Shelley Russets advance with a win over Preston
SHELLEY – A focused and aggressive Russets football team (7-3) dominated the Preston Indians (6-4) in an at-large playoff game Friday night at Shelley High School.
Shelley Russets started their post-season as a team worthy of being in the playoffs by beating Preston 36 to 13 at last Friday night’s football game at Shelley High School.
In the first quarter, Preston scored first after a jittery Russets’ offense had to punt the ball away twice due to penalties and personal errors. However, at the beginning of the second quarter, the offense found itself, and a series of running plays by Ryker Clinger led to a Shelley touchdown.
On the next possession, Shelley stopped Preston on their 22-yard line. After the punt, Shelley received excellent field position on their 37-yard line. Kaden Kidman kept the ball and ran in a touchdown on the next play, giving the Russets a 14-7 lead.
On the first play of the next series, Preston turned the ball over, which was recovered by Braxton Fielding. He carried the ball down to Shelley’s 8-yard line. Brecker Williams handed off to Kidman on the next play, who ran around the left untouched for a TD. After the PAT, Shelley took a commanding lead of 21 to 7.
However, the Indians were not deterred and marched the ball down to their 6-yard line, where Shelley’s defense held them and recovered the ball after Preston could not convert on 4th and 2. Shelley advanced but then had to punt. The Indians ran out the half with two incomplete plays.
At the beginning of the second half, Shelley marched down the field. From the 3-yard line, Clinger scored a touchdown. During the PAT, Preston encroached, giving the Russets the ball on the 3rd-yard line. The Russets then went for a 2-point conversion. As Kidman carried the ball across the line, Shelley went up 29 to 7 against the Indians.
After Brandon Fielding intercepted the ball at the end of the 3rd quarter, Shelley marched down the field again. With the help of a frustrated Indian grabbing a facemask and and then shoving a player that awarded him a dead-ball, unsportsmanlike conduct call, Shelley scored from the 2nd-yard line with a handoff to Clinger. With the PAT, Shelley widened their lead 36 to 7.Â
In the next series, Preston scored a touchdown but missed the 2 point conversion. The Russets tried to kick a field goal, but it failed. The Indians attempted to make a last-second score but threw a second interception into the hands of CJ Fielding, ending the game and their season.
The Russets now advance in the playoffs by traveling 8 hours north to play Sandpoint at their home field, Friday, November 5, at 7 p.m. This game will be broadcast on Idaho Sports Gamestream.
