Shifty Mackay senior running back Matt Tillotson picked his way through Carey's defense for 391 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns in Mackay's 50-14 Sawtooth Conference eight-man grid win Wednesday.
Tillotson was everywhere for Mackay (6-0, 16-1 two seasons) during the battle of small-school unbeatens at Mackay. He rushed 20 times for 226 yards, returned four punts for 150 yards, led the Miners with 12 tackles and intercepted a pass.
Carey coach Lane Kirkland was impressed, comparing Tillotson's running and game-breaking skills to all-time leading Carey scorer Jonathan Rivera. Kirkland said, "That kid (Tillotson) will find a way and he did. What a runner!"
Mackay led only 8-0 at the break, but Tillotson scored twice in the second quarter for a 24-0 Miner halftime lead. A blocked punt for a Mackay touchdown, a Tillotson 76-yard punt return and another Tillotson running TD from 40 yards made it 44-0 before the third quarter ended.
Carey sophomore running back Connor Rivera (19 carries for 120 yards) capped a seven-play, 64-yard Panther drive for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tyler Cook's 43-yard keeper was the big play in Carey's first TD drive.
Then, Cook plunged home from one yard out with only 14 seconds left to finish an eight-play, 60-yard drive and make the final score 50-14.
It was a solid win for top-ranked Idaho 1A Division 2 school Mackay (51.7 points per game). The Miners knocked #2-ranked Division 2 Carey (5-1, 47.7 ppg) out of the unbeaten ranks, but there's a chance the two teams will meet again in Mackay during next month's grid playoffs.
"We'll give them a better game in November," said Kirkland, whose passing offense was limited to 55 yards. "Mackay's secondary was so much faster in every position than I anticipated. But we broke down mentally and they got to us physically."
Taking the wind out of Carey's sails after a hard-fought first quarter was a knee injury suffered by junior receiver/pass defender Brad Hunt. With his team trailing 8-0 early in the second, Hunt made a brilliant leaping catch to pick off an aerial by Miner junior QB Kelvin Krosch. Hunt returned the ball 25 yards into Miner turf but fell and stayed down at the end of the play.
Hunt left the game and is doubtful for the rest of the season. Kirkland said, "Brad has over 500 yards receiving for us this season and his loss hurts us, but we have 24 other kids who want to play."
One of the hopefuls is young Connor Rivera, brother of Jonathan. Not only did Rivera lead the Panthers in rushing with timely bursts through the Miner line, the 5-5 ,150-pounder was called upon to play on the defensive line with the injuries to Hunt and Devin Simpson (knee).
Despite his small size, Rivera made five tackles in the second half. Kirkland suggested that he might play in that position again. Also very steady for Carey Wednesday night was junior Cody Baird (203 all-purpose yards including 104 on kickoff returns). Allen Peck made 13 tackles, Luke Harmon 11 and Bryan Hill 10 on the defensive side.
Carey (5-1, 1-0 league) hosts Murtaugh (2-3, 1-0) Friday, Oct. 14 in an important Sawtooth Conference West game, while Mackay (6-0, 2-0) goes to Rockland (2-3, 0-1) Oct. 14.
