GARDEN VALLEY WINS QUARTERFINALS GAME

"The Game" by Mike Uhl
Harrison, Idaho
November 6, 2010. It’s a 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time game.

Garden Valley Wolverines, (8-1) led by Coach Ben Roeber, defeated Tri-Valley on October 29, 46-20. They will play the Kootenai Warriors (5-4), led by Coach Doug Napierala, who defeated Clark Fork, 40-20.

Garden Valley is the second seeded team from the south and Kootenai is the top seeded team from the north. The last time these teams played was November 15, 2008. The score: Kootenai Warriors 54, Garden Valley 26. After that game, Garden Valley finished the season 9-1 and the Kootenai Warriors went on to finish 11-1.

These current Garden Valley players, Dylan Bass, Casey Hileman, Charlie Johnson, Chad Jones, Zach Root and Nathan Updike, played in that game. I’m sure they have not forgotten what happened during the contest and how it ended.

Casey Hileman needs 64 yards to break his own single-season rushing record of 2,423 yards.

The 1A Division II is made up of 44 teams. The State Playoffs Quarterfinals will feature the top eight, 8-man football teams in the state, in this Division. Coach Ben Roeber told the team, “After the victory this week-end, you will be one of 4 out of 44.”

Bill Jones says, “It was a 6-hour 45 minute drive from Garden Valley to Harrison; the school football field was a hard place to find.” Linda Bass remarks, “Really long drive!”

Melea Hileman: “There are just as many people on the Garden Valley side of the field, as the Kootenai side—maybe more.” Mike wants to personally thank the fifty to sixty people who made the trip or came from the area, to support the Wolverines. “You do not really know how much that means to the players."

According to Casey Hileman, ten volleyball girls have made the trip up north to support the football team. Mary Powell said, “Two of the cheerleaders are able to be here to give the football team support.”

The game starts today under sun-soaked skies. Temperature in the low 60s. People are taking off layers, observes Athletic Director Bob Powell. He says the AD from Kootenai told him it rained for the last six games that were played on their field. Today is beautiful.

Powell describes field conditions as “a long grass-soaked field, that when you walk across it, you sink.” It is very spongy, wet and muddy, with poor footing. This is the field the Wolverines get to play on today. Garden Valley is wearing their white travel uniforms, which will turn brown.

Kootenai kicks the ball to Garden Valley’s Casey Hileman at the 20-yard line; running right, with some great blocks, he returns it 25 yards to the 45-yard line. The Wolverines will start the game from here. Garden Valley QB Kavik Fairburn hands the ball to Casey Hileman up the middle, breaking a few tackles to gain 10 yards. On the next play, Kavik drops back and passes to Dylan Bass. It’s thrown just out of his reach, for an incomplete pass. With Charlie Johnson leading the way, a pitch to Casey is stopped by four Warriors. Now it’s fourth down and Garden Valley will punt. Kootenai does not attempt a return, with three Wolverines around the ball.

Kootenai starts at the 20-yard line with a hand off from QB Brandon Carman to Craydon Mhyre. He is tackled by four Wolverines, after a short gain. Next, the QB is trying to run right to pass, he is tackled in the back field but falls forward to get back to the line of scrimmage. From the shoot-gun, QB Carman is running left, he is first held up by “Bone Crusher” Bass and is tackled in the backfield for a sack by Charlie “The Horse” Johnson. This forces the Warriors to punt from deep in their end of the field. “Nice ugly kick”, the ball one-hops at the thirty.

Casey Hileman catches the ball, hesitates for a few seconds, then running right, he heads for the left side line. The Warriors’ big #76 Tyrel Beare, all 255 lbs., is zeroing in on Casey. Yet the Wolverines’ J.D. “Speedy” Fuhriman’s 150 lbs. hit Tyrel so hard, it bounces the man out-of-bounds and out of the play. The Wolverines have come to play! Casey has a clear route to the goal line. He is stopped at the 1-yard line by Brandon Carman. On the next play, Kavik “Mad Dog”Fairburn, on a QB keeper, crosses the goal line for Garden Valley’s first 6 points of the game. The extra point try no good. Score: Garden Valley 6, Kootenai 0.

Garden Valley kicks to the Warriors’ Brandon Carman, he muffs the ball, picks it up, running right, is stopped by two Wolverines. Kootenai starts at the 15-yard with a hand-off to Mhyre for a short gain. Kootenai QB sets up in the shoot-gun formation, drops back and throws an incomplete pass. Garden Valley off sides, moves the ball for the Warriors. Now they try a QB sneak for no gain. They are forced to punt.

