Designed by Busch
It was in the early to mid-1970s that
Barney Brunelle (pater famillias) was
gradually making the separation of his
efforts to aid and abet activities at
Sacred Heart Element School to those of
Bishop Kelly High School. With the five
Brunelle siblings entering or about to
enter BK this made some sense. Also,
about this same time, Father James R. (R
is for Reggie) Wilson was elevated to
the position of Principal at BK. Reggie
and Barney were about the same age and
both were products of Father Raymond
Peplinski's wise counsel. Father Pep,
the founder of Bishop Kelly High School
back in 1964, was its first principal.
Father Wilson was a member of BK's
original faculty having migrated from
Ireland by way of Australia. It was
twenty years before this, in 1944 that
Fr. Pep was Barney’s teacher and coach
at a Catholic high school in Wallace,
Idaho. Ten years later Father Pep
officiated at the marriage of Bev and
Barney. So now the time had come for
Reggie to run the school and Barney to
run the BK Booster Club.
The first order of business, requested
by Fr. Wilson, was to equip the athletic
field with a place to sell concessions
and to provide restrooms. Being the son
of the old sod Reggie was looking
forward to a hot baked potato with
butter, sour cream, bacon and chives on
a cold Friday night. Having assembled a
“construction crew” at Sacred Heart and
now adding helping hands from the other
parishes, this project should not be too
difficult. Bob Donovan, a contractor by
trade, was put in change so all Brunelle
and his cohorts had to do was to follow
orders. The first order was Bob’s
request for building materials written
on the back of a brown envelope. This
Barney took to Larry Mills, a Kelly
booster of renown and one of the top
guys at Boise Cascade Corp. A day or so
later the building stuff was on site. So
it was time to get the forms set and
shoot grade for the building pads.
Donovan set up the transit (level) and
took care of this chore for the
concession stand, then following the
normal procedure, popped open a couple
of Buds and asked Barney to shoot grade
for the restrooms. No problem – except
on Barney’s first swig he just may have
nicked the transit! Oh well, a few sips
and seconds later the (un)level stakes
were driven, and the next day the
concrete pads were poured. Within a few
days the buildings were built and
equipment installed include an electric
range to keep those potatoes hot. We
were ready for some football!
Visiting the site a couple of weeks
later Reggie informed Brunelle that the
buildings were great but there had been
a problem. It seems someone had
purposely plugged up one of the toilets
in the men’s restroom, so lot of water
had flooded the place. “Fortunately,”
Reggie said, “the floor tipped to the
east so the water flowed quickly under
the door and out of the restroom, so
there was not too much damage."
“That,” Barney said, remembering that he
had nicked the transit, “was by design.”
Designed by Busch….Anheuser Bush.
BK Knights Defeat BSU Broncos!
Okay, it’s a stretch, but here are
articles from the Idaho Statesman about
the first game ever played by Boise
Junior College in 1933. BJC went on to
be BSC, then BSU, then something crazy
happened and they are among the best in
the world. In this inaugural game they
played against St. Joseph’s Academy,
which later became St. Teresa’s Academy
and then Bishop Kelly High.
Here is the lowdown from the Idaho
Statesman, as republished in a book
called An Idea Grows…a history of
Boise College, by Eugene Chaffee (Syms-York,
1970). Thanks to Ron WIlper ’72 for
bringing this to our attention.
(From The Idaho Statesman – Wednesday,
October 11, 1933)
B.J.C.
ELEVEN TO FACE SAINTS
With an inexperienced team built
around five former Boise High School
players, Boise Junior College will make
its gridiron debut Thursday afternoon at
Public School field against St. Joseph’s
Academy.
The Saints, who last Friday played
the Emmett Huskies to a scoreless tie,
have shown great possibilities, while
the strength of the B.J.C. squad is
comparatively unknown. The college
backfield will average but 125 pounds,
the heaviest man, Martin, fullback,
tipping the scales at 155.
Dusty Kline, B.J.C. coach, is
building his team around Robertson,
Rigney, Powers, Woodhead and Martin,
letter men [sic] from former Boise High
School teams. Kenneth Robertson,
center, is probably the most versatile
man on the squad. Woodhead, guard, and
M. Powers and Rigney, tackle, are the
heaviest men on the squad, weighing 192,
178 and 174. Other linesmen [sic] who
are showing possibilities are Hale and
Kahrer of [B]oise, Rudd, Rexburg, and
Andrews, Parma.
