The Tiger Torrid Start to the season continues after strong win over Frederick

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - The Grand Junction Tigers defeated the Frederick Golden Eagles 28-10 Thursday night at Stocker Stadium.

The win moves Grand Junction to 4-0 this season and secures the team’s first league win. It marks the second time in the last three seasons the Tigers have started 4-0.

It has been a tiger reign of terror so far this season for teams lining up against the Grand Junction Tigers.

GJHS won all of its first three games, outscoring opponents by a combined margin of 115-21. After a short week, a tall task waited inside Stocker Stadium, the Frederick Golden Eagles, a playoff team a year ago.

Complete side note but the Tigers broke out orange alternate jerseys for the game.

The Tigers found themselves trailing early in the first half after a Golden Eagle field goal.

Grand Junction was looking for a big play to get in gear. Quarterback Andrew Neese dropped back and scanned the field, but Frederick’s Landon Olson came in and sacked Neese, stopping the Tiger attack early and this game seemed poised for a defensive bout.

Both offenses were still searching for their first big play. Marcus Martinez took a toss to the left, bounced it outside, then cut up field for a big chunk play, putting Grand Junction in position to score.

Frederick forced Grand Junction into a fourth and short, where Neese called his own number on a keeper for the first touchdown of the game. The Tigers took a 7-3 lead.

After a quick three and out, the Tigers went back on the attack, with Neese firing one deep downfield looking for Paxton Webber. But Frederick’s Daeshaun Lewis came up with the interception. The Golden Eagles were unable to convert the turnover into points.

Martinez sprang loose again for a big pickup, putting the Tigers back on offense. On a high snap, Neese corralled the ball and immediately found Colten Music wide open down the middle for a touchdown, doubling Grand Junction’s lead.

The Tigers struck again before the half, with Neese’s second rushing touchdown of the game putting more pressure on the Golden Eagles and extending the lead.

Grand Junction got complementary football on defense, allowing the Tiger pass rush to pin its ears back. Frederick looked to move the ball before the half, but the Tigers sent them backward on back-to-back plays. Eduardo Reyes broke into the backfield for a sack. On the next play, Finn Mulvey forced a backward pass that lost even more yardage.

The Tigers led 20-3 at the half and closed out the game with a final score of 28-10.

Grand Junction improved to 4-0 for the second time in the last three seasons and picked up its first league win. The Tigers will look to do something they haven’t done since 2011 start a season 5-0 when they host Loveland next week.