It was another Fall trip to Eastern Idaho, and this time the weather wasn't so good. A cold front recently blew it and, when it's cool in Salt Lake, that means it's cold in Pocatello.
The Deseret News sent me to Poky to cover the Juan Diego at Highland (Idaho) game. Actually, I volunteered to do it. I enjoy Pocatello and, this time, I was able to bring my kids. I have two daughters. They don't enjoy football much, but they did enjoy staying in a hotel, walking around the Minidome (Holt Arena). Plus, since this game was played on a Thursday night, we incorporated it with a visit to Boise to celebrate my birthday and see relatives.
We drove up the day of the game, with an hour stop at Smith & Edwards in North Ogden. I hadn't been there in years, and the kids loved browsing. We also found a bunch of old things (candy mostly) that you can't find these days. It brought back a lot of memories.
Once we arrived in Pocatello, we checked in at the Holiday Inn and spent an hour in their indoor swimming pool. I wanted to go to my favorite restaurant - Buddy's - but we didn't have time. We saved it until after the game.
The game didn't go well ... at least for Juan Diego. Highland won 28-3, and looked good doing it. More bad news for the Soaring Eagle. They had three players who seemed to be hurt seriously (DL Dan Jimenez, RB Lars Gunderson and LB Bryson Pitcher). Afterward, JD coach John Colosimo said they could be out for the season. Playing this game could hurt the team's post-season chances in Utah.
Highland dominated the line of scrimmage, especially on defense. JD never got its running game going. The Soaring Eagle's biggest plays came when QB Cody Stevenson connected with Keegan Anderson on a flare pass out of the backfield. Anderson would go in motion, then Stevenson would hit him immediately on a laser throw as he turned upfield. Highland never stopped that play, but JD only ran it twice.
Stephenson also seemed to have trouble on snaps. JD only had a one or two fumbled snaps, but the snaps just didn't seem crisp, and Stephenson sometimes didn't get the ball cleanly. Perhaps they should snapped the ball from the shotgun formation? I don't know. I'm not a coach.
Highland's QB, Tanner Nielson, had a decent night throwing the football. The Rams use a ball control passing offense and JD had trouble stopping it. Thus, Highland controlled the time of possession and, in a 48-minute game, that also limited JD's possessions.
There were some highlights for the visiting team. Here's what I noticed:
* - The team traveled well. That is, there were a lot of JD fans, almost as many as the home team. I know it wasn't a pleasant trip back to SLC but they do support their team.
* - Lighting in domed stadiums is often not too good. I spoke to a JD photographer, and she pointed out that the lighting was great. Judging from her photos, which you can find at www.shootingstar.photoreflect.com, that was true. The people who operate this site shoot photos for Judge Memorial, Juan Diego, Westminster and more. It's awesome.
* - Juan Diego kicker Jaron Bentrude scored the team's only points - a 46-yard field goal. He boomed it, and it cleared the crossbar with plenty of room to spare. Afterward, I spoke to Bentrude on the sideline and he said, "I didn't hit it well." There were others on the sideline that said ISU (Idaho State) kickers can't do what Bentrude did. I hope that made him feel better.
* - I interviewed both coaches after the game. As you can guess, JD coach Colosimo was rather solemn. The loss didn't both him much, but the injuries did. And I don't think you can blame the artificial surface. Highland just beat up JD. The busiest person on JD's sideline were the trainers. There were a lot of delays because of the injuries. I don't recall Highland having too many injuries, though.
* - Highland coach Gino Mariana said his team went 3-1 against Utah schools this year, and wants to play more Utah teams next year. I guess his league will lose a team next season, which will mean he will need another non-league opponent. He would like to play Highland (Utah) again, Mountain Crest or Sky View. He figures Judge Memorial and Juan Diego won't want a rematch because Highland dominated them this year. I'm very familiar with Highland football. They have good talent, but playing here in the dome is a big home-field advantage for them.
* - Highland publishes its own game program. It's about 20 pages, black-and-white. It sells for $1. It's not a beautiful publication by any means, but it is put together by school's Advanced Journalism class. I found that interesting. It's the only school that I know that does that. Good for them.
Overall, I felt badly for Juan Diego. Nobody likes to see injuries, especially so many of them. It was a good experience for the team, though. When I played, road trips often brought the team closer together. This could hurt them (due to the injuries), or it could help. Only time will tell.
I did keep statistics from the game. Here they are:
Juan Diego 0 0 0 3 - 3
Highland 7 7 14 0 - 28
H - Kai Campbell 3 pass from Tanner Nielson (Paul Muzzo kick)
H - Tanner Nielson 1 run (Muzzo kick)
H - Kai Campbell 14 pass from Tanner Nielson (Muzzo kick)
H - Ean Filiaga 15 run (Muzzo kick)
JD - FG Jaron Bentrude 46
Team statistics
First downs - Juan Diego 11, Highland 20
Rushes-Yards - Juan Diego 30-80, Highland 30-100
Passing yards - Juan Diego 78, Highland 197
Passes - Juan Diego 5-11-2, Highland 20-29-0
Fumbles - Juan Diego 3-2, Highland 1-0
Penalties - Juan Diego 8-45, Highland 7-69
Punts - Juan Diego 2-34.0, Highland 2-42.0
Individual statistics
RUSHING - Juan Diego, Vea 13-73, Gunderson 6-13, Garn 3-9, Stevenson 8-(-15). Highland - Filiaga 6-34, Campbell 6-24, Gonzales 6-22, Castillo 3-9, Nielson 5-3, Rasmussen 1-(-4).
PASSING: Juan Diego, Stevenson 5-11-2-78. Highland, Nielson 20-29-0-197.
RECEIVING: Juan Diego, Bentrude 2-29, Anderson 2-25, Gunderson 1-24. Highland, Rasmussen 6-79, Castillo 5-49, Filiaga 3-24, Campbell 3-14, Schiess 2-27, Evans 1-4.
MISSED FIELD GOALS: None
* -
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Brighton Upsets Alta
The weather has started to change ... finally. Temperatures in the 90s are fine, but it's just not right for football season.
Here in mid-September, the first real cold front is coming and, while it was still warm on Friday evening, the rain has hit the mountains. It's just windy in the valley, but it won't be long before the rain hits here, too, and then the cooler weather arrives.
Rain is a sports writer's worst enemy. It means you can't take notes during the game, as long as you're on the football field. I spent the first half in the press box. In the second half, it was just windy. That's a sports writer's second-worst enemy because it blows your notebook pages. But at least it's better than rain.
Snow is OK. It adds to your story. Actually, though, a sports writer's worst enemy is deadline. But I've been in this business a long time, and can handle most deadline pressures.
Tonight's game is Alta at Brighton. The Bengals have a great home field, with the mountain in clear view. It's also homecoming here, and the stadium is packed. Alta brought a nice crowd to its sideline, but Brighton's side is overflowing. And everyone is dressed in orange or dark blue. On a sunny day, it makes for pretty pictures.
Speaking of pictures, I met a good friend on the sidelines. His name is Ted Cordingly. He is a professional photographer, and Brighton has hired him to shoot their games. His photos are great. I used a few of them in last year's Brighton football yearbook. He and I talked briefly during the game. He showed me a few of his shots from this game. As usual, they were great.