Backfield material is scarce and as
yet a ball carrier is to be found.
Shawe of Idaho Falls has proven to be
the most consistent at punting and
passing, Martin, sturdy little
fullback, is the best blocker on the
team and is looking good on defense.
Kloepfer and Sproat are two other men
out for the backfield positions.
The game will start at 3:30
o’clock.
(From The Idaho Statesman –October 13,
1933)
SAINTS DEFEAT JUNIOR COLLEGE
A long pass, flung with a spiral
and a prayer, was tossed Thursday
[October 12] afternoon at Public School
field by Nyedigger, St. Joseph’s
parochial school halfback, into the
waiting arms of Johnny Orbea, galloping
end. Orbea raced 15 yards to a
touchdown that defeated Boise Junior
College, 6 to 0.
The score came in the first quarter
of a bitter struggle waged as a holiday
feature of Columbus day. With the
execution of the break that meant
points, the teams fought each other to a
standstill, punting, passing, and
plunging, savagely without denting tight
defenses.
Score in First Five Minutes - It
was the Saints’ ball on the 50- yard
line with the game only five minutes
underway. A buck was stopped dead at
the line. Nyedigger faded back and
heaved a sailer down the field. Junior
college backs were caught short. Orbea
and a mob of Saints tore for the goal
line and dragged the pass down.
Just before the end of the half,
the college bore within the 10-yard
stripe and failed on a touchdown pass
when Shaw stepped out of bounds on the
yard line and the ball dribbled off his
fingers.
College Efforts Turned Back - Again
in the third quarter a college drive was
snubbed within the 10-yard zone.
Kloepfer, Martin, and Shaw bore the
brunt of tackle and end plays. A punting
duel in which the college had a slight
edge was the entire story of the last
quarter.
The college, playing its first game
under the coaching of M. “Dusty” Kline,
used the Boise High School style. A
heavy St. Joseph’s line gave no quarter,
forcing a more open game.
Eugene Chaffee later wrote: At the
end of the game, BJC President Barnwell
congratulated the Broncos on their
spirit in spite of defeat and hoped that
with the support of the newly organized
Pep Band directed by Jun Yamamoto, they
would do better in the future.
It’s a Snap
In 1964, Bishop Kelly opened its
inaugural season with a 26-0 win against
Homedale. Mike Rhodes scored the first
points in school history on a one-yard
run. Playing center that day and
snapping the ball to for the Knights?
Current Bishop Kelly High President Dave
Lachiondo.
10,000 and Rising
In 2005, Andrew Carnosso took a
handoff late in the 4th quarter against
Mountain Home and ran 53 yards for a TD,
scoring the 10,000th point in school
history. BK won 70-0.
“…through the Goalposts of Life…”
It was late in the 1980 season, and the
Knights were laying the wood to
Payette. The BK season record was an
overall disappointment that year, but
one memorable play on this October
evening delighted the hometown crowd and
deserves mention. Following a 3rd
quarter BK touchdown, the team lined up
in a shotgun formation and Chris Compton
took the snap from center. What he did
next had never been done before -- and
has never been done since -- in a BK
game. Compton dropkicked the ball
through the uprights for a one-point
conversion. A drop kick, just like
Groucho Marx in “Horsefeathers.” BK won
38-2.
Hammond Runs Wild in Weiser
The longest touchdown run in BK
football history is officially 99 yards,
a record set on October 20, 1978 in
Weiser. The Knights had the ball, 2nd
down and 11 on its own one-yard line,
and ran an option to the right. Doug
Hammond took the pitch about five yards
behind the goal line and ran halfway
across Washington County and into the
end zone. Hammond had nearly 300 yards
rushing in the 41-8 win.
