Five Treasure Valley football teams notch first-round playoff wins

Struggling on offense, Capital High turned to its defense Friday in the first round of the 5A state playoffs. And it delivered again, lifting Capital to a 35-7 victory over Timberline at Dona Larsen Park.

“A, they are coached well. They are prepared,” Capital coach Todd Simis said. “But they fly around, they play with pad level and they’re strong. And when there’s blood in the water, they’re like sharks.”

Capital (7-2) advances to the state quarterfinals for the 11th year in a row with the victory. The Eagles will face Highland (7-1) in Pocatello’s Holt Arena next week (time and date TBA).

Capital pitched a shutout for 47 minutes Friday before Timberline’s Connor Riddle caught a 3-yard TD pass with 50 seconds left. But the final score hid an early back-and-forth battle for field position.

Seth Egbert kick-started a sluggish Capital when he jumped a route from his safety position, leapt for the interception and returned it 90 yards for a pick-six.

“He had a couple big plays tonight,” Simis said. “That’s the type of kid he is. He gave us a spark.”

The pick-six spotted Capital a 14-0 lead, Sam Sessou-Djokoto punched in the first of his two TDs 57 seconds before halftime and the Eagles never looked back, running away with their 16th straight win over Boise School District rival Timberline (4-6).

Ed Osterberger led Timberline, which is still searching for its first playoff win in school history, with 187 yards on 31 carries.

Rocky Mountain 63, Post Falls 34

The Grizzlies used a dominant rushing attack to beat the Trojans on the road in the first round of the 5A state playoffs. Quarterback Kyle Van Tonder rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns on just 15 carries, and running back Carter Kuehl added 118 yards and two scores on 10 carries.

Rocky gained a total of 466 yards and scored eight touchdowns on 47 carries — an average of 9.9 yards per carry.

Still, the Grizzlies will need to patch their own run defense before next week’s quarterfinal showdown at Eagle. Post Falls rushed for 402 yards, including a pair of 170-yard performances from its runners.

Madison 50, Meridian 12

Madison quarterback Jordan Porter combined for five touchdowns and the Bobcats defense forced three turnovers to invoke the running-clock mercy rule in the first round of the 5A playoffs.

The Bobcats (7-3) travel to Coeur d’Alene (7-2) next week in the quarterfinals.

Nate Weddle led Meridian (4-6), completing 11 of 16 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown to Caden Clark.

Bishop Kelly 41, Twin Falls 6

Bishop Kelly ran past Twin Falls with 319 yards on the ground to set up a rematch of last year’s state championship game.

The Knights play at Skyline in the quarterfinals next week. The Grizzlies edged BK 50-49 for last year’s title.

Cameron Foley led the charge on the ground for the Knights with 144 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Anthony Rizzo and Khalil Forehand each added one rushing TD, and Carter Wahl threw for two scores.

Middleton 44, Canyon Ridge 7

Middleton totaled 407 yards of offense and held Canyon Ridge to 215 to advance to the 4A state quarterfinals.

The Vikings play at Sandpoint next week.

Middleton’s Mitch Beitia scored three rushing touchdowns and finished with 53 yards. Quarterback Darin Post threw touchdown passes to Hayden Smith, Landon Ebbers and Carson Smith and racked up 220 yards through the air.

Fruitland 43, Teton 24

Fruitland took down Teton to move into the 3A state quarterfinals. The Grizzlies host Sugar-Salem next week. No further information was available at press time.

Kimberly 28, Weiser 0

McKade Hunt and his 255 all-purpose yards allowed Kimberly to dominate late in both halves, and his four touchdowns carried the Bulldogs on to the next round in 3A. Kimberly outgained Weiser 498-142 and held the ball for nearly three quarters, holding Weiser standout Braden Bumgarner to just 25 total yards.

St. Maries 35, McCall-Donnelly 27

The Lumberjacks never trailed but fended off a tremendous effort by the Vandals in a 2A playoff game behind Kaden Hammond’s aerial connections to Tyler Lohman (nine catches, 108 yards) and Coy Sands along with the ground combination of Sands and Caden Green (10 combined carries for 180 yards). Ben Knudson passed for 308 yards and four touchdowns for the Vandals.

Grangeville 46, Melba 6

The Bulldogs led from start to finish in a 2A playoff game behind Noah Kaschmitter’s huge night, which included three touchdown runs of 49 yards or longer.

Wilder 43, Notus 16

The Wildcats romped in a regular-season game behind the trio of Pablo Martinez, Ezequiel Vargas and Norman Gonzalez, who combined for 258 total yards and all five of Wilder’s offensive touchdowns.

Horseshoe Bend 28, Idaho City 20

Horseshoe Bend secured a state playoff spot with its win over Idaho City. Running back Ethan Smith ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs.

State playoff brackets.

