NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox football team had been waiting all year for this. Opening night under the lights. A packed student section ready to cheer on their team.
They made the most of it.
Fox blanked the Redlands Bulldogs in the first game of the season, winning 27-0 for their first shutout win since 2018 and beginning the year with a dominant win.
How It Happened
Fittingly, the very first play of the season was a sack by
Jacob Erickson. The fifth-year senior, who already owns the all-time program sack record, extended his all-time mark and followed it with a TFL the next play. Quickly, the Bruins were in business. Though the initial Bruin drive stalled, the Fox defense rose to the occasion quickly the next time out — a sign of things to come.
Ty Borde intercepted a pass from Toby Schmit at the Redlands 40, giving the Bruins a short field. Fox was surgical on their next drive, working their way down the field. Quarterback
JJ Leman completed passes to
Kaelan Frey,
Karsen Denault, and
Sheyden Iokia before taking it in himself up the middle for a 17-yard score. 7-0, Bruins.
The Bruins forced another three-and-out, and again found themselves starting in Redlands territory thanks to a solid punt return from
Vincent Cabezudo. Leman showcased his arm on the next drive, finding his favorite target in Denault for a 33-yard gain, but the drive ended in a missed field goal. Redlands worked their way into field goal range, but their kick missed as well, keeping the Bruins up 7-0 after one.
Once again, Fox worked their way methodically down the field, embarking on a 12-play, 71-yard drive to score yet again. Freshman
Bupe Chisanga Jr. showcased his speed on a streak down the field, with Leman finding him for a 36-yard connection for the longest gain of the drive. Nine plays later, it was Denault who scored his first TD of the season on a 10-yard reception.
Ben Rembisz finished off a successful first half for the Bruins to end the half, connecting on two field goals to give the Bruins a 20-0 lead into halftime. Denault had four catches over those two drives to keep Fox in business, helping the GFU kicker nail kicks from 29 and 32 yards out, the latter of which ended the half.
The GFU defense continued to hound the Redlands attack, forcing another three-and-out thanks to a key 3rd and 2 stop by Borde and
Elijah Franco. The next time out, the Bulldogs gained yards, working their way into the red zone for the first time, but Fox had other ideas yet again. The Bruins forced a 4th and 2, with Erickson stonewalling Redlands star Mark Mitchell III for a four-yard loss. After the end of the third, Fox led, 20-0.
The fourth quarter began the same way the first three had gone — with a fantastic play from the GFU defense. Fox, who was inching closer to their first shutout since a 17-0 blanking of Lewis & Clark on October 27, 2018, faced a 4th and 5 with 12:30 remaining in the game.
Zak Holsey was called on the blitz and rocked Schmidt for the strip sack — with
Duke Alderete-Labuguen falling on the ball to boot. The very next drive, Holsey stepped in again, picking off a pass from backup quarterback Keenan Jackson to clinch the game for Fox. A final touchdown from Leman to
Tucker Land was the kicker, a 27-0 standout victory for the Bruins.
Top Performances
Defensively, the Bruins completed their third shutout in program history — and first since 2018.
Zak Holsey caused two turnovers on the day, forcing a fumble with a strip sack and picking off a pass.
Ty Borde, meanwhile, led the team with seven tackles and an INT, while
Jacob Erickson continued his reign of terror, forcing four TFLs and two sacks.Â
On the offensive side,
JJ Leman finished 22-36 for 253 yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing TD to boot.
Damien Ehlers, meanwhile, exploded onto the scene, averaging a staggering 15.0 yards per carry, running five times for 75 yards.
Brody Snyder also tied Ehlers' mark, finishing with 75 yards.
Karsen Denault, who was named NWC Rookie of the Year in 2025, showed no signs of slowing down, recording a career-high 10 catches for 118 yards and a TD.
Kaelan Frey had four catches for 44 yards, while
Tucker Land had a receiving TD.
Coach's Thoughts
"We waited a whole year for this," Bruin head coach
Spencer Crace said. "It was great to see our guys come out and compete from the beginning to the very end. As always, there's room for growth and improvement. But I'm proud of the way our guys competed. Defense flew around all night, and the offense controlled the football. Our goal was to start out 1-0. We go back to work and focus on ways to continue to improve. Shout-out to Bruin Nation coming out and supporting us. It was a good night to be a Bruin!"
What It Means
Fox wins their opening game, moving to 1-0, while Redlands starts 0-1.
What Happens Next
The Bruins will stay at home under the lights on September 12, competing against Lewis & Clark (1-0) for the Oregon Cup Championship game. Kickoff at Stoffer Family Stadium is scheduled for 7:05 pm.