“Wrong Way Ben” Saves the Day
In the 1966 game at Weiser, BK led
26-21 late in the game, but faced a real
dilemma. The Knights had the ball, 4th
and long on their own 25 with less than
2:00 remaining. The team’s punter was
injured, and the Wolverines had even
blocked a punt earlier in the game. So
Coach Chuck Forrestal instructed QB Ben
Ysursa to line up in punt formation,
take the snap, and run 25 yards in the
wrong direction into the Knights own end
zone to burn clock. “When you get to
the end zone run around and make them
tackle you,” said Forrestal. “And
whatever you do, don’t step back out
onto the field.”
Back in the huddle, Ben had to skip the
explanation: “Just snap me the ball and
block!” And it worked. The surprise
“intentional wrong way run” burned
plenty of time before the Wolves
dog-piled on Ben in the end zone for a
two-point safety. BK had a free kick
from the 20-yard line with little time
remaining. Final score: 26-23.
Postscript: Two weeks later Baltimore
Colts coach Don Shula is lauded by
analysts for using the same play in an
NFL game.
Run Ruben Run
Ruben Asumendi ran for 344 yards on
43 carries in a game against Vallivue in
1997. It was the highest single game
individual rushing total in school
history. The linemen who cleared the
way for Ruben: Charlie Brioschi, Tank
Janquart, Jim Sharp, Jared Camman, Ryan
Zimmerman, Darren Woods, and Heath
Gamboa. BK averaged 284 yards rushing
per game that season!
The Longest Yard
One of the most exciting finishes
happened in the 1984 playoffs when BK
hosted long-time rival Vallivue. The
Falcons won the SRV that season, beating
BK 22-12, and went on to win their
1st-round playoff game at home.
Meanwhile, BK garnered a road win at
Post Falls. Due to the old IHSAA rule of
“no two road trips in a row,” the second
place Knights got to host this game.
Sleet and cold wrapped BK field and at
the end of regulation it was knotted
6-6. In overtime BK got the ball first
and scored to go up 13-6.
Vallivue, led by star running back (and
future Vallivue coach) Nate Borchert,
gained 9 yards in its first three
plays. On 4th down, with the ball on
the one-yard-line, the Falcons again
gave it to Nate – and so did BK’s free
safety Terry Heffner. He was there to
make the tackle at the goal line, and
the victory put the Knights in the state
championship game for the first time
since 1978.
Long Roadie for 1990 Crew
In 1990 a three-way tie for second
place in conference was settled on the
field in a Monday afternoon playoff.
The Knights defeated Kuna 6-0 and earned
the right to advance, putting BK into
the post season for the first time in 6
years. The reward was the longest road
trip in program history, a game at
Bonners Ferry. The Knights lost, 13-0.
“What Kind of Penalty Is That?!!!”
One of Father Wilson’s favorite
stories: As the 3rd quarter was winding
down in a hotly contested game at BK,
the boosters occupying the center area
of the bleachers (read: parents) were
fully focused on the referees.
Consecutive penalties had been marked
off against the Knights, and the folks
were a little fired up. And many were
taken aback when the referee, once
again, stopped the game and picked up
the ball and began marching down the
field, not stopping after 5 yards, or
even 15 yards. The ref just kept on
walking and walking, prompting one BK
fan to stand up and scream, “What kind
of penalty is that?!?!
Turns out it was the end of the quarter.
The ref was taking the ball to the other
end of the field.
Alex Scores for Both Teams in 6-5 Win
One strange final score was the
Vallivue game in 1987, when BK won 6-5.
Interestingly, the BK player who scored
the game’s only touchdown was also
responsible for 2 of Vallivue’s points.
That’s right, this guy ran one in for
the Knights, but later got caught in his
own end zone for a safety. This same
person now remains strictly on the BK
sideline rather than treading in end
zones. His name: Alex Homaecheverria, a
team physician for the Knights.
That’s How I’m In the State I’m In
The Knights have battled foes from
Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and
Washington over the years. Results are
favorable: 273-110-2 vs. Idaho
opponents; 2-1 vs. Washington schools;
24-10 against Oregon teams; 5-0 against
Utah; and 4-2 verses Nevada. Some of
the Oregon, Utah, and Nevada wins were
away games, but, sadly, the Knights are
0-1 on Washington soil.
Billy Petersen Flashes BK Colors on
the Big Screen
So how did the jersey worn by Mike
Mitchell (’72) end up on the big screen
in “To Live and Die in LA.?” And “Manhunter?”
