Rigby’s home opener a rout of Bishop Kelly and another defensive gem
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RIGBY – Judging by the numbers, it looks like Rigby’s offense is doing just fine, thank you.
The Trojans defeated Bishop Kelly, 42-7, Friday night and have averaged nearly 46 points during a three-game win streak.
It was another stellar performance from quarterback Jake Flowers, who tossed three touchdown passes and finished 19-of-22 for 288 yards. Jerzey Duenes ran for two scores and Amani Morel added another.
It’s the kind of balanced production that has made the Trojans a powerhouse.
But take a deeper look and that old adage about defense winning championships could eventually ring true for Rigby.
Bishop Kelly (2-1) was held to 56 total yards in the first half and punted on all five possessions as the Trojans (3-1) took a 21-0 lead. Things didn’t get much better for the Knights in the second half as the Trojans upped their lead to 42-0.
“We didn’t play our best at Coeur d’Alene,” Rigby coach Armando Gonzalez said of the team’s season-opening loss. “Since then, all the way around, we’ve been improving each week. Everybody sees the offensive firepower, and we have a lot of offensive weapons for sure, but the defense has a chance to be special.”
The defense all but shut down the Knights running game and held the passing attack to just 55 yards before both teams cleared their benches in the fourth quarter.
With a running clock, Bishop Kelly finally broke through late in the fourth quarter as Jaxon Brady hit Kade Noll for a 35-yard score with 1:33 remaining to avoid the shutout.
It was the home opener for Rigby, which will play just two home regular-season games this season. The second is Oct. 11 when the Trojans host rival Madison in a game that will have playoff implications.
Gonzalez hasn’t missed the chance to turn the Trojans’ road-heavy schedule into a rallying cry.
“We’re the road warriors, man,” he said. “We’re going to take this show on the road. We want to be the most dominant program in east Idaho consistently, and in order to do that we have to be able to play well on the road. That’s just who we are this year.”
Rigby will play at West (UT) in Salt Lake City next Friday.