GUSTINE — The Gustine High flag football team ran into a tough Mariposa County squad on its home field, falling 39–0 in a game where the Reds kept fighting despite the lopsided score.

Both teams opened cautiously, trading defensive stops in a scoreless first quarter. Gustine’s Jackie Chavez delivered a key early play, stuffing a Mariposa drive and helping force a punt. Chavez later battled for yards on the ground, but the Reds couldn’t sustain a drive and punted as the quarter ended.

Mariposa took control in the second. After Gustine’s defense produced a turnover on downs, the Reds couldn’t convert and were forced to kick the ball away. The Grizzlies answered with a passing touchdown to go up 6–0, then immediately added a pick‑six on the next play from scrimmage. With the extra point good, Mariposa stretched the lead to 13–0. A deep trick‑play touchdown later in the quarter sent the Grizzlies into halftime ahead 19–0.

Mariposa stayed in rhythm in the third, adding another passing touchdown and extra point to make it 26–0. The Grizzlies struck again to push the margin to 32–0 before Gustine found a spark. Quarterback Olivia Rocha scrambled for a first down, and Kolby Watts followed with a four‑yard gain, giving the Reds a brief offensive lift heading into the fourth.

Mariposa halted the drive to start the final quarter, and both defenses traded stops before the Grizzlies added one last touchdown with under six minutes remaining to reach the final 39–0 score. Gustine continued to compete until the end, with Daryana Elizalde breaking off a late four‑yard run.

After the game, Gustine head coach Adie said the team will use the loss as fuel.

“Losses are lessons in disguise,” Adie said. “We might not have reached the outcome we wanted, but we learned what we need to work on for next week. We lose together, we win together and we grow together.”