us practice right now, they’re very focused.”

Last week’s bye also gave the players the chance to heal and get healthy after a long season.

“The Thanksgiving bye was very good to us,” the coach added. “We were pretty banged up after the last game and we’re back to full strength this week.

“We feel good about that. It’s the first time all year I feel good about a bye.”

The Corsairs are 7-3 this fall, while West Hills comes into the game at 6-4.

The Falcons will present one of the biggest challenges of the fall for the CR defense, in particular quarterback Logan Johnson, who has thrown for 31 touchdowns this season.

“Their quarterback is very good,” White said. “He’s an athletic kid, real strong, and he’s a playmaker. Obviously, for our defense that’s the No. 1 priority.

“And defensively, they’re a good overall team.”

The Corsairs have been impressive themselves on both sides of the ball and will be eager for the challenge.

It’s a roster of players that have come together rover the course of the season, particularly in the trenches.

“Our offensive line has been really good this year,” White said when asked what has impressed him most about this year’s team. “And Isaiah Hemmings and our running backs have been really good.

“And I’ve been impressed with the improvement our defense has made. They were very young at the start of the year and they’ve played very well the last few weeks.”

The players are obviously excited to play in a bowl game, but even more so under the lights as night-time college football returns to the Redwood Bowl for the first time in several years.

“Playing under the lights has a different feel to it,” White said. “It kind of gets you a little more excited. And when was the last time there was a college game under the lights at the Redwood Bowl.”

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be both streamed live and broadcast on local radio.

Fans unable to attend can catch the action online through the CR YouTube Football Channel, or follow on the local ESPN affiliate at 107.3 FM and 1340 AM.