A huge upset
Pirates battle Grizzlies to 26-21 victory
By Larry Hurrle
Argus Observer
Saturday, October 17, 2009 11:52 PM PDT
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| Payette receiver Andrew Schmidt (11) splits Fruitland defenders Jake Crim and Coleson Warrington (24) for a 30-yard gain Friday night in Fruitland. The Pirates chalked up 138 yards through the air to help them defeat Fruitland 26-21. |
FRUITLAND — It was the slaying of the proverbial giant.
Payette took advantage of five Fruitland turnovers Friday to keep its Snake River Valley Conference football title hopes alive as the Pirates pulled off a 26-21 victory over the Grizzlies in Fruitland.
It was Payette’s first win over the inter-county rival Grizzlies since an 18-14 triumph Oct. 7, 1994.
It was only Payette’s third win over Fruitland in 32 years.
For Fruitland, it was the first SRV contest the Grizzlies have lost on their home field since falling to Middleton Oct. 24, 2003.
After a defensive first half that saw Fruitland hold a slim 14-12 lead, the Grizzlies got on track on their first possession of the second half, marching 50 yards in 7 plays for a touchdown.
Nik Rayo capped the drive with a 26-yard run to the left for the score, and an extra-point by Reed Johnson gave Fruitland a two-score advantage 21-12.
Payette drove on its next two possession, each time taking the ball inside the Fruitland 25-yard line only to see its efforts fall short by turning the ball over on downs both times.
Payette finally narrowed the gap following a Fruitland fumble on its own 21-yard line.
In just four plays, the Pirates found the end zone when Travis Blackwell powered in from three yards out. A failed point after try left the score 21-18, Fruitland.
Payette seemed to have Fruitland pinned deep in its own territory on the Grizzlies’ next possession, but a penalty for roughing the kicker gave Fruitland new life at its own 45. Fruitland could not take advantage, however, as Payette’s defense stiffened up and threw Fruitland for a three-yard loss on fourth-and-one at the Payette 46.
The Pirates drove deep into Fruitland territory on just two plays, when Orlen Payne scampered 28 yards on an end-around play, landing Payette inside the Fruitland 25.
On the ensuing play, Rayo picked off a Garrett Grotheer pass at the Fruitland 2-yard line, which looked like another failed attempt for Payette deep in Fruitland territory. Enter Payette’s defense.
Matt Allison used a quick move on Fruitland’s first play, forcing Grizzly quarterback Ryan Wright to lose the hand on the ball during a handoff exchange. Allison pounced on the ball in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Payne swept around the right side for the two-point conversion and the final score with just 3:58 remaining to play in the game.
Fruitland had one final chance, however. After replacing starting quarterback Wright, Fruitland sophomore quarterback Zach Rhinehart completed a 15-yard pass to Josh Villalpando, putting Fruitland at the Payette 32. Fruitland edged inside the Payette 30, but an incomplete pass, followed by a slip by Rhinehart on fourth down turned the ball over on downs.
Payette received the ball with 2:27 left to play and needed a first down to put the game away. Finally, on fourth-and-one, Payette’s Blackwell churned out just enough yardage to get a first down by three-quarters of the length of the football, and Payette ran out the clock.
“We’ve been doing this all year,” Payette coach Troy Gleave said. “We have never looked down from a challenge. (Fruitland) is a great team. These kids just played unbelievable tonight.”
Gleave said Payette’s bye week could not have come at a better time for the Pirates. In the two weeks since its last game, he said, Payette had time to heal up injuries and focus on the task at hand.
“It’s hard to play Fruitland when you’re not at full strength,” Gleave said. “This is enormous. They haven’t lost a conference game here in a long time.”
For Fruitland, turnovers and penalties told the tale of the game. The Grizzlies were penalized nine time for 85 yards, while two fumbles, two interceptions and a long snap over the punter’s head gave Payette the edge it needed.
“Five turnovers,” Fruitland coach Bruce Schlaich said. “You’re not going to win very many ball games when you have five turnovers. We’d get a procedure call and a holding and then we were right back in a hole again. We couldn’t put it away.”
Fruitland won the battle on the ground, churning out 156 yards, but Payette took the total yardage with 246 yards, including 138 through the air, compared with just 215 for the Grizzlies.
Both teams return to action Friday in the final SRV contests of the season. Payette will play host to Homedale, while the Pirates will hope for a little help from Fruitland when the Grizzlies travel to Weiser. A Fruitland win at Weiser will set up a three-way tie for the SRV crown, while a loss to the Wolverines would put Weiser first, Payette second and Fruitland third. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.
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by the way wrote on Oct 31, 2009 10:53 AM: