Knights looking to Slay Buzzards in Home Opener

Tacoma,Washington-After a rollercoaster of a first season in the GDFL that culminated in a first-round playoff loss to the West Sound Rebels, the Grit City Knights are gearing up for their home opener of the 2023 GDFL against the South Lane Buzzards. This encounter promises to be a thrilling spectacle as both teams look to assert their dominance early in the new season.

The Knights, led by Head Coach Kiki Williams, are coming into the 2023 season with a large returning core of veterans bolstered by several key additions including the talented RB Stefan "Juice" Branham, Chris Tavita, and Matt Baudoin, among others.

They join the team's existing 2022 all-stars, including Cason Watson, Jerro Da Graca, Jordan Tunstall, Eddie Brazier III, Corey Croom, and Percy Etheridge. However, there are areas the Knights definitely needed to address, and they have spent the off-season beefing up their O-line, rebuilding their offense under OC Mitch Johnson, and refining their defense under DC Eddie Casado Jr. The Knights are far from content with last year's results and are looking to build on their successes in their 2023 campaign.

On the other hand, the South Lane Buzzards, hailing from Eugene, Oregon, are a new addition to the Gridiron Pro Developmental Football League (GDFL). They ended their 2022 campaign in the now-defunct Pacific Northwest Football League (PNFL) with a 6-4 record, losing in the PNFL Championship game against the Portland Raiders.

The Buzzards bring with them a history of success, having been the Pacific Northwest Football League Champs in 2018 & 2019 with a combined record of 16-1. Their ambitions are clear, as stated by Team President Josh Higbee: they aim for nothing less than a National title and expect every game to be a playoff-level contest. They are a team that thrives on competition, and they will certainly bring a challenge to the Knights in the upcoming match.

Location & Time: The Grit City Knights host the South Lane Buzzards this weekend at the Art Crates Stadium (Bethel High School) in Spanaway,WA. The game starts at 7pm on Saturday (June 3rd) with the gates opening to the public at 6pm. It will also be livestreamed online through SeeGame.Live for those watching at home. As the Knights prepare for their home opener against the Buzzards, both teams will be looking to make a statement. This matchup will surely provide an exciting and competitive start to the 2023 GDFL season for both teams.