GAMES OF THE WEEK
NO. 4 EAGLE 21, NO. 18 MOUNTAIN VIEW 14
Senior running back Noah Burnham proved why he's the 6A classification's rushing leader Friday night, breaking open a defensive struggle with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lift the Mustangs (5-0, 2-0 Southern Idaho Conference River Division) past the Mavericks (2-3, 1-1) in a conference clash.
The two teams were deadlocked at 7-7 entering the final quarter before Burnham took over. The senior back broke the tie with a spectacular 48-yard touchdown reception, leaving his defender on the turf as he raced to the end zone with 10:34 remaining.
Burnham wasn't finished.
With Eagle clinging to a 14-7 lead, he punched in a 13-yard scoring run with 2:04 left to effectively seal the victory. The performance gave him 101 rushing yards on 21 carries and four catches for 67 yards, pushing his season rushing total past 650 yards.
Eagle's defense came up clutch when needed, generating two crucial fourth-quarter interceptions. Senior Zayah Wright picked off Mountain View's first drive of the quarter, while Colin Duarte returned his interception 47 yards to set up Burnham's clinching touchdown.
The game was a defensive chess match through three quarters, with both teams managing just two possessions each in the first half that ended 7-7. Eagle got on the board first when quarterback Austin Ramsey found tight end Landon Bult for a 3-yard touchdown, while Mountain View answered with Henry Nelson's 21-yard scoring strike to Tyler Weaver.
Mountain View made things interesting late, scoring on Nelson's 5-yard run with 58 seconds left, but Eagle recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve its fourth straight victory over the Mavericks.
Ramsey finished 20-of-29 for 166 yards and two touchdowns for the unbeaten Mustangs, who extended their winning streak over Mountain View to four games.
NO. 24 COEUR D'ALENE 50, NO. 15 SANDPOINT 9
Caden Symons put on a dual-threat clinic Friday night, throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns while also hauling in one of his own as the Vikings (3-2) demolished the Bulldogs on homecoming night at Viking Field.
Coeur d'Alene, which is now on a three-game winning streak, has now won nine straight games over Sandpoint thanks to explosive plays and a suffocating defense.
The Vikings got off to a perfect start when the Bulldogs muffed the opening kickoff, giving them the ball at the Bulldogs' 17-yard line. Two plays later, junior quarterback Tannar Stern found Symons in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
From there, Symons took over under center, completing 11-of-13 passes with pinpoint accuracy. His favorite target was junior Gibson Comstock, who torched the Sandpoint secondary for four catches and 166 yards, including scoring strikes of 68 and 55 yards in the first half.
The loss was a reality check for Sandpoint (5-1), which had been riding high entering the contest. The Bulldogs managed just 217 total yards against a Vikings defense that forced multiple turnovers, including a leaping interception by Riley Frazier.
Coeur d'Alene's balanced attack featured contributions from multiple players, with Ty Paulin adding both a rushing and receiving touchdown. The Vikings scored on five of their first six possessions in the first half to turn the game into a rout early.
NO. 1 BISHOP KELLY 22, COLUMBIA 20
The top-ranked Knights survived a late scare Friday night, holding off a furious Wildcat rally to escape with a victory that kept their perfect season intact.
Bishop Kelly (5-0, 2-0 5A SIC) appeared to be cruising after building a commanding 22-7 lead entering the fourth quarter, but Columbia had other ideas. The Wildcats stormed back with a pair of late touchdowns to make things interesting before Bishop Kelly managed to hang on for the narrow victory.
Quarterback Ben Avella was the catalyst for Bishop Kelly's balanced attack, showcasing his dual-threat ability with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown to go with 168 passing yards and another score through the air. Ryan Arellano added a rushing touchdown for the Knights, while Dom Wolthuis hauled in a 16-yard scoring strike and finished with two catches for 30 yards.
Columbia (3-2, 1-2) nearly pulled off the upset behind quarterback Easton Zickgraf, who accounted for both Wildcat touchdowns with one rushing and one passing score. Zickgraf was responsible for 224 of Columbia's 285 total yards in the comeback attempt that fell just short.
TOP PERFORMERS
- Javid Blewett, Homedale - 2 rushing TDs, 1 interception, 1 blocked punt returned for TD (all in first quarter)
- Jack Brant, QB, Timberline - 18-of-35, 356 passing yards, 4 passing TDs, 2 rushing TDs
- Noah Burnham, RB, Eagle - 21 carries, 101 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD; 4 catches, 67 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
- Zak Grigg, QB, American Falls - 5 total TDs (3 rushing, 2 passing), including rushing TDs of 40 and 98 yards
- Kartez Hernandez, RB, Nampa - 27 carries, 210 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs
- Maddox Kirkland, QB, Kendrick - 215 passing yards, 4 passing TDs; 1 rushing TD
- Hudson Lewis, WR, Timberline - 7 touches, 221 total yards, 4 TDs
- Zachary Permann, RB, Rockland - 219 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
- Drake Sage, RB, West Side - 203 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
- Caden Symons, QB, Coeur d'Alene - 11-of-13, 355 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 receiving TD
SCOREBOARD
- NO. 2 ROCKY MOUNTAIN (5-0) 41, CENTENNIAL (0-7) 7
- NO. 5 HILLCREST (5-0) 44, SHELLEY (0-5) 20
- NO. 6 SKYLINE (4-1) 55, IDAHO FALLS (0-5) 13
- NO. 7 TIMBERLINE (5-0) 50, NO. 23 CAPITAL (2-3) 19
- NO. 8 KENDRICK (5-0) 90, LAPWAI (0-6) 0
- NO. 9 LAKELAND (6-0) 49, MOSCOW (4-2) 0
- NO. 11 HOMEDALE (5-0) 48, PAYETTE (3-2) 0
- NO. 12 FRUITLAND (5-0) 51, COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN (2-2) 20
- NO. 13 MADISON (4-2) 44, THUNDER RIDGE (2-3) 14
- NO. 14 HIGHLAND (5-1) 32, POCATELLO (1-4) 7
- NO. 16 OWYHEE (5-0) 16, KUNA (1-4) 14
- MERIDIAN (1-4) 21, NO. 17 MIDDLETON (3-2) 20
- NO. 19 CAREY (5-0) 44, HANSEN (3-1) 14
- NO. 21 WEST SIDE (3-1) 20, DECLO (3-3) 8
- NO. 24 BLACKFOOT (3-2) 40, BONNEVILLE (1-4) 22
- NO. 25 TWIN FALLS (4-1) 40, MOUNTAIN (0-5) 0