Sugar-Salem crushes Snake River to earn rematch with Kimberly; Rockland bounced by Tri-Valley

POCATELLO — Sugar-Salem’s offense played as advertised Friday night at Idaho State University’s ICCU Dome. The state’s top 4A offense moved the ball up and down the field freely against a normally stingy Snake River defense.

The quarterfinal showdown ended in a nearly identical fashion to the two teams’ early-season matchup — which the Diggers won, 41-6, at Snake River.

With a 49-7 victory, Sugar-Salem advanced to the semifinals of the 4A State Football Championships.

Head coach Tyler Richins said he was especially happy with his team’s performance given its extended rest. The Diggers have played just once since an Oct. 11 victory at South Fremont.

“Our kids were itching to get back out onto the field, and there’s no better time for football than in November,” the coach said. “The kids played hard, executed well and did a great job.”

Sugar-Salem got on the board to finish it first possession, marching 80 yards in 5-1/2 minutes to take a 7-0 lead out of the gate on a 16-yard touchdown run from senior wide receiver Kooper Mace.

The Diggers scored again on their second possession, when senior quarterback Jackson Gardner hit junior wideout Ace Clark for a 38-yard catch and run and a 14-0 lead.

Snake River did its best defensively to stay in the game, intercepting a Gardner pass then forcing a three-and-out on the next two Digger possessions.

But the Panther offense had its own issues, gaining just 38 yards combined on its first four possessions.

Those issues would not subside until late in the game, when Snake River scored a touchdown with 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, on a 24-yard pass from quarterback Rylan Ibarra to wide receiver Johnny Walker, to prevent the shutout defeat.

Prior to that final drive, which spanned 79 yards, the Panthers had gained just 43 yards.

“Our defense is stout, they’re well-educated,” Richins said. “It helps having played (Snake River) once already this year, kinda knowing what to expect. The performance on defense is a great tribute to the preparation and things we did throughout the week.”

Offensively, the duo of Gardner and Mace was joined by running back Dawson McInelly, another senior.

Gardner finished the night completing eight of 16 pass attempts for 133 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He added another seven yards on his lone run.

Mace chipped in 68 yards on eight carries and three yards on his only catch, while McInelly was the workhorse, getting 16 carries for 80 yards.

Working with a big lead, Sugar-Salem let off the gas a bit in third quarter — after attempting and recovering an onside kick to begin the second half. Three quarterbacks took snaps for the one-seed, and four backup running backs were used down the stretch.

The trio of seniors did the heavy lifting early on, which is something their coach has grown to expect from Gardner, Mace and McInelly.

“That’s what you expect out of your seniors, the leaders on your team, the athletic guys, guys who put in all the time and work preparing,” Richins said. … “Those kids are dynamic players.”

He went on to explain how his offensive staff adds to its offensive gameplan weekly, but does not always use or properly execute the special packages.

“But when we get the opportunity to perform them in games, it’s just exciting that we’re able to make those connections and showcase these kids’ talents and abilities,” Richins concluded.

By virtue of their win, the Diggers advance to the semifinals where they will host the Kimberly. Richins had high praise for the Bulldogs.

“They’re just a great team,” he said. “They’re big; they’re physical; they’re athletic; they’re well-coached.”

Sugar-Salem faced Kimberly once already this season, suffering a 17-14 homecoming loss on Sept. 20. Richins said his team has been clamoring for a rematch.

“We are excited to play them again,” he said. “We’ve been really hoping we’d get another opportunity at them — there’s not going to be any problem getting our kids excited for that game.”

Rockland’s season comes to an end on a 42-6 thrashing

Before Sugar-Salem and Snake River took the ICCU Dome field, the Bulldogs and Tri-Valley Titans treated those in attendance to some eight-man football.

Neither team had any trouble moving the ball in the first half. The difference was, Tri-Valley finished its drives with touchdowns while Rockland ended theirs with turnovers.

In the first half alone, the Bulldogs threw four interceptions — three of which were taken away in the endzone. The result was a 34-6 halftime lead for the visitors.

Both defenses stiffened up in the second half — particularly in the takeaway category. At one point, three consecutive possessions, and five out of six, ended on turnovers — one being a turnover on downs.

Rockland quarterback, sophomore Xavier Parrish, was responsible for three of his team’s seven turnovers — four interceptions and three fumbles. His opposite number was plenty responsible for the dismantling of the Bulldogs’ season.

Tri-Valley quarterback, junior Jace Waggoner, completed two of this three pass attempts, for 16 yards. But he was unstoppable on the ground, carrying the ball 18 times and covering 235 yards with two scores — including an 80-yard touchdown sprint in the second quarter.

He did just as much on defense — playing cornerback — recovering two fumbles and intercepting two passes, one of which he returned 100 yards for a touchdown.

Parrish was the only Bulldog to find the endzone, scoring on a six-yard run in the second quarter. But his team could never put together a successful possession, much less a challenge, falling 42-6.

Tri-Valley moves into the semifinals of the 1A state tournament, where they will face Dietrich, who beat Cascade, 72-12, Friday.