Casey catches the ball at the 20, slips and gets to the 30. The Wolverines start the next drive. Kootenai is so excited, they go off sides. Kavik Fairburn hands the ball to Casey “Hurricane” Hileman running left. “Wheels” is outrunning all the red and white players down the side line. Chris Unger is the last player with a chance to stop Mr. Hileman at the 15-yard line. Casey crosses the goal line after a 65-yard scoring run for 6 points. The extra point try is no good. Score: Garden Valley 12, Kootenai 0.

Garden Valley kicks to Kootenai, the return man gets the ball running forward and trips over the lines on the field. QB Carman, running right, is stopped by the Wolverines. Now he is trying to find an open receiver, he is scrambling all over the place. A Garden Valley player pops the ball up in the air, into the hands of Tyrel Beare, who is flung to the ground for a loss of yards. Now the QB makes a pass to Mhyre in the flat, for a short gain. A pitch to the right falls short of a first down. Now another punting attempt. This time the ball goes over the head of the kicker. He is running for his life and is tackled. This gives Garden Valley great field position.

Casey “The Hurricane” Hileman gets a pitch to the left for a good gain. Casey up the middle is stopped by the Warriors' Joe Andersen and Carman. Casey running off the right gets a few yards. Everything is set up for a score. Casey takes a hand off from QB Kavik Fairburn going right, with some great blocks from the Zachs. “The Hurricane” crosses the goal line untouched, for 6 points. On the extra point try, Casey gets 2 points on a run. Score: Garden Valley 20, Kootenai 0.

J.D. kicks to Carman, who brings out the ball to the 30, for a good gain. Brandon Carman is sacked by Chad “Bam Bam” Jones. This ends the first quarter.

On the next play, QB Carman completes a pass to Jake Zarpentine for a 3 yard gain. Now it’s third down and 7 yards to go. A hand off to Mhyre goes nowhere, loss of yards. Kootenai is forced to punt yet again. Wolverines’ Casey Hileman gets the ball running right, to the 50. On an end-around, Dylan “Bone Crusher” Bass runs 45 yards down the left side line to cross the goal line untouched, for 6 points. On the extra point try, Casey Hileman gets the ball, running right with a great block by Dylan Bass and Charlie Johnson and the rest of the line, to get the 2 points. Score: Garden Valley 28, Kootenai 0.

The Wolverines kick to the Warriors. From the 20, they return it to the 48-yard line. First play, a pass falls incomplete. Another pass is broken up by Nathan Updike. Now the QB is running for his life, with Garden Valley players Charlie Johnson, Chad Jones and Casey Hileman zeroing in on him. He throws the ball into the ground. Now it’s a run to the left for a loss of yards. It’s an incomplete pass. Now on fourth down, QB Carman fakes a punt, runs left and is stopped by the Wolverines defense. Garden Valley takes over on downs.

First play, an incomplete pass just out of reach of Dylan Bass. Next, Kavik drops back, Joel McDevitt is rushing the QB. Casey holds up McDevitt; releasing his block, he is in the open and catches the pass on the left flat, now running left for the side line. Jono “The Law” Lawler and Charlie “The Horse” Johnson, forming a wall of blockers, escort Casey Hileman down the field 52 yards to score 6 more points for the Wolverines. Charlie Johnson is just short of the goal on the extra point try. Score: Garden Valley 34, Kootenai 0.

Garden Valley’s J.D. Fuhriman kicks to Kootenai. The receiver is running left and is hit solid by J.D. and the ball comes out, going back down the field to where Brandon Carman started the play. A pitch to Whipple is stopped with a solid tackle by Dylan “Bone Crusher” Bass. On the next play, they get a first down. Then a pitch to Whipple goes to nowhere except to the left. On second down, they try a pass to the right but “Bone Crusher” cuts the route and intercepts the ball at the 50.

Bass runs down the left side line, returning the ball 26 yards before being stopped. Now the Wolverines pitch the ball to “Speedy” Fuhriman going right before he is stopped for no gain. Casey gets the ball up the middle for a small gain. Casey Hileman breaks through the line on a 17-yard run, dragging Brandon Carman for 10 yards. He scores 6 points. Kavik “Mad Dog” Fairburn fakes the hand off and hides the ball, going right. Dylan Bass makes a great block to clear the way for Kavik to score the two extra points.
Score: Garden Valley 42, Kootenai 0.