My good friend, Marty Renzhofer, was also there. Marty is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune. He and I go way back, when he was a sports writer in Pocatello, and I worked in Nampa. I used to enjoy covering sports events with Marty. He's an opinionated guy, and often gives too much opinion during games. Still, it's always a pleasure to cover a game with him. Marty's one of the best.
This was also a great game. Brighton won 21-10, handing Alta its first Region 4 loss. It also means Brighton is back. Bengals coach Ryan Bullett needed a "signature" win and he got it. This was probably the biggest victory in his coaching career.
Coach Bullett is a good guy. I don't know if he's a great coach. I'm not a good judge of that. But I'm glad to see him have success. Brighton has a good football tradition, and it's nice to see them win again. I covered last year's Brighton-Alta game at Alta, where the Hawks won 45-0.
Ricky Heimuli had a good game. He's a 6-4, 295-pound lineman and he was all over the field. The Brighton defense was awesome. Alta still moved the ball at times, but Brighton's defense made plays, and forced three turnovers. That was the killer.
On offense, Brighton has a little running back who moved in from Cedar City. His name is Sosake Takai. He rushed for over 100 yards, including along TD run that broke the game open.
QB Derek Newell can run, too. Newell is not a great passer, but when the running game is working, it makes him better. Newell is a junior, and he is only going to get better. He plays basketball, too. He has scholarship potential somewhere.
Alta was all about QB Jordan Brown. He threw it, he ran it. He was a one-man show. Alta also has great receivers, but I felt they were too one-dimensional. Alta needs to find someone who can break a game open ... besides Brown. The Hawks have a RB named Bryant Finnerty. He ran for 28 yards, but he has potential. He just didn't handle the ball enough.
Alta was behind the whole game, so Brown had to throw it. He threw 30 times. Alta lost the game because of turnovers and that it couldn't handle Brighton's physical play.
Overall, this was probably the best game I've seen this season. It was broadcast locally on the radio. I liked it because it was an upset, which doesn't happen much in Utah high school football. I was also glad to see Brighton get that win for coach Bullett.
Now there are four good teams in Region 4. Brighton still has to prove itself some more to make the 5A playoffs. Alta is still a "lock," but the Hawks have to show up to win.
Here are my game statistics:
Alta 0 10 0 0 - 10
Brighton 0 14 7 0 - 21
B - Sosaki Taki 45 run (Anthony Mares kick)
A - FG Vance Bingham 24
B - Stephen Robinson 57 pass from Derek Newell (Mares kick)
A - Zach Liston 35 pass from Jordan Brown (Bingham kick)
B - Andy Jones 8 run (Mares kick)
Team Statistics
First downs - Alta 16, Brighton 16
Rushes-Yards - Alta 26-80, Brighton 40-198
Passing Yards - Alta 317, Brighton 114
Passes - Alta 20-30-1, Brighton 5-13-0
Fumbles-Lost - Alta 2-2, Brighton 0-0
Penalties - Alta 9-95, Brighton 4-25
Punts - Alta 1-41, Brighton 40-30.8
Individual Statistics
RUSHING - Alta, Finnerty 8-28, Brown 12-25, Eyring 3-18, Jefferson 2-2, Liston 1-7. Brighton, Takai 29-160, Newell 10-30, Jones 1-8.
PASSING - Alta, Brown 20-30-1-317. Brighton, Newell 5-12-0-114, Jones 0-1-0.
RECEIVING - Alta, Morris 6-123, Mayne 5-78, Liston 4-58, Finnerty 2-17, Jefferson 1-13, Brady 1-11, Richards 1-4. Brighton, Robinson 1-64, Felix 3-43, Chaus 1-7.
Here in mid-September, the first real cold front is coming and, while it was still warm on Friday evening, the rain has hit the mountains. It's just windy in the valley, but it won't be long before the rain hits here, too, and then the cooler weather arrives.
Rain is a sports writer's worst enemy. It means you can't take notes during the game, as long as you're on the football field. I spent the first half in the press box. In the second half, it was just windy. That's a sports writer's second-worst enemy because it blows your notebook pages. But at least it's better than rain.
Snow is OK. It adds to your story. Actually, though, a sports writer's worst enemy is deadline. But I've been in this business a long time, and can handle most deadline pressures.
Tonight's game is Alta at Brighton. The Bengals have a great home field, with the mountain in clear view. It's also homecoming here, and the stadium is packed. Alta brought a nice crowd to its sideline, but Brighton's side is overflowing. And everyone is dressed in orange or dark blue. On a sunny day, it makes for pretty pictures.
Speaking of pictures, I met a good friend on the sidelines. His name is Ted Cordingly. He is a professional photographer, and Brighton has hired him to shoot their games. His photos are great. I used a few of them in last year's Brighton football yearbook. He and I talked briefly during the game. He showed me a few of his shots from this game. As usual, they were great.
My good friend, Marty Renzhofer, was also there. Marty is a sportswriter for the Salt Lake Tribune. He and I go way back, when he was a sports writer in Pocatello, and I worked in Nampa. I used to enjoy covering sports events with Marty. He's an opinionated guy, and often gives too much opinion during games. Still, it's always a pleasure to cover a game with him. Marty's one of the best.
This was also a great game. Brighton won 21-10, handing Alta its first Region 4 loss. It also means Brighton is back. Bengals coach Ryan Bullett needed a "signature" win and he got it. This was probably the biggest victory in his coaching career.
Coach Bullett is a good guy. I don't know if he's a great coach. I'm not a good judge of that. But I'm glad to see him have success. Brighton has a good football tradition, and it's nice to see them win again. I covered last year's Brighton-Alta game at Alta, where the Hawks won 45-0.
Ricky Heimuli had a good game. He's a 6-4, 295-pound lineman and he was all over the field. The Brighton defense was awesome. Alta still moved the ball at times, but Brighton's defense made plays, and forced three turnovers. That was the killer.
On offense, Brighton has a little running back who moved in from Cedar City. His name is Sosake Takai. He rushed for over 100 yards, including along TD run that broke the game open.
QB Derek Newell can run, too. Newell is not a great passer, but when the running game is working, it makes him better. Newell is a junior, and he is only going to get better. He plays basketball, too. He has scholarship potential somewhere.
Alta was all about QB Jordan Brown. He threw it, he ran it. He was a one-man show. Alta also has great receivers, but I felt they were too one-dimensional. Alta needs to find someone who can break a game open ... besides Brown. The Hawks have a RB named Bryant Finnerty. He ran for 28 yards, but he has potential. He just didn't handle the ball enough.
Alta was behind the whole game, so Brown had to throw it. He threw 30 times. Alta lost the game because of turnovers and that it couldn't handle Brighton's physical play.
Overall, this was probably the best game I've seen this season. It was broadcast locally on the radio. I liked it because it was an upset, which doesn't happen much in Utah high school football. I was also glad to see Brighton get that win for coach Bullett.
Now there are four good teams in Region 4. Brighton still has to prove itself some more to make the 5A playoffs. Alta is still a "lock," but the Hawks have to show up to win.
