Prep football recap: Rocky stays perfect. Capital scores upset. Meridian QB goes nuts
Rocky Mountain football coach Scott Criner made a promise before the start of the 2024 season.
He made good on that promise Friday night.
The Grizzlies called a much anticipated touchdown play for left tackle Cody Wheeler, who caught a 15-yard TD pass from quarterback Austin Rovig just before halftime as Rocky Mountain topped Timberline 31-13 to win the 6A Southern Idaho Conference’s Foothills Division.
Wheeler was originally supposed to be the Grizzlies’ starting fullback and tight end, but when he agreed to move to tackle, Criner said he’d get him a touchdown this season.
“We practiced it during the week for sure,” Wheeler said. “But I didn’t think we were going to run it because it was close. … But they called it right before the half and I just did what I was supposed to do. I just blocked a dude and then sneaked out and followed (my blockers) to the end zone.”
With the victory, top-ranked Rocky Mountain (8-0, 5-0) will now host No. 2 Eagle (7-1, 5-0) — the winner of the River Division — for the conference championship at 7 p.m. next Friday.
Wheeler’s touchdown helped give Rocky Mountain a bit of separation in an unusually close game for the Grizzlies, who mercy-ruled their first five opponents.
“I love those kinds of plays, because those are the plays that the defense does not expect one bit,” said Rocky Mountain senior linebacker Isaiah Reed, who finished with three tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception. “Having an (offensive coordinator) like (Andre) Banks and a head coach like Criner, you know they’re going to put something together that the defense is not ready for. It’s always a surprise when it happens.”
The Grizzlies own the 6A classification’s top offense (49.3 ppg) and defense (11.0 ppg), and both units got a chance to shine against the Wolves (5-3, 3-2).
Reed, a University of Nevada commit, and senior defensive backs Trey Jacobsen and Hayden Gunlock each grabbed interceptions, while senior defensive tackle Rowan Rupp had two sacks and junior defensive end Owen Weatherly also registered a sack.
“Those guys have been lights out all season,” Criner said of his defense. “They’re fast. They’re quick. They attack the football, and I love the fact that they get the ball back for us.”
Rocky Mountain totaled 368 yards on offense, with Rovig finishing 12-for-28 passing for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Senior receiver Kade Benedick hauled in six receptions for 104 yards, and senior running back Jordan Kafari collected 46 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries. Fellow running back Taeshaun Reese racked up 124 yards on 19 carries.
“We’ve got so many dudes that are athletic,” Wheeler said. “Really, anybody can score.”
Timberline led Rocky Mountain 7-3 with 7:43 to go in the second quarter when junior Hudson Lewis returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, but the Wolves did not score again until late in the fourth quarter.
Lewis finished with 12 receptions for 103 yards, adding a 19-yard TD catch from junior quarterback Jack Brant with 3:17 remaining in the game.
[Related: Division, league championship scenarios | 6A stat leaders | 5A stat leaders]
CAPITAL 35, MIDDLETON 34
The Eagles (2-6, 2-3 6A SIC Foothills) stopped the potential game-winning two-point conversion with 34 seconds left to hang on for a wild upset victory in Middleton.
Capital’s Zander Grow plowed in for what looked like the final score with a 1-yard touchdown run with 51 seconds left. Middleton’s Weston Mills then returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to pull his team within one point in the final seconds. But the Vikings (4-4, 3-2) took to the air for two points and came up short.
Grow ran for 44 yards and two touchdowns for Capital, and Marcellus Clay added 99 yards and another score on the ground. Brayden Dudley finished 14-for-27 for 168 yards and a TD. Elliot Schrack stood as his favorite target with nine catches for 116 yards and a score.
Brockton Smith led Middleton by completing 18-of-21 passes for 215 yards and two TDs.
Middleton will host Mountain View next week in the 6A SIC’s winner-to-state, cross-division round, while Capital will face Borah.
MERIDIAN 45, CENTENNIAL 21
Dual-threat quarterback Zeke Martinez racked up 410 yards of offense and six touchdowns to lead the Warriors to a win over the Patriots.
Martinez was 16-for-23 passing for 322 yards and four TDs, and he rushed for 88 yards and two more scores on nine carries.
Daysen Boltz, Dahani Alvarado, Holden Coy and Jax Omamica each caught touchdown passes for the Warriors (3-5, 2-3 Foothills).
Stats were not reported for Centennial (0-8, 0-5).
OWYHEE 38, MOUNTAIN VIEW 7
The Storm (5-3, 2-3 6A SIC River) gave up an early touchdown but didn’t give up much the rest of the way, forcing six turnovers and holding Mountain View to 143 yards of offense in a dominant victory.
Cameron Downie led the defensive onslaught with a pair of interceptions. Gage Haws also returned a pick 90 yards for a touchdown.
Asher Gaudet topped the Owyhee offense with 108 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, and Cade Walker ran for 52 yards and another score.
Stats for Mountain View (3-5, 2-3) were not reported.
The win ensured Owyhee finished fourth in the River Division and will travel to face Timberline next week in the winner-to-state, cross-division round. Meanwhile, Mountain View travels to Middleton.
BISHOP KELLY 38, RIDGEVUE 29
The top-ranked Knights led by just two points at the half but scored three unanswered touchdowns to avoid a letdown against the Warhawks (2-5, 0-5 5A SIC).
Quarterback Ben Avella accounted for all three of those scores in the second half, passing for two and adding a 1-yard keeper for a 38-15 BK lead early in the fourth quarter.
Avella was 18-for-24 through the air for 220 yards, while running back Tylan Kaschmitter led the ground game with 11 carries for 120 yards and two TDs for the Knights (7-1, 5-0).
Stats were not reported for Ridgevue.
VALLIVUE 42, COLUMBIA 0
Isaac Moore started the game with three touchdown passes in the first quarter to lead the Falcons (5-2, 4-1 5A SIC) to a blowout victory.
Moore connected with Ryker Oswald, Lamar Davis and Austin Belnap to give Vallivue a 21-0 lead early. He finished the night 12-for-16 for 141 yards and four TDs, adding a second touchdown to Oswald.
Onix Carson also ran for 162 yards and a touchdown for Vallivue, which forced three turnovers and held Columbia to 143 yards of offense.
Jackson Cheslak did the bulk of the damage for Columbia (3-5, 1-5), running for 121 yards on 28 carries.
BONNEVILLE 42, SKYVIEW 22
After entering halftime tied at 14, the Bees scored 28 unanswered points to run away with a nonconference road win.
Bonneville (4-4) quarterback Eli Hamilton finished 11-for-16 for 211 yards and three TDs, spreading the ball around to six different receivers.
Skyview (1-7) racked up 443 yards of offense, including 311 on the ground. Quarterback Henry Downey ran for 153 yards and a touchdown, and Mason Krahn added 146 yards and another score. But Downey also threw three interceptions.
WEISER 14, FRUITLAND 0
A pair of third-quarter touchdowns and a stout defense led the Wolverines (6-2, 4-0) to their first conference title since 2005 and the SRV’s only guaranteed playoff berth.
Kash Cobb ran for 221 yards and two touchdowns, opening the scoring with an 89-yard scamper down the sideline for a one-play scoring drive early in the third quarter. Cook added a 1-yard touchdown later in the frame to cap an 11-play, 82-yard drive.
No. 5-ranked Weiser racked up 333 of its 343 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, it held No. 3-ranked Fruitland (6-2, 2-2) to 206 total yards.
Sophomore quarterback Titus Vidlak led the Grizzlies with a 13-for-22 night for 110 yards. Coye Coffman stood as his top receiver with five catches to 64 yards.
HOMEDALE 33, MCCALL-DONNELLY 14
The No. 1-ranked Trojans saw their run of six straight league titles end with Weiser’s win over Fruitland. But Homedale (7-1, 3-1 4A SRV) took care of its own business by forcing three second-half turnovers to improve its resume for an at-large playoff berth.
Javid Blewett led a balanced Homedale offense with 125 rushing yards and a touchdown. Kade Hall also ran for 48 yards and two scores, and Rafael Cuenca hauled in four catches for 101 yards and a TD.
Gunnar Newman topped McCall-Donnelly (6-2, 2-2) with 132 rushing yards and a touchdown.
PAYETTE 26, COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN 13
In a battle of the 4A SRV’s cellar dwellers, the Pirates came away with their first conference win.
Jahzyon Sylvia scored two touchdowns for Payette (4-4, 1-3), recovering a fumble and returning it 50 yards for a score while also passing for one TD.
The Payette defense took advantage of four takeaways — three fumbles and an interception — and Ethan Chase and AJ Haun each had a sack.
Quarterback Braydon Vanboven paced Cole Valley (1-7, 0-4), going 8-for-17 passing for 93 yards and a touchdown.
RIMROCK 78, WILDER 14
The Raiders (5-1, 3-0) clinched their first playoff berth since 2014 — and their first league title since 2011 — with a victory over the Wildcats in 2A WIC action.
Senior Ronaldo Gomez continued his standout season with 211 rushing yards, 285 passing yards and nine total TDs to go with six tackles on defense.
Kas Bachman grabbed three interceptions, including a pick-six, to lead the Rimrock defense. Bachman also had four receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown.
Stats were not reported for Wilder (3-4, 2-2).
This story was originally published October 18, 2024 at 6:45 PM.
