Firth Cougars battle pass Declo in Quarter Final 2A football playoffs

POCATELLO – Firth Cougars (7-2) battled back and forth with the Declo Hornets (6-3) before finally regaining the lead that advanced them to the semi-final playoffs with either North Fremont or Melba in next weekend’s game.  

A confident Cougar football team came out early in the first half scoring two touchdowns against the Declo Hornets in last night’s Quarter Final 2A playoff game at Holt Area.  However, the Cougars lost the lead as a persistent Declo team slowly ate away their lead, and late in the 4^th went up 16 to 13 with a field goal.  

But, the Cougars would not let it stand. With 1:48 remaining in the game, Firth marched 66 yards down the field and scored, winning the game 20 to 16.  

After the game, Cougar’s Head Coach Jordan Bartlett said, “The game was a battle both ways, and in the end, we were able to pull it out.  So, it was an awesome game.”

Firth started the game with a kickoff return by Gage Vasquez to their 43-yard line and, with a late hit by Declo, added 15 yards to a 1^st in 10 on the Hornet’s 46-yard line. Vasquez handed off the ball to Sam park on the next play, who ran 46 yards for a touchdown, giving Firth a 7 point lead with only 17 seconds of play.

After the kickoff, Declo took the ball to their 49 and punted it to Firth, who received it on their 10-yard line.  Firth then moved the ball down the field to Declo’s 10-yard line, where on 4th and 3, Vasquez connected with Wyatt Nelson, who ran it into the end zone.  Firth took the lead 13 to 0 toward the end of the 1st quarter with a failed PAT.

After receiving the ball, Declo took the ball down the field to Firth’s 15-yard line.  Declo got into the end zone, but it was brought back by a hit on the back by the Hornets.  After four downs, Firth recovered the ball on their 14-yard line.

After a holding call, Firth ended back on their 8-yard line.  After a series of other errors, Firth punted the ball from their end zone to the 50-yard line, where Declo caught it. 

Declo took the ball down to Firth’s 5-yard line, where William Garrard passed to Kaden Rasmey in the endzone for a touchdown.  With the PAT, Declo was 7 and Firth 13 with 34 seconds to play.

Just before the half, Firth’s Vasquez was incepted by Declo.  But, the Hornets threw an incomplete pass with multiple flags being thrown as time ran out. 

At the beginning of the second half, Declo received the ball and marched it down the field, and on 4^th and 1, William Garrard ran a keeper into the endzone, tying the game 13 to 13. 

Firth took possession of the ball, but Declo’s Derrek Matthews gave their offense grief.  On 4^th and 2, Declo stopped Firth on the 3-yard line. 

The Hornets then moved the ball down the field.  But after two high snaps, their progression was stopped short.  At the beginning of the 4th quarter, Declo punted the ball to Firth on their 31-yard line.

On the next play, Firth overturned the ball with Sam Park coughing it up to Tregon Zollinger.  Two plays later, Declo overturned the ball, with Wyatt Nelson recovering the ball from William Garrard.   

Firth ran the ball down the field but stalled and had to punt.  Declo received the ball on their 32-yard line.  But shortly after that, they stalled and punted it back to Firth.  On the second play of their possession, Firth turned the ball over again. 

Declo then drove the ball down to their 15-yard line with 4:30 in the game.  The Hornets worked the ball down to their 2-yard line with 1^st and goal.  However, Firth stopped them on all three plays, with a large goal line stance on 3^rd and goal.  On 4^th down, Declo’s Derrick Matthew kicked a field goal with 1:48 in regulation. 

With no time-outs, Firth received the kickoff at their 44-yard line.  On the next play, Vasquez connected with Burton Park, who ran the ball to Declo’s 38-yard line and then out of bounds, stopping the clock.  Two plays later, Vasquez connected with Austin Jacobson, who ran down to the 11-yard line with 1:28 minutes to play.

Firth lined up and threw it out of bounds with 1:05 to play.  On the next play, Vasquez threw an incomplete pass.  On 3^rd and 10, Vasquez threw another incomplete pass making it 4^th and 10 on the 11^th.  With 45 seconds in the game, Vasquez threw a fade-a-way pass to a wide-open Burton Park in the endzone.  Blown coverage by Declo left Parks alone on the southside of the endzone.  With the completed PAT, Firth took the lead 20 to 16 over Declo with 20 seconds left. 

 After the kickoff, Declo returned the ball to their 44-yard line.  After two plays, the clock ran out, with Firth winning the game.