Prep football recap: Rocky Mtn makes statement. Timberline, BK rally for late wins

Rocky Mountain wasted little time Friday delivering a message on the state of Idaho high school football.

The Grizzlies clobbered Chiawana, Washington, 42-8, triggering the running clock mercy rule to start the fourth quarter in the opener of the Northwest Showdown, a four-game event that pits Idaho’s 6A powerhouses against challengers from Washington and Oregon.

Senior quarterback Austin Rovig delivered another monster performance, finishing the night 16-for-20 for 379 yards and three TDs despite throwing just a single pass in the second half. He also ran for 17 yards and another score.

“He’s kind of like the totem pole, what we work off of,” Rocky Mountain senior receiver Kade Benedick said. “He’s the main dude, and everybody just builds off of that and works off of that.”

The No. 2-ranked Grizzlies (2-0) rotated through a host of quarterbacks last season, playing as many as five in a single game. But Rovig transferred from Timberline to Rocky Mountain in February, snatched the starting job in fall camp and didn’t just solidify the position, but brought an explosive element.

“We told all the quarterbacks we were gonna let it run right up to the first couple weeks of practice, and he was so good in the first week that there was no question,” Rocky Mountain coach Scott Criner said. “It’s just how he controls himself, and how he acts on the field.”

He said the Grizzlies welcomed him with open arms after he moved. That bred a chemistry that has Rocky Mountain averaging 47.5 points through two weeks.

Rovig also threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns in a season-opening win over Kuna last week, leaving him with 710 passing yards and seven touchdowns in his first two starts at Rocky Mountain.

“From my first day, they were taking me in, treating me like family,” Rovig said. “It truly means the world.”

A host of weapons surrounds him at Rocky Mountain, helping pad some of those numbers Friday. Benedick and Jeff Thompson shredded the Chiawana secondary at will, often running free down the field and turning quick slants into long gains.

Benedick finished with six catches for 182 yards and two TDs, and Thompson hauled in five catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.

A tight first quarter gave way to a blowout in the second quarter as Rocky Mountain scored touchdowns on five straight possessions. That included a pair of one-play drives when Rovig hit Thompson for a 19-yard touchdown after a turnover, and a 51-yard TD to Benedick on his first and only throw of the second half.

Chiawana entered as no pushover, winning at least a share of its league title five of the past six seasons. But the Riverhawks (0-1) finished the night with only a late touchdown and 186 total yards, including 128 in the second half as the Grizzlies rotated in their backups.

“Our defense, they’re shutting people down other than drives at the end of games,” Criner said. “Our defensive front showed up today. That’s a good offensive line.”

BORAH 35, VALLIVUE 14

The Lions jumped out to a 28-0 lead through three quarters for a nonconference win at Dona Larsen Park.

Borah (1-1) quarterback Dylan Luekenga went 18-for-29 for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Mason Monteleone made seven grabs for 87 yards and two TDs, and Calvin Hart made four catches for 142 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Colston Poste also returned a blocked punt 32 yards for a score for the Lions.

Vallivue (0-1) quarterback Isaac Moore threw fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Mason Enochson and Austin Belnap, finishing the night 22-for-42 for 237 yards.

TIMBERLINE 31, KUNA 21

Hagen Clint kicked a 25-yard field goal with 4:16 left to give the Wolves the lead, then Evan Paschke returned a botched punt snap 15 yards for six points to ice the road win for Timberline.

The Wolves started the game in a 14-0 hole. But Jack Brandt threw two touchdowns to Hudson Lewis, and he ran for another score to lead the comeback.

The win makes the Wolves a surprising 2-0 after going 1-17 the past two seasons.

OWYHEE 21, CAPITAL 14

Nate Keith hit Cody Freed for a 10-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give the Storm their first lead of the night, and Owyhee’s defense made a stop inside its own 20-yard line as time expired to preserve the win at Dona Larsen Park.

Keith led Owyhee (2-0) by completing 14-of-20 passes for 125 yards and two TDs, and he added 42 yards on the ground. Cade Walker ran for 67 yards and a touchdown, and Asher Baudet ran for 63 yards on 10 carries as the Storm finished with 172 rushing yards.

Owyhee’s defense also forced three turnovers while the Storm committed none of their own.

Marcellus Clay ran for 114 yards and a touchdown at the head of the Capital (0-2) attack. Quarterback Braden Dudley also went 11-for-22 for 148 yards and a touchdown.

MADISON 28, MIDDLETON 21

The Bobcats (3-0) scored 14 unanswered points and pitched a second-half shutout to rally for a victory at home.

Jake Perez led Middleton (1-1) with 97 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Quarterback Brockton Smith went 14-for-21 for 163 yards, and Colton Severa hauled in five passes for 54 yards.

RIGBY 47, MOSES LAKE 12

The Trojans (2-1) triggered the running-clock mercy rule by scoring touchdowns on seven of nine drives as Idaho teams swept the Friday matchups in the Northwest Showdown. The only two drives Rigby did not score on came at the end of the first and second halves.

Individual stats were not available.

BISHOP KELLY 20, MINICO 8

The Knights trailed 8-6 at halftime before rallying for a nonconference win at home.

Will Sachse blocked a punt and returned an interception for a touchdown to lead the comeback. Bishop Kelly (2-0) finished the night with four interceptions in total, including three in the second half.

The win capped an emotional week for Bishop Kelly after the death of Jack Parker, who spent 28 years coaching with Knights.

Individual stats were not available.

EMMETT 42, BURLEY 35

Trailing by one point, quarterback Ryder Scheibe rolled to his left on fourth down and found a diving Haus Davis for a 30-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left to complete a wild comeback in a road win for the Huskies (2-1).

Stats were not reported.

MCCALL-DONNELLY 24, NAMPA CHRISTIAN 7

Colt Value turned 13 carries into 84 yards and two touchdowns, and he kicked a 21-yard field goal as the Vandals (2-0) won their home opener.

Peyton Esplin also ran for a game-high 123 yards and 20 carries as McCall-Donnelly gainied 251 of its 318 yards on the ground. The Vandals also held Nampa Christian (0-2) to 131 yards and forced three turnovers.

PAYETTE 55, OROFINO 0

The Pirates forced five turnovers and held Orofino to 193 total yards for a blowout victory on the road that made Payette 2-0 for the first time since 2012.

Quarterback Darien Pecunia ran for 142 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. He also went 10-for-15 for 102 yards and another touchdown through the air as he had a hand in 244 of the Pirates’ 343 offensive yards.

Anthony Fugate also caught three passes for 70 yards and two TDs, and Jahzyon Sylva ran for 30 yards and a score.

RIMROCK 49, HANSEN 14

Ronaldo Gomez led the Pirates (1-1) to their first win with seven total touchdowns. He ran for 199 yards and five touchdowns on 11 carries. He also threw for 50 yards and another score. And defensively, he made 14 tackles and returned an interception for six points.

Riley Gonzalez ran for an additional score, and Kas Bachman made three catches for all 50 of Gomez’s passing yards and a touchdown.

CASCADE 56, WILDER 28

Stuart Derrick found the end zone four times to lead the Ramblers (1-0) to a road win. No other details were reported.