Here are my game statistics:
Alta 0 10 0 0 - 10
Brighton 0 14 7 0 - 21
B - Sosaki Taki 45 run (Anthony Mares kick)
A - FG Vance Bingham 24
B - Stephen Robinson 57 pass from Derek Newell (Mares kick)
A - Zach Liston 35 pass from Jordan Brown (Bingham kick)
B - Andy Jones 8 run (Mares kick)
Team Statistics
First downs - Alta 16, Brighton 16
Rushes-Yards - Alta 26-80, Brighton 40-198
Passing Yards - Alta 317, Brighton 114
Passes - Alta 20-30-1, Brighton 5-13-0
Fumbles-Lost - Alta 2-2, Brighton 0-0
Penalties - Alta 9-95, Brighton 4-25
Punts - Alta 1-41, Brighton 40-30.8
Individual Statistics
RUSHING - Alta, Finnerty 8-28, Brown 12-25, Eyring 3-18, Jefferson 2-2, Liston 1-7. Brighton, Takai 29-160, Newell 10-30, Jones 1-8.
PASSING - Alta, Brown 20-30-1-317. Brighton, Newell 5-12-0-114, Jones 0-1-0.
RECEIVING - Alta, Morris 6-123, Mayne 5-78, Liston 4-58, Finnerty 2-17, Jefferson 1-13, Brady 1-11, Richards 1-4. Brighton, Robinson 1-64, Felix 3-43, Chaus 1-7.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Greetings from Pocatello
It's early September and the weather is still pretty nice in Pocatello. I kind of "volunteered" to cover the Rocky Mountain Rumble here at Holt Arena because I enjoy coming here.
Why? For the football, of course.
Hardly. Pocatello is the home of Idaho State University, and the Bengals have been pathetic since my freshman year in college. That was a long time ago, although I do remember that vividly.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I noticed that four Utah teams would be playing four Idaho teams here in the Rocky Mountain Rumble. Since I am from Idaho, and know the Idhao teams, too, I thought it was a good idea. It also gave me a chance to get out of town and hit Buddy's, a local Italian restaurant in Pocatello and well worth the visit.
First, let me hit on Buddy's. This restaurant is known for its salads. It has a garlic viniagrette dressing that is amazing. It keeps me coming back.
I left Salt Lake early Saturday morning and made it plenty of time for the 11 a.m. kickoff for the first game (Sky View vs. Lake City, which is from Coeur d'Alene). I suppose they scheduled this game so Lake City could hop on its bus and have plenty of time to head home afterward.
Sky View buried Lake City, 41-7. The game was close early, but then Sky View was the dominant team. QB Kyler Carlson had a decent game passing the football, completing 18 of 29 passes for 205 yards and three TDs.
Frankly, I was most impressed with Sky View's ability to rally. Since this game was Saturday, I was supposed to send text messages to James Edward, the prep sports editor for the Deseret News, to keep him informed. He was doing a radio show that morning. That way, he could provide the listeners with score updates. It was 7-0 Lake City after the first quarter.
But Sky View came back with 20 points in the second period. When it was time to send him a text, his radio show was over. So, most people, I figured, thought Lake City was rolling to a victory.
It didn't happen. The big play was when Sky View blocked a punt and then Jamison Carroll recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. That gave Sky View a 20-7 lead and Lake City never recovered. They should have just got on the bus after that.
I wrote my game story, and then it was lunchtime. I skipped the first half of the Bear River-Minico game and went to my hotel, and then over to Buddy's, where I put down one of their amazing salads. Ahhhhh.
I got back at halftime. Minico, which is from Rupert, Idaho, had this one in hand. The Spartans led 15-7 and Bear River fans thought they were in trouble.
The Bears rallied in the second half, though, and won 31-21.
The Rocky Mountain Rumble people in the press box were having trouble with their computerized statistics program, so they couldn't help me. Hey, I missed the first half.
So, after I interviewed the coaches and players, I interviewed a few others to get first-half info. I spoke to some great Bear River fans, and I also found the Bear River radio announcer. Apparently, the game was broadcast on the radio back to Tremonton. Sweeet. I got lucky.
I met a lot of neat Bear River fans. They were class acts and, when I told them I was representing the Deseret News, they were more than happy to help me. In return, I told them about the best restuarant in Pocatello. I hope many of them went to Buddy's before they left town.
There were two late games. Mountain Crest played Pocatello, and then the two Highlands met. I was anxious to see Mountain Crest, especially QB Alex Kuresa. He wasn't that impressive, though, because Pocatello blitzed him to death. He was running for his life on almost every play.
Speaking of that, the first play was great. Mountain Crest kicked off, and its kicker hit a line drive that nailed the Poky player right in the helmet at the 20-yard line. The ball bounced straight ahead and Mountain Crest recovered.
The Mustangs scored within the first minute of the game. Soon afterward, it was 12-0. After that, Poky started blitzing and Kuresa was in trouble. Keep in mind, too, that the Indians had thousands of fans and soon gained the momentum.
Mountain Crest didn't recover until the fourth quarter, and then put together a couple of drives to beat Pocatello. It wasn't the Mustangs best game, but it was good enough to grab the win. I wouldn't give Kuresa the game ball, but he did show a lot of agility while trying to evade the Poky pass rush.
Afterward, I interviewed the Pocatello coach. He was a great guy, and he told me that they had put a lot of thought in how to beat Mountain Crest. Poky had a detailed game plan, and it wasn't good enough.
The last game was the Highland (Idaho) vs. Highland (Utah). I didn't know it at the time, but I guess these teams played back in 1976. I'll have to check on that. I was somewhat worried about this game.
Why? Well, it was supposed to start at 8 p.m., but it was later. It was also a game between two schools named Highland, both named Rams and they had the same school colors. Just so you know, Highland, of Salt Lake, opened six years before Highland of Pocatello. So, if you want to know who copied who? Now you know.
This was a great game. Highland of Idaho won 19-17. I know that's important, but I was more impressed with how both teams handled themselves during the game - and afterward. This was an intense contest that wasn't decided until Highland (Idaho) kicker Paul Muzzo nailed a short (21-yard) field goal with four seconds left.
When it was over, I went onto the field of the ISU Minidome, which is now called Holt Arena. I walked right near both teams, and they were class acts. After such an emotional game, they both had respect for each other, and it showed.
Frankly, these teams should play each other EVERY year. Why not? Highland vs. Highland? What a great rivalry.
Highland, of Idaho, had an impressive passing game led by QB Tanner Nielson and RB Kai Campbell. Highland, of Utah, showed a strong running game led by RB Toi Taufa. He's a big 225-pounder who carried a bunch of guys on his back. Taufa finished with 139 yards on 20 carries. This guy was a stud.
Highland, of Utah, turned the ball over too many times early, which caused it to fall behind. However, they came back to even took the lead 17-16 late in the game. Everyone was on their feet in the final minutes until the game was decided.
But nobody left. After the game, the Rocky Mountain Rumble people handed out trophies and everyone cheered. It was an amazing event.
I could post statistics from each game, but it's not important. I stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn and had a great time. Yes, the games were indoors, and on astroturf, but I didn't see any bad injuries.
Highland, of Utah, coach Brody Benson told me afterward that his team had made "turned a corner" in that game. He believed it, and so did I.
It was a pleasure to be there.
Why? For the football, of course.
Hardly. Pocatello is the home of Idaho State University, and the Bengals have been pathetic since my freshman year in college. That was a long time ago, although I do remember that vividly.
