Late TD lifts Vallivue over Emmett

CALDWELL — With the game on the line, Vallivue put the ball in the hands of Onix Carson.

It was a wise decision.

Carson, a junior tailback, capped off a sensational performance Friday night against Emmett with a late 1-yard touchdown dive that lifted the Falcons to an 18-14 victory on homecoming night.

Carson’s heroics capped an eight-play drive that began at the Vallivue 12 with 2:44 to go in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference game. When Carson broke the plane, only 13 seconds remained.

“That was a very stressful game, that’s about all I can say,” said Carson, who finished with 26 carries for 213 yards and the TD. “It feels amazing. We lost to them last year but came back this year and played harder.”

Vallivue (3-1, 2-0) trailed 7-6 at halftime and had a promising third-quarter drive come to an abrupt end when Kenyon Carter jumped in front of an Isaac Moore pass for an interception.

Lincoln Thayn finished off Emmett’s (4-2, 2-1) first possession of the period with a 27-yard touchdown run up the middle. Thayn ended the game with 14 carries for 88 yards.

The Falcons answered right back when Moore hit Mason Enochson for a 27-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker. Vallivue opted to go for two, and Moore was stopped short of the goal line on a scramble to keep Emmett up 14-12.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Jayden Cagle intercepted Huskies quarterback Ryder Scheibe at the Vallivue 20. The Falcons got one first down but were forced to punt it back with 9:44 remaining. They received one last chance when a lengthy Emmett drive stalled in the red zone.

Vallivue’s game-winning march included a 21-yard Carson run and an 18-yard pop pass to Austin Belnap that also drew a late hit personal foul. On first-and-goal at the 8, Carson said two plays were called in the huddle.

“We were going to run it straight up the middle twice,” he said. “And on the second one we got it.”

Carson credited first-year head coach Shea McClellin for helping the Falcons pull through.

McClellin, a former Boise State standout and NFLer, spent the previous two seasons at Marsing. He guided his alma mater to the Class 2A playoffs last fall — Marsing’s first postseason appearance since 2013 — and was voted 2A Western Idaho Conference Coach of the Year.

“Obviously he played in the NFL … and is just a great coach,” Carson said. “Things are way more physical this year.”

After forcing a three-and-out to open the game, Vallivue went 61 yards on eight plays to seize a quick 6-0 lead. The drive ended on an 8-yard touchdown throw from Moore to Briggs Marler.

Emmett jumped ahead late in the second quarter when Sammy Howe punched in a 3-yard touchdown run and Darren Ayala booted the point-after attempt through the uprights. The 80-yard march took more than nine minutes off the clock.

The Falcons drove it to the Emmett 4 in the closing seconds of the half but were unable to get points due to a mishandled snap on a 22-yard field goal attempt. The Huskies led 7-6 at the break.