Prep football recap: Rocky Mountain bounces back. Emmett upsets BK (again). Meridian rolls.
Two state titles in three years.
A 29-game winning streak against conference opponents.
Not many teams with that kind of resume feel like they have much to prove. But after seeing that winning streak snapped last week, Rocky Mountain felt it had plenty to show to itself and the rest of the state. And it took it out on rival Eagle on Friday.
The No. 3-ranked Grizzlies raced out to an early lead and held off any serious challenge from the No. 4-ranked Mustangs, rolling to a 48-28 win to beat Eagle for the sixth straight time — including five in a row in the Herb Criner Bowl rivalry series.
“All week, we’ve been saying we’ve got something to prove,” said Rocky Mountain running back Art Williams, who finished with 129 total yards and three rushing TDs. “After that tough loss (to Mountain View), we came out and proved it. But we’ve still got a lot to work on.”
Rocky Mountain (2-1, 1-0 5A SIC Foothills) opened the game on fire, cruising down the field on an eight-play, 66-yard drive that Williams capped with a 1-yard TD run. But the Grizzlies were just getting started.
Daniel Juarez III returned a kickoff 90 yards to the house after an Eagle score. The Mustangs then muffed the ensuing kickoff. And two plays later, Williams made it 21-7 Rocky Mountain with a 4-yard TD run as the Grizzlies racked up 14 points in 33 seconds with 6:40 still left on the first-quarter clock.
“I don’t even know how that happened,” Rocky Mountain coach Chris Culig said, noting he was preparing his defense to go back out on the field. “How did that even happen? Tell me how it happened.”
Eagle (2-1, 0-1 5A SIC Foothills) could never pull any closer than 14 points the rest of the night.
The Mustangs continued to break off big plays through the air to stay in the game. But a week after getting pushed around defensively, the Grizzlies forced three turnovers and shut down the Mustangs’ potent running game, holding them to 61 yards on 27 carries (2.3 yards per carry).
Gage Tanner’s interception in the second quarter set up Lucas Leavitt’s 10-yard TD run on the next play. And just as Eagle started to show life in the third quarter, mounting a long drive behind a suddenly effective run game, Troy Wilkey returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown.
It’s his second straight week with a pick-six interception.
“They lined up with that single receiver, and I noticed that their tight end was ineligible,” Wilkey said. “So, really, I can just cheat over and help a little bit.
“And then A.J. Edwards came off the edge and got the quarterback’s arm, which tipped the ball a little bit, which gave me an even better chance to drive up, get the ball and make a play.”
RUNNING THROUGH THE GAUNTLET: Rocky Mountain opened the year with the state’s toughest schedule through three games. The Grizzlies first hit the road to No. 5 Highland for a Week 0 game (12-7 win), then hosted No. 2 Mountain View after a bye (26-20 loss) before hitting the road for No. 4 Eagle to open their Foothills Division schedule.
Rocky Mountain may have an unfamiliar loss by its name. The Grizzlies are now 33-2 in the past three years. But Culig said he’s learned a lot about his team early in the season.
“I think we’re resilient. We keep battling,” Culig said. “… When you graduate 40 seniors last year and then you get a smaller senior class, it’s just trying to get everybody to mesh together. So, we’re getting there.”
The win doesn’t just give Rocky Mountain continued bragging rights over its rival. It also gives the three-time defending SIC champs an inside track on a division title, which comes with a berth into the SIC championship game.
“It really helps us set the tone,” Wilkey said of the win over Eagle. “We weren’t very happy about the loss, obviously. It’s the first loss in three years for Rocky in the SIC. But I think it’s gonna boost us up a little bit and help us roll through these next couple games.”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN LEADERS: The Grizzlies spread the ball around to rack up 469 yards of offense.
Hunter Steacker ran for 97 yards on nine carries, and added six catches for 112 yards. Lucas Leavitt ran for 80 yards and two TDs on a game-high 16 carries. And quarterback Tegan Sweaney finished 13-of-18 for 228 yards.
EAGLE LEADERS: The Mustangs did their damage on chunk plays, including Donovan Jones’ 69-yard touchdown catch on a middle screen and a 32-yard TD catch on fourth-and-10. Ian Duarte also had a 75-yard TD catch on an out route.
