It turned out to be a wild and wacky final weekend of close championship games in the Idaho High School Activities Association's Milk Bowl co-sponsored by the United Dairymen of Idaho.
Last weekend's results indicate a trend towards close finishes. The six championship games staged Friday and Saturday in Boise, Moscow and Pocatello were settled by a paltry combined 44 points—an average of only one touchdown a game, or 7.3 points.
Since 2006, the Milk Bowl finales have gotten closer and closer. The 2006 championship games were settled by 180 points, or a spread of 30.0 ppg. The next year, the total was 118 points, or 19.7 ppg. Last year, it was 97, or 16.1 in the finals.
No game was closer or wilder than Saturday's 1A Division 2 eight-man championship between the Mackay Miners (11-1) and Salmon River Savages (8-3) at Pocatello's Holt Arena. In a record-setting result, Salmon River from Riggins won 64-62 in double overtime
Salmon River senior Dustin Rinker (48 of the 64 points) rushed for 30 times for 380 yards, scored seven touchdowns and tossed the eventual game-winning TD pass. He exceeded the effort of Mackay senior Kole Krosch (5 TD, 191 yards rushing, 125 yards passing, 1 TD).
It was the second state title in three years for Salmon River, which averaged 56.0 in three playoff wins.
Other barnburners: Eagle (11-1) won its first 5A title since 2001 by a 22-21 score over Capital (11-2); and Blackfoot (11-1) captured its second 4A championship in three years 29-23 over Sandpoint (9-3).
In a rematch of the 2007 3A title game won by Shelley, the Russets (12-0) prevailed again, this time 25-14 over Fruitland (8-4) for Shelley's second championship in three years and fourth crown in seven seasons.
Meanwhile, Parma (11-0) took its second straight 2A title and extended its state-best winning streak to 22 games with a 36-20 victory over Declo (11-1), the same opponent that Parma beat 29-28 (OT) last fall; and Oakley (12-0) won its second 1A Division 2 title in three years 28-20 over defending champ Prairie (11-1).
Final Carey Football Composite 2009
TOTAL SCORING
Opponents 28 50 34 14 0 126 (11.5)
Carey 164 162 60 84 0 470 (42.7)
RESULTS (9-2 overall, 6-0 home, 3-2 away, 7-1 Sawtooth Conference—#2 seed)
Aug. 28 (Home) Carey 36, Hagerman 14
Sept. 4 (Away) Carey 40, North Gem 14
Sept. 11 (Home) Carey 52, Murtaugh 6
Sept. 18 (Away) Mackay 26, Carey 22
Sept. 25 (Home) Carey 54, Dietrich 8
Oct. 9 (Away) Carey 48, Camas County 0
Oct. 16 (Home) Carey 72, Jackpot (Nev.) 6
Oct. 23 (Away) Carey 40, Rockland 12
Oct. 28 (Home) Carey 56, Richfield 6
Nov. 7 (Home, 1A Div. 2 playoffs) Carey 36, North Gem 12
Nov. 13 (Away, Holt, 1A Div. 2 semis) Mackay 22, Carey 14
SCORING TD CONV PTS.
Gonzalo Zarate 19 6 128
Dillon Simpson 14 4 92
Trevor Peck 7 3 48
Caleb Cenarrusa 6 2 40
Wacey Barg 4 7 38
Brett Adamson 4 3 30
Jacy Baird 3 1 20
Shane Bingham 2 3 18
Charlie Rivera 2 2 16
Antonio Gamino 2 0 12
Lynn Mecham 2 0 12
Todd Peck 1 0 6
Dillon Cenarrusa 1 0 6
Brandon Dilworth 0 1 2
Jordan Dilworth 0 1 2
Notes—Gonzalo Zarate's total includes a 2-point safety.
Touchdown passes—Caleb Cenarrusa 9, Trevor Peck 6, Blair Peck 1. Conversion passes—Trevor Peck 6, Caleb Cenarrusa 5. Notes—Carey scored in 32 of 39 quarters....Carey successfully made 33 of 64 conversions (52% success rate)....Carey scored 67 TD—39 on runs from scrimmage, 16 on passes, 6 on defense, 6 on kickoff or punt returns.
ALL-TIME SCORING—For 4 seasons, Gonzalo Zarate ended with 41 TD and 23 conversions for 296 points, tying him with 2005-08 star Heith Adamson (45 TD, 13 conversions, 296 points) for second place on the all-time list behind 1997-2000 Panther Jonathan Rivera (73 TD, 17 conversions, 472 points). Dillon Simpson finished with 25 TD, 14 conversions for 172 points.
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing (2,295 total yards to 753 yards for opponents)—Gonzalo Zarate 110-963 (8.8); Dillon Simpson 75-553 (7.4); Antonio Gamino 38-216 (5.7); Trevor Peck 46-195; Caleb Cenarrusa 44-135; Charlie Rivera 9-93; Lynn Mecham 10-69; Shane Bingham 13-57.
Passing (75-for-137 for 1,014 yards compared to 95-for-223 for 1,067 yards for opponents)—Caleb Cenarrusa 37-for-69 for 543 yards, 9 TD, 3 interceptions; Trevor Peck 29-for-53 for 394 yards, 6 TD, 2 interceptions; Jordan Dilworth 7-for-12, 63 yards.
Receiving—Wacey Barg 17-166, 3 TD; Brett Adamson 15-243, 4 TD; Dillon Simpson 9-224, 2 TD; Gonzalo Zarate 9-111, 1 TD; Jacy Baird 7-110, 3 TD; Antonio Gamino 6-18, 1 TD; Shane Bingham 5-41; Trevor Peck 2-48, 2 TD.
Sacks—Gonzalo Zarate 10, Wacey Barg 6.5, Blair Peck 6, Trevor Peck 4.5, Todd Peck 3.
Interceptions—Dillon Simpson 4, Trevor Peck 3.
Fumble recoveries—Gonzalo Zarate 8.
Punt returns—Dillon Simpson 14-477 (34.1), 4 TD.
Kickoff returns—Dillon Simpson 5-137, 1 TD.
Punting—Gonzalo Zarate 16-547 (34.2).
Tackles—Dillon Simpson 36, Trevor Peck 30, Caleb Cenarrusa 22, Jacy Baird 20, Gonzalo Zarate 19, Blair Peck 19, Wacey Barg 17.
Assists—Trevor Peck 52 (82 total), Todd Peck 47, Tyler Chavez 46, Dillon Simpson 41 (77 total), Jacy Baird 30.
Receiving individual awards during the Carey High School Fall Awards Night on Monday were these members of the third-place State 1A Division 2 football team from Carey, from left, Trevor Peck, Dillon Simpson, Todd Peck, Wacey Barg and Brett Adamson.
