West Side returns to title game on back of incredible defensive effort

POCATELLO — It was anything but a clean game for a West Side offense in the hunt for its sixth state championship game appearance in the last decade. The Pirates turned the ball over three times, twice putting its defense’s back against the wall.

But the Pirate defense was up to the challenge, holding a Grangeville team that came into Saturday’s 3A Idaho High School Football State Championship semifinal averaging 34.36 points per game, to 14 points.

Using some nifty play-calling, and allowing All-State running back Drake Sage to serve primarily as a decoy, the No. 1 Pirates (11-0) put together enough offense for a 21-14 win.

With the win, West Side secured a spot in the championship game, and will play for their fifth state title since 2020.

Despite the regularity with which the Pirates have played on the final week of the season, there is nothing normal about the achievement, according to long-time head coach Tyson Moser.

“So many things can go wrong throughout the season, and every season has its challenges,” Moser told EastIdahoSports.com. “Every time you can get to this point, you’ve overcome something different. … Every time you get to this stage, it’s awesome — it never gets old.”

The need to overcome setbacks started early for Moser’s team Saturday at Idaho State University’s ICCU Dome.

No. 5 Grangeville (10-2) missed its chance to score the first points of the game when a 32-yard field goal came up short.

But the Pirates turned the ball over on downs on their ensuing possession when Sage came up one yard shy on a fourth-and-14 run. West Side got the ball right back, however, when senior defensive back Tanner Henderson intercepted the pass from Bulldog quarterback Gage Smith.

It took nine plays, including a fourth-down conversion, but the Pirates turned the takeaway into a two-yard touchdown run from sophomore quarterback Bronco Moser.

After a defensive stand, West Side got the ball back poised to pull away like they had so many times this season.

But Bronco was intercepted on a leaping effort from Grangeville’s Luke Stark.

West Side sophomore Robbie Sauro negated the takeaway almost singlehandedly, though, with back-to-back sacks, including a strip-sack that resulted in another Pirate takeaway.

The Pirate offense turned that turnover into points as well, when Sage’s fumble at the goal line was covered by senior Garrett Moyle in the end zone, and took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

The score was set up on a reverse throwback pass, with wide receiver Brody Fuller taking the pitch from Sage and tossing it to Bronco for a gain of 21 yards on third and 10.

Miscues continued to pile up for West Side in the second half, when a mishandled toss resulted in a Grangeville takeaway.

Ten seconds later, the Bulldogs were on the board with a 26-yard scoring pass from Smith to Tate Schumacher.

Another Pirate fumble recovery stunted Grangeville’s next drive. But West Side gave it right back on its own fumble. And, again, Smith made it hurt with a touchdown pass, tying the game 14-14 in the closing seconds of the third.

And that was where the Pirates drew the line.

Grangeville compiled just 30 yards of offense in the fourth, while the West Side offense continued to ride the physical running ability of Sage to move the sticks while setting up others.

With just over six minutes to go in the game, Bronco faked a handoff to Sage before giving the ball to junior running back Mason Williams, who trounced nine yards into the end zone for a go-ahead score.

Sage finished the game with 20 carries for 88 yards. Williams added 65 yards and a score on 11 carries, with another 33 yards coming on four Copen Campbell carries.

After the game, Moser said that Sage showed his value even on a day when he is statistically limited.

“We know, everyone is going after Drake,” the coach said. “Everyone in the state knows it, everyone in the stands knows it.”

That was what made him so valuable on fake handoffs all day. And even when he got the ball, and the entire Grangeville defense converged, he made some room for himself.

“Somehow, he still finds a way,” Moser said of the senior tailback.

After scoring the go-ahead touchdown, West Side left more than six minutes on the clock, needing one more stop. And after seeing the Bulldogs drive it into West Side territory, Henderson and the Pirate defense had one more play to make.

Facing a fourth and seven, Grangeville set up a middle screen for running back Hollis Elliott.

Upon completion, Elliot looked to have enough room to get the yardage he needed, but Henderson — whose first-half interception got West Side going — closed the gap with an excellent open-field tackle to seal it.

Henderson said that he saw Elliot cut outside while the blockers were working their way back inside, so he attacked outside knowing he had to make the play, as West Side’s last line of defense.

Sauro, who was in the backfield as the tackle unfolded, said he turned around to see Henderson “turning (Elliot) upside down … I knew the game was over,” and the celebration started.

Moser spoke about the effort he got from his defense.

“The defense did a great job,” he said. “Our offense put them in a terrible hole twice, and we can’t do that. (Grangeville is) a great football team, they score a lot of points.”

With the win, West Side set up another showdown with rival No. 2 Declo (10-1), who beat No. 3 Melba (8-2) 23-8 Friday night.

The Pirates and Hornets will renew their rivalry next week at the ICCU Dome, with the day and time to be announced.