Prep football recap: Riding their ‘machine,’ Vallivue outlasts Emmett; Timberline, Kuna win

Onix Carson spent the summer lifting weights twice a day and eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to beef up for the 2024 football season.

Hand that kid another PB&J coach. He’s earned it.

The Vallivue junior running back amassed 220 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries to ensure the Falcons an 18-14 victory over Emmett on Friday at Vallivue High School in Caldwell.

Carson averaged 8.8 yards per carry, surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark for the third straight game and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 13 seconds left.

“I call him Optimus Prime, because he’s just a machine,” Vallivue coach Shea McClellin said. “He’s an alien not from this planet. He runs extremely hard. I feel bad for teams that have to tackle and have to go against him, because he runs so hard with the ball. He’s just a machine. He does it all for us.”

In a tight game between teams fighting for the top spot in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference, the Falcons (3-1, 2-0) got the ball back with 2:42 left in the fourth quarter facing a 14-12 deficit.

Vallivue passed on its first play of the drive — from its own 12-yard line — but turned to its ground game the rest of the way.

On first-and-goal from the Emmett 8-yard-line after a timeout, Carson powered his way to the 1. The Falcons called his number once again on the ensuing play, and this time Carson took a dive over an Emmett defender and landed in the end zone for the game-winning score.

“I had to get it in, so I did whatever I could,” Carson said. “I saw the inside was plugged and bounced outside.”

The win puts Vallivue in a tie with defending state champion Bishop Kelly (4-1, 2-0) for first place in the 5A SIC and also matches the Falcons’ win total from all of last season.

“I’m just so happy for our guys and the way that they fought,” McClellin said. “They’re totally buying into what we want as coaches — to be a physical, tough, all-around team. They’re playing for each other.”

The Falcons got on the scoreboard first Friday night on an 8-yard pass from senior quarterback Isaac Moore to senior receiver Briggs Marler. But the Huskies (4-2, 2-1) looked poised to spoil Vallivue’s homecoming, scoring on senior Sammy Howe’s 3-yard run in the second quarter, then getting a 26-yard TD run from junior Lincoln Thayn to go up 14-6 with 3:03 to play in the third quarter.

Taking advantage of a 45-yard run from Carson to the Emmett 25-yard line to start their next drive, the Falcons turned to a little trickery.

The play — known as “Duck” — was a reverse flea flicker in which Moore handed off to Carson, who reversed it to Marler, who then flipped it back to Moore. Moore tossed the football 26 yards to senior Mason Enochson in the end zone for the touchdown.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to take risks, and I’m not afraid to take risks,” McClellin said. “It’s kind of that go-big-or-go-home mentality. I’m willing to risk it for the biscuit.”

Emmett took more than 7 minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter on a 14-play drive that ended when the Vallivue defense made a key stop on fourth-and-5 from the 14-yard line, setting up the Falcons’ game-winning drive.

“We did it for our teammates,” said Vallivue linebacker Jayden Cagle, who grabbed a fourth-quarter interception. “We did it for the team. We did it for each and every one of us. The brother next to us.”

Moore completed 9-of-14 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns, and senior receiver Austin Belnap had a team-best five receptions for 51 yards to help balance Carson’s big night.

Thayn paced Emmett with 111 yards on 15 carries, while quarterback Ryder Scheibe was 6-for-12 for 64 yards.

[Related: Borah takes down Boise on Thursday | Middleton tops Meridian in OT]

TIMBERLINE 21, CAPITAL 0

The Wolves ended a 21-game losing streak to the Eagles dating back to 2003.

Brody Engroff and Hudson Lewis each scored rushing touchdown for the Wolves (4-1, 2-0), who beat Capital (0-5, 0-2) for just the second time in program history.

Timberline quarterback Jack Brant completed 16-of-26 passes for 137 yards, including a 16-yard TD pass to Shelby Idol in the third quarter. Brant also rushed for 44 yards on seven carries. Idol finished with six receptions for 74 yards.

Capital quarterback Brayden Dudley accounted for 126 passing yards as the Eagles were held to 179 yards of total offense.

EAGLE 52, MOUNTAIN VIEW 14

The No. 3-ranked Mustangs (4-1, 2-0 6A SIC River) jumped out to a 52-0 lead after three quarters, triggering the running-clock mercy rule to roll to their third straight win.

Quarterback Austin Ramsey finished 13-for-17 for 155 yards and four touchdowns. Gavin Crawford (five catches, 83 yards) and Treyson Anderson (two catches, 22 yards) both hauled in a pair of touchdown catches. And Aaron Zrno and Roman Walker each returned interceptions for touchdowns in the blowout victory.

