Grant Football: Skill Series Video

Good morning Grant Nation! The 2015 season officially wrapped last night with the team banquet, leaving us seven long months before the team starts back up for Spring Practice. It was impressive to see some of the Generals attending the semifinals last week and makes us all around the Grant community excited for what’s in store over the next couple of seasons with this talented group. So, since today is day one of the offseason, we’d like to present our first of several offseason videos that will be rolled out over the next few months.

Our Skill Series is a series of videos that will feature a starter at each “skill position” (QB, RB, WR, LB, DB) from this season. We’ve started off our series with Sophomore running back sensation Grant Ewell Jr, an honorable mention All-PIL selection and one of the breakout players from the class of 2018. Grant will be a division 1 recruit in the coming seasons and is one on of the toughest runners in the state when he gets the ball in his hands. Enjoy and stay on the lookout for more videos coming your way this holiday season.

Go Generals!

Grant Football: 2015 Season Highlight Video

Happy holidays Grant Nation! These last few weeks of football around the state have been exciting to say the least, and we’re left with what many thought were the top teams in Oregon way back in August at the beginning of the season. We’ll be at the semifinals this Saturday, but for now we’ve got an early holiday gift for you with our season highlight video. It was a privilege to be able to work with the team this season. Having a camera in your face isn’t easy for anyone and the team was awesome in allowing me to cover them all season so I’d like to personally thank them.
Watch the video, share it through Twitter or Facebook for everyone to see, and stay tuned throughout the off-season for coverage of Grant Football. Enjoy and as always: Go Generals!  

Week 9 Preview: Grant (3-5, 2-3 PIL) @ #7 Lincoln (8-0, 6-0 PIL)

  

When: Friday, October 30th 7:30 P.M.

Where: Lincoln High School

Game Coverage:

Grant Football Twitter

Game of the Week Poll

Rivalry week is here. After keeping their playoff hopes alive last week against Roosevelt, the Grant Generals travel to the west side to take on the undefeated Lincoln Cardinals. Last year this game was hyped up to be an interesting battle of teams supposed to contend for the PIL crown, but the Generals handled Lincoln 37-7 on their way to a league title.

Head man Was Warren has the Cardinals playing at peak level after last week’s 41-7 thrashing of Franklin and looks to complete the school’s first undefeated regular season since 2005 when they appeared in the state title game against Jesuit. Lead by defensive backs Nolan Ostmo and Michael Angyus as well as a slew of defensive lineman, the Lincoln defense has allowed a state-low 53 points (6.6 ppg) through the first eight weeks of the season.

On the offensive side, Lincoln runs the same wing-t offense we saw against Sherwood and features a number of playmakers including junior Edmund Slevin who torched Franklin for 234 yards and 4 touchdowns in the first half. To say this offense in run-oriented would be an understatement as they average just seven pass attempts per game. The Generals will have their hands full with the physical style of the Cardinals and will have to play with a sense of urgency if they hope to pull of what would be considered a huge upset.

So it comes down to this. One game for a chance to make the playoffs. One chance to beat one of the elite teams in the state. You can bet that the Generals will be ready to take on their biggest test this season. With that, let’s take a look at the keys to this week’s game.

Play physical: plain and simply, the only way Grant stands a chance at coming away with a victory this week is to play their most physical game of the year. That means everyone from the line to the defensive backs has to have great eyes for their reads and be ready to stop the run against a team hoping to dominate the line of scrimmage.

Worry about your job: Being able to have team success only comes from each player doing their individual assignment on every play. Against an offense like this if you try to make every play yourself, the misdirection and deception will lead to big plays that have put games out of reach early for Lincoln’s opponents.

Create opportunities: Playing a team like Lincoln who runs the football almost exclusively means there will be less opportunities to put points on the board. Knowing that, Grant has to make every play available to them. No dropped passes, no avoidable penalties like false starts and offsides which have plagued the team at times this season and most importantly, no turnovers while on offense. Conversely on defense that means rallying to the ball carrier to possibly create a turnover. If the Generals can come up with a couple of key plays against the Cardinals, they just may be able to pull out a win.

This week’s contest is up for game of the week. Follow the link posted at the top of this article to vote for the Generals to be covered as the game of the week by KGW. Also, a white-out is scheduled for the game. So wear white to match the team’s away uniforms, cram the stands, and be loud to support the Generals in their biggest game of the season.

