News Story - Idaho State Journal

krobinett@journalnet.com

POCATELLO -- More or less stunned by the way Minico trounced Colfax 28-6 in the first game of the Rocky Mountain Rumble on Saturday at Holt Arena, a reporter asked Falcons coach Tony Martello to explain how in the world his team was blown out.

Wasn't Colfax -- the mighty team from California that won 10 games last year -- supposed to be the one handing out a lopsided loss to Minico -- the 4A school from rural Idaho -- in this battle for state supremacy?

That's what most experts and fans predicted in the days leading up to the event. Maybe Martello didn't know that when he answered that reporter's question.

"They're a really, really good team," he said. "If you make as many mistakes as we did against a team like that, you're not going to be very successful."

Following the first Rocky Mountain Rumble, high school football coaches and players from Idaho were happy to hear comments like that. For many years now, Idaho has been looked down upon as one of the lesser football states, but on Saturday teams from the Gem state went 2-2 against teams from California -- one of the most respected football states -- and won a little respect.

After Minico pummeled Colfax, Lake City won a thriller against Del Oro 34-33 and Highland played Grant Union tough in a 34-21 loss. Other than the 48-0 waxing Whitney gave an undermanned Idaho Falls squad, the results couldn't have been much better for Idaho high school football.

"For the state of Idaho, this is so important," Lake City coach Van Troxel said. "We're overlooked every year, but we can play football, too. We might not be quite as strong or fast as some of the western states, but we can play solid football. We've shown that."

Highland quarterback Taysom Hill, who said Grant Union was the most physical team his Rams will play against this season, thought the same thing.

"I think we opened some eyes," he said. "To come out here and compete at this level is good for the state of Idaho. Competing is what it's all about, and I think we represented well."

Repeat? We can only hope

High school football fans will dance out of Holt Arena if the doubleheader played there on Friday is anything like the games that took place between the four teams the last time they played.

In the first game is Twin Falls vs. Century. The schools took a year off in their home-and-home series, but who could forget the wild game they played two years ago?

At Twin Falls, Century trailed by two touchdowns late in the fourth quarter but sent the game to overtime by scoring two quick touchdowns in the final three minutes of regulation.

Then Jordan Craney, now a safety at Montana State, gave the Diamondbacks an electrifying win with a quarterback sneak in overtime.

In the second game is Blackfoot vs. Pocatello. Those two schools met last year in the semifinals of the 4A state playoffs and played an extraordinary game with Blackfoot winning on a last-second touchdown pass from Chase Monson to Josh Hill.

The Broncos went on to win the state title the next week, but most believed Pocatello would have done the same if not for that final play.

Will Friday's match-ups at Holt Arena be equally exciting? One can only hope.

Qualls who?

It doesn't appear as though the American Falls football team is missing K.C. Qualls as badly as some originally thought.

Through three games the Beavers are 2-1 and have a new workhorse running back in Paden Johnson.

Last week he rushed for a whopping 189 yards against Filer. On the season he has piled up 388 yards on the ground.

Lammers looks good

There's a reason Century football players and coaches weren't totally displeased with allowing Jerome to score 36 points last Friday: Tigers' senior quarterback Jake Lammers is one of the best quarterbacks in the state.

Through three games he has guided Jerome to an average of 45 points.

Recruiting Web site scout.com ranks him as one of the top three quarterbacks in Idaho, and he has been contacted by several Division I regional schools already. So far, though, he has received no scholarship offers.

By Kellis Robinett

This document was originally published online on Wednesday, September 17, 2008

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