Grant still ‘finding its groove’ amid Pacers’ tough schedule and QB uncertainty
The Grant Pacers are 3-4 following Friday’s 42-6 victory over Destiny Christian Academy in their Metropolitan League opener — yet their record doesn’t tell their story or reflect their expectations.
“We’re still kind of finding our groove,” coach Carl Reed said after the homecoming win. “But coming back from that schedule, man, find one that’s harder around our area.”
Grant was elevated to Division I before the season following three straight CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championships and CIF State titles in two of the past three years. The program decided to take on one of the most difficult non-league schedules in the state, opening with Folsom, hosting De La Salle and traveling to play Southern California power Lincoln — which included flying to San Diego the morning of the game and back afterwards.
All three were defeats, with another coming to Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa, where Grant was intercepted six times in the 15-7 loss.
Throw in injuries and having to start three different quarterbacks over their seven games, and it’s easy to see why the Pacers’ record doesn’t look like that of a defending state champion. But Reed is hoping his team is rounding into form following its game against an overmatched Destiny Christian, who fell to 2-5 and lost their fourth straight.
“I think overall, the (first portion of the season) taught us a lot,” Reed said. “It taught us a lot about ourselves. We’re not who we may think we are, but we can get there.
“... We got to get to these wins, and we know the ultimate goal is to get back to Section (finals), NorCal and state. So it’s finding the things and wins like that what you can work on because that’s what great teams got to do.”
Grant got an early look at junior running back Jayson Williams, a transfer from Elk Grove, who showed burst and explosiveness with a pair of touchdown runs against the DCA Lions.
“He’s a game breaker,” Reed said.
Fellow running back Malikii Lavern, a senior, also had two touchdowns while the Pacers jumped out to a 35-0 lead before relenting a third-quarter touchdown.
Grant starting quarterback Shiren Crump hit Sacramento State recruit Koby Shabazz for consecutive big plays, a 42-yard jump ball and a 28-yard touchdown pass. The score ensured a running clock in the fourth quarter.
Crump got the start in place of Folsom transfer Blake Nycum, who suffered an injury in the previous game against Lincoln and is expected to return in the coming weeks, perhaps as soon as Oct. 10 against West Park. The Pacers came into the season believing they had a pair of college-level signal callers in Nycum and Crump, though neither has fully grabbed hold of the starting job through seven games (sophomore Tavio Rios also started against De La Salle).
“I think you evaluate and see what you got,” Reed said. “We owe it to ourselves as a program to see what we have quarterback wise. I think they all bring different kinds of things.
“It’s going to be, who’s going to take the reigns of this team? You’ve got the weapons around you ... and I think we’re finding our running game with it, so they’re going to have a good friend with them.”
