Tigers' 7th grade team debuts

This is the first year Mountain Home Junior High School has fielded a seventh grade football team.

Seventh graders from Mountain Home Junior High School continued to suit up this month for battles on the gridiron in what team officials indicate is a first in the school's history.

Following their season debut Sept. 1 at home versus Syringa, the 4A junior varsity Tigers hosted the Vallivue Falcons from Caldwell on Sept. 9.

The 5A Falcons, who came to Mountain Home for their third game of the season, kept the Tigers out of the endzone throughout the game to post a 38-0 shutout.

Vallivue scored its first touchdown with 2:46 left in the opening quarter to take an early lead. However, the team missed the extra point conversion to lead by six.

The Falcons extended their lead to 13 before halftime off a touchdown and extra point kick. They continued to reach the endzone three more times in the second half to clinch the win.

Mountain Home's most memorable offensive drive came in the first half when the Tigers picked up 20 yards on a runback off a Caldwell kickoff.

In other junior high school football action last week, the eighth grade squad came up short in a 7-28 loss to Vallivue. Kai Hill scored the Tigers' sole touchdown off a 35-yard run.

Despite the troubles on the field, Coach Simon Hutchings admitted that he was pleased with the attitude and effort of the players from both teams. Both teams traveled to Emmett High School for individual games on Tuesday.