Jones finished with six catches for 154 yards and two TDs. Duarte had seven catches for 123 yards. And quarterback Jack Benson finished 15-of-20 for 291 yards and three TDs while splitting time under center with Bradon Reese.
UP NEXT: Both teams pause their Foothills Division schedule to face opponents in the 5A SIC’s River Division.
Eagle heads to Mountain View (2-0), while Rocky Mountain hosts Centennial (1-2). Both games kick off at 7 p.m. Sept. 17.
Meridian 52, Timberline 7
Meridian (2-1, 1-0 5A SIC Foothills) scored four touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 98-yard kickoff return by Kross Antonnacchi to open the game.
Antonnacchi rushed for 114 yards and two more touchdowns. Marco Del Rio added 76 rushing yards and two scores. And freshman quarterback Zeke Martinez went 13-of-15 for 170 yards and two TDs.
The Warriors defense shined for the second straight week, holding Timberline (2-1, 0-1 5A SIC Foothills) to 93 total yards. The Wolves’ only touchdown came on an 11-yard pass from Wade Zenner to Garrett Lavin in the third quarter, and Montana State-bound running back Taylor Marcum was held to 17 yards on nine touches.
Capital 41, Centennial 11
Quarterback Max Clark tossed five touchdown passes — including three from the 2-yard line — as the Eagles (3-0, 2-0 5A SIC River) remain unbeaten.
Clark was 24-for-31 for 346 yards. Ethan Castillo led the receiving corps with five catches for 120 yards and three touchdowns.
Orlando Clay Jr. rushed 13 times for 115 yards for the Patriots (1-2, 1-1 5A SIC River).
Skyview 31, Boise 24
The Hawks (3-0) held off an upset bid, coming from behind in the second half Thursday at Dona Larsen Park to remain undefeated.
Boise (1-2) led 17-14 after Nick Deswick-Seidl kicked a 32-yard field goal with 6:14 left in the third quarter. But Skyview scored 17 straight points, including a 61-yard, pick-six interception from Atonio Fifita, to pull away.
Fifita also ran for 154 yards and a touchdown, caught four passes for 22 yards, and added six tackles, three sacks and two tackles for loss on defense. Skyview racked up 12 sacks on the night.
Quarterback Braden Anderson led the Brave despite all the hits, going 22-for-44 for 351 yards and three TDs.
Kuna 35, Owyhee 31
The Kavemen (1-2, 1-0 5A SIC River) trailed heading into the fourth quarter before pulling out the win over Owyhee (0-3, 0-3 5A SIC) and their former coach, Sherm Blaser. No stats were provided for either team.
Mountain View 58, Borah 7
The Mavs held Borah to 160 total yards and a single, first-quarter touchdown in a rout Saturday at Dona Larsen Park.
Sosaia Raass led No. 2 Mountain View ((3-0, 1-0 5A SIC River) with 114 rushing yards and two TDs. Quintez Evans also ran for 46 yards and two scores. And quarterback Dawson Wahl went 16-of-25 for 153 yards and two TDs.
Bradly Toth highlighted the day for Borah (0-3, 0-1 5A SIC River) catching a 76-yard TD pass. He finished with nine catches for 124 yards.
Emmett 21, Bishop Kelly 0
Emmett (2-1, 1-0 4A SIC) upset No. 2-ranked Bishop Kelly (1-2, 0-1) for the second straight year to open both teams’ 4A SIC schedule — holding the Knights scoreless for the first time since 2008.
Caden Young completed a pass to Caseyn Pearson for an 18-yard touchdown to open the scoring. Young also ran for 209 yards and touchdowns of 52 and 33 yards in the first and second quarters, respectively.
Emmett kept possession of the ball almost twice as long as Bishop Kelly. The Huskies outpaced the Knights’ rushing attack with a 299-85 advantage in yards.
With Hadley Smith’s 102-yard passing game, Bishop Kelly outgained Emmett through the air. But he also threw three interceptions — accounting for all of the game’s turnovers. Seth Knothe rushed for 84 yards.
Nampa 35, Ridgevue 7
The Bulldogs (1-2, 1-0 4A SIC) ran for 235 yards and four touchdowns, using a balanced approach for their first win.
