There were no fancy gimmicks or complicated strategies.
Nate Rider had a simple explanation for Skyview’s 49-0 win over Heritage on Friday at Kiggins Bowl.
“We were in a zone,” the senior receiver said.
While in that zone, Skyview has left two 4A Greater St. Helens League opponents dazed. The Storm (3-1, 2-0) has outscored its foes 93-9 over its first two league games.
Skyview set a tone long before Rider returned an interception 67 yards to give Skyview a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Josh Emmy scored two rushing touchdowns during a first quarter where Skyview pounded the ball up the middle. That simple, no-nonsense approach established the Storm’s superiority early.
“We tried to fight as hard as we could from the start and see how far we could push it,” Skyview center Mike Haines said. “Josh ran as hard as he could. The line blocked as hard as it could. It just worked out for us.”
So dominant was Skyview on Friday, they offered a model that at least one Heritage senior hopes his team can emulate.
“They knew their identity,” Heritage receiver Jarod Luedecker said. “They were going to run to pound and do their offense. They knew what they were doing on defense.”
Luedecker gathered the Heritage seniors for a postgame pep talk after the Timberwolves fell to 2-2 overall, 0-2 in league.
“I think at Heritage, starting with our senior class, we can develop that identity,” Luedecker said.
Rider, who also had a 55-yard touchdown catch, said that identity has been months in the making.
“With everything we’ve done over the summer, we’re all really close,” he said. “So when we’re on the field it just feels natural to do what we’re doing.”
T’wolves running back Kalani Umiamaka entered Friday as the area’s leading rusher with 456 yards. Skyview held him to 38 yards on 15 carries and outgained Heritage 367-105.
The first Storm drive needed seven plays to cover 65 yards with Emmy scoring on a 4-yard run.
Skyview began its second drive on the Heritage 25 after a fumbled punt snap led to a turnover on downs. Four plays later, Emmy scored again on a 3-yard run.
From there, the tone was set and the rout was on.
SKYVIEW 49, HERITAGE 0
Heritage 0 0 0 0– 0
Skyview 14 14 14 7–49
First quarter
S — Josh Emmy 4 run (Braden Hadfield kick)
S — Emmy 3 run (Hadfield kick)
Second quarter
S — Nate Rider 67 interception return (Hadfield kick)
S — Blake Ingram 1 run (Hadfield kick)
Third quarter
S — Rider 55 pass from Zac Shomler (Hadfield kick)
S — Brad Decker 13 pass from Shomler (Hadfield kick)
Fourth quarter
S — Zayne Shomler 1 run (Hadfield kick)
Individual statistics
RUSHING — Heritage: Kalani Umiamaka 15-38; Jeremiah Kelly 3-10. Skyview: Emmy 9-64; Ingram 10-62; Beyden Heppler 3-17; Aaron Wise 2-7; Zayne Shomler 3-10; Andrew Hatch 1-11.
PASSING — Heritage: Tyler VanBuskirk 8-18-2-52; Payton Monda 1-5-1-5. Skyview: Zac Shomler 10-17-1-170; Brody Barnum 3-6-0-27.
RECEIVING — Heritage: Nick Somboun 5-33; Jarod Luedecker 1-11; Umiamaka 1-(minus-2); Kenese Peneuta 1-15; Gavin Lee 1-8. Skyview: Emmy 1-2; Wright 2-24; Bryson Enge 1-29; Rider 2-67; Skyler Martin 1-11; Marcus Lord 1-16; Travis Yajko 3-22; Brad Decker 1-13; Jake Conger 1-13.
