Mullan falls in playoff opener
Photo by Rad Groth Ian Farris takes a pitch and runs behind blocker Skye Gallaway during Mullan’s playoff game against Kendrick.
MULLAN — There is something to be said for experience.
Experience can be the great equalizer or experience can be the thing that pushes an advantage one way or another.
The Mullan-St. Regis Tigers could probably tell you all about it following their 82-36 loss in the Idaho 1A DII playoff quarterfinals.
They stepped onto John Drager Field this past weekend with hopes of making a run at a state championship; unfortunately they ran into a buzzsaw.
Making their sixth straight playoff appearance (they’ve played in 10 playoff games in the last six seasons), The Tigers of Kendrick had very little interest in seeing their current season conclude, and it really showed during their dominant first quarter.
Mullan looked shell-shocked on the opening possession after Kendrick took only two plays to get into the endzone.
Mullan would respond, but the 28-0 first quarter hole would be too much for Mullan to claw their way out of.
“We played the worst quarter ever, and it happened to be the first quarter,” Mullan-St. Regis coach Stetson Spooner said. “Losing by 46 wasn't the plan. Kendrick is a stout football team. They played hard, disciplined, good, clean football. Hats off to them.”
Senior Skye Gallaway punctuated a fantastic career at Mullan with a three touchdown performance along with over 100 yards on the ground for the Tigers.
Both senior Ian Farris and sophomore Luke Trogden found the endzone as well, but they were simply outclassed by a team who wasn’t playing in their first playoff game in 13 years, like they were.
“It was a heck of a season for our guys,” Spooner said. “For two communities that were struggling to field a team, let alone win games, and then to battle to win a league title and host a playoff game in little-old Mullan is an amazing accomplishment.”
Mullan ends its season 6-3, while Kendrick will take on Lighthouse Christian inside Holt Arena in Pocatello this weekend.
Kendrick 28 24 6 32 — 84
Mullan-St. Regis 0 22 6 8 — 36
Kendrick — Cooper Hewett 45 pass from Alex Sneve (Sneve run)
Kendrick — Chase Burke 58 run (Burke run)
Kendrick — Burke 15 run (pass failed)
Kendrick — Sneve 40 fumble return (pass failed)
Kendrick — Hewett 7 run (pass failed)
Mullan — Skye Gallaway 74 run (pass failed)
Mullan — Ian Farris 53 run (Luke Trogden run)
Kendrick — Hewett 56 run (run failed)
Kendrick — Sneve 54 run (pass failed)
Kendrick — Burke 28 pass from Sneve (run failed)
Mullan — Gallaway 11 run (Nic Day run)
Kendrick — Sneve 45 run (run failed)
Mullan — Trogden 2 run (run failed)
Kendrick — Burke 5 run (Talon Alexander pass from Sneve)
Kendrick — Chad Facey 7 run (Rylan Hogan pass from Sneve)
Kendrick — Facey 11 run (Jagger Hewett run)
Mullan — Gallaway 60 run (Tanner Day pass from Caleb Ball)