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I noticed that four Utah teams would be playing four Idaho teams here in the Rocky Mountain Rumble. Since I am from Idaho, and know the Idhao teams, too, I thought it was a good idea. It also gave me a chance to get out of town and hit Buddy's, a local Italian restaurant in Pocatello and well worth the visit.
First, let me hit on Buddy's. This restaurant is known for its salads. It has a garlic viniagrette dressing that is amazing. It keeps me coming back.
I left Salt Lake early Saturday morning and made it plenty of time for the 11 a.m. kickoff for the first game (Sky View vs. Lake City, which is from Coeur d'Alene). I suppose they scheduled this game so Lake City could hop on its bus and have plenty of time to head home afterward.
Sky View buried Lake City, 41-7. The game was close early, but then Sky View was the dominant team. QB Kyler Carlson had a decent game passing the football, completing 18 of 29 passes for 205 yards and three TDs.
Frankly, I was most impressed with Sky View's ability to rally. Since this game was Saturday, I was supposed to send text messages to James Edward, the prep sports editor for the Deseret News, to keep him informed. He was doing a radio show that morning. That way, he could provide the listeners with score updates. It was 7-0 Lake City after the first quarter.
But Sky View came back with 20 points in the second period. When it was time to send him a text, his radio show was over. So, most people, I figured, thought Lake City was rolling to a victory.
It didn't happen. The big play was when Sky View blocked a punt and then Jamison Carroll recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. That gave Sky View a 20-7 lead and Lake City never recovered. They should have just got on the bus after that.
I wrote my game story, and then it was lunchtime. I skipped the first half of the Bear River-Minico game and went to my hotel, and then over to Buddy's, where I put down one of their amazing salads. Ahhhhh.
I got back at halftime. Minico, which is from Rupert, Idaho, had this one in hand. The Spartans led 15-7 and Bear River fans thought they were in trouble.
The Bears rallied in the second half, though, and won 31-21.
The Rocky Mountain Rumble people in the press box were having trouble with their computerized statistics program, so they couldn't help me. Hey, I missed the first half.
So, after I interviewed the coaches and players, I interviewed a few others to get first-half info. I spoke to some great Bear River fans, and I also found the Bear River radio announcer. Apparently, the game was broadcast on the radio back to Tremonton. Sweeet. I got lucky.
I met a lot of neat Bear River fans. They were class acts and, when I told them I was representing the Deseret News, they were more than happy to help me. In return, I told them about the best restuarant in Pocatello. I hope many of them went to Buddy's before they left town.
There were two late games. Mountain Crest played Pocatello, and then the two Highlands met. I was anxious to see Mountain Crest, especially QB Alex Kuresa. He wasn't that impressive, though, because Pocatello blitzed him to death. He was running for his life on almost every play.
Speaking of that, the first play was great. Mountain Crest kicked off, and its kicker hit a line drive that nailed the Poky player right in the helmet at the 20-yard line. The ball bounced straight ahead and Mountain Crest recovered.
The Mustangs scored within the first minute of the game. Soon afterward, it was 12-0. After that, Poky started blitzing and Kuresa was in trouble. Keep in mind, too, that the Indians had thousands of fans and soon gained the momentum.
Mountain Crest didn't recover until the fourth quarter, and then put together a couple of drives to beat Pocatello. It wasn't the Mustangs best game, but it was good enough to grab the win. I wouldn't give Kuresa the game ball, but he did show a lot of agility while trying to evade the Poky pass rush.
Afterward, I interviewed the Pocatello coach. He was a great guy, and he told me that they had put a lot of thought in how to beat Mountain Crest. Poky had a detailed game plan, and it wasn't good enough.
The last game was the Highland (Idaho) vs. Highland (Utah). I didn't know it at the time, but I guess these teams played back in 1976. I'll have to check on that. I was somewhat worried about this game.
Why? Well, it was supposed to start at 8 p.m., but it was later. It was also a game between two schools named Highland, both named Rams and they had the same school colors. Just so you know, Highland, of Salt Lake, opened six years before Highland of Pocatello. So, if you want to know who copied who? Now you know.
This was a great game. Highland of Idaho won 19-17. I know that's important, but I was more impressed with how both teams handled themselves during the game - and afterward. This was an intense contest that wasn't decided until Highland (Idaho) kicker Paul Muzzo nailed a short (21-yard) field goal with four seconds left.
When it was over, I went onto the field of the ISU Minidome, which is now called Holt Arena. I walked right near both teams, and they were class acts. After such an emotional game, they both had respect for each other, and it showed.
Frankly, these teams should play each other EVERY year. Why not? Highland vs. Highland? What a great rivalry.
Highland, of Idaho, had an impressive passing game led by QB Tanner Nielson and RB Kai Campbell. Highland, of Utah, showed a strong running game led by RB Toi Taufa. He's a big 225-pounder who carried a bunch of guys on his back. Taufa finished with 139 yards on 20 carries. This guy was a stud.
Highland, of Utah, turned the ball over too many times early, which caused it to fall behind. However, they came back to even took the lead 17-16 late in the game. Everyone was on their feet in the final minutes until the game was decided.
But nobody left. After the game, the Rocky Mountain Rumble people handed out trophies and everyone cheered. It was an amazing event.
I could post statistics from each game, but it's not important. I stayed overnight at the Holiday Inn and had a great time. Yes, the games were indoors, and on astroturf, but I didn't see any bad injuries.
Highland, of Utah, coach Brody Benson told me afterward that his team had made "turned a corner" in that game. He believed it, and so did I.
It was a pleasure to be there.
Olympus Whips Copper Hills
It was a warm Friday night on Labor Day weekend when I covered the Olympus vs. Copper Hills football game.
Olympus won the game, 24-7. It was a pretty decisive victory for the Titans, whom I had seen play earlier this season against Hillcrest. It was a pleasure watching them again, and I was also happy to get to know their new coach, Mike Smith, a little bit better. He was a classy guy in the post-game interview.
This was also my first time covering Copper Hills. I had been to the school many times, but never for an actual sports event. Their football stadium is very nice. They have apparently set up a deal with the Sonic Drive-Inn to provide food at the stadium. Smart idea.
The athletic director at Copper Hills is Brad Tingey, whom I had met when he was at Hillcrest. Brad's a decent guy. I met his parents when I was a travel agent, so it means something special to me to deal with him.
Brad showed me the Copper Hills preseason football guide and it was very impressive. The photography was very nice. It's a classy production. I'm hoping I might be able to help them with it in the future, but that's another story.
I also met the photographer who provided most of the photos. His name is Terry Cullop, and he is one of the best I've seen. He gave me his website address while we talked, and I was impressed. The guy can shoot.
Now, back to the game.
Olympus pretty much dominated. Titans' running back Terry Isaia had a big night, including a long touchdown run. Isaia is one of those few backs who can run between the tackles, and outrun the secondary, too. He has a chance to play college ball.
Isaia finished with 154 yards rushing, but because Copper Hills had to focus on him, it also allowed QB Spencer Harris to make some big plays. Harris only threw for 121 yards, but he ran for 50 more and had a big impact on the game, just like he did against Hillcrest.
Copper Hills' QB, Quin Wright, threw some nice passes when he had time to throw the football. He tends to hang on to it too long, though, and that allowed Oly to get some sacks.
