Borah football: Freshmen season recap

In early December, I interviewed Borah (Idaho) High School freshmen football coach Steve Murchie and we talked about the Lions' 2012 season. Here is the article that will appear in the team's postseason yearbook.

Young team shows it’s on its way up

Freshmen finish with fine 6-3 record and show momentum

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             The resurgence of the Borah Lions football team is not just occurring at the varsity level. Freshmen coach Steve Murchie said it’s everywhere, and it starts with the team’s freshmen program.

            The ninth-graders had a 6-3 season in 2012, which was good enough for fourth place in the SIC standings. Murchie said the strength of the team was that its offense was balanced and – at times – could be “lethal.” With a 37-player roster made up of West and South junior high students, many played both ways.

            “At the end, we had a lot of kids who were tired and banged up,” said Murchie, who finished his second year. “But we thought we could win with our best kids on the field and they did a great job.”

            Fortunately, there were no major injuries. Murchie said the players seemed to enjoy the season and proud of the effort they made in the weight room during the summer.
            “The whole program is on its way up,” he said. “The kids went to the varsity games and had their heads held high. Everyone was talking about it. Word was definitely out. It’s nice to see the momentum.”
            Murchie said the team’s weakness was depth and the fact that most every opponent had bigger players.
            “We didn’t win a lot of games getting off the bus,” he said. “The Meridian teams were all bigger and had a lot more players. We’ve learned to deal with it.”
            Rocky Mountain was the freshmen league champion, and Murchie said the Grizzlies’ squad stood out. The Lions’ other losses were close and, after averaging over 60 points per game the previous three weeks, they fell to Rocky 28-13 in the season finale.
            Borah was led by Jake Paulin, who played tight end and linebacker and was selected the Jason Mann award winner as the team’s Most Valuable Player.
            “He’s smart and had great hands,” Murchie said. “He was a kid we went to when we needed a big play on offense. He could also block well.”
            Quarterback Hayden Brown directed the team’s offense and threw the ball well. Paulin, Ryan Bartunek and Mark Jerome anchored the line, although Jerome was later moved to wide receiver. Tyler Goodsell, Chris Hugon and Jace Forrey all contributed as running backs.
            Murchie said there were two primary highlights of the season. The best was when the Lions defeated Capital 74-36, scoring almost at will.
            “We weren’t trying to run it up,” Murchie said. “We scored on dives and it would go 80 yards. It was kind of ugly, but the kids were having a good time.”
            The second didn’t have a happy ending, and that was when Timberline defeated Borah on a “Hail Mary” pass at the end of the game.

Borah football: Justin Coburn profile

In early December, I interviewed Borah High School (Idaho) tight end Justin Coburn and we talked about the Lions' 2012 season. It was an incredible year for Coburn, who was selected the team's most improved player. When you read the article, you'll understand why. Here is what I wrote about Coburn in the team's 2012 football yearbook.


Justin Coburn:
 
His ‘unbelievable’ season made him
an easy choice as most improved player

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             Justin Coburn came a long way.

            From the opening day to the 5A playoffs, nobody accomplished more than Borah’s 6-foot-3, 205-pound tight end. Naming him the team’s most improved player at the team banquet was a foregone conclusion.
            “Without a doubt, the most improved player I’ve ever seen in 29 years of coaching,” said coach Darren Corpus. “It was unbelieveable what that kid did.”
            Even Coburn agreed. After the first game, he wondered if he would keep his starting spot. But he finished with 51 catches for 830 yards and eight touchdowns. He finished the season with 11 receptions for 212 yards and two scores, including an incredible 81-yarder that people were talking about a long time afterward.
            “If you look from the Boise game to Highland, I think, ‘yeah,’” Coburn said. “I started focusing more when I was in there. I got the offense down correctly and they started to pass to me more.”
            The 5A playoff game (vs. Highland) was the crowning touch. Borah had the lead for much of the contest and, until the final minutes, his long touchdown catch was the game’s highlight.
            The ironic part was that Coburn hurt his shoulder against Rocky Mountain and wondered if he might be replaced by Trey Dennis. By game time, however, he was OK.
            “I did really well,” he said. “I lined up on the left and had a post route. I caught it in stride across the middle and nobody could catch me.”
            Coburn’s speed (he ran the 100 meters in 10.8 seconds the previous track season) certainly helped. He gave the Lions a secondary deep threat. Corpus said he contemplated moving Coburn to defensive end, but after he made several tough grabs in two-minute drills in practice, he kept him solely on the offense.
            “We needed him to focus on offense,” Corpus said, “and he was pretty impressive.”
            Coburn had a lot of good memories from the 2012 season. He said the season opener against Boise was a disaster for him – and the team. He had four catches for just 29 yards vs. Boise, and the next contest at Centennial was even worse until he caught a 58-yard touchdown pass that ended up being the game-winner.
            “I had been having a really bad game and that was very important,” he said. “It was our last possession and play action. The linebackers bit and it was huge.”
            After that, the highlights kept coming. However, the Capital game was first in Coburn’s mind. Coburn said he had a great view of several events that decided that game.
            “I had a couple of important catches on that last drive,” he said. “(On the two-point conversion), I was right behind the play. I thought it was a catch. I was putting my hands up in the air to signal a touchdown. The back judge said it hit the ground, but I saw it never hit the ground. The Capital kid picked it up out of Montana’s (Bilger) hands.
            “I tried to keep my head, but I was pretty angry and yelling a little bit,” he added. “I was off to the side a little bit, but there were a lot of kids in his (the official’s) way. He didn’t have a clear view of the ball.”
            Coburn said he felt Borah had a chance to win the state title, but injuries hurt their chances. He said he was particularly impressed with junior running back Karsten Niederer, who broke his jaw against Rocky but did not want to leave the stadium.
            He also was happy to have such a great influence on the Lions’ season, especially after so many difficult years previously.
            “There are eight kids in my family, including me,” he said. “I’m the seventh and all the boys have been football players. It makes me feel pretty great.
            At press time, Coburn hoped to earn a football scholarship and had been contacted by a couple of Montana schools but nothing had been decided.

Borah football: Hunter Kenyon profile

In early December, I interviewed Borah (Idaho) running back Hunter Kenyon, who led the league in rushing this season. Here is the article that will appear in his team's 2012 football yearbook.


Hunter Kenyon:

Lions’ RB grinded out over 1,000 yards
and solidified team’s offensive attack

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             Hunter Kenyon played football for nine years. He saved his best for last.

            Kenyon, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back, wasn’t a game-breaker. But he led the SIC in rushing with 1,168 yards and topped the team in scoring (82 points).

            Most importantly, he was there when needed.

            “He’s your typical grinder,” said coach Darren Corpus. “He’s a guy that, if you need a hard yard, he’ll get you two. If you need a guy to pick up a blitz, he’ll do that. He’s like an extra offensive lineman.”

            While quarterback Cole Skinner was throwing touchdown passes to guys like Kion Williams and Justin Coburn, Kenyon was setting up the plays by giving Borah a running game.

            Kenyon also added to Borah’s tradition. His dad, Quane, played football at Borah, and so did his older brother. For years, tales of Borah football were told in their household and now Hunter has plenty of his own.

            When highly touted back Ryan Emry got hurt last year, Kenyon ran for 516 yards, scored eight touchdowns, and was named second team all-SIC. However, he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry while QB Braden Corpus was attracting most of the opponent’s attention.

            It didn’t take him long for foes to notice him this year.

            In Borah’s third game, a 33-28 win over Meridian, Kenyon scored four touchdowns, and three came in the Lions’  big rally, which players and coaches alike called a turning point of the season.

            Kenyon had a career-high 219 yards in that game and averaged over 10 yards per carry. However, he wouldn’t take credit for the turn of events. He said there was a bigger play in the locker room at halftime that the fans didn’t see.

            “At halftime, I jogged off the field, like everyone else, and found a seat close to where the coaches would be in the locker room. I waited, and drank some water.

            “But they didn’t come in. Hawkins (Mann) did and got everyone’s attention. He was really angry. He couldn’t keep cool and he told us how he felt. He gave a speech.

            “I’m not a very vocal person. I’ve never been able to do anything like that. He was saying that we had to stand up for our brothers on the field.”

            Borah trailed 28-6 at the time. A loss would have dropped the Lions to 1-2. Instead, it created momentum (and fan support) as Borah continued on a six-game streak.

            “He (Kenyon) was very quiet, but had a businesslike attitude,” Corpus said. “I can’t say enough of what he did for our team. He’d get to the hole and move the chains.”

            Kenyon rushed for over 100 yards in every game after that – except a comfortable 38-21 win over Vallivue (Borah had a 38-0 lead at one time). He suffered a high ankle sprain in Borah’s 27-17 win over Rocky Mountain that earned the Lions a share of the SIC title.

            He got some help, though, as the offensive line continued to open holes and Karsten Niederer also got over the 100-yard mark. Kenyon’s injury didn’t heal quickly, however, and he was able to get into just two plays in the 5A playoff game against Highland.

            “We had a lot of guys banged up and unable to practice,” Kenyon recalled. “I didn’t feel too good (against Highland). The ankle couldn’t do anything. We just ran a blast and I got six or seven yards.

            “I tried to cheer on our defense, listen to what we were doing on offense and do whatever I could. It sucked.”

            It also made everyone realize how important he was to Borah’s success.

            Kenyon, who used to play basketball but continued to compete in track, hoped to play football in college. At press time, a few NAIA schools had looked at him and Corpus continued to laud his contributions.

            But there’s no taking away what he accomplished in high school.

Borah football: 2012 recap

The Borah Lions (Idaho) had a great year in 2012. I followed the team throughout the season and interviewed the coach, and four different players, in November. Here is the article that will appear in the team's yearbook.

Surprise? The Lions are back

 Eighth-place prediction inspires the team

to reach heights not seen in many years

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             The answer was unanimous among SIC football coaches in 2012. Who was the league’s surprise team?

