Sunnyside vs Wenatchee Football Preview: Panthers Look to Keep Rolling Against Grizzlies
The Friday night lights are back at the Apple Bowl for Week 6 as an intriguing Sunnyside vs Wenatchee football matchup takes center stage. On Friday, October 9, at 7:00 p.m., the Panthers return home with a massive wave of momentum to take on a Grizzlies squad desperate to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss.
Wenatchee’s Disastrous Start and Unbelievable Rebound
To understand the momentum Wenatchee carries into Week 6, you have to look at the unbelievable rollercoaster they survived last week against Davis.
The game began as an absolute, unmitigated disaster for the Panthers. On the very first pass of the night, Davis quarterback Nigel Hernandez threw a 10-yard hitch route. Wenatchee senior corner Thomas Mathison aggressively jumped the route, missing an interception by mere inches. With no safety help behind him, the receiver hauled it in and raced for a 79-yard touchdown.
If that felt unlucky, the ensuing sequence was worse. On Wenatchee’s first offensive snap, sophomore running back Alex Haglund juked a defender out of his shoes for an explosive 17-yard run but had the ball ripped out by a Davis defender while fighting for extra yards. The Pirates recovered, and on their second play of the ensuing drive, a coverage bust left senior tight end Marley Dittentholer wide open for a 44-yard touchdown reception. In the blink of an eye, it was 12-0, with the only saving grace being that Davis failed both point-after attempts.
A lesser team would have folded, but the shell-shocked Panthers did the exact opposite. From that point forward, the defense completely clamped down and pitched a shutout for the rest of the game. Sophomore defensive lineman John Boehl was a menace, finishing with two sacks and several tackles—and even caught a two-point conversion on offense for good measure.
Meanwhile, the Panther offense woke up with a fury. Quarterback Rigo Garcia was once again impressive, throwing for 253 yards and 4 touchdowns on 13-of-18 passing, while adding a 6-yard rushing touchdown. The sophomore running back duo proved the future of the backfield is incredibly bright: Haglund redeemed his early fumble by having himself a game, rushing for 144 yards and a touchdown on just 14 carries, while Christian Ward added 37 yards and a score on 7 carries.
Through the air, Wenatchee’s elite pass-catching trio accounted for literally every single completion. Junior wideout Micah Knell went nuclear with 161 yards and 3 touchdowns on 8 catches. Senior Griffin Butler hauled in 4 passes for 75 yards, and junior tight end Chase Ballew added a 17-yard touchdown reception alongside a 7-yard rushing score.
Sunnyside Looks to Shake Off a Heartbreaker
On the opposing sideline, the Sunnyside Grizzlies enter Week 6 facing immense adversity both on and off the field as they look to rebound from an incredibly tough 31-28 loss to West Valley last week.
It has been an intensely frustrating season for the program. The turbulence began when the Grizzlies’ head coach, former University of Washington running back Lavon Coleman, was abruptly placed on administrative leave around September 26, shortly after the team started the year 0-3. Coleman had just taken over the program in early 2026 after former head coach Marshall Lobbestael stepped down. To this point, neither the school district nor the local sports media has disclosed any details or published any concrete rumors regarding the suspension. That lingering uncertainty has only compounded the challenges for a team desperately searching for a spark.
Despite the off-field distractions, Sunnyside proved their grit on the gridiron last Friday, battling West Valley in a shootout that went down to the absolute wire. Offensively, the Grizzlies found their rhythm through the air. Quarterback Julian Villanueva was making plays, throwing for 251 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target, Alonzo Palacios, put together a massive performance, leading the receiving corps with 150 yards and a touchdown on 8 receptions.
Unfortunately for Sunnyside, the defense struggled against the West Valley passing attack, giving up nearly 300 passing yards and three touchdowns—including 150 yards to a single wideout. But the true heartbreak came in the game’s final moments: Sunnyside gave up the game-losing touchdown with just two seconds left on the clock, snatching a badly needed victory away at the very end. The Grizzlies know they left opportunities on the field and will be highly motivated to tighten up their secondary against a Wenatchee passing attack that just lit up the scoreboard.
What to Watch Under the Lights
The blueprint for this Sunnyside vs Wenatchee football clash will come down to early execution and emotional resilience. Can Wenatchee avoid another slow start and establish themselves offensively from the opening whistle? For Sunnyside, the goal is to channel the frustration of last week’s last-second heartbreak into a fast start. They need the Villanueva-to-Palacios connection to continue, and to strike early and put the Panthers on their heels. If they don’t, this might turn into a long night for the Grizzlies.
Stay locked into the action all season long. Head over to our Wenatchee Panthers Football hub or Sunnyside Grizzlies Football hub for the latest team coverage, standings, and game recaps.