Unbeaten Eagles, Greyhounds march on; Bearcats regroup

By Camille DeVaul · Thu Sep 03 2026

Templeton rolls past Santa Maria 49-0, Atascadero shuts out Golden Valley 10-0, and Paso Robles falls to Arroyo Grande

NORTH COUNTY — North County football teams continued their seasons Friday night with two teams remaining unbeaten and another looking to bounce back from a difficult start to the season.

Templeton and Atascadero both improved to 2-0 with shutout victories, while Paso Robles dropped to 0-2 following a 36-7 loss to Arroyo Grande.

Paso Robles falls to Arroyo Grande

Paso Robles faced a tough test against Arroyo Grande on Friday, falling 36-7 to the Eagles and dropping the Bearcats to 0-2 on the season.

Arroyo Grande established control early, taking a 21-0 lead into halftime. Paso Robles eventually got on the scoreboard, but the Bearcats were unable to overcome the early deficit.

Head coach Matt Carroll said the Bearcats had opportunities early in the game that could have changed the complexion of the matchup.

“The biggest takeaway from the AG game is that we had our opportunities early on with two pass plays we didn't execute on with open players, and two potential interceptions we didn't complete,” Carroll said.

Against a CIF Central Section Division 1 opponent, Carroll said those missed opportunities can be costly.

“If we finish the job on those four plays this is a closer game early on, and when facing a CIF Central Section Division 1 opponent, the margin of error is slim,” he said.

Despite the loss, Carroll said he was pleased with the effort from his players and believes the difficult preseason schedule will ultimately benefit the team.

“We were not disappointed in our players' effort, we all understand that we need to execute better,” Carroll said.

The Bearcats will face another Division 1 opponent this week when they host St. Joseph at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

“We will have to execute well and take advantage of those opportunities given,” Carroll said. “I know our players and coaches will work hard in the coming days to put us in the best situations to do well.”

Carroll said the challenging preseason is designed to prepare the Bearcats for Sunset League play.

“This difficult preseason is preparing us for Sunset League play, and I can say we are becoming a better team each week facing the high quality opponents we are facing,” he said.

Templeton dominates Santa Maria

Templeton continued its perfect start to the season with a dominant 49-0 shutout of Santa Maria on Friday.

The Eagles improved to 2-0 while continuing an offensive run that has seen them average 45 points per game through their first two contests.

Jesse Grinnell once again led the way on the ground, rushing for 60 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. Grinnell has now recorded two rushing touchdowns in each game this season.

Leo Rivera also made a major impact, finishing with 87 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Templeton's defense was equally impressive, consistently pressuring Santa Maria's offense and finishing the night with four sacks — the Eagles' best single-game total in that category this season.

The victory kept Templeton undefeated at 2-0 while Santa Maria fell to 0-2.

The Eagles will look to make it three straight wins when they host Coalinga at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Atascadero shuts out Golden Valley

Atascadero also remained unbeaten Friday, grinding out a 10-0 victory over Golden Valley to improve to 2-0.

The Greyhounds' second consecutive victory came in a physical matchup in which offensive opportunities were limited. Atascadero's defense held Golden Valley off the scoreboard throughout the game.

Head coach Dan Loney said the contest played out largely as expected.

“Last Friday was exactly what we expected. A hard nose game with minimal chances on offense,” Loney said. “Golden Valley played smash-mouth football and we needed to stand toe to toe with them and we did.”

While it wasn't the most explosive offensive performance, Loney said the Greyhounds were pleased to come away with the win.

“It wasn’t a pretty win but it was a win and we are glad to get it,” he said.

Atascadero will now hit the road Friday for a matchup with Morro Bay at 7 p.m.

Loney expects another challenge from a Morro Bay team known for creating opportunities on offense.

“Morro Bay is Morro Bay. Coach Dougherty is great at scheming his offense to put point on the board and to stress your defense,” Loney said.

The Greyhounds will need to maintain the same disciplined approach that helped them shut out Golden Valley, with Loney emphasizing the importance of avoiding mistakes.

“We are going to have to play mistake free on both sides of the ball,” he said.

Feature Image: Atascadero High running back Ernesto Grijalva carries the ball against Golden Valley during the Greyhounds' 10-0 win over the Bulldogs on Friday, Aug. 28. Photo by Rick Evans/ATN