State 5A football semifinal: Mavericks brace for 'explosive' T-Wolves

When Lake City High football coach Van Troxel looks at the Mountain View Mavericks, tonight's opponent in the state 5A semifinals, the Timberwolves' foe looks familiar.

"We're really very similar," Troxel said of Mountain View (8-2), which hosts Lake City (9-1) tonight at 6 PST. "Statistically, they were one of the top defenses in the SIC. Their H-back (Trey Bell) is their kick returner and punt returner. Their quarterback (Garrett Collingham) is very efficient. Their (spread) offense is very similar to us. It's like a mirror image."

Mountain View coach Judd Benedick returned the compliments when asked about Lake City.

"Boy, they are good, really explosive on offense," said Benedick, in his eighth year as Mavericks coach. "I mentioned to our kids, it'd be pretty tough to find someone more explosive on offense than 10 (Jerry Louie-McGee). And 15 (Connor Newby) is not far behind him."

"They're big up front, their quarterback makes all the right reads, and they have enough role-player guys. It's tough to find a weakness."

Collingham has passed for 1,447 yards and 11 touchdowns, and rushed for 525 yards and seven TDs.

Benedick said Boise State is interested in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Collingham as a quarterback and as an athlete.

Kole Goodwin has rushed for 693 yards and 12 TDs.

Bell ran the opening kickoff back 95 yards for a touchdown last week, starting the Mavericks to a 27-19 victory over Madison of Rexburg in the quarterfinals.

Mountain View is averaging 36.5 points per game and allowing 14.8. Lake City is averaging 45.3 points and allowing 27.7. Mountain View led the 5A Southern Idaho Conference in fewest points allowed.

Mountain View, which opened in 2003, is in the state semifinals for the second time in school history, and is hosting a semifinal for the first time. The Mavericks lost to Taysom Hill and Highland of Pocatello in 2008, one week after Highland beat Lake City in the quarterfinals.

Mountain View has won seven straight after a 1-2 start, which included losses to Rocky Mountain (30-6) and Capital (45-16). Lake City beat Capital 41-34 in overtime at home last week in the quarterfinals.

"We sort of figured it would be rough at the beginning of the year," Benedick said. "We told the kids (at 1-2) our season could go in a couple different directions. To our kids' credit, they worked really, really hard to improve."

Even before the game, weather has already played a factor.

Lake City practiced Wednesday at The Dome indoor facility in Hayden because its practice field was frozen.

"We didn't have a lot of room, but we got a lot of work done," Troxel said. "It kinda looked like a hockey game, with all the boards, but it was a good practice."

The Timberwolves left for southern Idaho on Thursday, in part to get a head start as they bused into the elements. And snow hit the Treasure Valley on Thursday.

Mountain View's field is natural grass.

Lake City last played in a semifinal two years ago, and last reached the state title game in 2006, when it went on to win its second state title in school history.

Tonight's game will be webcast on idahosports.com