Heroic effort from Sugar-Salem’s Fillmore not enough to match explosive Homedale

POCATELLO — Sugar-Salem’s three-year reign over Idaho 4A football came to an end Friday night at Idaho State University’s ICCU Dome.

The No. 2 Diggers (8-2) could not overcome the offensive firepower of the No. 3 Homedale Trojans in a 30-20 semifinal loss, ending Sugar-Salem’s challenge for a fourth consecutive state championship.

Head coach Tyler Richins was obviously looking to establish his Diggers’ physicality early, running the ball 16 times on their first possession. The 11-minute, 17-play, 62-yard drive ended on a two-yard touchdown run from junior quarterback Frank Fillmore.

Where Sugar-Salem used thunder, the Trojans were happy to answer with lightning.

Just two plays after taking possession, Homedale was in the endzone — on a pair of long hookups between senior quarterback Xavier Uranga and junior wide receiver Alec Campos, for 45 then 35 yards.

Richins and the Sugar-Salem offense took a different approach with their second possession, throwing on their first play, and picking up 30 yards. But a promising drive stalled out at in the redzone, when Fillmore was sacked by Homedale’s Boston Garrett on a fourth-and-four play.

The Trojans were back to the painted grass just as quick as their first time around, when Uranga connected with senior Chance Martell on the deep seam route for a 78-yard strike.

Through their first two possessions, Homedale had run just five plays. They turned those five plays into 165 yards and 13 points — due to a field two-point conversion — in just two minutes and 10 seconds.

But Sugar-Salem is a three-time reigning champion for a reason, and continued to fight back like the champions they are. Behind more stellar play from Fillmore, the Diggers took a 14-13 lead with 1:38 left in the first half, when the signal-caller hit Ace Clark on a 34-yard deep crosser for the score.

For Homedale, though, 98 seconds were just a few too many.

Uranga led another impressive drive, going 80 yards on nine plays, capped off on a second scoring pass from Uranga to Campos, to take a 20-14 lead into the break.

Uranga finished the game, completing 12 of 18 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

Campos was the primary problem for the Sugar-Salem secondary, catching seven of those throws for 144 yards and two touchdowns.

Not to be outdone, Fillmore completed 11 of his 20 throws for 163 yards and one score, while adding 118 yards and two scores on 13 carries.

After all their quick strikes in the first half, Homedale exercised some patience in the second half, choosing to adopt a run-heavy attack and bleed clock.

A Lukas Hall 36-yard field goal gave the Trojans a 23-14 lead early in the third. And after a Fillmore five-yard touchdown run made it a one-score game, Homedale answered with another long drive, this time finishing in the endzone on a Kade Hall seven-yard scoring run with just over a minute remaining.