Garden Valley kicks to Kootenai. The Warriors go on a 12-play drive, moving the ball down the field, getting first downs and completed passes, but no score as the first half ends. HALF TIME SCORE: Garden Valley 42, Kootenai 0.

To start the second half, Garden Valley kicks to Kootenai. At the five yard line, Chris Unger runs the ball up to the 31. This is where the Warriors will start the second half. Three plays and a first down. Then a pass down field to Graydon Mhyre, for a great catch. Play called back on a holding penalty. The Warriors go on a 10-play drive down field. They are being stopped by the Wolverines’ swarming defense, for no points. This looked like the best drive and the best chance for the Warriors to score all night.

Garden Valley takes over on downs. The first play of the second half for the Wolverines is a hand off up the middle. Then an inside pitch to Charlie Johnson going left. The ball is on the 50-yard line. Now it’s the “Hurricane” show. Casey gets the ball going off right guard, with a great block by “The Horse” Charlie Johnson, the Zachs and Jono Lawler. Casey gets back the first line of the Warriors defense. At the 45, Joe Andersen grabs Casey’s jersey. Casey will not be denied and drags Mr. Andersen 5 yards down field, until he can shake him loose. Hileman is running but is stopped at the 10-yard line, just short of the end zone. On the next play, Casey gets the ball down to the 5, being stopped by four tacklers. With the ball on the 5-yard line, it’s goal to goal and “The Horse” Charlie Johnson gets the ball up the middle. The line opens the way for the score. With the 6 points, the game is called on the 45-point mercy rule.

FINAL SCORE: Garden Valley Wolverines 48, Kootenai Warriors 0.

* * SOME GARDEN VALLEY FOOTBALL NOTES * *

Coach Van Dyk: “Every Garden Valley player played in this game. We set the tone for the game right from the start. Good game for both offense and defense.”

*GAME STATS FOR THE OFFENSE*

*PASSING*
Kavik Fairburn 2-4-0 68 yards

*RUSHING*
Casey Hileman 15 for 170 yards
Charlie Johnson 5 for 12 yards
Kavik Fairburn 4 for 5 yards
Dylan Bass 1 for 45 yards

*RECEIVING*
Casey Hileman 1 for 58 yards
Nathan Updike 1 for 10 yards

*PUNT RETURNS*
Casey Hileman 3 for 82 yards

*ALL PURPOSE YARDS*
Casey Hileman 310 yards

* GAME STATS FOR THE DEFENSE*

*FUMBLE CAUSED* *FUMBLES RECOVERED*
J.D. Fuhriman x 2 Jono Lawler x 1

*PASS KNOCK-DOWNS* *INTERCEPTIONS*
J.D. Fuhriman x 2 Dylan Bass x 1 26 yards
Dylan Bass x 1
Nathan Updike x 1

*TACKLES*
Casey Hileman Total Tackles 13 * 7 solo
Charlie Johnson 11 * 5 solo
Nathan Updike 9 * 6 solo
Cody Zeff 6 * 4 solo
Jono Lawler 5 * 3 solo
Chad Jones 5 * 2 solo
Dylan Bass 4 * 2 solo
J.D. Fuhriman 4 * 2 solo
Tucker Leiva 1 * 1 solo
Zach Root 1 * 1 asst.

*SACKS*
Charlie Johnson x 1
Chad Jones x 1
Jono Lawler x 1

“Freshman J.D. Fuhriman played awesome in this game”
Coach Van Dyk: “ J.D. had a huge game.”

I would also give a special thank you to two players. Sam Root has a broken foot and Lance Jones, a broken collar-bone. Even being injured, these players are a part of this team. They give support and encouragement to their team mates, while they are healing. Next season, when they return, they will be a force to be contended with.

Since I could not go to the football game, I would like to give a special thank you to a few special people who helped with the coverage of this contest. Melea Hileman for the stats of this game and all the games of the last few years. To Donna Root, for the phone call that gave me the score topost at the video store for all to see. Georgi Lawler, for the game program and her support; Bill and Laree Jones and Jeff and Linda Bass, for their observations about the game and their support of GV sports. A special thanks to Bob and mary Powell and to Coach Ben Roeber ans assistant coaches Jason Van Dyk, Jason Yearsley, Warren Hileman and Jim Dovel for all the hard work and time that they put in for this team and for the players this and past years.

Photos by Linda Bass.