Hammond passes St. Maries to playoff win
NEW PLYMOUTH — To move on in the state 2A football playoffs, the St. Maries Lumberjacks knew they had to pass the ball.
And, did they ever on Friday.
Kaden Hammond completed 15 of 18 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns as the Lumberjacks powered past the New Plymouth Pilgrims 46-16 in an opening-round game.
“We just kind of learned our lesson in the Orofino game,” said St. Maries coach Craig Tefft of the team’s 32-26 overtime loss to Orofino on Oct. 19. “We knew at some point, we’d have to throw the ball. So we worked hard on it all week. We tried to run the ball, but they did a good job of stopping it.”
The lefty-throwing Hammond missed last week’s loss at Orofino after suffering a broken wrist in an ATV accident. He played Friday’s game with a cast on his right wrist.
“Kaden really played well today,” Tefft said. “He just played good football today.”
Tyler Lohman finished with six catches for 182 yards and a touchdown and Ethan Hill had 155 yards receiving with four touchdowns for St. Maries (6-3), which awaits its next opponent in the quarterfinals. Beginning with the quarterfinals, 2A bracketing is determined by RPI rankings, the first year that Idaho has gone to that system in the classification.
Lohman’s 85-yard interception return gave St. Maries a 13-8 lead after the first quarter.
“New Plymouth was running a post pattern and Tyler did a great job of reading the play and picking the ball off,” Tefft said. “That play really changed the momentum of the game.”
New Plymouth finishes 5-4.
St. Maries 13 13 7 13 — 46
New Plymouth 8 8 0 0 — 16
First quarter
NP — Andrew Harmon 68 pass from unknown (conversion failed)
SM — Ethan Hill 39 pass from Kaden Hammond (Aubree Osier kick)
NP — safety, Kobe Roberts tackle in endzone
SM — Tyler Lohman 85 interception return (kick failed)
Second quarter
SM — Hill 24 pass from Hammond (Osier kick)
NP — Roberts 4 run (Jackson Mendive run)
SM — Hill 18 pass from Hammond (kick failed)
Third quarter
SM — Hill 15 pass from Hammond (Osier kick)
Fourth quarter
SM — Lohman 91 pass from Hammond (kick failed)
SM — Hall 5 run (Osier kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — SM, Sands 5-16, Hall 7-13, Hammond 12-6, Pollack 1-6, Daniel 2-4, Truscott 1-2, Gibson 1-0. NP, Mowder 25-85, Roberts 11-26, Gordon 3-6.
PASSING — SM, Hammond, 15-18-0-345. NP, Roberts, 2-8-1-32.
RECEIVING — SM, Lohman 6-182, Hill 7-155, Truscott 1-5, Sands 1-3, Hall 1-1. NP, Harmon 2-73, Williams 1-33, Mowder 2-(-10).
Kendrick 70
Kootenai 20
HARRISON FLATS — Even at full strength, this would have been a tough finale for the host Warriors.
Throw in three starters out with injuries, and Kootenai finished 5-4, 2-4 in the White Star League with the loss to the Tigers (8-0, 6-0), ranked second in 1A Division II.
Chase Burke rushed for five touchdowns and caught a TD pass from playoff-bound Kendrick.
“They just manhandled us in the trenches,” Kootenai coach Doug Napierala said. “Their speed got us, and they out-executed us.”
Ethan Reynolds returned a kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown for the Warriors, and backup quarterback Triston Usdrowski threw a pair of TD passes.
Kendrick 36 26 8 0 — 70
Kootenai 6 8 0 6 — 20
Ken — Burke 30 run (Hewett run)
Koot — Ethan Reynolds 81 kickoff return (pass failed)
Ken — Burke 72 run (pass failed)
Ken — Hogan 45 run (Burke run)
Ken — Hewett 47 run (pass failed)
Ken — Burke 14 run (Alexander run)
Ken — Burke 50 run (pass failed)
Ken — Burke 8 run (pass failed)
Ken — Alexander 3 run (pass failed)
Koot — Jarrett Usdrowski 35 pass from Triston Usdrowski (J. Usdrowski pass from T. Usdrowski)
Ken — Burke 30 pass from Alexander (Burke run)
Ken — Alexander 31 run (run failed)
Ken — Safety
Koot — Mitchell Vawter 72 pass from T. Usdrowski (run failed)
Deary 54
Lakeside 6
PLUMMER — The host Knights (2-7, 1-5 White Star) closed out their season with the loss to the playoff-bound Mustangs (6-2, 5-1).
Vincent Howard rushed for 87 yards on 17 carries for Lakeside.
Brayden Stapleton rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns for Deary
Deary 30 18 0 6 — 54
Lakeside 0 0 0 6 — 6
Deary — Stapleton interception return (Loyd run)
Deary — Stapleton 16 run (Stanton run)
Deary — Stanton 4 run (pass failed)
Deary — Swanson 4 run (Taylor pass from Swanson)
Deary — Swanson 31 run (run failed)
Deary — Loyd 25 run (run failed)
Deary — Taylor 39 pass from Swanson (run failed)
LS — Rhea 50 fumble return (run failed)
Deary — Stapleton 67 run (run failed)