Monday Recap: Plenty of season-opening highlights in Week 0

EASTERN IDAHO – Recapping an action-packed Week 0 of football, beginning with 4A state champion Sugar-Salem.

It seems every year the Diggers reload their roster with up-and-coming talent and every year the Diggers just keep winning.

Sugar-Salem opened its season for the second straight year playing Timberlake in Anaconda, Montana.

The Diggers rolled to a 49-6 victory after winning last year’s game 65-0.

Frank Fillmore tossed a pair of touchdown passes and six different rushers finished in double-figure yards, led by Kimball Tonks with 73 yards. Payton Blaser and Ace Clark each ran for two scores.

Teton’s Nelson accounts for five TDs.

It was a busy night for Teton’s senior quarterback Luke Nelson in the Timberwolves’ opener again Declo.

Nelson completed 15 of 23 passes for 245 yards and three scores and also ran 21 times for 170 yards and two touchdowns as Teton downed Declo 33-12.

Teton’s first-year head coach Shane Braman picked up his first win.

Declo is ranked No. 3 in the state media 3A poll.

Newsflash! Ririe can still run the ball

The Bulldogs featured a pair of 1,000 yard rushers last season and they might do it again in 2025.

Ririe ran 50 times for 339 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-13 win over Melba.

Kolter Lewis returns after a stellar 2024 season and ran for 140 yards and two scores in the opener.

Speedster Garrett Van Noy stepped into a new role and ran for 166 yards and four touchdowns.

Coach Josh Huntsman said prior to the season that despite losing two offensive linemen, the Bulldogs should be able to fill the holes and continue to rack up yards on the ground.

Opposing defenses take note.

Highland gets defensive in opener

Jacob Vincent passed for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns and Cedric Mitchell added 151 rushing yards and two scores, but it was the defense that shined as the Rams defeated Legacy 30-0.

Brandsen Layton finished with nine tackles and Aleki Ofisa had eight to lead Highland’s defense, which had 15 players record at least two tackles.

The defense had 4.5 tackles for loss and Jaxson Collard and Karver Kap each recorded sacks.

Madison’s Cordero moves from defense to QB and becomes a dual threat

Jack Cordero was a first-team All-Conference defensive back for the Bobcats last season and is now QB1.

How’s that working out?

Cordero passed for 166 yards with a TD and an interception, and also rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a 33-13 season-opening win over Bonneville.

Big weekend coming to Pocatello

The Rocky Mountain Rumble returns to the ICCU Dome in Pocatello on Friday and Saturday.

The two-day event matches teams from Idaho against teams from Utah and Nevada.

Friday’s key local game is an 8-man showdown between Rockland and Sho-Ban. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

Three of Idaho’s top programs take on out-of-state teams Saturday beginning at noon when Highland faces Slam, Nevada.

Skyline plays Granger, Utah at 3 p.m. and the nightcap is Rigby vs. Woods Cross, Utah at 6 p.m.