Highland earns ‘gritty’ win over Pocatello in ‘Black and Blue Bowl’ rivalry game

POCATELLO — For nan 14th consecutive year, nan Highland Rams person won bragging authorities arsenic rulers of Pocatello.

Behind a resilient effort from backmost Keaton Belnap, a dual-faceted publication from moving back-punter Cedric Mitchell, and nan tireless onslaught of protect extremity Markell Bowens, Highland won Friday night’s Black and Blue Bowl, 28-18, complete Pocatello.

The Thunder (3-2 overall) person not won nan rivalry crippled since a 25-17 triumph successful 2010.

Rams caput coach Nick Sorrell, who was a subordinate astatine Highland agelong earlier he took nan reigns from Gino Mariani, remains undefeated successful nan Black and Blue crippled arsenic a varsity subordinate and coach. He said astir what nan win, which he referred to arsenic “gritty” and “determined,” means.

“Things enactment correct successful nan universe,” he said. “They’re a awesome team, they’ve sewage immoderate awesome playmakers, but it’s 1 of those things wherever we’ve, benignant of, had our domination successful this rivalry complete nan years. … We want to return of of business in-city, but we’ve sewage bigger goals arsenic well.”

Nick Sorrell speaks pinch his squad pursuing nan win. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Mitchell, Highland’s do-everything back, carried nan shot 13 times for 59 yards and 1 touchdown, but that was acold from his biggest publication to nan Rams (6-0) Friday. Mitchell is besides nan team’s punter, and employing nan rugby-style tally kick, he pinned Pocatello wrong its ain 20 3 times — and wrong its ain 5 twice.

All 3 ensuing Pocatello possession resulted successful Highland stops starring to short Rams drives ending successful touchdowns.

Sorrell said that, while different teams tin place nan value of typical teams, his squad focuses connected it.

“You can’t inquire for thing amended from that portion tonight,” nan coach said of his punt team.

“When we put together 3 afloat units of four-quarter football, we’re beautiful scary,” he added.

The Highland and Pocatello mascots play-fight aft nan game, surrounded by cheering youngsters. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Before Highland ever touched nan ball, Pocatello took nan opening kickoff 80 yards for nan game’s first touchdown. And while elder backmost Hunter May was nan main attraction passim nan drive, its biggest play was a clone punt resulting successful a 25-yard tally by moving backmost and punter Kache Stucki.

May vanished nan thrust pinch a five-yard touchdown walk to Isaac Mucculloch.

The prima backmost and information vanished nan crippled pinch 16 carries for 95 yards and 1 people while completing 15 of 30 walk attempts for 120 yards and 2 scores. Defensively, he added an interception.

Pocatello’s Hunter May (1) takes off, escaping nan pursuit of Highland’s Markell Bowens (33). | Courtesy photo

May’s other number, Highland’s inferior backmost Belnap, though not arsenic efficient, was arsenic effective. Belnap completed 5 of his 11 walk attempts, for 65 yards and 1 score, while moving 14 times for 37 yards and 2 more.

But, arsenic Sorrell explained, his backmost was not playing astatine afloat strength.

Belnap, he said, has been dealing pinch illness, but gritted it retired for his team.

“He conscionable stepped up,” Sorrell said. “He’s doing immoderate he tin to thief this team, successful immoderate azygous measurement … he’s that existent QB1 leader that we request to have.”

After nan game, Belnap admitted that he was nether nan upwind and nauseous each night, but that nan operation of medicine and adrenaline helped him done — though some began to deterioration disconnected successful nan 2nd half.

“This squad needs me, and I conscionable want to thief them retired immoderate measurement I can,” he said.

Keaton Belnap (9) is tackled aft moving for a first down during Friday’s Black and Blue Bowl. | Courtesy photo

The 2 acquainted foes went backmost and distant each night, pinch Pocatello throwing nan first punch connected its first possession, only to spot Highland reply pinch scores successful its 2nd and distant possessions — nan 2nd of which coming connected a 27-yard onslaught from Belnap to Chase Zweigart successful nan last seconds of nan first half.

Highland took a 21-12 lead, nan first multiple-possession advantage of nan night, precocious successful nan 3rd quarter. But Poky answered correct backmost connected a 31-yard explosive from May to Tavin Williams.

Following May’s interception of a Zweigart double-pass attempt, nan Thunder had an opportunity to return a precocious lead. But a grounded fourth-down effort gave Highland a short field.

The Rams punched crossed nan dagger connected a fourth-down effort of their own. Only, theirs came connected a 4th and extremity astatine nan one.

Sorrell said that it was an easy prime to spell for it successful that instance, arsenic a touchdown, he knew, could mean a win, and a grounded effort would past unit Pocatello to oo 99 yards to return nan lead.

“We’re conscionable going to put nan crippled distant and decorativeness it,” he said of nan decision.

The Highland student conception and cheerleading squad observe nan triumph arsenic nan last seconds tick disconnected nan clock. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Perhaps nan biggest capacity of nan nighttime came from Highland’s elder protect extremity Bowens, who seemed to create contiguous unit passim nan game.

Though he will not beryllium credited pinch a azygous sack — and only a fistful of tackles — his handprints will beryllium each complete nan win.

Bowens pressured May each night, forcing nan Thunder prima to scramble moreover much than he usually does. And connected Pocatello’s last play of nan night, a fourth-down effort adjacent midfield, Bowens was erstwhile again successful nan backfield almost arsenic speedy of nan ball, and made interaction pinch May’s throwing limb arsenic nan QB was group to merchandise a walk directed astatine an unfastened received.

Sorrell called Bowens a “major disrupter,” saying his ultimate operation of size — he is listed astatine 6-foot-5, 222 pounds — spot and velocity make him a matchup nightmare, forcing opposing teams to double him connected each snap.

“He’s sewage specified a accelerated get-off that group conscionable cannot artifact him one-on-one — he is connected you correct now,” Sorrell said. “What we’ve noticed pinch a batch of teams is, they are conscionable taking their protection to him — now we request those different kids to measurement up.”

When asked if he is happy to beryllium connected nan aforesaid sideline arsenic Bowens, Belnap laughed earlier saying it makes him “so happy.”

“At practice, he’s connected maine nan full time, because he’s truthful fast, he’s truthful strong,” Belnap said. “He’s specified a stud and it decidedly is specified a alleviation that I don’t person to spell against him.”

Markell Bowens (33) celebrates pinch a teammate aft stopping Pocatello connected 4th down to unafraid nan win. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Coming disconnected nan loss, Pocatello will displacement its attraction to Twin Falls (3-1, 3-0), whom they will big adjacent week.

Highland will group its sights connected Rigby (4-1, 0-0), who will besides travel to Pocatello adjacent week.

Belnap, a transportation from Marsh Valley, said he was excited to get a triumph successful his first sensation of nan Black and Blue Bowl rivalry. He added that, nan adjacent week will beryllium astir focusing connected executing against a reliable Trojans squad.

“Just execute. That’s nan main thing,” he said. … “It each comes down to execution, and everyone doing their job.”

Sorrell said that nan adjacent 7 days will beryllium astir keeping nan emotions of a immense rivalry triumph successful check.

“Next week is going to beryllium nan aforesaid thing, and we’re going to person to get geared backmost up. It’s going to beryllium a fistfight,” he said. … “It’s spell time.”