When he threw quick passes, that's when Copper Hills moved the football. The Grizzlies have a running back, Colton Fogarty, who had a good night, rushing for 133 yards on 24 carries, but the star of this team is Chandler Johnson. He plays WR, and he is quick and fast. When Johnson got the ball, he could score at any time.
So, what do I remember most about this game? Copper Hills tried several times on fourth down, and failed pretty much every time. Oly had that happen to it at the Hillcrest game a couple of weeks ago. Ironic, isn't it?
Here are some stats from this game:
Olympus 7 10 0 7 - 24
Copper Hills 0 0 0 7 - 7
O - Isaia 1 run (Hendriks kick)
O - FG Hendriks 26
O - Lindsley 34 pass from Harris (Hendriks kick)
CH - Fogarty 1 run (Newbold kick)
O - Isaia 52 run (Hendriks kick)
First downs: Olympus 13, Copper Hills 13
Rushes-yards: Olympus 35-205, Copper Hills 35-183
Passing yards: Olympus 121, Copper Hills 122
Passes: Olympus 12-17-0, Copper Hills 9-22-2.
Fumbles-Lost: Olympus 2-1, Copper Hills 1-1.
Penalties: Olympus 1-5, Copper Hills 4-36
Punts: Olympus 1-35, Copper Hills 1-31.
Olympus won the game, 24-7. It was a pretty decisive victory for the Titans, whom I had seen play earlier this season against Hillcrest. It was a pleasure watching them again, and I was also happy to get to know their new coach, Mike Smith, a little bit better. He was a classy guy in the post-game interview.
This was also my first time covering Copper Hills. I had been to the school many times, but never for an actual sports event. Their football stadium is very nice. They have apparently set up a deal with the Sonic Drive-Inn to provide food at the stadium. Smart idea.
The athletic director at Copper Hills is Brad Tingey, whom I had met when he was at Hillcrest. Brad's a decent guy. I met his parents when I was a travel agent, so it means something special to me to deal with him.
Brad showed me the Copper Hills preseason football guide and it was very impressive. The photography was very nice. It's a classy production. I'm hoping I might be able to help them with it in the future, but that's another story.
I also met the photographer who provided most of the photos. His name is Terry Cullop, and he is one of the best I've seen. He gave me his website address while we talked, and I was impressed. The guy can shoot.
Now, back to the game.
Olympus pretty much dominated. Titans' running back Terry Isaia had a big night, including a long touchdown run. Isaia is one of those few backs who can run between the tackles, and outrun the secondary, too. He has a chance to play college ball.
Isaia finished with 154 yards rushing, but because Copper Hills had to focus on him, it also allowed QB Spencer Harris to make some big plays. Harris only threw for 121 yards, but he ran for 50 more and had a big impact on the game, just like he did against Hillcrest.
Copper Hills' QB, Quin Wright, threw some nice passes when he had time to throw the football. He tends to hang on to it too long, though, and that allowed Oly to get some sacks.
When he threw quick passes, that's when Copper Hills moved the football. The Grizzlies have a running back, Colton Fogarty, who had a good night, rushing for 133 yards on 24 carries, but the star of this team is Chandler Johnson. He plays WR, and he is quick and fast. When Johnson got the ball, he could score at any time.
So, what do I remember most about this game? Copper Hills tried several times on fourth down, and failed pretty much every time. Oly had that happen to it at the Hillcrest game a couple of weeks ago. Ironic, isn't it?
Here are some stats from this game:
Olympus 7 10 0 7 - 24
Copper Hills 0 0 0 7 - 7
O - Isaia 1 run (Hendriks kick)
O - FG Hendriks 26
O - Lindsley 34 pass from Harris (Hendriks kick)
CH - Fogarty 1 run (Newbold kick)
O - Isaia 52 run (Hendriks kick)
First downs: Olympus 13, Copper Hills 13
Rushes-yards: Olympus 35-205, Copper Hills 35-183
Passing yards: Olympus 121, Copper Hills 122
Passes: Olympus 12-17-0, Copper Hills 9-22-2.
Fumbles-Lost: Olympus 2-1, Copper Hills 1-1.
Penalties: Olympus 1-5, Copper Hills 4-36
Punts: Olympus 1-35, Copper Hills 1-31.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Highland vs. Hunter
I covered the Highland vs. Hunter prep football game tonight at Highland. The Rams won 27-3 and looked good doing it. Hunter didn't impress me at all. To read my game story in the Aug. 29 edition of the Deseret News, click here.
I thought this game would be more competitive, but Highland dominated the line of scrimmage and spent a lot of time in Hunter's backfield. The Wolverines never put together a serious drive.
Highland led 14-0 at halftime. The Rams got the second-half kickoff and, on their first play from scrimmage, fumbled the ball. Hunter recovered and, if they could have moved the ball into the end zone, it might have changed the game.
Hunter didn't. It took the Wolverines eight plays to go 15 yards - and they got five of those via penalty. That's pathetic. They kicked a field goal. Highland got the kickoff and scored a touchdown in five plays. Game over.
So, what will I remember from this game?
* - Highland needed this win. The Rams were demolished 49-28 last week by Mountain Crest, but their defense showed up. How a team goes from giving up 49 points to 3 is ... well ... amazing. High school kids are so impressionable. I hope coaches understand how impressionable they are. That's why it's so important to have a good coach. A bad coach can screw up a kid and affect their future.
* - Hunter beat Kearns 13-0 last week, and that's saying something. Hunter is also known for being a physical team. I didn't see that tonight. You know, when the Jazz don't show up to play a game sometimes, I attribute that to the fact they're all making $6 million a year and they're playing 82 games. In high school, you're playing for pride. I didn't see that tonight from Hunter, and that was disappointing.
* - Highland has a running back named Christopher Lloyd. He's a good running back. He carried the ball just four times tonight, and got nailed for losses twice. The other times, he ran for touchdowns. This seems to be a special kid. I say give him the ball, and let him make plays. Judging from just two games so far this season, that's what he will do.
* - During the game, I met some people while walking the sidelines. I'm not always gawking at the cheerleaders. I met the Highland team photographer (and arranged for him to send me a few photos), the head of the Highland booster club and the school principal. They were talkative. While I was on the Hunter sidelines, nobody said anything. I attribute that to game's outcome.
* - Highland's principal, Paul Schulte, is a man of interest. That's because I know his brother, Chris Schulte. I worked with him years ago at the Salt Lake Tribune. I liked Chris, but he didn't like me. I learned that Chris is the sports editor for the newspaper in Wausau, Wis. He's been divorced twice and is now with his third wife. His kids, whom he loves a lot, I'm sure, live with one of his previous wives in Montana. That has to hurt. Nobody deserves that. I wouldn't trade places with him.
* - Lastly, I stopped at Arby's (across the street from Highland) and they had a deal $5 for 5 Arby's roast-beef sandwiches. I didn't want five sandwiches, but it costs $2.69 for one. So, why not? I bought five. I thought about trying to eat them all, but ... didn't. I have two left in the fridge. Perhaps this means food is more important than football? LOL.
