Rigby QB Flowers facing history as Trojans take on rival Highland

RIGBY – Cue dramatic music.

Jake Flowers has been training for this his whole life.

The junior quarterback at Rigby faces his biggest challenge (so far) when the Trojans head to Pocatello on Friday to play nemesis and conference rival Highland in the EastIdahoNews.com Game of the Week.

Dramatic music fades.

Yes, it’s the biggest game of the season in the 6A District 5-6 conference between two state powers who have combined for six state titles since 2014, with Friday’s winner likely securing a playoff berth and becoming the frontrunner for another title run.

That should be enough to create some drama.

But, since everybody likes to hype on quarterbacks, Flowers will likely be under the spotlight when the Rams and Trojans face off.

Flowers says he’s ready. He says he’s confident. He says Highland is a good team, but he’s not falling for the drama.

“For me, as a quarterback, you can’t have too high emotions,” he said. “I feel our team does a good job staying focused on the task. The task right now is to win a football game.”

It’s the first conference game for Rigby (4-1), while defending state champion Highland (6-0, 1-0) already has a conference win against Thunder Ridge.

Flowers comes from a football family. His father was a standout quarterback at Cal State Northridge in the ’90s and is now a Trojan assistant, having been friends with head coach Armando Gonzalez for years.

Luke Flowers, Jake’s older brother by two years, was starting quarterback for the Trojans for two seasons and led Rigby to a state title as a junior in 2022. He is now at the University of Montana.

That’s the kind of family history that could prove overwhelming to some players, especially a quarterback in his first varsity season playing on a team that is a perennial state power.

Drama? How about expectations for someone who’s been waiting for his chance to shine and, fairly or not, could be judged by his brother’s or even his father’s success on the field?

“I feel like I have high expectations for myself more than anyone,” Jake Flowers said. “That is what really pushes me. … I hold myself to that standard”

Flowers, who also grew up playing baseball before souring on the sport, said he eventually gravitated toward football for the obvious non-family reasons.

“Sometimes I like getting hit,” he said with a smile. “I like the adrenaline rush.”

Adrenaline may have been a hindrance in the Trojans’ season opener at previous No. 1 Coeur d’Alene, where they lost 24-14.

Rigby has won four games since, and Flowers said he’s more comfortable in the system after that first start.

“I was emotional on the sideline because it was my first start,” Flowers said. “I wasn’t mentally ready to play that football game, but I think as the season’s gone on I’m beginning to understand what it takes.”

Through five games, Flowers has completed nearly 80% of his passes for 1,114 yards and 10 touchdowns with four interceptions, three coming in the loss to the Vikings.

He hasn’t had to carry the load as running backs Jerzey Duenes and Amani Morel have combined for nearly 800 yards on the ground, and 15 touchdowns. Flowers has also contributed, running for 229 yards and a score. Six different receivers have at least nine catches, led by Owen Golding with 20 catches for 395 yards and four scores.

Gonzalez doesn’t dabble in drama, expectations or family history. One key to Rigby’s success has been a recent string of championship-winning quarterbacks, including Keegan Thompson, Tiger Adolpho and the elder Flowers.

Each developed into elite players by their senior year. With Jake Flowers just a junior, the education continues.

“As an underclassman, we say, in a sense, just be robotic,” Gonzalez said. “You do as we tell you. Every time. … Then as you gain the experience you have more ability to freelance and not be so robotic. We want them to really get comfortable in their role and their responsibility and their techniques. Then they can react in a certain way based on the situation.”

Flowers admits it’s a learning process and he feels he’s improving every game.

Coaches, including Gonzalez, like to preach about taking one game at a time and not looking forward or behind. And while he won’t admit it, Rigby vs. Highland is, at least figuratively, circled on the calendar every year.

The Rams have won the last two regular-season meetings. Before that, Rigby beat Highland in the 2021 state title game.

“We know what’s at stake,” Flowers said.

Spoken like a true Rigby quarterback.