From 0-3 to the state semifinals: How Mountain View is writing a storybook comeback
This year started as a disaster for Mountain View.
There’s no other way to put it.
The perennial high school football power found itself 0-3 in the middle of September, the worst start in program history. It was mired at the bottom of the conference standings. It just lost to Meridian, a program it had owned for more than a decade. Its season stood on the brink.
But then the Mavericks mounted one of the state’s most improbable comebacks, one it continued Friday with a 21-14 win over Capital in the 5A state quarterfinals at Boise’s East Junior High.
The fifth straight win clinches Mountain View (5-3) a spot in the semifinals next week at No. 2-ranked Rigby (9-0).
That seemed impossible two months ago when the Mavericks needed to win out just to qualify for the playoffs. But the Mavericks aren’t looking back now and plan to carry that swagger with them into the defending state champ’s house.
“From here on out, it’s just foot on the pedal,” Mountain View senior receiver Kayden Chan said. “No stopping.”
Mountain View coach Judd Benedick said he brought the entire team together in a lecture hall Sept. 21 following the Meridian loss. He reminded the Mavericks they hadn’t earned anything yet. All the accolades that come with wearing a Mountain View uniform belong to past players. This group had to earn its own stripes.
The captains then ran a players-only meeting, laying out what needed to change — now — before it’s too late.
“We just all got together, and we decided this is not how we play football,” Mountain View junior running back Quintez Evans said. “So we decided to pick it up and change. And we’re here right now.”
Benedick said he noticed an immediate difference.
“After that, everybody, their focus was different in practice,” Benedick said. “Their work ethic was different. And they just started to get better and better and better at all the little things that then become big things in a game.”
Those little things kept adding up Friday, when the Mavericks overcame several more challenges.
Starting quarterback Jake Farris went down with an injury in last week’s win at Post Falls, leaving the Mavericks unsure if he’d receive clearance to play until Friday. Sophomore Dawson Wahl took all the reps in practice this week, so the Mavericks kept him in the starting lineup.
Then star running back Leyton Smithson went down with another injury in the second quarter. He could only play receiver and serve as a decoy in the second half.
No problem. Because Evans filled in, running for 111 yards and two TDs on 20 carries.
Chan also ran for 95 yards, including a 66-yard end around that set up Evans’ game-winning, 1-yard TD run with 11:57 left in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks finished with 364 total yards, including 262 on the ground at 6.6 yards per carry.
Benedick said he could only marvel at how his team keeps handling all the curveballs thrown its way.
“Their resolve is just unbelievable,” Benedick said.
The loss wraps up a dramatic season for Capital (4-2). The Eagles couldn’t host full team practices until Sept. 8 and were the last 5A program in the state to kick off their season Sept. 25.
But Capital won the 5A SIC East Division, qualified for the inaugural SIC championship game and earned a bye into the state quarterfinals — all in a season that looked unlikely until Labor Day.
Capital coach Todd Simis said he would remember how his team, including its 14 seniors, rode all the ups and downs of a season in the middle of the global coronavirus pandemic.
“On the whole, it hurts right now, but I’m thankful,” Simis said. “We got to play.
“… I’m just proud of the kids. It was a tiny (senior) class with some good players who gave us everything they had.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 10:34 PM.
