Cal Poly finishes off 2025 season with a win
Mike Klan
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) -Cal Poly football finished the 2025 season on high note Saturday night, taking down Eastern Washinton at home, 43-34.
The Mustangs (4-7, 2-6 Big Sky) totaled 500 yards of offense on the night, 341 of which in the air. Anthony Grigsby Jr. got his first start as a Mustang and made the most of it. He finished with 341 yards on 21-37 passing, three touchdowns and two interceptions. In his final collegiate game, wide receiver Logan Booher led the way with 126 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Alek Marshall and wide receiver Fidel Pitts also had receiving touchdowns. On the ground, running back Tyrei Washington had 99 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Mustangs held the Eagles (5-7) to 87 rushing yards and came away with three interceptions. Linebackers Troy Bean and Mikey D’Amato as well as safety Jeremiah Bernard each had picks. Linebacker Kenny Olson led the way with 10 tackles.
Cal Poly couldn’t have scripted a better start to the game, on the second play of Eastern Washington’s opening drive, Mustang linebacker Troy Bean came up with an interception to give the Mustang offense the ball at EWU’s 32. One play later, Grigsby Jr. found wide receiver Logan Booher in the end zone for the touchdown to take a 7-0 lead in the first minute.
On Cal Poly’s second drive of the game, the Mustangs went 53 yards in 12 plays to score again. This time, it was senior defensive lineman Antonio Vakameilalo with a one yard run right up the middle into the end zone for his first career touchdown to go up 14-0. The Eagles got on the board midway through the first quarter following a fumble recovery by their defense that gave them the ball at the Mustang 22. Four plays later, they got into the end zone on a seven-yard run.
The Mustangs answered back with a big drive of their own. Grigsby connected with tight end Alek Marshall for a 54-yard touchdown reception to make it 21-7 with three minutes left in the first quarter. Following a 92-yard kickoff return by EWU, the Eagles quickly made it 21-14 after a one-yard touchdown run.
Cal Poly kicker Noah Serna knocked through a 32-yard field goal with 9:22 left in the first half to make it 24-14. Eastern Washington responded with a 10-play, 62-yard drive that resulted in a 12-yard touchdown pass to make it 24-21 with five minutes left in the half. Cal Poly finished the half strong with a 48-yard field goal by kicker Gianluca Dimauro to make it 27-21. However, Eastern Washington was able to close the half with a field goal as time expired to make it 27-24 at halftime.
With 8:09 left in the third quarter, EWU tied it up at 27 after making a 32-yard field goal. Cal Poly came back with a 44-yard field goal of its own a few minutes later to take the lead back, 30-27. The Eagles then scored with two minutes left in the third, a 13-yard touchdown run, to take a 34-30 lead.
The Mustangs opened the fourth quarter finishing off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a touchdown of their own. Grigsby Jr. found wide receiver Fidel Pitts in the right corner of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown to make it 37-34. Cal Poly extended its lead with a 33-yard touchdown run by Tyrei Washington to make it 43-34 with seven minutes left.
With two minutes left, the game was iced after Mustang safety Jeremiah Bernard came up with an interception.
(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).