That’s all for today, check back in tomorrow for more coverage of the team leading up to this Friday’s game! 

Go Generals!

Cardiac Kids: Grant celebrates Senior night with comeback victory over Roosevelt

Anybody counting the Grant Generals (3-5, 2-3) out of the playoff chase better pump the brakes for at least one more week. 

For the second time in as many games head coach Randy Heath and the Grant Generals used a second half comeback coupled with a last minute defensive stop to keep their hopes for a spot in this year’s OSAA playoffs alive heading into next week’s showdown with crosstown rival Lincoln.

It seemed to be a youth movement among the Generals. Sophomore Demarques Singleton continued his strong play during this month by completing 20 of 28 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown while adding another score with his feet. Fellow Sophomore Grant Ewell Jr. also showed his versatility in having another 100-yard game while adding two touchdowns of his own.

Roosevelt (3-5, 3-3) started the game off strong getting touchdowns on two of their first three possessions, and appeared to be on their way to a easy win after scoring on the first possession of the second half to make the score 27-7.

From there, Grant would outscore the physical Roughriders 28-6 and get two huge touchdowns from junior Dee Wallace, the final one coming on a trick play that proved to be the game winning touchdown. Roosevelt drove deep into Generals territory with under a minute left, but couldn’t get a final play off after a sack by Senior Juwan Curtis as time expired.

Next week, the Generals will travel to Lincoln for their final regular season game. With a victory, Grant’s chances of making the playoffs increase greatly. A white-out is scheduled so wear white, pack the stands at Lincoln, and be loud as the Generals battle for a playoff spot!

Go Generals!

Week 8 Preview: Grant (2-5, 1-3 PIL) vs. Roosevelt (3-4, 3-2 PIL)

When: Friday, October 23rd 7:30 P.M.
Where: Lincoln High School

Coverage: Grant Football Twitter

What a performance by the Grant Generals last week in Salem! After upsetting Sprague, head coach Randy Heath and the Generals will return to Portland for a key league match up against Roosevelt this Friday night at Lincoln.  With an outside shot at making the playoffs still in the realm of possibility for the Generals, they have to grab the bull by the horns and take control of the situation by coming up with another win this week. 

Last year, this matchup determined the PIL championship with Grant securing a victory with a sack from Robert Parsons in the final minutes. While both teams graduated the majority of their starters, look for the game to be tightly contested throughout. Roosevelt features an offense that has put up 44 points a game over the last 3 weeks and has skill position players capable of breaking a big play at any point. The Roughriders will be looking to extend their 3 game winning streak, but will be facing an emotionally charged Generals on their senior night.

The Generals, needing to win both of their remaining games to have a chance at sneaking into the playoffs, started to gain their offensive footing in last week’s win with Sophomore quarterback Demarques Singleton accounting for six total touchdowns and leading the Generals to the PIL’s marquee win since the reformation of the league at the 6A level last season.

This Friday is essentially a playoff game as Grant’s season is dependent on winning each week from here on. With such high implications involved with this week, let’s look at the keys to the game for the Generals.

Limit big plays: Roosevelt has been reliant on the big play for the majority of the season. The Generals have to be disciplined with their eyes and rally to the football in order to have a chance to win this week.

Play together: After last week’s performance, there should be no reason this team doesn’t play as a unit from this point on as they finally seem to have found their identity. Playing as a unit can take care of a lot of physical deficiencies and with an undersized defense, the Generals will need to rely on each other to get the job done.

Take advantage of opportunities: While the Generals put up a season high 39 points against Sprague, a couple opportunities to score came up short leaving the door open for a chance to win the game for Sprague late in the fourth quarter. Grant has to finish its opponents when they get the chance, as we’ve seen teams sneak back into games late and steal wins from the Generals (see: Lakeridge, Madison). 

That’s all for today, tune back in tomorrow for more coverage leading up to this week’s contest.

Go Generals!

General Grub: where to eat before kickoff against Franklin

Thursday. It’s the beginning of every football week with high school, college, and pro games taking place. This week will be Grant’s final home game at the Grant Bowl as the lone remaining home game against Roosevelt will be played at Lincoln. Kickoff being at 4 P.M. will again make it challenging to find a place to eat and be on time for the beginning of the game. However, we’ve picked a couple of places close to the Bowl to grab a bite before kickoff for you so let’s get straight to checking them out.

