Zak Grigg celebrates his 17th birthday by carrying Beavers to season-opening win

SODA SPRINGS — The American Falls Beavers recovered themselves successful a tight crippled astatine nan half successful Soda Springs, starring 12-0. But Zak Grigg helped break it unfastened early successful nan 3rd 4th arsenic nan Beavers ran distant from nan Cardinals Friday night.

After forcing a speedy three-and-out from Soda Springs coming retired of halftime, Grigg took nan handoff from backmost Dax Brower connected nan first play of nan ensuing possession and sprinted 58 yards to nan extremity zone, pushing nan Beaver lead to 19-0. American Falls ne'er looked back, claiming a 26-8 Week 0 victory.

American Falls caput coach Tim Hoppe had precocious praise for his inferior moving back.

“Zak doesn’t get tired,” he said aft nan game. “He doesn’t travel disconnected nan section — football, basketball, immoderate athletics he’s playing, he ne'er comes off. … He’s a earthy runner. Last year, we poked a small nosy astatine him because he collapsed a batch of agelong runs and he conscionable ne'er scored — he sewage caught from behind. Not tonight.”

Grigg, who celebrated his 17th day Friday, was speedy to in installments his violative line.

“In nan first half, I only had, like, 13 yards. I knew I had to do thing different, truthful I conscionable followed nan blockers connected nan statement and they did what they had to do,” he said. “(They violative statement was) phenomenal. With that group successful beforehand of me, I’ll person nan champion play I’ve ever had.”

Grigg vanished nan crippled pinch 135 yards connected 13 carries, to spell pinch his first touchdown of nan year.

Grigg comes to nan sideline for his pads during pregame. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

The statement play, connected some sides of nan ball, was highlighted arsenic being of awesome value earlier nan crippled by some coaching staffs.

“Whoever blocks amended and tackles amended is going to triumph 90% of shot games,” Hoppe said earlier kickoff.

Soda Springs co-head coach Scott Gambles said his squad needed to beryllium nan aggressor successful bid to win, but echoed Hoppe’s sentiments.

“We’re going to person to artifact amended (than American Falls) and tackle amended — that’s really what nan crippled is about,” he said pre-game.

American Falls protect lineman and Soda Springs violative linemen conflict complete nan statement of scrimmage. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

Both coaches whitethorn person had a point, and American Falls held nan advantage successful some categories.

The Beavers dominated nan statement of scrimmage connected some sides of nan ball, but particularly connected nan violative broadside wherever they opened lanes for 5 runs of much than 20 yards — including Grigg’s people and a 60-yard TD scamper by fullback Adrian Carvajal.

That statement play besides gave Brower capable clip to link pinch elder wide receiver Austin Adair connected a brace of touchdowns.

American Falls WR Austin Adair hauls successful his 2nd touchdown drawback from QB Dax Brower. | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

American Falls was besides nan much unafraid tacklers, breaking respective tackles connected nan measurement to those agelong scoring runs while preventing nan Cardinals from returning nan favor.

Hoppe was particularly pleased pinch his linebackers.

“I americium thrilled to decease pinch our linebackers — like, they impressed maine even,” he said.

He called elder Michael Torres nan team-leader and nan squad’s driving force, and said inferior Ty Smith played while nether nan upwind and “suffered done each play,” while starring nan protect effort.

But nan coach was particularly pleased pinch freshman linebacker Thorne Rose, saying nan youngster was ever astir nan ball, adding that he was, astatine times, not judge if Rose was moreover expected to beryllium location aliases was conscionable expertly reference nan offense.

The full protect effort, which included a first-quarter interception from inferior Brian Lopez, was what Hoppe was hoping to see.

“I would person liked to get nan shutout, but you’ve sewage to propulsion nan backups successful astatine nan extremity of nan crippled and that’s what happens sometimes,” he said.

The shutout hopes came to an extremity successful nan last infinitesimal of nan game, erstwhile Soda Springs backmost Cooper Thompson scrambled for a 36-yard touchdown.

The Cardinals will lick their wounds earlier preparing for a sojourn from Ririe.

American Falls will get correct backmost activity arsenic they hole to big rival Aberdeen. Hoppe said nan mentation for adjacent Friday originates Saturday.

“I already told them — I’ve been telling them each summertime — if we spell 1-8, that 1 triumph had amended beryllium Aberdeen,” he said, adding that he cannot callback nan past clip American Falls hit Aberdeen but noted that past year’s showdown vanished successful a tight 12-8 game. “I deliberation we’ve sewage a amended squad than we did past year, truthful we’ve sewage a existent shot.”

As for what nan day boy, Grigg, has planned? He said he is hoping to get a precocious meal astatine Texas Roadhouse past get backmost to nan (virtual) gridiron and decorativeness his nighttime pinch immoderate NCAA Football 25.