Upsets, last-second field goal top wild first week of Idaho state football playoffs
Over the final 5 minutes, 21 seconds of their 4A state playoff game Friday night at Middleton High, the Nampa and Middleton football teams exchanged the lead four times.
Lance Hanna’s leg ended up being the deciding factor.
The junior kicker made a 42-yard field goal with 6 seconds left to put Nampa back in front, 44-42, one final time. The Bulldogs (6-2) will face top-ranked Skyline (9-1) in the state quarterfinals next week.
“I’m very proud of the boys and the coaches and the way they battled,” Nampa coach Dan Holtry said. “The offense played very well all night.”
Nampa led 35-22 after three quarters, and Middleton took its first lead, 36-35, with 5:21 remaining in the game.
Daniel Carrillo put Nampa ahead 41-36 on a 22-yard run with 3:58 to go, only to see Middleton seize the lead 42-41 on Brock Phillips’ 6-yard scamper with 1:32 on the clock.
The Bulldogs didn’t give up hope, driving to the Middleton 25-yard line to set up Hanna’s game-winning field goal.
“We were able to answer back one more time, and Lance came through big in the end,” Holtry said. “I’m excited for another week of Bulldog football.”
Quarterback Isaak Plew had a hand in four of Nampa’s six touchdowns, completing 17-of-26 passes for 208 yards and one touchdown. Plew also racked up 161 yards and three more scores on the ground. Carrillo contributed 204 yards and two TDs on 26 carries.
Middleton (6-4) was paced by quarterback Ky McClure, who went 18-for-25 for 346 yards and four TDs through the air, plus one rushing TD and another 107 yards on the ground.
Mountain View 44, Post Falls 41
A trip up north doesn’t often go well for Treasure Valley teams in the state playoffs, but Mountain View made sure it was the exception.
The Mavericks (4-3) upended Post Falls (5-4) on the Trojans’ home field to advance to next week’s state quarterfinals against 5A SIC rival Capital (4-1), which had a first-round bye.
Quarterback Jake Farris scored Mountain View’s first two touchdowns on runs of 5 and 13 yards, and the Mavericks held a 23-14 lead at halftime.
Leyton Smithson proved to be the the Mavericks’ top offensive threat, rushing for 215 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries and hauling in four receptions for 104 yards and another score.
Farris and Dawson Wahl shared duties under center for the Mavs, with Farris completing 9-of-15 passes for 100 yards and Wahl going 7-for-17 for 117 yards and one TD toss.
Eagle 49, Thunder Ridge 0
The Eagle defense pitched its third shutout of the season to send the Mustangs to the 5A state quarterfinals.
Eagle (6-1) will travel to Rigby (8-0), which earned a first-round playoff bye, next week.
Quarterback Ben Ford continued his dominant season with eight carries for 124 yards and five touchdowns. Ford also completed six passes for 78 yards, including a TD toss to Jaxon Buck.
Chase Hilde and Brett Tomansini each had six tackles for the Mustangs, who led 28-0 at halftime.
Thunder Ridge (5-5) managed just 166 yards of offense.
Highland 42, Meridian 28
Searching for their first playoff win since 2007, the Warriors took a 28-21 lead into halftime. But Highland pitched a second-half shutout to rally for the win.
Highland (8-2) quarterback Easton Durham racked up 137 total yards and five TDs, including two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to complete the comeback. Kaleb Demuzio carried most of the offensive load though, running for 242 yards and a TD on 39 carries.
The No. 5-ranked Rams travel to No. 3 -ranked Rocky Mountain (6-0) next week in the quarterfinals.
Meridian (4-3) junior quarterback Malakai Martinez finished 15-of-23 for 178 yards and three TDs. He also ran for a team-high 60 yards.
Bishop Kelly 35, Pocatello 0
The Pocatello defense could not contain Seth Knothe in the first round of the 4A state playoffs at Nick Ysursa Field.
The Bishop Kelly running back totaled 144 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries, while the BK defense earned it first shutout of the season.
Cormick Mullin scored the Knights’ first touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run with 5:41 to play in the first quarter. Quarterback Keegan Croteau was 16-for-23 passing for 220 yards, including completions to seven different receivers.
Pocatello (6-3) finished with minus-10 rushing yards and was hampered by a pair of interceptions.
Bishop Kelly (7-1) advances to next week’s state quarterfinals against Century, a 17-14 winner over Lakeland.
Emmett 35, Minico 0
Second-seeded Emmett had no trouble with Minico, racking up 343 rushing yards, 8.4 yards per carry and five TDs to win the second 4A playoff game in program history.
Westyn Smith ran for 144 yards and three TDs, and quarterback Caden Young ran for 190 yards and two TDs. Young also finished 12-of-33 for 106 yards through the air.
The Huskies (8-2) will host Blackfoot (8-1) in next week’s state quarterfinals.
Blackfoot 42, Vallivue 12
Vallivue trailed just 14-12 at halftime, but it couldn’t keep up with the Broncos (8-1) in the second half.
Blackfoot quarterback Jace Grimmett played a part in all four of the Broncos’ second-half touchdowns, throwing TD passes of 36, 25 and 17 yards to Jevontae King and scoring on a 1-yard run.
Senior Braydon Ary scored both touchdowns for Vallivue (6-4), finishing with 138 yards on 17 carries.
Weiser 42, Fruitland 0
Weiser rolled into the 3A state quarterfinals with a shutout of 3A SRV rival Fruitland (6-2).
The Wolverines held the Grizzlies to just 104 total yards while forcing three turnovers.
Quarterback Brett Spencer accounted for three touchdowns — two passing and one rushing — and Brock Spencer, Michael Youngberg and Willy Shirts scored one rushing TD apiece. Shirts was also 6-for-6 on PATs.
Kooper von Brethorst grabbed two interceptions for Weiser (5-4), which avenged an 18-15 loss to Fruitland on Sept. 25.
Horseshoe Bend 34, Castleford 28
Horseshoe Bend eliminated Castleford (6-3) in the first round of the 1A Division II state playoffs.
Running back Hunter Howerton rushed for 152 yards and two touchdowns for the Mustangs (6-3). Horseshoe Bend quarterback Colten Meyer passed for 118 yards and two scores, rushed for 81 yards and another TD, and made six tackles and an interception on defense.
Keegan Smith (21 tackles, 2 sacks) and John Gorbet (13 tackles, 1 sack) carried Horseshoe Bend on defense.
North Gem 55, Council 0
North Gem (4-5) ended Council’s season with a victory in the first round of the 1A Division II state playoffs. The Lumberjacks finish with an overall record of 3-5. No details were reported
This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 12:38 AM.
