Hillcrest QB Sweetwood has his Knights in position for deep playoff run

IDAHO FALLS — In what appeared at halftime to be the makings of the upset of the season, 5A Hillcrest held a 31-28 lead over Rigby — which had already clinched the 6A District 5-6 championship.

Rigby (7-1, 2-0) came back in the second half, outscoring the Knights (5-3, 3-1) 21-8 after the break for a 49-39 victory. And the key to that comeback was the Trojan defense’s efforts against Hillcrest quarterback Tyson Sweetwood.

RELATED | Rigby hands Hillcrest its first home loss in 49-39 battle

Sweetwood said after the game that he thought his team “played great” against the larger Trojans.

“We know Rigby is a good team — No. 1 team in 6A. We just had to come out and play big, they’re real big up front,” he said. … “A 10-point loss, not the end of the world.”

Sweetwood was a nightmare for the Trojans, in both the passing and running game, all night — but specifically in the first half.

The 6-foot-4 signal-caller scored the game’s first points, breaking a designed run for 26 yards and a score early in the first quarter. He added two more rushing touchdowns, including a 44-yarder, and a passing score before halftime.

He went into the break with 139 passing yards and one touchdown through the air while adding 93 yards and three scores on the ground.

Despite his being slowed in the second half, Sweetwood finished the game completing 21 of 35 pass attempts for 241 yards and two passing scores while carrying the ball 11 times for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

“There’s nothing to lose, you know,” he said of his personal aggression on offense. “That’s a good team we’re playing against. I like to go out there to compete with the best.”

He tried to do even more.

Sweetwood was the intended receiver on an end-around pass from wide receiver Mason Saunders, and had his man beat for a potential explosive play — and possible long touchdown. But the ball was slightly under-thrown and intercepted by the Rigby defense.

Sweetwood also recorded some snaps on defense, playing as a nickel corner-safety.

He said he has taken some practice reps with the defense and was willing to do whatever his team needed.

“Wherever they need me, I’m out there,” he said.

Having already recorded conference wins over Bonneville, Blackfoot and Shelley, the Knights have clinched a second-place finish the 5A High Country Conference — behind Skyline, which beat Hillcrest, 28-16, in September. They will finish their regular season at conference foe Idaho Falls Friday with a chance to improve playoff seeding.

According to the Maxpreps rankings, which are used by the state to determine playoff seeding, Hillcrest is No. 2 in the state, between No. 1 Skyline and No. 3 Lakeland. And Sweetwood has been key to that success.