Prep football: Rigby closes Rumble with win behind junior QB Jake Flowers
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POCATELLO — The Rigby Trojans avoided the turnover bug that plagued them last week, riding the hot hand of junior quarterback Jake Flowers to a 48-27 victory over Wasatch (Ut) at the Rocky Mountain Rumble Saturday.
Rigby (1-1) earned its first win of 2024, led by Flowers, who completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 250 yards and two scores, and added another 52 yards on the ground.
The key though, was the Trojan’s ability to maintain possession, avoiding the turnovers that led to a 24-14 loss at Coeur d’Alene last week.
Head coach Armando Gonzalez learned a lot about his team over the last eight days.
“It was a long trip, so it was the mental stamina that I was worried about the most,” he said after Saturday’s win inside Idaho State University’s ICCU Dome. “But that’s what you have to do in the playoffs — that’s why we do those types of games, to get used to traveling.”
The points came early and often for the Trojans, who got a five-yard touchdown run from junior running back Amani Morel on their second possession.
They went up 14-0 one possession later when Flowers connected with junior wideout Owen Golding on a 59-yard catch and run.
And after blocking a Wasp extra point to maintain a 14-6 lead, Golding struck again on a 99-yard kick return touchdown.
Gonzalez said the receiver and track star is among the fastest players in the state and showed it off twice early Saturday.
Golding’s two explosive scores supported Flowers and Morel, who ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns — including a 58-yard sprint in the second half.
Gonzalez said that balance will be key to Rigby “really making a run” — especially with the absence of what he believes to be one of the best players in the state.
“It’s something that we have to be able to do,” he said, adding that senior receiver-corner Parker Graham was held out of the game last week and limited to defensive duties this week due to a nagging injury. “Just wait until you see him on offense. … When he comes in, we can be really dangerous.”
Despite the obvious improvements between Weeks 0 and 1, Gonzalez said that there is still some growth to be had.
Rigby did not turn the ball over, but they also forced only one turnover on defense. Improving on that is something Gonzalez said his coaching staff will emphasize going forward. He also said that there were some mistakes that led to shortened drives and points for Wasatch — who made it more competitive than it was with two late scores.
“Right now, the truth is, we’re an undisciplined football team that has a lot of talent,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve got to fix that, or we’re not going to go very far down the stretch.”
The good thing is, he continued, there is still time to make those improvements.
“Wherever we end up after these first five (games), it really doesn’t matter,” he said. “It really helps us prepare for Highland, Madison and Thunder Ridge, because those are the games we’ve got to win.”
Rigby is back in action next week, when they travel to Oregon for the Northwest Showdown, where they will face Moses Lake (Wa).