Capital High football team rolls into state semifinal

Capital High football has a date with the defending state champs.

The Eagles dominated Mountain View 38-13 on Friday night at Bronco Stadium and advanced to the 5A state semifinals. Capital (10-0) will host Highland (8-2) - a 34-36 winner against Idaho Falls on Friday - at 7 p.m. Thursday.

"We like it," Capital coach Todd Simis said of his team's semifinal matchup. "Highland is the reigning champ and we want to play the best and go through the best to get to the state championship."

First, the Eagles had to get past Mountain View (7-3), a team that spoiled their 2008 season with a 3-0 defeat in the first round of the state playoffs last November.

Running back Charlie McMartin, who led Capital's ground game with 21 carries for 136 yards, didn't have any trouble getting ready to play the Mavericks.

"Coming into the game, we knew we worked harder in the offseason, because we had that motivation after losing to them," McMartin said. "Everyone came to practice fired up. It was the best week of practice I have been part of."

And it showed.

With the scored tied at 7-7 after a 13-yard touchdown run by Capital's Eric Niblett in the first quarter and a 21-yard TD reception by Mountain View's Daniel McSurdy early in the second quarter, the Eagle's shifted into overdrive.

Capital defensive back Kasen Covington led the charge. First, he scored on a 99-yard kickoff return after McSurdy's touchdown. He then intercepted a Tyson Percifield pass with 12 seconds remaining in the second quarter, setting up a 43-yard field goal by Eric Niblett. The Eagles entered halftime with a 17-7 lead.

"They were in it and we knew it was going to be a dog fight from the get-go, but we also knew they couldn't stay with us for the whole 48 if we played our best," said Covington, who also returned the opening kickoff 63 yards.

Capital used the momentum Covington provided in the first half and dominated the second half, scoring 14 more points before Mountain View answered with a 23-yard touchdown reception by Devante Crump midway through the fourth quarter.

Capital's Kyle Sosnowski caught a 12-yard TD pass in the third quarter, then threw a 21-yard TD pass to Michael Howard in the fourth quarter. McMartin polished off the victory when he scored on a 54-yard run with 4:34 remaining in the game.

"They're loaded," Mountain View coach Judd Benedick said. "They run so well on both sides of the ball. They have such great speed, but they also do all of the little things well. They're legit."

Jesse Zentz: 377-6430