Priest River thumps Grangeville

PRIEST RIVER — The Priest River Spartan football team got a dominant 42-6 Central Idaho League home win over a Grangeville team that was ranked No. 4 in the state Friday, Sept. 5.

The game started with an interception by Priest River’s Braden Leach on Grangeville’s opening drive. After carrying the ball numerous times, Colton Kuprienko scored in the first quarter on a 1-yard run in which he received the snap from center. He then ran in the extra points.

Grangeville answered with a 55-yard touchdown pass play in the second quarter, one of the areas the Bulldogs showed some success before Priest River’s pass rush put pressure on their quarterback and closed that door.

In the second quarter Nate Fegert broke a 34-yard touchdown run to put the Spartans up 14-6 at the half. While Kuprienko did the most running for the Spartans, carrying the ball 29 times for 202 yards and three touchdowns, Fergert also had a good game.

He scored two touchdowns and rushed for 85 yards on 14 carries. On defense he had three tackles for loss.

Quarterback Lucas Lucas Mathews hit Layton Goins with two second half touchdown passes, a 20 yarder in the third quarter and a 19-yard pass play in the fourth. Mathews completed seven of nine passes on the night for 102 yards and the two scores. Leach caught a 37-yarder, Kane Berns caught three passes for 26 yards, and Fergert caught one for 3-yards. Goins caught the two TD passes for 39 yards.

Priest River’s defense clamped down in the second half, holding Grangeville scoreless. The Spartan defense had four sacks on the night, part of 10 tackles for loss. Brady Hatten had two sacks and Gavin Griesemer joined up with Linden Rainwater for a sack and had one of his own.

The win sets up a highly anticipated homecoming game with cross border rival Newport Friday night, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m.

Newport is coming off a 35-14 win over Riverside.