He grew up a Mountain View ball boy. He returned with Rocky Mountain to torch the Mavs
They say you can never go home again. Kade Benedick proved otherwise Friday.
The Rocky Mountain senior receiver hauled in three catches for 140 yards and three touchdowns, torching his old stomping grounds to lead the Grizzlies to a 61-7 win over Mountain View in the Battle of the Mountains rivalry.
The son of former Mountain View coach Judd Benedick spent countless hours growing up on the Mavericks’ sideline, serving as a ball boy and tossing the ball around with his twin brother. But the family always lived in the Rocky Mountain boundaries, and Kade Benedick chose to stay with his friends and suit up for the Grizzlies.
Judd Benedick resigned three years ago to enjoy watching his sons play. But he also pointed out then he couldn’t stomach coaching against his children, and Kade Benedick showed why Friday.
“He’s probably one of the most underrated receivers in the state,” Rocky Mountain (3-0) quarterback Austin Rovig said. “His route running, his speed, his ability to get open — I have no doubt in my mind when I let the ball go out of my hand that he can go and catch it.”
Kade Benedick hauled in touchdowns of 37, 51 and 52 yards, finding the end zone each time he got his hands on the ball. A quick slant and a deep rainbow in the second quarter turned a tie game into a 21-7 Rocky Mountain advantage. He then put the game away with his third catch early in the third quarter.
A Mountain View (1-2) coach shouted to watch for another slant. So Kade Benedick made a quick deke inside, putting the Mountain View corner on skates and strolling all alone down the Mavericks’ sideline for a 52-yard score.
“Turn and burn,” Kade Benedick said with a smile.
Friday actually marked his first time playing on Mountain View’s field. His previous varsity and subvarsity games were all at Rocky Mountain, making Friday night a delayed homecoming.
He didn’t waste his one and only chance.
“It was weird actually playing a game here for the first time,” Kade Benedick said. “But it kind of felt natural (too) just because I’ve been here so much.”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HANDS RIVAL ITS WORST LOSS
Friday’s blowout victory continued a dominant start to the season for No. 1-ranked Rocky Mountain, with the Grizzlies triggering the running-clock mercy rule for the third straight week. They also handed Mountain View the worst loss in program history (54 points) and forced the Mavericks to give up a program-record 61 points.
Rovig shook off an interception on the game’s opening play, completing 9-of-17 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Jeff Thompson served as another weapon on the outside with six catches for 107 yards. And Taeshaun Reece ran for 133 yards and a score.
“We’re not afraid to throw the ball deep,” Rocky Mountain coach Scott Criner said. “We’re good at the edges. And you saw with our second team, we’ve got guys that can run down the field and we’ve got two quarterbacks who can spin it.
“If you’re going to load the box to stop the run, then we’re going to throw the ball over your head.”
MOUNTAIN VIEW LEADERS
Quarterback Hank Nelson finished 16-for-36 for 198 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Kian Foy stood as his top target, hauling in seven catches for 147 yards, and Brody Munson out jumped a Rocky Mountain defender for an 11-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter.
The Mavericks struggled to get their running game going though, finishing the night with 44 yards on 24 carries.
UP NEXT
Rocky Mountain: Starts its Foothills Division schedule against Capital (0-3) at Dona Larsen Park on Friday.
Mountain View: Kicks off its River Division schedule by hosting Kuna (1-2) on Friday.
This story was originally published September 14, 2024 at 12:06 AM.
