Walloping Wood River 49-20 last Friday on their home gridiron, the Fruitland Grizzlies (3-0) showed why they're the defending State 3A football champions and are likely to repeat in the 2007 campaign.
Coach Mike Glenn of Wood River said, "Fruitland is king and it shows. They're phenomenal at the skill positions, their scheme is tough, they're physically tough and their athletes are exceptional.
"Fruitland executes so well. They would give a lot of 5A schools all they can handle. We got undressed fundamentally and just got mauled. We weren't being physical. But hats off to Fruitland! That's what you want to be. They won't lose a game this year."
Senior quarterback Kaleo Nawahine took over at the Grizzlies helm during last fall's 31-28 home win over arch-rival Weiser and has guided Fruitland to 12 straight wins. Nawahine completed 8-of-9 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns against Wood River Friday.
In all, seven different Grizzlies scored touchdowns in Friday's game and Fruitland outgained Wood River 613-193 including 404 rushing yards. Fruitland junior Tommy Macfarlane (14 rushes, 122 yards) led the running assault.
For Wood River, senior quarterback Danny Kramer (17-for-24, 120 yards) threw touchdown passes to Luke McNees (on a tipped pass) and Matt Staskiewicz. Staskiewicz also scored on an 85-yard kickoff return just before half cutting Fruitland's lead to 35-6.
Glenn said, "We executed a little better on offense. Our pass protection was pretty good, better than the week before, and (Matt) Libert had a couple of good runs. Jared (Rade) did some good things on defense and Luke (McNees) played decent defensively.
"Catching the football remains a concern, though. And we struggled on defense most of the time against Fruitland. They just come off the football and knock you in the mouth."
Glenn said he told his team, "Hey, you've played the best in terms of 3A teams. Once we get over our feelings being hurt, we have to buck it up and learn to be tough. What's killing us isn't the scheme stuff—it's fundamentals. We've just got to get better and I think we will."
Fruitland (averaging 52.0 ppg) improved to 3-1 in its grid series with Wood River (0-2) and is 23-3 over three seasons.
Wood Rivers senior Erik Jacobson separated his shoulder during the Fruitland game but isn't expected to miss any action this coming week.
WRHS travels to Kimberly
"Kimberly is feeling pretty good about itself," said coach Glenn about Wood River's next opponent, the undefeated 3A Kimberly Bulldogs. Game time is Friday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. on the Bulldog gridiron.
Coach Kirby Bright has turned around the Bulldog program after back-to-back 2-6 seasons. Getting scoring from many different players, Kimberly (3-0) boasts 32-18, 35-6 and 34-0 wins over 3A American Falls, 2A Wendell and Valley.
"Kimberly is solid and sound. But we feel it's a game we can compete in. They don't scare you like a Fruitland does," said Glenn.
The Bulldogs have returned their quarterback, senior Evan Jerke, and junior 100-yard-per-game rusher Eric Marvin.
Last year at Wood River's Homecoming, the Wolverines won over Kimberly 28-7. Libert ran 15 times for 116 yards and two scores and Kramer threw for 124 yards and two TDs.
Wood River's last visit to Kimberly in 2003 was a long night—a 55-8 Wolverine loss. Kimberly rushed for 455 yards and the visitors committed seven turnovers. That 2003 success was Kimberly's third straight triumph over Wood River dating to a 31-8 Wolverine victory in Hailey in 2000.
Kimberly now leads the 26-game football series 14-12.
