Spartans overwhelm Salmon

PRIEST RIVER — The Priest River Spartans football team blasted a Salmon team 76-0 for a season opening non-league win Saturday night, Aug. 23 at Priest River.

“It was a great first game,” Priest River coach Alex Zapeda says. “These boys have worked hard this summer and it was nice to see all the things we have worked on to come together on Saturday.”

Senior quarterback Lucas Matthews hit six different receivers enroute to 294 yards of passing yardage. He threw seven touchdowns, completing 19 of 26. Three of his TDs were caught by Layton Goins. Niki Porinchok, Kane Berns, Colton Kuprienko and Braden Leach also caught touchdown passes.

Leach had the most yards receiving, 115 on five catches. Goins had the most rushing yards, 77 and a touchdown on four carries. Kuprienko ran for a touchdown and rushed for 12 extra points. Sophomore Jacob Best rushed for a touchdown and an extra points conversion. The Spartans also played a good defensive game, holding Salmo to just 83 yards of offense. Senior Gavin Griesmemer led Priest River tackling, with nine tackles. Porinchok, another senior, had two sacks, Kuprienko had an interception and freshman defensive lineman Gunner Neil had a blocked punt.

Priest River dominated throughout, with a running clock starting in the second quarter. In Idaho football, when a team goes ahead by 40 points in the first half, the clock keeps running. Priest River’s lead allowed Zapeda to play a lot of non-starters.

“We rotated JV players in the second half with a running clock,” Zapeda says. “Nearly everyone got to play.”

The Spartans had enough time to break several school records, including most points in a half, with 46, most points in a game with 78, most touchdowns in a game with 10 and most TD passes in a game, with seven.

Priest River next plays Bonners Ferry at 7 p.m. Friday at home.