PR Sports

The Hillcrest Knights advanced to the 4A state semifinals with a 29-26 win the over Pocatello Indians Friday at Thunder Stadium.

In doing so, Hillcrest (9-1) pulled one step closer to defending its 4A state title. The No 1-ranked Knights will travel to play at No 4-ranked Sandpoint (8-2) next week.

The game wasn’t as close as the final score.

Pocatello scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to pull within a field goal. But with only 1:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Hillcrest ran three times and ended game.

“I was kind of hoping we’d have a better fourth quarter, but the bottom line is we won,” Hillcrest coach Darin Owens said. “We move to the semis, and that’s what matters.”

Wingbacks Devin Droghei and Jordan Speirs accounted for all 299 yards of Hillcrests’ offense. Droghei (144 yards, two touchdowns) and Speirs (155, 2) found little room to run in the middle of the field, but bounced outside for big gains.

The pair handled the ball on 56 of Hillcrest’s 58 plays

Hillcrest quarterback Johnny Griffiths didn’t throw a pass, but he played a key role as a lead blocker out of the double wing.

In the second quarter, Speirs bounced off a tackler in the backfield, hit the right edge and accelerated down the sideline. Griffiths caught him 25 yards down the field and threw a block, turning a Pocatello defender and opening the gate for Speirs to run all the way to the 2 yard line.

The play went for 42 yards and led to a Droghei touchdown, but Speirs said his quarterback made it happen.

“He’s a stud,” Speirs said. “That’s a great job on his part. That run would have been a lot of yards less if he wasn’t there.”

Pocatello (3-7) played with the defending champs for long stretches.
In the first half, Pocatello put together a 99-yard drive that ended in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Hargraves to Kyle Hanson, then a 58-yard drive ending in a 3-yard touchdown run by Wes Howard.

Down 29-13 in the fourth quarter, Pocatello took to the air. Jordan Jardine, one of five Indians to throw a pass, hit Hanson for a 38-yard touchdown.

After forcing a rare Hillcrest punt, Pocatello scored again when Hargraves hit Jerron Batts for a 24 yard score. But with just 1:31 remaining, Hillcrest’s Dustin Nellesen secured the win for Hillcrest when he fell on the onside kick.

Next week, Hillcrest will leave the comfort of Thunder Stadium and travel 529 miles to play Sandpoint, which beat Middleton 30-0 in the state quarterfinal.

Owens said travel is part of the grind in any deep playoff run.
“We have to go away sooner or later,” Owens said. “It’s just a matter of advancing to the next round, of getting to that state final game.”

Hillcrest 29, Pocatello 26
Pocatello 7 6 0 13 – 26
Hillcrest 7 16 6 0 – 29
First quarter
H – Jordan Speirs 5 (Sam Horman kick)
P – Kyle Hanson 15 pass from Tyler Hargraves (Noah Bush kick)
Second quarter
H – Devin Droghei 2 (Speirs run)
P – Wes Howard 3 (pass failed)
H – Spears 6 (Droghei run)
Third quarter
H – Droghei 24 (run failed)
Fourth quarter
P – Hanson 38 pass from Jordan Jardine (pass failed)
Jerron Batts 24 pass from Hargraves (Bush kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING – Pocatello: Tyler Hargraves 1-11, Wes Howard 16-61, TD, Jerron Batts 9-26, KoDee Powell 5-33, Shaw Green 3-29. Hillcrest: Devin Droghei 30-144, 2 TD, Jordan Speirs 26-155, 2 TD, Johnny Griffiths 1- -1, Jake Belnap 1- 1.
PASSING – Pocatello: Tyler Hargraves 8-11, 107 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, Wes Howard 1-1, 7 yards, Chris Randall 0-1, Joshua Pollard 0-1, Jacob Jardine 1-3, 38 yards, TD. Hillcrest: none.
RECEIVING: Pocatello: Kyle Hanson 3-78, TD, KoDee Powell 1-14, Mikie Cavanaugh 1-0, Wes Howard 1-3, Nick Howell 3-34, Jerron Batts 1-24, TD. Hillcrest: none.