Payette thumps Homedale, shares SRV title with Fruitland and Weiser
Pirates lock up No. 2 seed from SRV and trip to Kimberly
By Sean Hart
Argus Observer
SeanH@argusobserver.com
Saturday, October 24, 2009 11:01 PM PDT
PAYETTE—Playoff hopes were on the line in the Snake River Valley Conference Friday night, and the Payette Pirates secured their spot with a 66-0 win over the Homedale Trojans in the last high school football game of the regular season at Killebrew Field in Payette.
Payette now shares the 2009 SRV crown with Fruitland and Weiser, all of which finished the season with 3-1 league records.
The tri-champions, however, were seeded for the playoffs based on a “point system,” which breaks the tie by comparing the margins of victory from each team’s games during the season: Payette earned the No. 2 seed, and Fruitland picked up the No. 1 seed with a 28-7 victory Friday against Weiser, who will enter the playoffs as No. 3 from the SRV.
With a win, Homedale would have entered the playoffs, but Payette dominated the game on both sides of the ball.
The Pirates scored three touchdowns in the first quarter to lead 22-0 and were up 42-0 by halftime. Payette added two more touchdowns in the third quarter, for a 56-0 advantage, and another in the fourth, along with a safety, to reach the final margin.
Payette quarterback Garrett Grotheer scored one touchdown, while teammates Woody Thomas and Travis Blackwell each picked up two, and Damian Reynolds scored three on offense and also ran an interception back for another score.
“We came out and played hard, physical right from the get-go. That’s how we do it,” Reynolds said, citing a full team effort. “Senior year, you know, you’ve got to go out right.”
Payette head coach Troy Gleave said his team came out strong, knowing it needed a win to be in the playoffs, and he feels good about the Pirates’ chances in post-season.
“To be the best, you’ve got to beat the rest,” Gleave said. “There are 16 teams left, and we’re one of them.”
Payette will take on the Kimberly Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Friday in Kimberly.
Lifestyle Editor Sean Hart can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com. Check out more local news at www.argusobserver.com.
Pirate Fan wrote on Oct 26, 2009 1:40 PM: