Highland eliminated following heartbreaking loss at Canyon Ridge; which local teams qualified for state

TWIN FALLS — After battling back from behind to tie the game twice, once in the final seconds of regulation, the Highland Rams fell to the Canyon Ridge Riverhawks in a winner-take-all district tournament game.

Crew Briscoe followed a header from Isaac Robinson off a corner kick, sending the equalizer home to tie the game, 2-2, at the whistle signaling the end of regulation, according to social media posts from Highland Rams Athletics. Briscoe joined his Rams teammate, fellow senior David Allgood, as Highland’s goal-scorers, while sending the district second-place game into overtime.

After two 10-minute extra-time periods came and went without a score, the win-and-in showdown went to penalty kicks.

After scrapping their way to an exciting finish, the Rams ran out of magic, falling 4-1 in penalty kicks.

With the loss, Highland is eliminated from contention for next week’s state tournament, seeing its season come to an end.

Canyon Ridge will join the district champion Thunder Ridge Titans at state, as the 6A District 4-5-6 runner-up.

District 5 and 6 will be represented by the following teams:

GIRLS

4A: Sugar-Salem, American Falls and Marsh Valley (who beat McCall-Donnelly, 2-1, in Saturday’s state play-in game)
5A: Hillcrest, Skyline and Pocatello
6A: Highland and Rigby

BOYS

4A: Teton and Marsh Valley
5A: Blackfoot, Skyline and Pocatello
6A: Thunder Ridge

According to Highland Athletic Director Travis Bell, seeding and first-round matchups are expected to be announced Sunday. All tournament games will be played in the greater Boise area.