            The Borah Lions.
            The Lions’ rise this season, where they roared to a 7-3 record, finished tied for first place and earned the league’s top seed in the 5A state playoffs astounded the prognosticators, who had predicted them to be eighth.
            “We were lucky to be SIC champions and unlucky not to be state champions,” said coach Darren Corpus. “I expect always to do well. My expectations for next year’s group are higher than this year.
            “I wanted to set up a blueprint on how to play football at Borah and this group moved us to a new level. Now we need to go the ultimate level.”
            Corpus was named the league’s top coach, and the Lions had eight players on the all-league team, more than double any other school.
            “It was a pretty cool season,” said senior Hunter Kenyon, who led the league in rushing with 1,168 yards. “My dad played when they (the Lions) were a powerhouse and won state championships. I also got experience when my brother played and they were 0-9.
            “It was nice to bring it (success) back and be on the winning side again. It was cool.”
            Borah had a 5-4 mark in 2011. It was the Lions’ first winning season since 1995, but there was still some regret because they missed the playoffs. Corpus was named the head coach the previous May after 24 years at nearby West Junior High.
            “I knew we would have a good year,” said Corpus. “When you work with kids, and you’re around them longer than a spring and a summer, you can start developing. You can understand what your strengths and weaknesses are.”
            Corpus said winning the SIC was this season’s highlight. In the process, though, there was some drama and heartbreak, but it all faded with a 27-17 victory at Rocky Mountain in the regular-season finale.
            “The (SIC) coaches picked us eighth,” he said. “I don’t know how you can do that legitimately. When you pick a team, there’s more to it than losing seniors. Our JV team only lost a couple of games the yebefore and we had good seniors left. Polls are polls. They can probably motivate you more than anything else, but other than that, it’s just writing on paper.”
            The Lions season started slowly. The heavily hyped opener against Boise at the new Dona Larsen Park field was a disaster. Borah was never in the game and lost 38-24. Afterward, the team hung around for a strongly worded pep talk from its coaches – and then won six straight.
            “It starts with senior leadership,” Corpus said. “If you have that, you have guys working day in and day out and it rubs off the other younger guys.”
            Another turning point came at Meridian. It was just the third game of the season and the Lions trailed 28-6 at halftime on the Warriors’ home field. Spurred by a dramatic locker room speech by junior lineman Hawkins Mann, the defense stiffened and Borah scored four straight touchdowns en route to a 33-28 victory.
            “Coming back to beat them was pretty good,” Corpus said, “and we showed the ability to go to Eagle and win. That was huge.”
            Earning the league’s top seed didn’t do Borah any favors, though, as the Lions drew Eastern Idaho’s best team – Highland – in the opening round. The team had to deal with several injuries and, despite leading most of the game, Borah lost 41-34. The dream season ended, but set the table for the future.
            “Highland was the best team we saw. I’m not going to say they were the toughest, but they were the best. If we were healthy and each team plays the best they can, it would have been the two best teams in the state.”
            Highland lost the following week to defending champion Coeur d’Alene, which then fell to Madison in the 5A title game at Pocatello’s Holt Arena.
            Corpus said the league – as well as the state’s other 5A teams – were pretty balanced. What set Borah apart was its balance.
           “The key to any football team to be successful is you have to be able to run the ball and be able to stop the run,” he said. “At midpoint of the season, we were doing both. We forced other teams to pass the ball.”
            The offense was balanced, led by Kenyon and junior quarterback Cole Skinner. Corpus said Skinner had an “unbelievable” season, throwing for 25 touchdowns. Kion Williams gave the Lions a big-play threat and he and tight end Justin Coburn tied with 51 receptions each. Trey Dennis and Kadeem Torgeson also their share of big plays.
            On defense, Carlton Strough and Nick Burt were the leading tacklers, but there was no disputing the impressive play of the Mann brothers – Hawkins and Colter.
            In all, 2012 was a great year for Borah football, but it’s likely even better seasons are still to come.

Borah football: Kade Dustin profile

In mid-November, I interviewed Kade Dustin of the Borah (Idaho) High School football team. He was a tremendous asset for the Lions behind the scenes. Here is the article that is to appear in team's 2012 football yearbook.

Kade Dustin:

 

His accomplishments behind the scenes
gave Lions another valuable asset

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             Kade Dustin caught one pass, ran the ball once, had two tackles and punted seven times yet was a candidate for the Borah football team’s Most Valuable Player award.

