Rigby continues its dominance in playoff matchups with Rocky Mountain, running over the Grizzlies for a spot in 6A title game

RIGBY – Rigby will get a shot at defending its 6A state championship.

The Trojans beat rival Rocky Mountain 40-21 in Friday’s semifinals, and they did it with power running and a stellar defensive effort that all but stifled the Grizzlies’ ground game for most of the night.

Rigby (10-1) will face Timberline (10-1) in the 6A title game either Friday or Saturday at the ICCU Dome in Pocatello.

“They played lights out the entire game,” Rigby coach Armando Gonzalez said of the Rigby defense, noting some missed tackles late led to a couple of late scores by Rocky Mountain (10-2).

But by then, Rigby’s own running attack had taken its toll on the Grizzlies defense as Amani Morel powered his way through defenders and finished with 165 yards on 27 carries and five touchdowns.

Trojan quarterback Jacob Flowers ran 21 times for 117 yards and a score.

Rigby led 26-7 midway through the third quarter and increased its lead to 33-15 late in the quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by Flowers.

The Grizzlies took advantage of good field position late in the third quarter and pulled within 33-21 when Kaelan Custer hit Jake Colbert for a 7-yard score early in the fourth.

But Rocky Mountain would get no closer as Rigby continued to run the ball.

“A lot of us have been in situations like this before,” Morel said of playing in the postseason. “I think when we work together it all comes together … The biggest thing is we don’t give up. This was our best four-quarter game that we played.”

Rigby and Rocky Mountain have a playoff history, which has gone mostly the way of the Trojans.

Rigby won the state title in 2019, beating Rocky Mountain in the semis.

Rocky Mountain beat Rigby in the 2020 championship game.

Rigby beat Rocky Mountain in the 2022 semifinals and did it again last season.

Gonzalez said the team’s postseason runs lead to extra practice time for all the players, including the underclassmen who get weeks of extra time to develop and are seasoned by the time they’re juniors and seniors.

“It’s part of our culture,” said senior Cannon Korth, who plays defensive back and receiver. “We know we just have to do our thing. We have nothing to lose … As long as we all do our jobs we know that we can pull that off.”