St. Maries wins first football state title; Raft River prevails
2A: ST. MARIES 31, DECLO 8
POCATELLO — Senior tight end and defensive lineman Brady Martin scored three touchdowns, including a pair of fumble returns, in his final high school game, and St. Maries (12-0) won its first football state championship Friday at Holt Arena.
Martin’s 85-yard scoop and score with 55 seconds remaining capped the team’s 31-0 scoring run and sealed the Lumberjacks’ win.
He also found the end zone on his only catch of the game, a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
“It is indescribable,” Martin said. “I cannot believe it. … I never thought I’d play like this.”
As a team, Declo (10-3) totaled 72 yards in the second half after gaining 222 by halftime. The Hornets turned the ball over five times, three of which came inside the Lumberjacks’ 20-yard line.
The Lumberjacks’ past two playoff appearances ended in the quarterfinals.
“It is a little surreal right now,” St. Maries coach Craig Tefft said. “It hasn’t sunk it yet. I’m just so proud of the kids and the community. There are so many people that had their fingers in this.”
1A Division 1: RAFT RIVER 46, OAKLEY 18
POCATELLO — Raft River quarterback Kolten Hitt hammered Oakley (9-3) for a state title game-record 254 yards rushing on 23 carries in the Trojans’ win Friday at Holt Arena.
The senior put the Hornets away, speeding past defenders on a 56-yard run that put his team ahead 32-12 with 2:32 left in the third quarter.
The touchdown drive came after he threw an interception and fumbled the ball on the first two drives of the half. But that was all behind Hitt and the Trojans as they scored two more times for good measure, including a 35-yard run by Hitt.
He also tossed for 264 yards passing and three touchdown passes, two of which went to Wacey Holtman, who also scored on a fourth-quarter pick-six in what turned out to be Raft River’s last points of the state title win.
The Trojans (12-0) have won four other state championships in their history, the latest coming in 2004.
“We’re so excited. These kids have worked hard. Everybody worked hard to do it,” Raft River coach Brian Poole said. “There’s a lot of good competition out there and you’ve got to make plays when it counts and you got to stay together and you’ve got to face adversity and deal with it. And our kids have done that really well, so we’re just excited that they were able to keep playing and get it done.”
This story was originally published November 19, 2016 at 12:14 AM with the headline "St. Maries wins first football state title; Raft River prevails."