This season has had its share of ups and downs for Grossmont’s football team. The Griffins started out running through the gates to a 4-1 record in the first two months, including a combined score of 106-15 in the first two games, and finished the next two months 2-3, including a dominating win over the Glendale Vaqueros 37-17 in their last home game of the season to finish with a 6-4 record.
It has been a long road to success for Head Coach Mason Mitchell and his staff, as Grossmont ended the 2024-25 season with a 1-9 record and finished 0-10 the year before.
After finishing this season with a winning record, Mitchell said, “It’s a breath of fresh air.”
The key difference in this year’s success compared to prior seasons has been the depth of talent on the roster, according to Mitchell.
“We knew we had the potential last year, we just were missing some key pieces,” he said.
“Now we’ve got a more complete team, with a great coaching staff, and I couldn’t be more grateful for these young men; they’re great young men,” he added. “They love the hard work and they’re fully dedicated, so I couldn’t be more thankful.”
Mitchell said that although the team struggled with numerous injuries this season, he attributes the returning success to backups accepting their roles as starters. “Now our twos are ones, now the next guy’s got to pick up the rifle and be ready to go,” he said.
In the last home of the season against the Vaqueros, Quarterback Melvin Spicer IV put up some big-time stats. Spicer completed 15 passes out of 26 attempts, 223 yards with three touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown of his own.
“I feel amazing right now, you know? I love this group of guys,” Spicer said after the game. “Hats off to everyone; hats off to the coaches, even trainers, I know they don’t get enough love, but it feels amazing to come here and get out with a winning record.”
When asked if he would return for the Griffins next season, the freshman quarterback said, “We shall see,” perhaps alluding to a future beyond Grossmont.
“I’m open to it,” he said. “We’ll see what happens.”
After the Griffins went up 14-10 in the second quarter, Defensive Back Jonathan Smith made a crucial interception, leading to yet another score.
Though it was Smith’s first interception of the season, he said his focus was on his team. “I’m just, you know, just trying to do what’s best for my team, you know, trying to let my sophomores end out with a good note,” Smith said.
The icing on the cake for the Griffin victory came late in the fourth quarter when freshman Offensive Lineman Christopher Osorio trotted out to attempt a field goal.
Despite the relentless call from the visiting crowd to “block that kick,” Osorio sent the ball straight through the uprights to settle the final score at 37-17.
Though he seemed unfazed by his moment in the spotlight, Osorio said he was somewhat nervous going up to attempt the kick. “It really was a little nerve-wracking, you know, just seeing the people, opponents in front of me,” he said.
For some coaches and players, representing Grossmont well is their number-one goal. “Our goal is to honor Grossmont’s legacy,” Mitchell said. “As long as we’re making our campus proud, our student body proud, our presidential cabinet, like everybody proud, that’s all we care about.”
Mitchell discussed how the team got in a slump in the middle of the season before bouncing back. “We started to taper off on the back end because we lost some of our key offensive guys,” he said. “That’s why our firepower wasn’t as big as the front end of the season, but we found our guys, got our groove on.”
Following the win against Glendale, the Griffins became eligible to play in the annual Beach Bowl against West Los Angeles on Nov. 22.
“Now we need to focus, get some good work these next two weeks, and then that bowl, you know what I’m saying?” Smith said.
After the last few years of Grossmont football, this season could be the starting point of many more successful ones to come. Perhaps the Griffins could ride this momentum to more winning or undefeated seasons, and even bring a conference championship home to Grossmont.
