Big plays on offense and defense staked the Douglas High football team to an early lead Saturday morning and the Tigers held on for a 31-28 season-opening win against Minico in Pocatello, Idaho.
Cale Kynett scored two touchdowns — one on a 73-yard pass and another on a 33-yard run — and Kaleb Foster scored on a 93-yard interception return as the Tigers took a 21-14 halftime lead they never relinquished during the Rocky Mountain Rumble at Holt Arena.
Kynett took a short pass from quarterback Nick Abreu on the right side and then cut back across the field on his way to a 73-yard touchdown that gave the Tigers a 7-6 lead with 1:32 left in the first quarter.
Minico threatened on its next possession, only to be denied on an interception by Bryce James at the 12. The Spartans drove to the 6 early in the second quarter before Foster tipped a pass, gathered in an interception at the 7 and took it all the way back for a touchdown and 13-6 lead.
Minico went up 14-13 on a 65-yard pass from Tanner Harper to Nico Chavez.
The Douglas defense buckled down, however, and held the Spartans to minus-16 yards in total offense through the last 8:28 of the half. Minico began its next possession from the 44, however, Zach Singer and Andrew Jensen combined on a first down sack and Kynett stopped a third-down reverse for an 8-yard loss to force a punt.
Douglas drove 66 yards on five plays, capped by Kynett’s 33-yard run. Foster added the 2-point conversion to give the Tigers a 21-14 lead with 3:25 left before halftime.
Adrian Gonzalez kicked a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter and Abreu scored on a 6-yard run with 8:56 left in the fourth to make it 31-14. Minico scored two late touchdowns, the last with 43 seconds to go, but the Spartans were unable to recover two onside kick attempts.
