Grant Union quarterback Sheldon Lenz scans the field during his team’s non-league matchup with Nyssa on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at Grant Union High School.

The Grant Union Prospector football team got its first win of the season on Friday, Sept. 15, defeating Nyssa 38-32 in a wildly entertaining game that saw multiple lead changes and a tie, all in the first half.

The Pros got on the board first, punching the ball in from just a half-yard out to take a 6-0 lead following a missed extra point conversion with 9:28 left in the first quarter. The Bulldogs would respond immediately, hitting a 45-yard touchdown pass and converting two-point try to take an 8-6 lead with 8:48 left in the period.

Grant Union would regain the lead following a 10-yard rushing touchdown and two-point conversion for a 14-8 advantage. Nyssa would respond with a 21-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14 following a missed two-point try with 2:56 left in the first quarter.

The Bulldogs would add one more score in the first quarter, a 22-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper with 26 seconds left to take a 20-14 lead into the second quarter.

The Pros would again find paydirt in the running game, scoring from 11 yards out with 11:49 left in the half to put themselves back up 22-20 following a converted two-point try. Both the Bulldogs and Pros would add another pair of scores in the second quarter, with the Bulldogs taking a slim 32-30 lead into halftime.

The game transitioned into a defensive struggle following the intermission. Both squads failed to score in the third quarter.

The Pros would finally take the lead for good at with 4:13 left in regulation following a seven-yard touchdown run and converted two-point try to go up 38-32.

Now it was the Prospector defense’s turn to step up and they held, stopping the Bulldogs on fourth down on their own 25-yard line with 39 seconds left in regulation to secure the 38-32 win in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

Grant Union coach AJ McQuown praised his team’s fight in securing the win. “The battle was huge, and it was fantastic to see these guys dig down,” he said.

“We stuck together, and we fought through. I’m proud of these guys.”

Sheldon Lenz, Alex Finley and Zeke Rookstool all had huge nights for the Pros. McQuown said the efforts of the three set a fire within the rest of the team.

“That absolutely fired everybody up,” he said. “The whole sideline just lit up from there, including the whole coaching staff.”

The noise and energy from the crowd was something McQuown noted after the team’s rough start this season.

“That was fantastic, especially coming back after the disappointment from last week,” he said. “Being able to come out and show them this kind of a game — this is what we’re about. This is the way we’re going to build things.”

The Pros will look for their second consecutive win when they head to Milton-Freewater for a non-league game against Mac-Hi on Friday, Sept. 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.