And “Amazing Grace and Chuck?” Well,
in keeping with locker room code, no one
is saying how former BK running back
William “Billy” Petersen (’72) ended up
with the jersey. There are theories on
how the #52 jersey found its way into
the wardrobe of this famous BK alum, but
none have been confirmed by Steve Artis
(’72). Is a Crime Scene Investigation is
in order?
Tracy & Hawkins 93-Yarder; Other
Tracy & Hawkins 94-Yarder
Among the stats from the
incomparable Cody Hawkins: the two
longest TD passes in school history. One
was 93 yards to Stew Tracy, set in
August of 2004 at Judge Memorial. Of
course, the older Tracy brother, Steve,
had to outdo little bro. He and Cody
hooked up on a 94-yarder against
Caldwell that October.
DaumTown: The Millionaire Liked the
Grit and Pluck of Those Kelly Boys
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A
millionaire from out of town wonders
into a high school game. He sees the
smaller team with fewer players --
playing on pure emotion and true grit –
knock down and nearly knock out the
giants. In fact DB Kelly Baird’s
touchdown has BK up 7-0 in the 4th. But
they lose the game, and he sees them
leave the field, cursing any mention of
a “moral victory.” He likes the pluck of
that overachieving group. He gives
millions of dollars to that school.
True story. Name was Harry Daum, a real
estate developer who happened by the BK
vs. Boise game at Bronco Stadium in
October of ’70.
Divine Moment: With 3:47 it’s 3rd &
47
It’s one of those plays that will be
forever remembered, and for good
reason. It was pivotal, it was
unexpected, it was clutch, it had a
certain black-and-gold magic to it, and
it came on the biggest stage during the
biggest moment of the biggest game at
the apex of the most dominant and
celebrated streak of gridiron success in
the storied history of BK football.
With 3:47 remaining in the 2005 state championship game, BK faced a 3rd
and 47 at its own 17-yard line. The
Knights led by 2, but big mo had swung
Poky’s way following their TD and a
peculiar pass interference call. The
din in the dome was deafening as Brennan
considered his options. Would he give
his star QB a chance to throw for a
48-yard first down? Or would it be a
simple run and prepare to punt and play
some defense? Or something else?
The result is online at
www.alumknights.org/3rdand47.htm
The Night the Lights Went Out Kuna
Since when does a 48-minute game take
nearly 24 hours to complete? On
September 25, 1998 the Knights traveled
to Kuna. After 22 minutes of play the
game was knotted at 7-7, but with
momentum on the side of the Knights.
Then the lights went out. An early half
time was called while repairs were
attempted, but after an hour it was
clear the stadium lights were beyond
repair. The teams agreed to meet the
next afternoon to finish the game.
Unfortunately the long intermission
worked in Kuna's favor, with the Kavemen
overcoming the lack of electricity for a
14-7 win.
Would Gandhi Take a Knee?
What’s a defensive back to do? You’re
up 67-14 late in the 4th quarter, but
Vallivue is about to score. Then you
intercept a pass 4 yards deep your own
end zone and you have to decide: Do you
genuflect humanely and take it at the
20? Or do you play football and run it
out and see how far you get?
Kyle Wuestenfeld ran it out and got
pretty far. His remarkable 104-yard
interception return helped the Knights
cover the spread in a 74-14 win.
First OT Game is a Win
On September 14, 1979, BK had its
first overtime game. The tense
situation arose in Vale, Oregon, when
the game ended tied 14-14. After holding
Vale scoreless, senior kicker Mike Pape
calmly booted a 27-yard field goal.
Knights win 17-14, the first and only
“walk off field goal” in school
history.
Walk Off TD
Scoring on the game’s final play to
get the win is rare. The Knights did
get a “walk off touchdown” in 1996
against Kuna. Trailing 15-11 with :04
to go in regulation, BK had the ball on
the Kavemen 18. The snap, then the final
horn, and then the throw from Tim Speck
to Chris Horras. Touchdown, game over,
no extra point, BK wins 17-15.
