The Chabot Gladiators lost in a blowout against the now 5-0 De Anza Mountain Lions, 44-10. De Anza came out of the gate scoring on the very first play of the game with an 80-yard kickoff return touchdown from freshman Chris Butler. From the stands, you could feel the energy shift after Tariq Ford’s electric 57-yard touchdown run tied it at 7–7. For a moment, it was feeling like Chabot was ready to fight. But after that, De Anza took control and never let go.

Watching Yan Arias step in at quarterback was bittersweet. He’s got heart, but the pressure was relentless. The offensive line struggled to protect him, and it showed with two interceptions he threw. Arias was sacked, hit and forced to scramble too often. You could see the frustration in his body language, and it was hard not to feel for him. He’s trying to lead a team that’s now on a three-game skid, and the weight is heavy.

The Mountain Lions looked really comfortable on offense, led by quarterback, Ian Kirby, who had 213 passing yards, going 21-35 on passing attempts with three touchdowns while having two interceptions of his own. In addition , he rushed for over forty yards. Kirby was really able to move out of the pocket when swarmed, and he looked really poised.

What stings most is the missed opportunities. Chabot had nearly 36 minutes of possession time, but couldn’t convert in the red zone – not even once. The Glads defense had solid moments throughout the game, like Trevaughn Bailey’s interception return. But in all the Glads defense were on the field too long, making them tired and easier to score on. The offense couldn’t sustain drives, as the nine punts tells the story. Punter Jacob Lewis had a lot on his plate that night. This team has talent and Tariq Ford’s 90 rushing yards prove that, but the execution isn’t there. As a fan, you want to believe. You want to see the fight, but after a 44-10 loss, it’s clear something has to change. The heart is there. The grit is there. Now we need the results. GO GLADS!!!!!!