PREP FOOTBALL: Staudt, Mathews lead Priest River over Kettle Falls in home opener
Priest River High senior running back Sawyer Staudt rushes toward the endzone, recording his first of three touchdowns Friday night in a 43-0 win over Kettle Falls.
Photo by Jason Duchow Photography
PRIEST RIVER — At Priest River High, senior Sawyer Staudt rushed for three touchdowns, junior Lucas Mathews compiled 200-plus passing yards and threw for three of his own, and the Spartans defeated the Bulldogs of Kettle Falls High 43-0 in their home opener on Friday.
“It was a complete team effort, with contributions from everyone,” Priest River High head coach Alex Zepeda said. “I'm really pleased with the team’s performance and excited to build on this momentum for next week.”
Staudt, who scored all three of Priest River’s touchdowns and picked up a combined 255 yards in losses to Grangeville (8-36) and Newport (12-20), scored on rushes of two, two and 34 yards. He finished the contest with 55 yards across 11 carries and hauled in a reception for 18 yards.
The Spartans have been operating a run-heavy offense to start the season, but Mathews shined Friday, completing 12 of his 18 passes for 207 yards and three scores. Two of his touchdown passes were to fellow junior Ian Lamanna, who paced the Spartans in receptions with seven for 135 yards and scored on passes of 51 and eight yards.
Mathews ultimately connected with six different receivers on the night. Sophomore Colton Kuprienko, who led the Spartans with 66 rushing yards on just three carries and had five tackles on defense, caught Mathews’ other touchdown pass for a 3-yard score.
On defense, sophomore Nate Fegert was all over the field, recording a team-high nine tackles, three of which were for losses. Senior Skyler Simcox added nine tackles of his own and a pass block. Priest River had two interceptions on the night — one from sophomore cornerback Kane Berns and another from freshman middle linebacker Layton Goins, his second of the season. Junior Niki Porinchok added five tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup, senior Gunnar Eversole four tackles and a forced fumble as the Spartans posted their first shutout since the team’s season-opening 28-0 win over Medical Lake in 2022.
Priest River (1-2) travels to Medical Lake this Friday.
RUSHING: PR — Kuprienko 3-66, 11-55, Fegert 3-24, Mathews 2-14, Eversole 1-3.
PASSING: PR — Mathews 12-18-3-207.
RECEIVING: PR — Lamanna 7-135, S. Simcox 1-25, Staudt 1-18, L. Simcox 1-14, Goins 1-12, Kuprienko 1-3.