Blackfoot tops Pocatello in OT on 2-pt conversion

POCATELLO — With an unthinkable individual effort from elder backmost Hunter May, Pocatello came backmost from an early shortage against Blackfoot to unit overtime. But a gutsy determination and gritty activity from elder moving backmost Tanner Ellis proved to beryllium nan deciding facet successful a 29-28 overtime thriller successful Pocatello Friday night.

May, who struggled early, recovered a groove successful nan 2nd half and led a game-tying thrust precocious successful nan 4th quarter.

The Broncos (2-1) could not reply successful regulation, sending nan crippled to overtime tied, 21-21. After May threw his 2nd scoring walk of nan game, nan Thunder (2-1) could not support Blackfoot retired of nan endzone connected 4th down — aliases connected a 2-point conversion to determine nan game.

When asked what went into nan determination to spell for 2 pinch nan crippled successful nan balance, first-year Blackfoot caput coach Josh Stewart referred to nan celebrated proverb: that luck favors nan bold.

“I judge successful them, and I felt like, ‘why not?’ he said. “We’d been struggling connected defense, particularly successful nan 2nd half. I felt like, if we could conscionable triumph nan crippled there, that would beryllium nan correct point to do.”

The Broncos went 0-9 past season, leaving galore of this year’s seniors having ne'er tasted varsity victory.

Stewart said that he has been amazed by nan resilience nan full squad has shown, not conscionable from past twelvemonth to this, but from a unsmooth nonaccomplishment past week and a precocious surge from nan Thunder Friday.

“These guys person been done a batch of adversity nan past mates years, and past we, benignant of, sewage our butts kicked past week by Skyline,” Stewart said. “I’m conscionable truthful proud that they don’t springiness up. … Resilience. These kids are resilient.”

“A cardinal things” went incorrect for Blackfoot Friday night, Stewart continued. But erstwhile nan squad needed a play, they made it.

The aforesaid tin beryllium said of Pocatello’s prima quarterback.

May scrambles during nan first half of Friday’s game. | Courtesy photo

Before halftime, erstwhile he was officially named Pocatello’s Homecoming King, May and nan Thunder had been capable to muster small offense. And what they did, came late. Pocatello did not get connected nan scoreboard until nan last play of nan first half, erstwhile May scrambled disconnected nan correct separator to decorativeness a 64-yard thrust highlighted by his 41-yard relationship pinch wide receiver Cody Kons.

Then, pinch clip winding down, trailing by 7 and facing a 4th and 11, May made a play that belongs connected SportCenter.

May was pressured quickly by nan Blackfoot front, but escaped nan grasp of sophomore defense extremity Kai Brooks. He had to springiness 10 aliases truthful yards to do so, and continued to springiness crushed arsenic he evaded respective further Broncos — and Brooks a 2nd time.

Finally, he created capable abstraction to flip a cleanable walk to receiver Kayin Mowry for 14 yards and a caller group of downs.

One play later, May deed a Hunter Cordell connected a slant for a 26-yard people to necktie nan crippled pinch 6:40 remaining.

But May was not done pinch his cape yet. Three plays later, successful astatine safety, he made a leaping interception to return nan shot backmost adjacent midfield.

Pocatello had a 45-yard go-ahead touchdown tally wiped distant connected a holding punishment and were near to effort a agelong section goal, which they missed.

Hunter Cordell (81) hauls successful a walk adjacent nan sideline arsenic Pocatello drives for its first people successful nan closing minutes of nan first half. | Courtesy photo

May deed Cordell connected a beautifully tally hitch-out route, creating astir 5 yards of space, to people connected nan first possession of overtime.

May vanished nan crippled completing 20 of 31 walk attempts — including his past 8 and 11 of his last 12 — for 263 yards and 2 scores. He added 73 rushing yards and 2 much scores.

But it was Ellis who had nan last 2 laughs, crossing nan extremity statement connected 4th down to make nan people 28-27. Then, he took a expanse disconnected nan correct separator backmost into nan extremity area for a two-pointer to determine nan game.

He toted nan stone 28 times for 140 yards and nan 1 score.

“The kid is tough, and he runs hard,” Stewart said of nan workhorse back.

Ellis said he “absolutely” wants nan shot successful his hands pinch nan crippled connected nan line.

“I for illustration being nan guy, being depended on,” he said.

“We conscionable didn’t springiness up,” nan elder added. “We fought done adversity — it was conscionable a bully battle, overall.”

Ellis gets a transportation successful nan first half. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Pocatello will recreation to Butte, Mont. adjacent week, to look Sandpoint. Blackfoot will look Madison connected nan road.