No star QB? No problem. Unsung unit carries Timberline to first state title game
Monday stood as a rough day for the Timberline High football program.
The Wolves learned that a noncontact knee injury would sideline UC Davis-bound quarterback Jack Brant for the first state semifinal game in program history. And Timberline had only two full practices to come up with a new game plan.
But the Wolves’ defense forced six turnovers, and receiver-turned-quarterback Hudson Lewis made just enough plays at his new position to pull off a 23-17 victory over Coeur d’Alene at Dona Larsen Park.
Timberline (10-1) will face defending champion Rigby (10-1) in its first state title game appearance next week at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. Saturday.
“We all kind of hoped that we’d come out here and score a ton of points,” Timberline coach Ian Smart said. “But (the defense) knew they had to do something. I think what we witnessed is one of the bigger defensive performances that I’ve ever seen in a high school football game.”
The Wolves mustered just 160 yards of offense and seven first downs Friday. But their defense rode to the rescue time and time again, holding Coeur d’Alene to just 171 total yards and nine first downs, and getting all of those crucial turnovers.
Coeur d’Alene quarterback Tannar Stern entered the night with just one interception all season. He left with four more as four different Timberline players picked him off, including Austin Engroff’s 26-yard pick-six that gave the Wolves a two-score lead midway through the third quarter.
Evan Paschke forced a sack fumble on the game’s opening possession to set the tone. And Hawaii commit Andrew Price recovered a pair of fumbles as the Wolves’ defensive line lived in the backfield and forced Stern to scramble all night.
“We’ve believed since day one we’ve got the best defense in the state,” Price said. “So we just had to kind of prove it this week. We’ve been proving it all season. We just had to capitalize tonight.”
Lewis recorded one of those interceptions, tipped a ball to Karl Fransen for another and recorded multiple pass breakups to turn in an iron-man performance. He didn’t miss a single snap on offense or defense while taking over at quarterback, and he shrugged off the toll that took on his body.
“It’s tiring, but you got to do what you’ve got to do, if you want to be great,” Lewis said. “I’m just striving every day, and I’m just blessed to be able to play the game.
“A lot of people can’t play right now. So I’m just grateful I’m able to go play, and I’m going to make the most of every single moment.”
Friday marked the Utah commit’s first game under center since fourth grade. Coeur d’Alene loaded the box with a limited Timberline passing game taking the field. The strategy worked as the Wolves got only 44 rushing yards on 37 carries. But Lewis made the Vikings pay with a couple highlight-reel throws.
He split two defenders to find Hayden Hills for a 19-yard touchdown pass on play action in the first quarter. Then he threaded the needle through three defenders for a 20-yard TD pass to Nash O’Kelley in the fourth quarter, finishing the night 10-for-16 for 116 yards.
“Jack was in my back pocket, teaching me what to do and just showing me around,” Lewis said. “It gives me a lot more respect for quarterbacks. Because quarterback is by far the hardest position.”
The victory checks off another first in a season full of them. Since opening in 1998, Timberline never posed much of a threat on the gridiron, winning just a pair of playoff games in the previous 27 seasons.
But the Wolves won their first league title this fall, followed it up with their first quarterfinal victory and now head to their first state championship game.
The trip to Pocatello also will mark Timberline’s first true road trip since 2022. Every game the past three years was in the Treasure Valley, and a pair of trips to Eagle marked their longest voyages this season.
“It’s going to be fun to go on a trip with these guys,” Smart said. “They deserve everything they’ve gotten.
“... We were 1-8 with this group as sophomores. And here we are, what is this — 10-1? It’s pretty freaking cool.”
RIGBY 40, ROCKY MOUNTAIN 21
The Trojans ended the Grizzlies’ season in the 6A state semifinals for the second year in a row.
Rigby (10-1) now draws Timberline (10-1) in the state championship at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello. Kickoff is 4 p.m. next Saturday.
Rocky Mountain led 7-6 late in the first quarter, but defending state champion Rigby scored three straight touchdowns to take control of the game.
The Trojans racked up 504 yards of total offense to the Grizzlies’ 284.
Running back Oakley Baxter led Rocky Mountain (10-2), rushing for 145 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Rasean Jones added two carries for 42 yards and a TD, and receiver Jake Colbert added a 7-yard touchdown reception at the start of the fourth quarter.
Amani Morel led Rigby with 27 carries for 165 yards and five touchdowns.
HOMEDALE 30, SUGAR-SALEM 20
The Diggers ended Homedale’s season six times in the past seven seasons. But on Friday, the Trojans finally returned the favor.
Homedale (10-1) topped three-time defending state champion Sugar-Salem (8-2) at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello to set up a showdown for the state title with Kimberly (8-3) next week back in Pocatello. The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
Quarterback Xavier Uranga led the charge in the win, completing 13-of-19 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Receiver Alex Campos caught two of those TD passes and totaled eight receptions for 145 yards — an average of nearly 18 yards per catch.
Kade Hall added 77 yards and a touchdown on the ground, and Chance Martell also caught a TD pass for Homedale, finishing with 97 receiving yards on four grabs. Martell and Mateo Black paced the defense with 12 tackles each.
NAMPA CHRISTIAN 20, WEST SIDE 8
Playing in their first state semifinal in 10 seasons, the Trojans upended the two-time defending state champion Pirates at the ICCU Dome.
Nampa Christian (8-2) held West Side (8-2) to 200 yards while producing 312 of its own to advance to the 3A state championship against Ririe.
The Trojans did the majority of their damage through the air as quarterback Pete Dice completed 13-of-18 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Dylan O’Brian caught four passes for 59 yards and a pair of TDs, and Ben Knudson racked up 120 receiving yards and a touchdown on three receptions.
O’Brian, Knudson and Philip VanGilde all grabbed an interception on defense.
This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 6:38 PM.
