Silver Valley Sports Recap: Oct. 31 - Nov. 6
KELLOGG FOOTBALL
• Nov. 4
MONTPELIER — The opening drive was precisely what Wildcat fans had come to expect, methodical passing, designed read-option rushing, and twins Riply and Kolby Luna connecting for a touchdown.
That was where the familiarity stopped during the Wildcats’ 46-20 loss to top-seeded Bear Lake in their Idaho 2A State Playoff quarterfinal matchup.
Played in brutal 20º temperatures — which felt colder with the wind — at nearly 6,000-feet above sea level, it was truly home field advantage for the Bears.
Kellogg’s secondary struggled with the deep ball as Bear Lake quarterback Tayson Neal completed 11 passes for 240 yards and five touchdowns in the win — many of them going right over the top of the Wildcat defensive backs.
Kellogg's special teams was a bright spot in the loss, as junior Ramsey Rainio routinely gave the Wildcats decent starting field position with his kick returning. He finished with 133 return yards.
Quarterback Riply Luna finished his Wildcat career with a 206-yard, two-touchdown performance through the air, while also operating as the Wildcats’ leading rusher and scoring one touchdown on the ground.
Kolby Luna caught two touchdowns on 133 yards receiving.
Kellogg’s tackling will be a sore subject for the players and staff in the coming weeks as they review the film from their first-ever 2A playoff appearance.
The Wildcats couldn’t seem to finish defensive plays at first contact, which turned plays for negative yards into Bear Lake gains. Specifically, Bear runningback Tyler Beresford, who caught a touchdown as well as racked up 141 yards and another score on the ground.
Bear Lake advanced to the 2A semifinals, where they’ll face familiar foe West Side at Holt Arena in Pocatello.
The Wildcats finish the season at 6-4.
MULLAN FOOTBALL
• Nov. 5
Mullan/St. Regis 6, Garden Valley 36
MULLAN — The Tigers were the better squad for the first 11 minutes of their Idaho 1A D2 State Playoff quarterfinal matchup with Garden Valley.
Mullan/St. Regis forced a fumble on the opening drive, and then a few plays later senior quarterback Caleb Ball connected with tight end Blake Layton for a 25-yard score.
The Tiger defense held strong against the Wolverines forcing another takeaway and putting Mullan/St. Regis in a position to take a commanding two-score lead.
On a third down, Ball rolled out to pass and was hit hard well after the ball had left his hand.
Following a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty, as well as a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Garden Valley coaching staff, the Tigers were looking at first-and-goal from the nine-yard line.
That was where things turned for the worse for the Tigers.
Multiple penalties and poor decisions resulted in the Tigers getting pushed back beyond midfield and suddenly the momentum belonged solely to the Wolverines.
Garden Valley would score once before halftime taking a 7-6 lead at the intermission — but it was all Wolverines after that.
The Tigers couldn’t generate any consistent offense and finished with five turnovers for the game — then on the other side of the ball they could not slow down Garden Valley’s potent rushing attack.
Garden Valley will now face Dietrich in semifinals.
Mullan/St. Regis finishes their season 8-3.
