Tradition prevails
Turnovers sink Pirates in 22-0 semifinal loss
By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
scottf@argusobserver.com
Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:34 PM PST
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| Scott Ford | Argus Observer
Fruitland’s Coleson Warrington (24) hurdles over a Payette defender during the 3A semifinal game at Fruitland High School. More than 4,000 fans were on hand to witness the Grizzlies defeat Payette 22-0 and advance to their fourth straight 3A championship game. Fruitland will take on Shelley Friday at 7:30 p.m at Holt Arena in Pocatello. |
Fruitland —In the end, tradition trumped Cinderella.
Fruitland feasted on Payette turnovers to clinch a 22-0 victory Friday night and earn its fourth trip to the Idaho 3A state football championship game.
The Grizzlies advanced to the championship game on a cold, snowy and rainy night in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Fruitland High School.
Playing for the title has become an expectation for the Fruitland football program, a tradition that has been in the making for the past several years.
A tradition Payette is just beginning.
“These seniors have laid the foundation for the future of Payette football,” Payette head coach Troy Gleave said. “They have nothing to hang their head about. They have been a real special group of boys to coach.”
The Pirates came into the 2009 season as the front-runners for the Snake River Valley Conference, whereas many felt Fruitland — entering the season missing a key core group of senior leaders — would face a rebuilding year.
The Grizzlies, though, didn’t really rebuild. They just reloaded.
Payette senior running back Damian Reynolds — fighting back tears after the game as snow fell on the still illuminated field — lauded his cross-county opponents.
“My hats off to Fruitland. They are a good team. They came out here tonight and proved that. I hope they do well next week, but I wished it could have been us playing for the title,” he said.
Fruitland’s last championship season came in 2006. As for history repeating itself, two years ago, the Grizzlies were in the championship game against the Shelley Russets and this year, Shelley will be Fruitland’s competition. Shelley advanced with a 19-7 win over Weiser Friday at Holt Arena in Pocatello.
“It was a must-win game for us, and we knew we had to come out ready to play, and we did,” Fruitland head coach Bruce Schlaich said. “Our summer program is huge for us, and these kids do not have a lot of quit in them.”
In Friday’s contest the atmosphere was electric, despite the cold rain and snow that graced the gridiron. More than 4,000 fans were on hand to witness the biggest game in the history of the Snake River Valley Conference.
“I talked with some folks that have seen a lot of Fruitland football games,” Schlaich said. “And they said they have never seen that many people for one game.”
An hour before the game began, fans were lined up five and six deep around the field.
The two squads battled for field position the entire first half of play which produced no points and no clear-cut advantage to either team.
Fruitland had an opportunity to take a 3-0 lead on a 26-yard field goal attempt by Reed Johnson, but the kick sailed wide right.
Then in the third quarter, the momentum shifted. Payette fumbled the ball and Fruitland’s Coleson Warrington scooped up the wet pigskin and returned it to the Payette 11-yard line, and four plays later, the Grizzlies were on the board when Daulton Blackwell punched the ball into the end zone on a four-yard run. Johnson’s point after was good and Fruitland led 7-0.
Payette’s miscues continued, on its next series of downs turning the ball over again, this time with an interception by Blackwell, on a screen pass intended for Payette’s’ Travis Blackwell, that sailed high.
Fruitland wasted little time making the Pirates pay for the blunder. The next Fruitland score came on the powerful running of Jordan Martin from 15-yards out.
The Grizzlies final score came on a long, clock eating drive that began late in the third quarter and spanned through most of the fourth quarter until Blackwell scored his second touchdown of the game, ending any hope of a Payette comeback.
Fruitland will face Shelley at 7:30 Friday at Holt Arena in the championship game.
Tradition wrote on Nov 17, 2009 6:34 AM:
Congrats to fruitland and their great run the past couple of years. I hope that this will translate to a true tradition but only time can tell.
And don't forget...Talent comes in cycles. In the 80's Vale wasn't that good and now Homedale isn't that good. But a school with true tradition will rebound like Vale has. Homedale will too. And that is what Fruitland should aspire to with their resent success. "