‘It means nothing till we win.’ Rocky ousts Eagle from football state playoffs
After Rocky Mountain allowed a 31-yard run by senior running back Noah Burnham on Eagle’s first play of the fourth quarter, Grizzlies senior defensive end Rowan Rupp was in no mood for a replay.
The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Boise State commit blasted through the line of scrimmage and pounded the football loose on the next play, setting up a fumble recovery for teammate Marques Taylor.
It was one of three takeaways for the Rocky Mountain defense in a 13-6 victory over Eagle in the quarterfinals of the 6A state playoffs Friday night at Eagle High School.
“We knew it was gonna be a battle. We knew it was gonna be a war up front,” said Rupp, who finished with five tackles, including two for loss. “We knew their running back’s really good. We’ve been playing against him since my freshman year. Man, he always breaks tackles. He always makes something happen. So we know he’s dangerous.
“So it’s just doing your assignment, play gap sound. If you just trust your teammates to do their job, you tend to make a play.”
Rupp’s forced fumble came on the heels of Rocky Mountain senior kicker Sawyer McLinden’s 24-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter that tied the score at 6-all.
The Grizzlies took over on their own 46 after Rupp’s takeaway, and junior quarterback Kaelan Custer hit senior receiver Rasean Jones with a 53-yard pass on the next play to reach the Eagle 1-yard line.
Junior running back Oakley Baxter then took the handoff into the end zone for the winning score with 10:50 remaining in the game.
Although the Grizzlies were held to a season-low 284 total yards, the three takeaways turned the tide.
“Our defense played their butts off tonight,” Rocky Mountain coach Scott Criner said. “I couldn’t be prouder of our coaching staff, our players. They came to hit.
“Burnham’s a great running back. You don’t hit him down around the legs, he’s gonna just crush you. And they kept grinding with him. Our guys never stopped. So I’m really proud of us. The turnovers were huge. That’s what made the difference.”
With Eagle facing fourth-and-8 from the Rocky Mountain 21-yard line with 6:38 on the clock, the Grizzlies’ defense came up big again.
This time Jones, who also stars at safety and has committed to Boise State, picked off a potential Eagle touchdown pass in the end zone.
“I knew where the ball was going,” Jones said. “I saw the quarterback, so I just had to play it smart. I saw him throw it, and went up and got it. It felt great.”
But the Eagle defense was able to get the ball back, forcing a Rocky Mountain punt to give the Mustang offense one more chance to score.
Eagle’s drive started at its own 25-yard line with 2:51 left after a punt return to the 40 was called back for a personal foul.
The Mustangs (8-2) drove as far as the Rocky 24. But facing fourth-and-13 from the 27, Eagle coach James Cluphf called a timeout with 57 seconds on the clock.
Eagle senior quarterback Austin Ramsey returned from the timeout and bobbled the snap, but he still managed to get off a pass to a teammate in the end zone.
But Rocky Mountain senior defensive back David Muyolo batted the ball away for a turnover on downs.
Up next for Rocky Mountain (10-1) is a rematch of last year’s state semifinals with defending state champion Rigby (9-1).
“I mean, it’s nothing new. I’ve been there twice, but I’ve lost twice,” Rupp said. “We’ve gotta get over the hump. It’s somewhere I haven’t been yet, so it means nothing till we win.”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN LEADERS
Custer finished 4-for-8 passing for 128 yards and added 13 carries for 39 yards. Jones caught two of those passes for 85 yards.
Oakley paced the Grizzlies on the ground with 83 yards and a score on 21 carries.
Junior linebacker Drake Peterson had a team-leading six tackles. Senior defensive back Carston Clyde forced a fumble at the Rocky Mountain 1-yard line as Eagle quarterback Austin Ramsey attempted to score near the end of the first half to account for the other takeaway.
EAGLE LEADERS
Burnham, who entered the game with 1,618 total yards and 21 touchdowns, collected 123 rushing yards on 19 carries.
Ramsey scored the Mustangs’ only TD on an 8-yard keeper in the third quarter. He finished with 81 rushing yards on 13 carries and completed 9-of-21 passes for 79 yards.
Senior receiver Cooper Murphy was Ramsey’s top target with three catches for 30 yards.
Senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Minnett recorded a team-leading nine tackles, including one for loss.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 11:46 PM.