Pine State Biscuits  

A popular place on Alberta Street, Pine State serves up some of the best Southern baked goods and breakfast sandwiches in Portland. The Reggie Deluxe is a must-try for anyone looking for a filling sandwich. Open late on weekends, it’s a great option both before and after the game.

Info:

Hours: 7 A.M. – 11:00 P.M. on Fridays

Location: 2204 NE Alberta Street

Pieology Pizzeria 

New to the Grant Park neighborhood, Pieology is about as close as you can get to Subway when it comes to pizza. Built right in front of you with seemingly endless options, you won’t be disappointed with your decision to visit this shop.

Info:

Hours: 11:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M. on Fridays

Location: 3258 NE Broadway Street

Meet a General: Austin Holt 

Position: Tackle

Year: Senior

Favorite place to eat: Bagel Land

Favorite musician: Kendrick Lamar

Favorite book: Magic Treehouse

Reason you started playing football: My size and the influence of my family

Favorite memory from last season: Beating Roosevelt to win the PIL title

Favorite television show: Sportscenter

Favorite movie: Forrest Gump

Class you look forward to most: Strength & Conditioning

iPhone or Android: iPhone

Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook: Instagram

Xbox, PlayStation, or Wii: Xbox

Post graduation aspirations: go to college to begin persuing a master’s degree.

That’s all for now everyone. We will have more coverage of the team throughout the day as we hear up for tomorrow’s contest against Franklin. Remember that voting for the game of the week poll is closing tonight (Thursday) so be sure to follow the link and vote for our game this week to be covered by The Oregonian.

Go Generals!

Week 5 Preview: Grant (1-3, 1-1 PIL) vs. Franklin (1-3, 1-1 PIL)

Randy Heath and the Generals face a key battle against Franklin after last week’s Homecoming victory.

When: Friday, October 2nd 4:00 P.M.

Where: Grant High School

Coverage:

Grant Football Twitter
OregonLive Updates
Game of the Week voting poll

After last week’s shut-out win over Cleveland, things are starting to look brighter for the Grant Generals as they head into this week’s game against Franklin. Make no mistake about it, this week is monumental in determining where the Generals will sit in the playoff chase. 

Today’s news of Wilson forfeiting their week 3 win against Cleveland leaves six teams with a 1-1 league record chasing down current league leader Lincoln as the Cardinals sit at 2-0 and will be highly favored in their upcoming game against Madison.

If the Generals win, they’ll be 2-1 and continue to have an outside chance at defending their league title. Franklin comes into the contest off of a comeback effort against Wilson they came up just short. Grant’s last true home game of the year, which is shaping up to be the game of the week for The Oregonian, will be highly competitive and feature two of the league’s best offensive units. Having said that, let’s take a look at the keys to the game of the Generals.

Limit big plays: Quarterback Max Hawkins and the rest of the Quaker offense have been dynamic all season, putting up over 400 yards on three separate occasions. Grant will need a defensively sound performance if they want to have a chance at coming out on top.

Finish offensive drives: Grant was potent on the offensive side of the ball last week, racking up 501 yards on 76 snaps to average 6.6 yards per play. Even with that production, there were two second half drives stalled by interceptions in Cleveland territory, and a goal line stand by the Warriors on the game’s opening drive. This offense is right on the cusp of breaking through for a 40-point outburst, but the entire unit has to stay focused from play to play if they want to become truly dynamic on the scoreboard.

Limit the penalties: Last week was a great improvement but there were still a number of avoidable penalties commuted by the Generals, with a total of 9 penalties for 110 yards. Teams that don’t beat themselves are the ones that end up playing in November and December, so this week needs to continue to see the number of penalties decrease.

That’s all for today everyone. Check back in tomorrow for more coverage of the team leading up to this week’s game.

Go Generals!

PIL Pick ‘Em: Week 4

Game day is here and the Generals are charged and ready for their homecoming game Cleveland. The importance of this game is magnified with Grant needing league wins if they hope to make the playoffs, especially considering the fact that they play one less league game than everyone else in the PIL. Last week we were 2-1 in our predictions, bringing our overall record for the season to 12-5. Let’s take a look at this week’s match ups, as always our predicted winners will be listed in bold. 

Wilson at Franklin:

The Trojans are simply to experienced and talented for Franklin to seriously threaten. While the Quakers appear to be in the hunt for a playoff spot, their run won’t be aided this week.