All times are Mountain

FIRST ROUND

Thursday

Rigby 35, Borah 21

Friday

Madison 50, Meridian 12

Capital 35, Timberline 7

Rocky Mountain 63, Post Falls 34

QUARTERFINALS

TBD, Nov. 2-4

Madison (7-3) at Coeur d’Alene (7-2)

Rigby (8-2) at Mountain View (9-0)

Rocky Mountain (8-2) at Eagle (7-2)

Capital (7-2) at Highland (7-1)

First quarter

CAP — Tavita Reupena 1 run (Chase Miller kick), 0:15

Second quarter

CAP — Seth Egbert 90 interception return (Miller kick), 5:34

CAP — Sam Sessou-Djokoto 4 run (Miller kick), 0:57

Third quarter

CAP — Sessou-Djokoto 10 run (Miller kick), 3:12

CAP — Gavin Murray 64 pass from Ryan Hibbs (Miller kick), 0:18

Fourth quarter

TIM — Connor Riddle 3 pass from Layton Wagner (Jacob Johnson kick), 0:50

RUSHING — Timberline: Andy Peters 1-2, Ed Osterberger 31-187, Connor Riddle 1-3, Layton Wagner 5-(-15), Cal Osterberger 2-(-4), Jacob Randall 1-11, Tanner Tracy 4-31. Capital: Tavita Reupena 8-37, Ryan Hibbs 11-34, Carter Johnson 1-6, RJ Williams 8-55, Alec Weber 2-5, Sam Sessou-Djokoto 15-78, No. 21 1-0.

PASSING — Timberline: Peters 5-13-2 56; Dylan Herberg 0-1-0 0; Wagner 2-4-0 21. Capital: Hibbs 10-16-0 169.

RECEIVING — Timberline: E. Osterberger 1-5, Riddle 4-42, Ryan Jones 2-30. Capital: Alec Bindner 1-10, Jordan Godeny-Scott 3-45, Carter Johnson 2-26, Gavin Piva 1-5, Sessou-Djokoto 1-(-1), Gavin Murray 1-64, Matt Ruhl 1-20.

RM — Kyle Van Tonder 19 run (Van Tonder kick)

RM — Zach Irwin 36 run (Van Tonder kick)

RM — Carter Kuehl 34 run (Van Tonder kick)

RM — John Tia 55 interception return (Van Tonder kick)

PF — Braden Vaughan 2 run (Vaughan kick)

RM — Van Tonder 12 run (Van Tonder kick)

PF — Cody Barber 19 pass from Nate Buer (Vaughan kick)

RM — Kuehl 47 run (Van Tonder kick)

PF — Allen Ballew 17 pass from Buer (Vaughan kick)

RM — Nick Romano 5 run (Van Tonder kick)

PF — Vaughan 1 run (kick blocked)

RM — Van Tonder 35 run (Van Tonder kick)

PF — Vaughan 2 run (Vaughan kick)

RM — Romano 49 run (Van Tonder kick)

RUSHING — RM: Van Tonder 15-154, Irwin 2-40, Kuehl 10-118, Romano 11-83, Duanavan Jardine 1-39. PF: Vaughan 30-172, Quin Bennett 30-170.

PASSING — RM: Will McMullin 2-3-0 13. PF: Buer 5-19-3 99.

RECEIVING — RM: Jerrik Lattimer 2-13. PF: Jake Pfennigs 3-52.

First quarter

MAD — Jordan Porter 2 run (Chris Edstrom kick), 8:27

MAD — Blake Moseley 1 run (Edstrom kick), 4:37

MAD — Porter 12 run (Edstrom kick), 2:12

Second quarter

MER — Luke Schraer 1 run (kick failed), 11:53

MAD — Moseley 85 kick return (kick failed), 11:40

MAD — Coy Backstein 26 pass from Porter (Edstrom kick), 6:57

MAD — Joe Dougherty 29 pass from Porter (Edstrom kick), 3:08

MAD — Karson Hastings 31 pass from Porter (kick failed), 1:19

Third quarter

MAD — Edstrom 38 field goal, 6:41

Fourth quarter

MER — Caden Clark 57 pass from Nate Weddle (kick failed), 5:59

RUSHING — Meridian: Nate Weddle 8-30, Luke Schraer 7-17, Javen Woodall 2-5, Korbin Walling 1-(-1). Madison: Jordan Porter 7-81, Blake Moseley 10-28, Easton Cordero 5-9, Karson Hastings 2-6, Chris Edstrom 4-4.

PASSING — Meridian: Weddle 11-16-2 236. Madison: Porter 16-26-0 269; Cordero 1-3-0 10.

RECEIVING — Meridian: Caden Clark 5-114, Zach Kinzel 7-89, Carter Baumgartner 2-23, Schraer 1-8, Walling 1-2. Madison: Coy Backstein 5-86, Joe Dougherty 4-76, Hastings 3-72, Malachi Valora 4-35, Hunter Lewis 1-10.