I kept detailed statistics from this game that the media will never print. So, I'll show them here. Here you go:
Hunter 0 0 3 0 - 3
Highland 0 14 7 6 - 27
Highland - Lloyd 3 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Fakahafua 7 pass from Keller (Hicken kick)
Hunter - FG Jex 23
Highland - Lloyd 58 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Keller 5 run (kick failed)
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: Hunter 8, Highland 17
Rushes-Yards: Hunter 32-83, Highland 38-287
Passing Yards: Hunter 20, Highland 2
Passes: Hunter 4-12-2, Highland 1-7-0
Fumbles-Lost: Hunter 1-1, Highland 2-1
Penalties: Hunter 5-42, Highland 9-105
Punts: Hunter 4-29.8, Highland 3-30.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Hunter - Bloomfield 21-79, Tavo 2-13, L. Tanuvasa 3-4, Lunceford6-(-11). Highland - Taufa 12-93, Keller 12-75, Lloyd 4-48, Payne 4-38, Lauti 2-25, Fakahafua 1-12, Coleman 2-(-4).
PASSING: Hunter - Lunceford 4-12-2-20. Highland - Keller 1-7-0-2.
RECEIVING: Hunter - Pulu 1-8, Davidson 1-7, L. Tanuvasa 1-4, Tavo 1-1. Highland - Fakahafua 1-2.
* -
I thought this game would be more competitive, but Highland dominated the line of scrimmage and spent a lot of time in Hunter's backfield. The Wolverines never put together a serious drive.
Highland led 14-0 at halftime. The Rams got the second-half kickoff and, on their first play from scrimmage, fumbled the ball. Hunter recovered and, if they could have moved the ball into the end zone, it might have changed the game.
Hunter didn't. It took the Wolverines eight plays to go 15 yards - and they got five of those via penalty. That's pathetic. They kicked a field goal. Highland got the kickoff and scored a touchdown in five plays. Game over.
So, what will I remember from this game?
* - Highland needed this win. The Rams were demolished 49-28 last week by Mountain Crest, but their defense showed up. How a team goes from giving up 49 points to 3 is ... well ... amazing. High school kids are so impressionable. I hope coaches understand how impressionable they are. That's why it's so important to have a good coach. A bad coach can screw up a kid and affect their future.
* - Hunter beat Kearns 13-0 last week, and that's saying something. Hunter is also known for being a physical team. I didn't see that tonight. You know, when the Jazz don't show up to play a game sometimes, I attribute that to the fact they're all making $6 million a year and they're playing 82 games. In high school, you're playing for pride. I didn't see that tonight from Hunter, and that was disappointing.
* - Highland has a running back named Christopher Lloyd. He's a good running back. He carried the ball just four times tonight, and got nailed for losses twice. The other times, he ran for touchdowns. This seems to be a special kid. I say give him the ball, and let him make plays. Judging from just two games so far this season, that's what he will do.
* - During the game, I met some people while walking the sidelines. I'm not always gawking at the cheerleaders. I met the Highland team photographer (and arranged for him to send me a few photos), the head of the Highland booster club and the school principal. They were talkative. While I was on the Hunter sidelines, nobody said anything. I attribute that to game's outcome.
* - Highland's principal, Paul Schulte, is a man of interest. That's because I know his brother, Chris Schulte. I worked with him years ago at the Salt Lake Tribune. I liked Chris, but he didn't like me. I learned that Chris is the sports editor for the newspaper in Wausau, Wis. He's been divorced twice and is now with his third wife. His kids, whom he loves a lot, I'm sure, live with one of his previous wives in Montana. That has to hurt. Nobody deserves that. I wouldn't trade places with him.
* - Lastly, I stopped at Arby's (across the street from Highland) and they had a deal $5 for 5 Arby's roast-beef sandwiches. I didn't want five sandwiches, but it costs $2.69 for one. So, why not? I bought five. I thought about trying to eat them all, but ... didn't. I have two left in the fridge. Perhaps this means food is more important than football? LOL.
I kept detailed statistics from this game that the media will never print. So, I'll show them here. Here you go:
Hunter 0 0 3 0 - 3
Highland 0 14 7 6 - 27
Highland - Lloyd 3 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Fakahafua 7 pass from Keller (Hicken kick)
Hunter - FG Jex 23
Highland - Lloyd 58 run (Hicken kick)
Highland - Keller 5 run (kick failed)
TEAM STATISTICS
First downs: Hunter 8, Highland 17
Rushes-Yards: Hunter 32-83, Highland 38-287
Passing Yards: Hunter 20, Highland 2
Passes: Hunter 4-12-2, Highland 1-7-0
Fumbles-Lost: Hunter 1-1, Highland 2-1
Penalties: Hunter 5-42, Highland 9-105
Punts: Hunter 4-29.8, Highland 3-30.3
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Hunter - Bloomfield 21-79, Tavo 2-13, L. Tanuvasa 3-4, Lunceford6-(-11). Highland - Taufa 12-93, Keller 12-75, Lloyd 4-48, Payne 4-38, Lauti 2-25, Fakahafua 1-12, Coleman 2-(-4).
PASSING: Hunter - Lunceford 4-12-2-20. Highland - Keller 1-7-0-2.
RECEIVING: Hunter - Pulu 1-8, Davidson 1-7, L. Tanuvasa 1-4, Tavo 1-1. Highland - Fakahafua 1-2.
* -
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Game 1 - Hillcrest vs. Olympus
The high school football season started in Utah today, even though temperatures were near 100 degrees at kickoff. I was given the opportunity to cover the Hillcrest-Olympus game, and I was happy to get it.
I figured this would be a close game between two rebuilding schools. Hillcrest, of course, is always rebuilding. Olympus has a new coach and not much was known about how much different the Titans would be from previous years.
I got a chance to meet Oly's new coach - Mike Smith. I've talked to him on the telephone before regarding other matters (he teaches a sports marketing class at Olympus). I also heard he had a hot-shot running back as an adoped son - Terry Isaia.
It was a great game, and Olympus ended up winning 10-7. The game went right down to the wire. Both teams could have pulled it out, although Olympus probably deserved it more, based on the fact that its offense could move the ball more easily and that Hillcrest turned the ball over three times.
However, Olympus failed three times on fourth downs. The biggest one came with less than two minutes left, when the Titans tried tried a fake punt on its own 29 yard-line, and Hillcrest stuffed it. Personally, I thought it was a great call because it was one play where Olympus had a chance to win the game. Hillcrest coach Kirk Merhish said it should have cost Oly the game.
Turns out, both guys are right. Oly won the game, but it could have gone either way. I was at the game, and you can read my game story by clicking here.
I thought this was a good article. It was a lot better than the season-opening story I wrote last year. The Salt Lake Tribune reporter was there, too, and I read his article. He looked like a decent guy, but it's funny how are statistics were different. I've learned that, with my background, I trust my stats more than anyone else.
Anyone who knows me recalls the time I started keeping statistics for KBOI Radio (the Voice of the BSU Broncos) starting in seventh grade, and then I was BSU's official statistician for football and basketball through high school. I also worked in the University of Idaho's sports information office for over four years. Lastly, I've covered prep sports for ... good God ... it's been a long time.