Ryan Schuler led the way with 83 yards and two TDs on 13 carries. But Payton Gunter (47 yards, one TD), Dante Avjian (36 yards) and Daniel Carrillo (34 yards, one TD) all featured in Nampa’s potent attack, while quarterback Gabe Navarro finished 18-of-24 for 191 yards and a TD.
Ridgevue (0-2, 0-1 4A SIC) was held to 144 total yards. Cole McDonald did most of the damage, going 12-of-25 for 125 yards and 21-yard TD to Izaiah Stewart-Kasper.
Middleton 70, Caldwell 16
Thompson Goodfellow scored five touchdowns to lead the Vikings (2-1, 1-0 4A SIC), who also blocked a punt for a touchdown.
Goodfellow finished with 64 yards on just six carries — scoring on all but one of his attempts. Tate Johansen added four catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Tre Walker rushed for 111 yards and a TD on 23 carries for Caldwell (0-3, 0-1 4A SIC).
Vallivue 42, Columbia 20
The Falcons (2-1, 1-0 4A SIC) racked up 298 rushing yards and forced four turnovers to run away with their conference opener Thursday.
Senior Santi Diaz ran for 112 yards and two TDs on 12 carries, and junior quarterback Hayden Farner ran for 114 yards and two TDs. Farner, playing in place of Casey Cope, also completed 2-of-4 passes for 113 yards and a TD.
Matt Davis led Columbia (0-3, 0-1), going 3-of-6 for 23 yards and two TDs. Fellow QB Jared Payne went 3-of-8 for 70 yards with one TD and three interceptions.
McCall-Donnelly 36, New Plymouth 16
The Vandals (2-0) scored 36 consecutive points after the Pilgrims (2-1) returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.
McCall’s DJ Green rushed 24 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns — and he added an 18-yard touchdown pass on his only throw of the game.
Kyle Rice returned the opening kick 88 yards for a touchdown for New Plymouth. But the Pilgrims only managed 120 yards of offense and committed four turnovers.
Cole Valley Christian 26, Fruitland 21
Carter Fortin hit David Howlett for a 6-yard touchdown in the third quarter, and the Chargers (3-0) posted a fourth-quarter shutout to hold on for the win against the perennial 3A power.
Howlett also returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, but Fruitland held leads of 14-7 and 21-20.
Aden Simmons rushed for 100 yards and a TD for Fruitland (2-1). David Juarez added a 68-yard TD run.
Homedale 56, Baker (Ore.) 6
The No. 1-ranked Trojans (3-0) dominated throughout, holding Baker to 123 yards and a garbage-time touchdown.
Hayden Kincheloe ran for 167 yards and three TDs in his season debut. And quarterback Jaxon Dines went 9-of-11 for 154 yards and three TDs as Homedale built a 49-0 halftime lead.
Melba 56, Nyssa (Ore.) 6
Mustangs (1-2) quarterback Cache Beus went 9-for-12 for 208 yards and five touchdowns, and Melba added 258 rushing yards.
Noah West hauled in a 60-yard touchdown catch, while Dylan Stosich made three catches for 108 yards and two scores.
Nampa Christian 41, Parma 6
The Trojans (2-1) held Parma to 103 total yards and fell just 21 seconds shy of a shutout.
Meanwhile, Nampa Christian racked up 423 yards, including 249 on the ground. Dane Bradshaw ran for 135 yards and two TDs, and Landon Cheney added 96 yards and a score with his legs. But he did most of his damage through the air, finishing 11-of-14 for 174 yards and three TDs.
Stats for Parma (0-3) were not reported.
Horseshoe Bend 30, Notus 26
Quarterback Colten Meyer had a hand in all five Mustang (3-0) touchdowns, throwing for 253 yards and four TDs while adding 124 yards and another TD on the ground. And he made a team-high 13 tackles on defense.
Blayne Meyer added 203 total yards, two TDs and eight tackles in a battle of the Treasure Valley’s top two 8-man teams.
Carter Woodland rushed for 155 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries in a losing effort for Notus (2-1).
More scores
No information was provided from the following games:
- Payette 21, Marsing 0
- Weiser 40, Grangeville 0
- Carey 46, Wilder 0
- Garden Valley 58, Idaho City 12
- Tri-Valley 46, Greenleaf 21
This story was originally published September 10, 2021 at 11:07 PM.
