Title bid thwarted
Championship game is a tale of two halfs

By Larry Hurrle
Argus Observer
Saturday, November 21, 2009 11:21 PM PST

Larry Hurrle | Argus Observer Fruitland’s Daulton Blackwell looks for an opening at the line of scrimmage during the Grizzlies’ match up against the Shelley Russets in the Idaho 3A state football tournament. Fruitland lost to Shelley, 25-14.

POCATELLO—Predominantly known as a running team, Shelley turned to its passing game in the second half Friday, which proved to be Fruitland’s undoing in the Idaho Class 3A state football championship game at Holt Arena.

On two occasions in the second half, facing long yardage, Shelley beat the Fruitland defense for long scoring passes and walked away with a 25-14 win.

Shelley’s running offense struggled early against Fruitland’s stingy defense and trailed 14-6 after one half of play.

In the second half, however, the Russets began using methodical passing to enhance their running game.

After Shelley stopped Fruitland inside the red zone with just more than nine minutes to play in the third quarter, the Russets went to work inside their own 10.

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On third and 13 from the Shelley 9-yard line, Russet quarterback Chase Richins found Gabe Nii all alone on the left side for a 91-yard touchdown to put Shelley within striking distance of the Grizzlies 14-12.

“They fooled us,” Fruitland head coach Bruce Schlaich said. “They carried out a fake. They sent the guy down the sideline, and our linebacker didn’t cover him. He bit on the sweep fake and when he saw he didn’t have the ball he let him go. That was one of the things we said we couldn’t do … we couldn’t have the long plays.”

With just over four minutes to play in the game, Fruitland still had a shot at getting the ball back and running an offensive series. With Shelley facing fourth down and 13 at the Fruitland 29, Richins again found his mark, this time hitting tight end Cody Andersen over the middle for a 29-yard scoring strike and putting the game out of reach for Fruitland.

Going into the game, Schlaich said Fruitland would scrap and try to keep Shelley’s offense off the field in order to force the Russets into a situation they haven’t seen much this year — trailing.

“We knew we had to capitalize on opportunities with this young of a ball club, with the lack of depth we have compared to them, to have a shot at winning it,” Schlaich said. “We had a shot, and we just couldn’t capitalize.”

Fruitland’s opportunities came early in the game. On Shelley’s first possession of the game, the Russets fumbled the ball away to Fruitland on the third play from scrimmage at the Shelley 23.

Six plays later, Fruitland running back Daulton Blackwell found an opening from nine yards out to put Fruitland in the lead with just 8:03 left in the first quarter. Reed Johnson added the point after kick for a 7-0 lead.

Fruitland’s next opportunity came on Shelley’s ensuing possession. Facing a punting situation with fourth and 16 at the Shelley 32, Fruitland blocked the punt and took the ball over at the Russet 23.

Fruitland’s drive stalled at the Shelley 9, and a 26-yard field goal attempt was wide right.

Fruitland took advantage of a short Shelley punt late in the second quarter. Following a 22-yard kick, Fruitland started a drive at the Shelley 47. Eight plays and a Shelley penalty later, Blackwell took a pitch to the right side and burst over from one yard out. Johnson’s kick after gave Fruitland a 14-0 lead with 3:36 left in the first half.

Shelley mounted a 80-yard drive on its next possession and completed the drive when Richins found an opening in the Fruitland defense from 17 yards out. A run attempt on the extra point failed for a 14-6 halftime score, setting the stage for the second half.

“In the second half, we found ourselves in a hole one way or the other, either on a penalty or on a miscue,” Schlaich said. “Our offense just couldn’t get going. Hats off to them (the Russets). I don’t think they made a lot of adjustments. We came in thinking if we could play a little keep-away, we’d have a shot at winning. In the first half, I think we did an excellent job of that.”

Schlaich said the team talked about the importance of taking the kickoff in the second half and scoring on its opening drive.

Fruitland moved the ball well, but the drive stalled deep in Shelley territory.

“We almost did it, but we just couldn’t punch it in,” Schlaich said. “If we punch it in there, and now it’s 21-6, and now they maybe have to take a different approach at what they’re going to do. We just didn’t get it done.”

As far as the season, Schlaich said he couldn’t be more proud of the team.

“They have a ton to be proud of. Nobody expected us to be here,” he said. “I told those guys a long time ago, ‘You need to believe because we’re going to be a good football team.’ They’re really resilient kids, and that’s why I’m so proud of them. I mean, yeah I’m disappointed tonight, but they really scrapped.”

For Shelley, it was the fourth 3A state championship in the past seven years. Shelley defeated Fruitland, 19-13, in 2007. It was also the last year in the 3A ranks for the Russets as Shelley will move to 4A for 2010.

“We’ll miss not having that rivalry,” Schlaich said. “They’ve kind of been the beast of the east and we feel like we’re starting to get a pretty good thing going over the on west side. It will be a little different without Shelley in there.”