Mountain View (1-4, 0-2) scored its only points on Jacob Allen’s 3-yard touchdown run and Ike Mooney’s fumble return in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks lost their fourth straight game for the first time since 2004.

KUNA 14, OWYHEE 3

The Kavemen pushed their win streak to three straight games with a second-half comeback.

The Storm (3-2, 0-2) led 3-0 at halftime, but Kuna (3-2, 2-0) got touchdown runs from Cameron Hickman and quarterback Lino Senio to rally in the second half.

Stats were not provided.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN 56, CENTENNIAL 10

The No. 1-ranked Grizzlies remained undefeated with another lopsided win.

Rocky Mountain (5-0, 2-0) led 35-0 at halftime as quarterback Austin Rovig and receiver Jeff Thompson teamed up for two touchdowns, and running back Taeshawn Reece had two touchdowns and 96 yards on the ground.

Jordan Kafari extended the Grizzlies’ advantage with two rushing TDs in the second half and 102 yards on 10 carries.

Zane Hiedamin scored for the Patriots (0-5, 0-2) on a 28-yard run at the start of the second half.

NAMPA 31, SKYVIEW 28

Makai Venegas made a 39-yard field goal as time expired to send the Bulldogs to a win over the Hawks.

Skyview tied the game at 28-all on a 53-yard run from Mason Krahn with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter. Krahn totaled 147 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries to lead the Hawks (0-5, 0-3).

Ryker Good (23-104) and Kartez Hernandez (12-109) each surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark for the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1). Venegas also caught a 34-yard TD pass in the third quarter.

BISHOP KELLY 54, COLUMBIA 0

The No. 1-ranked Knights (4-1, 2-0 5A SIC) rolled to their second straight shutout, building a 51-0 lead at halftime and holding the Wildcats to five first downs and 99 yards of offense.

Bishop Kelly quarterback Ben Avella finished 7-for-7 for 202 yards and four touchdowns — all four in the first quarter. Dom Wolthius caught three of those scores, ending his night with four catches for 109 yards and three TDs.

Stats for Columbia (3-2, 1-2) were not reported.

HOMEDALE 59, PAYETTE 7

Quarterback Xavier Uranga didn’t pass often. But when he did, it was dangerous.

Uranga was a perfect 5-for-5 passing, including three touchdowns, for 85 yards in the Trojans’ rout of Payette. Luke Henry added 95 yards and three touchdowns on just three carries, and Nick Schlenker, William Dunne and Kade Hall also scored rushing TDs for Homedale (5-0, 1-0 4A SRV).

Payette (3-2, 0-1) scored it only touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Darrien Pecunia to Jahzyon Sylva.

FRUITLAND 61, COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN 13

Sophomore quarterback Titus Vidlak led the No. 2-ranked Grizzlies (5-0, 1-0) to a convincing win in their 4A SRV opener, racking up 311 total yards and six touchdowns.

Vidlak went 20-for-25 for 242 yards and five touchdowns through the air, and he added 69 yards and another score on seven carries.

Coye Coffman received plenty of work from Vidlak, turning seven catches into 70 yards and three touchdowns. He also returned a punt for a score.

Stats for Cole Valley Christian (1-4, 0-1) were not reported.

WEISER 27, MCCALL-DONNELLY 21

The Wolverines opened 4A Snake River Valley play with a victory over the Vandals.

With the game tied at 21-all in the fourth quarter, Weiser quarterback Kolin Cook threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Xander Gray for the win. Cook completed 6-of-13 through the air for 86 yards and three touchdowns, and Kash Cobb led the Wolverines (3-2, 1-0) on the ground with 157 yards and a TD.

Stats were not provided for McCall (4-1, 0-1).

NAMPA CHRISTIAN 20, MELBA 14

The Trojans did all their damage in the first half and held on for the win in the 3A Western Idaho Conference opener for both teams.

Quarterback Pete Dice threw for 178 yards and a touchdown for Nampa Christian (2-3, 1-0), and Ian Johnson added 29 rushing yards and a TD.

Stats were not provided for Melba (1-4, 0-1).

RIMROCK 64, NOTUS 46

Ronaldo Gomez recorded a night for the ages, racking up 613 yards of offense and nine total touchdowns to snap Notus’ 14-game conference winning streak.

Gomez ran for 420 yards and five touchdowns on 22 carries. He went 10-for-14 through the air for 193 yards and four touchdowns. And he made 14 tackles and added a sack on defense.

Adrian Farfan stood as the top receiver for Rimrock (3-2, 1-0 2A WIC), hauling in five catches for 84 yards and a TD. Kas Bachman also had four catches for 82 yards and two TDs.

Stats for Notus (1-4, 1-1) were not reported.