Tigers tear up Wolverines 35-14

The Mountain Home Tigers set the tone of the game early Friday night at Wood River, scoring in the first 16 seconds of the ball game on their way to a 35-14 win, helping make head coach Brian Floyd's coaching debut successful.

Tiger senior Trevor Lawson took the opening Wood River kickoff at the 20, ran laterally to teammate Georgio Sutton and handed off the ball, continuing to run, drawing a crowd of Wolverines to him.

Sutton meanwhile, broke into the clear and outran the Wood River defenders for an 81-yard kickoff return. With Kyle Clark's PAT, the Tigers were up 7-0, just 16 seconds into the ball game.

Mountain Home stopped Wood River's initial drive of the ball game, with Matt Maurer picking up a fumble to stop the drive at the Tiger 49. Six plays later, Georgio Sutton capped off the scoring drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. Kyle Clark again booted the PAT to make it 14-0 Mountain Home with 7:45 left in the opening quarter.

The Tiger defense stopped the Wood River single-wing attack the next series after just one first down and forced a punt.

Mountain Home then mounted a 75-yard 11-play drive, capped off by a 38-yard pass play from Keith Yagues to Shawn Morin for another score in the opening seconds of the second quarter to make it 20-0.

The Wolverines then mounted their best offensive effort of the first half, having the ball for 13 plays, before giving it up on downs at the Mountain Home 26.

The Tigers responded with a 74-yard 12-play drive that consumed more than five minutes off the clock, Matt Maurer scoring from 41 yards out. Kyle Clark booted the PAT to make it 27-0, a lead they took into the locker room at halftime.

Wood River came out fired up in the third quarter, and put together a 12-play 71-yard drive that consumed nearly seven minutes, Kenny Cardona connecting with Scott Bartlett on a 12-yard touchdown pass. Dema Springs kicked the PAT to make it 27-7 with 5:02 left in the third quarter.

The Wolverines then forced Mountain Home to go three-and-out, and got the ball back. With Wood River picking up a first down in two plays, it definitely looked like the momentum was swinging Wood River's way.

But then a holding penalty moved the ball back to the Wolverine 20, and a procedure penalty pushed it back to the 15. Three downs later, the Wolverines had made up just five yards, and were forced to punt from their 20.

A short punt gave Mountain Home the ball at the Wolverine 45-yard line. Matt Maurer then ended what might have been left of any Wood River momentum, plowing through the line to daylight and a 45-yard touchdown run.

Brock Zamora passed to Tyson Sessions for the two-point conversion to make it 35-7 Mountain Home with 29 seconds left in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter was scoreless until Wood River's Huston Brashears raced 63 yards for a score with 21 seconds left in the ball game. Dema Springs booted the PAT to make it a 35-14 final.

The Tigers rushed the ball 36 times for 252 yards, led by Matt Maurer, who had 189 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.

Mountain Home had 43 yards through the air, with Keith Yagues completing two of eight passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. Shawn had a 38-yard touchdown reception, and Brock Zamora caught one pass for five yards.

Wood River rushed the ball 44 times for 177 yards, with Huston Brashears getting 104 yards on 12 rushes. The Wolverines put the ball in the air 14 times, connecting on five passes for 52 yards.

Defensively, Kole Spaulding and Zach Anderson led the Tigers in tackles, Spaulding had 10, and Anderson had nine and four sacks.

Matt Maurer picked off a pass and recovered a fumble. Scott Morrison also recovered a fumble.

Tiger football coach Brian Floyd was pleased with his team's effort in the win, and the fact they were able to keep it fairly simple on offense.

"We really didn't have to show much of anything (on offense), which was nice. We had 43 plays total, and 20 of them were veers. It was working, so we stuck with it, and decided not to give Nampa much more to look at."

Floyd tabbed Matt Maurer the Offensive Player of the Game with his effort running the ball. Kole Spaulding earned Defensive Player of the Game honors, and Georgio Sutton Special Teams Player of the Game for his kickoff return.

Mountain Home opens SIC 4A play Friday night, traveling to Nampa's Bulldog Bowl to face the Bulldogs. Coach Floyd expects a tough battle from the Bulldogs.

"They had a tough game against Sandpoint. They're a big physical team. They run the wing-t and return all their linemen from last year. They're obviously a bit bigger than we are, but I think we match up with them fine, especially on defense. Offensively, we'll show a little more what we can do this week against them."

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday night at Nampa High School.