STATE 2A FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: Returning with gold
<p>STEVE CONNER/Steve Conner Photography</p><p>Brady Martin of St. Maries looks back and, with Caden Hall (44) running with him, returns a fumble for touchdown late in the first half against Declo in the state 2A football championship game Friday night at Holt Arena in Pocatello.</p>
<p>STEVE CONNER/Steve Conner Photography</p><p>Brady Martin of St. Maries celebrates with teammates with the state championship trophy after the Lumberjacks beat Declo on Friday night at Holt Arena in Pocatello for their first state football title.</p>
POCATELLO — After a 15-year playoff drought, then falling in the quarterfinals the last two seasons, St. Maries won its first football state championship in school history Friday night at Holt Arena, pulling away from Declo 31-8 in a state 2A championship game that was much closer than the score indicated.
With under 30 seconds to go before halftime, Declo had the momentum. The Lumberjacks were down 8-6 and Declo was knocking on the door with under a minute before the half as Declo running back Keegan Duncan ripped off a 39-yard run that put the Hornets inside the 5-yard line.
If Declo scored, the Hornets could have potentially gone up 16-6 going into halftime if they made a two-point conversion. Instead, St. Maries did something the Lumberjacks have been doing all year — force turnovers.
Senior Donaven Rottini stripped Declo running back Tyler Mathews, senior Brady Martin picked up the spinning football, looked up, saw nothing but green in front of him and returned the ball 99 yards for a St. Maries touchdown.
The fumble sparked a dominant St. Maries second half and marked a momentum shift.
The Lumberjacks (12-0) shut down Declo’s potent rushing attack, outscoring the Hornets (10-3) 19-0 in the final 24 minutes.
“That was the play that changed all the momentum of the game,” St. Maries coach Craig Tefft said of Martin’s fumble return. “If they punch it in there, this second half has a new feel to it.”
Statistically, Duncan had a huge night for Declo.
In the semifinals, Duncan rushed for 238 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 64, 52 and 33 yards on a tough Aberdeen defense.
“We have pretty good team speed too, and when he gets loose, he is gone,” Tefft said. “You have to get hats to the ball, that is really how you defend him.”
To win the game, St. Maries had to slow down the 6-foot-3, 190-pound sophomore.
“We worked all week on stopping the run,” Martin said. “We knew this kid was an athlete.”
Duncan rushed for 138 yards on 14 carries. But 102 of those yards came on two first-half carries and Duncan was held to negative rushing yardage in the second half.
“We have been a good second-half team all year,” Tefft said. “I could tell the kids were a bit nerved up. Once we settled in, we were fine.”
St. Maries forced six Declo turnovers, three of which turned into Lumberjack touchdowns.
Rottini fell on a third-quarter fumble in the end zone after Declo quarterback Tanner Schroder was stripped. To go along with his 99-yard fumble return, Martin also returned an interception 85 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“Right place, right time,” Martin said. “I just got lucky.”
With under a minute to play, the interception was Declo’s dagger and St. Maries began to celebrate.
“Greatest feeling ever,” St. Maries senior quarterback Kiefer Gibson said. “I cannot describe it.”
Gibson had an efficient night, completing six of his 10 passes, did not throw an interception and hooked up with Martin for a 41-yard score in the third quarter.
Martin, who is a converted lineman, had only scored one defensive touchdown in his career prior to Friday night’s game.
“I had a good feeling we were going to win this game,” Martin said. “I cannot describe how this feels.”
Declo entered the night on a nine-game winning streak with an offense that was averaging 37.5 points per game.
St. Maries forced the Hornets to throw the ball, and Schroeder was held to under 50 yards through the air.
“We can pass, but we don’t want to pass,” Declo coach Kelly Kidd said. “They took Duncan away, no matter what, if they pass the ball, we’ll cross that bridge.”
Declo scored three plays into the game, a quick drive that was capped with a 64-yard Duncan touchdown run 1:53 into the game. After that, Duncan only got loose one other time.
“They sent everybody where Duncan was,” Kidd said. “We tried to get away from Duncan, but he is our offense.”
In its first state championship game in school history, St. Maries capped off its perfect season with a blue trophy.
“I don’t know what it means yet,” Tefft said. “It hasn’t sunk in.”
St. Maries 6 6 12 7 — 31
Declo 8 0 0 0 — 8
First quarter
Declo – Duncan 63 run (Duncan run), 10:47
SM – Brown 5 run (kick failed), 7:58
Second quarter
SM – Martin 99 fumble return (pass failed), :10
Third quarter
SM – Martin 41 pass from Gibson (pass failed), 9:21
SM – Rottini fumble recovery in end zone (kick blocked), :37
Fourth quarter
SM – Martin 85 interception return (Asbury kick), :55
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — SM, Rottini 9-29, Masterson 3-19, Renfrew 2-18, Brown 8-17, Gibson 4-12, Wilson 4-10. Declo, Duncan 14-138, Mathews 9-26, Darrington 4-14, Homer 5-1, Schroeder 4-12, Larsen 2-7.
PASSING — SM, Gibson 6-10-1-86 Sieler 0-1-0-0 Declo, Schroeder 6-12-2-44, Duncan 0-1-1-0.
RECEIVING — SM, Martin 1-41, Wilson 2-35, Lohman 1-7, Sieler 1-4, Renfrew 1-3. Declo, Mathews 4-30, Hansen 1-17, Homer 1-7.