FIRST ROUND

Friday

Middleton 44, Canyon Ridge 7

Bishop Kelly 41, Twin Falls 6

Idaho Falls 48, Lakeland 22

Century 26, Emmett 21

QUARTERFINALS

TBD, Nov. 2-4

Middleton (7-3) at Sandpoint (3-6)

Bishop Kelly (8-2) at Skyline (7-2)

Century (6-4) at Minico (7-2)

Idaho Falls (6-4) at Skyview (9-0)

BK — Khalil Forehand 9 run (Jackson Stingley kick)

BK — Cameron Foley 3 run (Stingley kick)

BK — Jackson Lightner 10 pass from Carter Wahl (Stingley kick)

BK — Logan Hibbs 57 pass from Wahl (Stingley kick)

BK — Foley 80 run (kick failed)

BK — Anthony Rizzo 86 run (Stingley kick)

TF — Connor Bradley 13 pass from Carson Walters (kick blocked)

RUSHING — BK: Foley 15-144, Rizzo 2-85, Wahl 4-83, Forehand 3-21. TF: Bentley Swensen 10-34, Taryn Casperson 11-27, Tate Burch 9-24, Brendon Williams 3-20, Carson Walters 2-6.

PASSING — BK: Wahl 7-12-0 105. TF: Walters 11-19-0 122.

RECEIVING — BK: Hibbs 1-57, Conner Wittmuss 2-28, Lightner 1-10, Kendrick Brasby 1-9, Dan Marlow 1-6. TF: Brendon Williams 4-49, Reece Asson 3-30, Ryan Benifiel 2-23, Connor Bradley 1-13, Xander Barigar 1-7.

MID — Mitch Beitia 6 run (Neal Weber kick)

CR — Kyler Allen 1 run (Jared March kick)

MID — Hayden Smith 36 pass from Darin Post (Weber kick)

MID — Beitia 34 run (Weber kick)

MID — Weber 37 field goal

MID — Landon Ebbers 42 pass from Post (Weber kick)

MID — Carson Smith 25 pass from Post (kick blocked)

MID — Beitia 3 run (Weber kick)

RUSHING — Canyon Ridge: Bam Kondracki 9-39, Kyler Allen 14-42, Johnny Eastman 12-25, Aaron Barnes 6-17, Kyle Symes 1-2. Middleton: Post 6-41, Jake Tuckett 5-36, Beitia 11-53, Nik Alamerz 6-18.

PASSING — Canyon Ridge: Eastman 7-15-91. Middleton: Post 11-15 220, Bridger Whitworth 1-1-4, Dallas Hagler 2-2-28.

RECEIVING — Canyon Ridge: Derrick Clark 4-59, Aaron Barnes 3-52. Middleton: Smith 3-75, Jackson Leiby 2-26, Landon Ebbers 4-90, Alex Wright 1-19, Carson Smith 2-29.

FIRST ROUND

Friday

Kimberly 28, Weiser 0

Fruitland 43, Teton 24

Sugar-Salem 35, Marsh Valley 0

Saturday

Priest River (4-4) at Homedale (6-2), noon

QUARTERFINALS

TBD, Nov. 2-4

Kimberly (7-2) at Snake River (5-3)

Sugar-Salem (7-2) at Fruitland (9-0)

Priest River/Homedale at Shelley (7-1)

Saturday, Nov. 4

Kellogg (6-2) at Gooding (8-1), 1 p.m.

MAKE-UP GAME

Friday

Payette 47, Marsing 18

FIRST ROUND

Thursday

New Plymouth 58, Wendell 6

Firth 54, Soda Springs 0

Friday

West Side 37, North Fremont 6

Aberdeen 43, West Jefferson 27

Declo 35, Bear Lake 14

St. Maries 35, McCall-Donnelly 27

Orofino 35, Nampa Christian 20

Grangeville 46, Melba 6

QUARTERFINALS

TBD, Nov. 2-4

Orofino (4-5) at Firth (6-3)

New Plymouth (6-2) at Aberdeen (9-0)

Declo (10-0) at Grangeville (7-2)

West Side (7-2) at St. Maries (5-4)

(2 teams to state)

y - clinched league title

x - clinched playoff berth

Friday’s games

Horseshoe Bend 28, Idaho City 20

Wilder 43, Notus 16

END OF REGULAR SEASON

(2 teams to state)

Saturday’s game

Garden Valley at Tri-Valley

PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

Thursday

Carey 72, Mackay 12

Butte County 60, Murtaugh 15

Friday

Clark-Watersprings 42, Lighthouse Christian 14

Dietrich 40, North Gem 20

This story was originally published October 27, 2017 at 11:56 PM with the headline "Five Treasure Valley football teams notch first-round playoff wins."