            Coach Darren Corpus admitted he was Dustin’s uncle. He said that was never a factor.
            “I didn’t do him any favors,” Corpus said. “He was just a great asset to the team.”
            Virtually all of Dustin’s accomplishments came off the field.
                “I tried to keep the team pumped on the sidelines. I had our teammates cheer each other on,” Dustin recalled. “About three weeks into the season, one of the other coaches asked if I could run the scout team. I just tried to do it well so our first teams could get a good look.”
            That’s how he was remembered by the coaching staff. Dustin, however, appreciated the time he got on the field much more. He said the highlight of his career was catching a 4-yard touchdown pass late in the game against Mountain View that secured a 35-21 win. He also served as Jacob Szuch’s holder on kicks.
            “We were supposed to run hitches,” Dustin recalled. “I got into my hitch. The quarterback (Cole Skinner) scrambled. The defensive back thought it was a fade route and I caught it right on the sidelines.
            “I celebrated a little bit, but I had to hold for the (extra) point afterward, so I couldn’t celebrate that long.”
            That game ended up playing a big part as Borah tied for first place in the SIC and ended up earning the league’s No. 1 seed in the 5A playoffs. That fact was the highlight of the year for the Lions.
            “We had a great season,” Dustin said. “All the seniors stepped up. We worked out every day in the winter and summer. It was a great place to be.”
            Dustin put in long hours during the offseason and then did it again, despite the lack of playing time. Instead, he had to learn an opposing team’s offense and each week it was different. At practice, Dustin was the primary target for the enemy.
            “We didn’t want our first team quarterback to maybe get hurt, so I had to learn,” he said. “At one time, I ran an option offense. You just have to get used to how they run it. As we watched film, I would watch the other offenses and see how they were running it.”
            His efforts didn’t go unnoticed by his uncle, who was his coach at West Junior High and also saw him progress at holder, starting when he began to learn the position his sophomore year. As a senior, he did the job perfectly.
            Szuch, in fact, was 26-of-26 on PATs and 12-14 on field goals. That success helped him make the all-SIC team.
                “Kade is an athlete that every coach wants on his team,” Corpus said. “He is extremely bright, hard working and cares about the team as much as he cares about anything else.”
            Dustin was proud to be part of Borah’s resurgence. He said he felt 2012 was going to be a good season after the season-opening game against Boise. Despite the 38-24 loss, he felt a change in the team’s mood immediately afterward.
                “The coaches called us out and asked us if we had any character,” he said. “That turned around the season.”
            Corpus wouldn’t take credit for the adjustment. He said the transformation was created by the players.
            “It starts with senior leadership,” he said. “If you have that, you have guys working day in and day out and it rubs onto the other younger guys.”

Borah football: Nick Burt profile

In mid-November, I interviewed Borah High School (Idaho) linebacker Nick Burt and we talked about his senior season playing football, among other things. Here is the article that will appear in the 2012 Borah football yearbook.

Nick Burt:

 

Three-sport athlete proved himself

and helped the football team do it, too

 

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

 

            The Borah Lions felt the 2012 season was a chance to prove themselves. Nick Burt felt the same way about himself.

            Burt, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior, was a three-sport athlete. He competed in football, basketball and track and field. This football season, he started out at defensive back but was moved to linebacker. He ended up second on the team in tackles and even made honorable mention all-SIC.

            “He was a safety, but got bigger,” said coach Darren Corpus. “We had some highs and lows on the team this year and he fit in well.”

            Burt fit in a lot of ways on Borah’s sports teams. He competed in the sprints during track season. He started on the junior varsity basketball team as a junior and was thrilled when the Lions’ varsity won the 5A state title. He also was expected to be a major player for coach Cary Cada’s varsity squad as a senior.

            In football, he was the JV team’s defensive player of the year in 2011. Corpus called him a “tweener kid,” and asked him to stay on the JVs in order to improve. It probably wasn’t any surprise that his success coincided with the teams.

            “We knew we were going to be pretty decent, but it made us mad to see the preseason rankings,” Burt said. “We had to go prove ourselves.”

            After years of disappointing seasons, Borah’s turnaround started last year in coach Darren Corpus’s first season. The Lions put together a 5-4 record, but missed the postseason.

            Burt had played for Corpus at West Junior High and developed a good relationship. It may have started when Burt was a ninth grader and hadn’t decided if he wanted to play.

            “He didn’t show to the first two-a-day practice,” Corpus recalled. “Some of the kids (teammates) put him on the phone and I talked to him. He came to the second practice, but hardly played for us last year until the championship game, and then he had three picks (interceptions) and a fumble recovery.

            “The rest is history and he has been an integral part of our teams.”

            Burt said the team had high hopes this year, but the 38-24 loss to Boise in the season opener had them going into the opposite direction. Burt remembered the coaches “calling them out” before they even left the stadium that night. There were also other motivators.

            “Hawkins (Mann) called us out on many things … when we were playing terrible,” he said. “We just did our jobs and came back.”