Anyway, it was great to be on the field again. If you want to see my game stats, they're lower on this blog. But here are a few things I noticed at the game:
* - Olympus QB was Spencer Harris, who started all season last year and did a great job. But coach Smith brought in a sophomore - Scott Porter - in the first quarter and he did well until he was injured in a jarring tackle. Porter should be OK. Coach Smith said he didn't bring him back into the game as a "precautionary measure." We really didn't see all Porter's talents, but they have to be there. There's no way coach Smith would have put him in otherwise. I mean, why would you replace your senior starter for a sophomore? Coach Smith knows more than we do.
* - Hillcrest has a good home-field advantage. The Huskies were on the west side of the field and in the shade, while Oly was baking in the sun. Temperature at game time had to be in the mid-90s or more.
* - Hillcrest may never develop into a winning program, simply because it doesn't have enough players. They're gamers, though, and put up a tough fight. They just need a few more quality kids. The Huskies had a chance to win this one, but their top players need to make the plays. Bridger Dallimore is a gutsy kid, but he couldn't come up with a TD pass and then the pass intended for him late in the game was intercepted by Oly sophomore Cole Benson. Guys like Dallimore have to make those plays.
* - Terry Isaia is a tough runner for Olympus, and I'm sure Skyline will look at the tape of this game and the coaches will scratch their heads. He's a good-sized kid and a bruising runner. He also has game-breaking speed. He ran for 124 yards in this game, but didn't really have a long run. Hillcrest also frustrated him at times, and he showed he might have a temper. Oly can't afford to have him booted from a game.
* - I'd say the difference-maker in this game, though, was Spencer Harris. In the second half, he carried the ball 18 times and allowed Oly to dominate the time of possession. Last year, he threw the ball a lot, but this year's team is different and he won it with his running.
* - Hillcrest didn't show much on offense. Its quarterback - Tanner Kemp - is decent, but he does not have a fluid throwing motion. He takes too long to throw it. He had a nice game against Oly, though, and his only interception was a nicely thrown pass that the Oly kid made a nice play. Hillcrest just couldn't run it.
* - Oly didn't turn the ball over, while Hillcrest lost it three times (two fumbles, and an interception). Dallimore also caught a pass in the third quarter and was tackled at his own 10 yard-line. While struggling for more yardage, he coughed it up but the referee ruled he was down. I was right there, and the official could have ruled it either way. From the way he acted, I think Dallimore thought he fumbled. A turnover there would have given the ball to Oly in the "red zone." Hmmm, based on my comments I don't want to be too tough on Dallimore. He's a talented player, and will have better games.
* - Coach Merhish's son is Nick (Merhish). He's a strong kid and a great linebacker. I wish I could have seen the defensive stats because he was all over the field. He played running back a couple of times, too. He has the potential to earn a college scholarship, perhaps at a JC or small school. I think Hillcrest's eventual record may limit him, but he can play.
GAME STATISTICS
Olympus 7 0 0 3 - 10
Hillcrest 7 0 0 0 - 7
TEAM
First downs - Olympus 17, Hillcrest 8
Rushes-yards - Olympus 52-301, Hillcrest 21-31.
Passing yards - Olympus 59, Hillcrest 155
Passes - Olympus 7-14-0, Hillcrest 11-17-1
Total offense - Olympus 66 plays, 360 yards; Hillcrest 38 plays, 186 yards
Fumbles-lost - Olympus 2-0, Hillcrest 4-2
Penalties - Olympus 7-62, Hillcrest 4-25
Punts - Olympus 2-39.0 avg., Hillcrest 4-26.8 avg.
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING: Olympus, Isiah 22-124, Harris 20-99, Lignell 3-59, Porter 3-8, Sonntag 1-8, Hendriks 1-6, Kacinski 1-0, Young 1-(-3). Hillcrest, Pecht 4-12, Merhish 4-7, Kranz 2-6, Li 3-5, Thompson 2-3, Kemp 2-0.
PASSING: Olympus, Harris 6-13-0-49 yds, Porter 1-1-0-10 yds. Hillcrest, Kemp 10-17-1-155 yds.
RECEIVING: Olympus, Johnson 3-27, Young 2-27, Isaia 2-5. Hillcrest, D. Thompson 1-61, Dallimore 4-49, Li 3-26, A. Thompson 2-19.
-END OF TRANSMISSION-
I figured this would be a close game between two rebuilding schools. Hillcrest, of course, is always rebuilding. Olympus has a new coach and not much was known about how much different the Titans would be from previous years.
I got a chance to meet Oly's new coach - Mike Smith. I've talked to him on the telephone before regarding other matters (he teaches a sports marketing class at Olympus). I also heard he had a hot-shot running back as an adoped son - Terry Isaia.
It was a great game, and Olympus ended up winning 10-7. The game went right down to the wire. Both teams could have pulled it out, although Olympus probably deserved it more, based on the fact that its offense could move the ball more easily and that Hillcrest turned the ball over three times.
However, Olympus failed three times on fourth downs. The biggest one came with less than two minutes left, when the Titans tried tried a fake punt on its own 29 yard-line, and Hillcrest stuffed it. Personally, I thought it was a great call because it was one play where Olympus had a chance to win the game. Hillcrest coach Kirk Merhish said it should have cost Oly the game.
Turns out, both guys are right. Oly won the game, but it could have gone either way. I was at the game, and you can read my game story by clicking here.
I thought this was a good article. It was a lot better than the season-opening story I wrote last year. The Salt Lake Tribune reporter was there, too, and I read his article. He looked like a decent guy, but it's funny how are statistics were different. I've learned that, with my background, I trust my stats more than anyone else.
Anyone who knows me recalls the time I started keeping statistics for KBOI Radio (the Voice of the BSU Broncos) starting in seventh grade, and then I was BSU's official statistician for football and basketball through high school. I also worked in the University of Idaho's sports information office for over four years. Lastly, I've covered prep sports for ... good God ... it's been a long time.
Anyway, it was great to be on the field again. If you want to see my game stats, they're lower on this blog. But here are a few things I noticed at the game:
* - Olympus QB was Spencer Harris, who started all season last year and did a great job. But coach Smith brought in a sophomore - Scott Porter - in the first quarter and he did well until he was injured in a jarring tackle. Porter should be OK. Coach Smith said he didn't bring him back into the game as a "precautionary measure." We really didn't see all Porter's talents, but they have to be there. There's no way coach Smith would have put him in otherwise. I mean, why would you replace your senior starter for a sophomore? Coach Smith knows more than we do.
* - Hillcrest has a good home-field advantage. The Huskies were on the west side of the field and in the shade, while Oly was baking in the sun. Temperature at game time had to be in the mid-90s or more.
* - Hillcrest may never develop into a winning program, simply because it doesn't have enough players. They're gamers, though, and put up a tough fight. They just need a few more quality kids. The Huskies had a chance to win this one, but their top players need to make the plays. Bridger Dallimore is a gutsy kid, but he couldn't come up with a TD pass and then the pass intended for him late in the game was intercepted by Oly sophomore Cole Benson. Guys like Dallimore have to make those plays.
* - Terry Isaia is a tough runner for Olympus, and I'm sure Skyline will look at the tape of this game and the coaches will scratch their heads. He's a good-sized kid and a bruising runner. He also has game-breaking speed. He ran for 124 yards in this game, but didn't really have a long run. Hillcrest also frustrated him at times, and he showed he might have a temper. Oly can't afford to have him booted from a game.