Jefferson at Madison:

Madison is running off of the unexpected moral lift after last week’s upset of the Generals, and with lowly Jefferson scheduled to visit 82nd Avenue, the Senators will look to get off to a 2-0 start in league.

Lincoln at Roosevelt:

Early on it looks like Lincoln and Wilson are the favorites for the league title, with everyone else fighting for playoff seeding. Nolan Osmo and company will roll over Roosevelt this week.

That’s all for today, tune in at 4:00 for coverage of the Generals game against Cleveland. 

Go Generals!

General Grub: where to eat before kickoff against Cleveland

Homecoming weekend has begun. Today’s assembly marked the beginning the festivities and with this being the first true home game for the Generals, the atmosphere seems as charged as it’s been all season. A 4:00 P.M. kickoff can be a challenge with Portland traffic, so we’re profiling two places close to Grant to grab a bite to eat before the game.

Little Big Burger 

Located about 10 minutes from the Grant Bowl, this place is notorious for their truffle fries. Fast, quality food that will fill you up leaves little to be desired from this establishment. The restaurant features a simple menu as you see from the picture, but a wide selection of toppings and cheeses make a variety of options available.  Your biggest trouble will be finding parking on the busy streets during the mid-afternoon.

The Blind Onion 

A favorite lunch spot for many Grant students, this small pizza shop serves it up both by the slice and in a whole pie depending on your preference. Plenty of seating makes this place a popular spot, but if you call ahead you can have your order ready when you arrive and be enjoying pizza in the bowl in no time.

Meet a General: Aaron Thompson   

Position: Guard

Year: Senior

Favorite place to eat: Subway

Favorite musician: Lzzy Hale

Favorite book: American Sniper

Favorite memory from last season: getting my first varsity playing time against Benson

Reason you started playing football: in middle school I was overweight and suffering from depression and thought football would be a great activity for both of those.

Favorite TV show: Daredevil

Favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings

iPhone or Android: Android

Class you most look forward to: Computer Programming

PlayStation, Xbox, or Wii: Xbox

Social media of choice: Facebook

Post-graduation aspirations: I’d like to play college football and work towards a degree in computer science.

Favorite Coach Heath quote: “I don’t care how many guys we have right now, give me 11 and we can go to battle with anyone.”

That’s all for this morning everyone. Make sure to be at Grant by 4:00 P.M. for kickoff against Cleveland.

Go Generals!

Week 4 Preview: Grant (0-3) vs Cleveland (0-3)

  

When: Friday, September 25th 4:00 P.M.

Where: Grant High School

Game Coverage:

Grant Football Twitter

OregonLive Updates

Homecoming week 2015 is here. After last year’s homecoming game being spoiled by a missed field goal in the final 30 seconds, the Generals are not only on a mission for their first win of the season, but also to avenge last year’s disappointing finish. This year the opponent is different as the Cleveland Warriors visit the Grant Bowl for what is Grant’s first true home game of the year.

The Generals came out strong last week, but seemed to let up late as Madison crept back into the game and tallied the upset. Cleveland comes in also looking for their first win of the season after being dismantled 42-8 at the hands of Wilson last week. 

Last year at Cleveland was Luke Davis’ coming out party as a quarterback, finishing 14-16 for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns. This year will be w different set of circumstances with a new offense and completely new players at every skill position, but the expectations remain the same for this young squad.

Even at 0-3, this team still has all the tools to make a run at a PIL championship. Step one of that process is taking care of business against a team they are expected to beat. We’ve got plenty of coverage to come today, but for now let’s focus on the keys to Friday’s game.

Limit turnovers: Against Madison the Generals had three second-half turnovers, all at key times during the game. Simply getting out of their own way will be important to Grant being able to perform at a high level when Friday rolls around.

Capitalize in the redzone: Getting into the redzone hasn’t been a problem for the Generals, converting those trips into points however has been a different story. This Friday will be a great opportunity to put up points and Grant needs to take advantage if they want to continue pursuing a league title.

Play for each other: We’ve seen glimpses of how talented this team can be, but have yet to see them put it together for an entire game. If they want to be successful they need to play fast and focused, and most importantly for each other.

That’s all for now everyone, remember to stay tuned to our Twitter page for continue coverage of the team and as always: Go Generals!