            The next week, Borah started a six-game winning streak.

            “It (the season) went pretty well,” Burt said. “We made a lot of progress. We expected more, but it went pretty well.”

            The series of victories included wins over Centennial, Meridian, Mountain View, Timberline and Vallivue. Burt said his favorite game was the 24-21 win at Eagle, a game where he led the defense with nine tackles.

            “We weren’t picked to win, but we played good,” he said. “They were ranked second in the state at that time and we only gave up one touchdown. We were flying around.”

            Burt said he had several other good

memories:

            * - His favorite play came against Capital, when he forced a fumble by Eagles running back T.J. Clarke. Burt said Clarke used to be a teammate before transferring.

            “There wasn’t too much talk on the field, but there was definitely some heat between all of us,” he said.

            * - Beating Rocky Mountain in a game that decided the SIC title.

            “We were looking forward to that game all year. It actually surprised us. They were the ones getting looked at all season.”

            * - Losing to Highland in the 5A playoffs when the Rams converted a 3^rd-and-35 play late in the game.

            “It was a good game. We should have won. On that play, I was dropping way back, going into coverage. I got blocked right before I could get him.”

            When football season ended, Burt went right into basketball, and looked forward to helping the Lions see if they could repeat as championss. He wasn’t certain what his future held after high school. He said his parents were both in the military, and he was considering that, too.

 

 

Girls basketball: Springville whips Herriman

On Nov. 30, I covered the Springville at Herriman girls basketball game. It was an opportunity to see Springville play in the Salt Lake Valley and I had deliver the Red Devils' yearbooks. Here is the article that will appear in this year's Springville yearbook.

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            In Springville’s opener, it was Malia Nawahine who led the team to victory. Savannah Park sat on the bench, nursing an injury.

            Ten days later, it was Park’s turn. The 5-foot-2 junior guard scored 19 points and led the Red Devils to a convincing 69-44 win Friday night over Herriman.
            “Savannah makes things happen,” said Springville coach Nancy Warner. “Her nickname is ‘spark.’ She rebounds, takes the ball out of other kids’ hands. You name it.”
            She did it that – and more - against the Mustangs, who have happily put the Devils on their schedule each season in their three-year history. Herriman coach Jill Ames said her team’s goal is to make it to the 4A state tournament and playing the best teams in the preseason helps prepare them.
            “We’re not going to play a better team than them this year,” Ames said. “They’ve made it to the (4A) championship game the last three years. Tonight, we learned we have to play a full 32 minutes.”
            For Herriman, now 0-2, playing 32 minutes wouldn’t have mattered. The Devils put this game away early, thanks to a defense that forced 19 turnovers and an enterprising offense that got off to a quick start, scored 24 points in the first quarter. Nawahine finished with 17 points, but she and Park seemed to be playing at a higher level than their opponent.
            Nawahine, who had 29 points in the opener, had 15 of her points in the first half. The Devils led 24-13 after the first quarter, but limited Herriman without a basket in the second period and continued to build the margin.
            Herriman’s bright spot came in the fourth quarter, when the Mustangs outscored Springville 20-17. At one point, Ames took all of her starters out of the game and asked them if they were playing their best.
            “They all had a chance to think,” she said. “If they weren’t, I’ve got other players on the team who will try.”
            The Mustangs had trouble matching up with Springville’s talent and size. Junior Brooke Wheeler, at 6-3, finished with five points and eight rebounds and was constantly a factor underneath. Springville led by as many as 32 points and coach Warner substituted freely near the end.
            “That Alta game … we had a lot of jitters,” Warner said. “We were excited to play again. We fine-tuned a lot of our mistakes.”
            Warner praised Park, Nawahine and Kate Hullinger, who came off the bench and finished with five points. Ten different players got into the game and eight scored. The Devils shot 57.7 percent from the field and had an impressive inside-outside game, making 5-of-11 (45.4 percent) from three-point range.