* - I'd say the difference-maker in this game, though, was Spencer Harris. In the second half, he carried the ball 18 times and allowed Oly to dominate the time of possession. Last year, he threw the ball a lot, but this year's team is different and he won it with his running.
* - Hillcrest didn't show much on offense. Its quarterback - Tanner Kemp - is decent, but he does not have a fluid throwing motion. He takes too long to throw it. He had a nice game against Oly, though, and his only interception was a nicely thrown pass that the Oly kid made a nice play. Hillcrest just couldn't run it.
* - Oly didn't turn the ball over, while Hillcrest lost it three times (two fumbles, and an interception). Dallimore also caught a pass in the third quarter and was tackled at his own 10 yard-line. While struggling for more yardage, he coughed it up but the referee ruled he was down. I was right there, and the official could have ruled it either way. From the way he acted, I think Dallimore thought he fumbled. A turnover there would have given the ball to Oly in the "red zone." Hmmm, based on my comments I don't want to be too tough on Dallimore. He's a talented player, and will have better games.
* - Coach Merhish's son is Nick (Merhish). He's a strong kid and a great linebacker. I wish I could have seen the defensive stats because he was all over the field. He played running back a couple of times, too. He has the potential to earn a college scholarship, perhaps at a JC or small school. I think Hillcrest's eventual record may limit him, but he can play.
GAME STATISTICS
Olympus 7 0 0 3 - 10
Hillcrest 7 0 0 0 - 7
TEAM
First downs - Olympus 17, Hillcrest 8
Rushes-yards - Olympus 52-301, Hillcrest 21-31.
Passing yards - Olympus 59, Hillcrest 155
Passes - Olympus 7-14-0, Hillcrest 11-17-1
Total offense - Olympus 66 plays, 360 yards; Hillcrest 38 plays, 186 yards
Fumbles-lost - Olympus 2-0, Hillcrest 4-2
Penalties - Olympus 7-62, Hillcrest 4-25
Punts - Olympus 2-39.0 avg., Hillcrest 4-26.8 avg.
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING: Olympus, Isiah 22-124, Harris 20-99, Lignell 3-59, Porter 3-8, Sonntag 1-8, Hendriks 1-6, Kacinski 1-0, Young 1-(-3). Hillcrest, Pecht 4-12, Merhish 4-7, Kranz 2-6, Li 3-5, Thompson 2-3, Kemp 2-0.
PASSING: Olympus, Harris 6-13-0-49 yds, Porter 1-1-0-10 yds. Hillcrest, Kemp 10-17-1-155 yds.
RECEIVING: Olympus, Johnson 3-27, Young 2-27, Isaia 2-5. Hillcrest, D. Thompson 1-61, Dallimore 4-49, Li 3-26, A. Thompson 2-19.
-END OF TRANSMISSION-
Friday, February 6, 2009
Brighton Does It Again
It has been a month since I last updated my blog. I've been busy, putting out programs, dealing with difficult printers, trying to keep my website up to date, publishing game programs and trying to see where this business is going.
It is going. That's for sure. This is a great time of the year, and I need to spend more time at games because that's the exciting place to be.
Tonight, I was at Brighton High School, watching the Bengals take on Skyline in a boys basketball game. I've wanted to see Skyline play for a long time, and this was a great opportunity. I also figured Rick Osterloh would be there. Skyline's top player is Ryan Osterloh and Rick is his dad. I have talked to him on the phone several times, and he has helped me in a few situations.
I delivered game programs to Brighton during the mid-afternoon and, while stopping by, I saw that someone had decorated this window in one of the entry doors to the gym. Ironically, Brighton's maintenance crew had cleaned the window by game time.
Brighton won 59-53. I expected Skyline to win this game because Brighton is playing without its leading scorer - Corbin Miller - who is likely out for the season due to an injury. Turns out the Bengals are playing better than ever.
Skyline started quickly, jumping to a 16-4 first-quarter lead. The Eagles had plenty of fans and they got into it with the Brighton cheering section, and it added to the atmosphere. Both teams were class acts. There was one time where the Skyline cheering section over-applauded the Brighton drill team.
I also noticed that, while Brighton's head coach is Lyndon Johnson, he has plenty of help. Sometimes, it was difficult to tell who was the head coach and who were the assistants. I guess coach Johnson understands he had good help around him. I doubt if Brighton gets outcoached too often by its opponents.
So, here were some other highlights (from my perspective):
* - I didn't see a state championship team. I was more impressed with Brighton because the Bengals got more output from several different players than Skyline.
* - Brighton forward Sam Wanderli has an uncanny ability to get rebounds. He had 11 tonight. Wunderli is 6-4, but he can leap and he is often in the right place at the right time.
* - Skyline's Kevin Wagstaff is fun to watch. He was the QB on the football team. On the basketball court, he never sits still. I'll bet the guy covered 20 miles, and he never showed signs of being tired. He led the team with 23 points, too. I'd hate to see where Skyline would be without him.
* - The player of the game was Austin Hudson. Brighton's 6-6 forward is only a sophomore, but he had 13 points and six rebounds, and he hit some big shots. Brighton needed a guy to step up and Hudson did that.
* - Fouls played a big role in the game. Brighton's Will Cannon played maybe 10 minutes and picked up five fouls. I almost felt sorry for the guy. Some nights are like that. Cannon could have sulked, but he came back in the fourth quarter and scored five points, including a three-pointer.
* - Ryan Osterloh only had six points. He is apparently not a "take charge" guy on the court. He lets the game come to him, and it didn't reach him much this time. He had foul trouble, too. He hit just one three-pointer, but it's apparent he has a sweet shot. I'd love to watch him when he gets hot.
* - What was the difference in this game? Brighton couldn't shoot, but the Bengals could rebound. The outrebounded Skyline 33-23, and also made it to the free-throw line a lot more.
I kept detailed statistics at the game. Here is my box score:
Skyline 16 15 13 9 - 53
Brighton 6 21 11 21 - 59
SKYLINE (53) - Wagstaff 9-18 1-2 23, R. Osterloh 2-7 1-2 6, Taylor 5-7 2-2 14, Judkins 0-2 2-2 2, J. Osterloh 0-1 1-2 1, Orr 1-1 0-0 3, Weixler 2-5 0-2 4. Totals: 19-42 7-12 53.
BRIGHTON (59) - Richards 1-3 4-4 7, Newell 0-5 1-2 1, Cannon 1-4 2-2 5, Felix 0-2 0-0 0, Masina 0-0 2-2 2, Wertz 0-3 0-0 0, Wunderli 2-8 7-8 12, Lotulelei 4-8 3-4 13, Ricketts 1-2 0-0 2, Hudson 3-4 5-8 11, Barker 3-7 0-0 6. Totals: 15-46 24-30 59.
Total fouls: Skyline 22, Brighton 17. Fouled out: Judkins (Skyline), Cannon, Ricketts (Brighton). Rebounds: Brighton 33 (Wunderli 11), Skyline 23 (Weixler 8). Turnovers: Skyline 11, Brighton 9. Three-point goals: Skyline 8-18 (Wagstaff 4, Taylor 2, R. Osterloh, Orr). Brighton 5-18 (Lotulelei 2, Wunderli, Cannon, Richards).
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About Me
- Bruce
- I am the author of Matchup, which provides yearbooks to high school sports teams, commemorating their seasons.
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