Not Nice Knights
The 1967 Knights had a number of
familiar family names on the roster:
Bruce, Zamzow, Baumann, Even, Bixby,
Brilz, Sestero, Lee. But they weren't
the most hospitable group, recording
seven straight shutouts to begin their
nine-game season. That led to lots of
punts by the opponents, and lots of punt
returns by the two-deep combo John
Urlezaga and Jerry Goicoechea. “Hmmm,
how else can we score?” wondered
forward-thinking Coach Forrestal. So he
introduced punt return strategies --
particularly the "picket fence" scheme
-- to take advantage of Goicoechea's
breakaway speed. The 8-1 Knights
averaged 37.2 points per game, amassing
8 special team TD returns. The nasty
defense gave up 2.2 points per game that
season!
Erik the Great: Helgie is Most
Honored Collegiate Player
The 1985 team was loaded with talent
and included Erik Helgeson. He went on
to play at Boise State from 1987-1990
and racked up a few honors for his
outstanding play at defensive end. Among
the awards: named to the 1990
All-America team by the Walter Camp
Foundation, Associated Press, Kodak, The
Sports Network, and Football Gazette;
three-time All Big Sky (1988-89-90);
elected to the Bronco Hall of Fame in
1999. He still holds the BSU record for
career sacks with 54.5.
Wilkin First D-1 Player; Other 4-Year
College Boys
Offensive Guard Dick Wilkin was the
first BK Knight to be awarded a football
scholarship at the NCAA Div. I
level. Dick played for the Idaho
Vandals for four seasons, 1975-78.
Other former Knights completing 4-year
collegiate football careers include WR
Mike Brady (BSU), QB John Brunelle
(Pacific), DE Erik Helgeson (BSU), WR
Terry Heffner (BSU), DB Bryan Mooney
(Wyoming), DE Sky Dumont (BSU), OL Nate
Krier (Fort Lewis); WR Joe Bleymeier
(Delaware), RB Josh Schrum (Western
Montana) and LB Colt Brooks. Current BSU
senior OG Tad Miller completes an
outstanding career this fall for the
Broncos.
And then they went onto play in the
NFL
Well, none of our guys have played
in the NFL, but a few of our opponents
have. Mountain Home RB Billy Campfield
1972; Mountain Home QB Brent Pease 1982;
Nampa LB Rob Morris 1991; Moscow lineman
Doug Resienberg 1982; and Snake River LB
Spencer Toone 1999.
Hey, Get Back to Work!
It was a lackluster showing by the
Knights, and the Knight faithful, that
November night in 2002. For three
quarters, anyway. BK trailed 27-7 late
in the 3rd quarter, and some fans headed
to the exits. Inside the school
building, listening on the radio while
completing his Friday night tasks, was
Richard, the janitor. Frustrated by the
score -- and even more so by the fact
that he saw fans giving up on the team –
Richard left his assigned work area and
headed outside. And if you were there
you remember the red-faced towel-waving
middle-age man running on the track in
front of the bleachers, imploring the
fans to wake up -- screaming at parents
and players alike to believe in the
chance for a comeback. And then it
happened: the team catches fire with a
ferocious ground attack, running in 4
TDs in final 13 minutes. Matt Whipps
wraps it with an interception return,
Knights win 35-27 and Richard leads the
celebration. He is fired on Monday for
leaving his post. He could care less. He
hasn’t missed a BK home game since.
First & 55!
Fr Wilson was known to depart from
his lesson plan in religion class to
tell his students stories of BK
Football. One of his favorites was the
season opener in 1968. The Knights
traveled to the high desert of central
Oregon to face the Bend Bears. “After a
couple weeks of two a days in the 90s,
we were unprepared for the 100 degree
heat of an afternoon game,” recalls
fullback Doug Zamzow. The Knights found
themselves down 0-6, and Zamzow
remembers “clearly getting homered by
the referees.” After battling to even
the score as the game waned BK took
possession in Bear territory. Then for
three plays in a row the referees called
personal foul penalties on the Knights
and suddenly they found themselves
facing a first and 55 yards. But BK
rose to the occasion, and did it without
going to the air. A power sweep to
Zamzow ate up ground, followed by a draw
play to Dave Dean and much real estate
was regained. Then on third and still
long outstanding Quarterback Paul
Sestero took it student body right and
stepped out of bounds one yard past the
chains. The Knights went on to score
and win the game 12-6 and setting up a
nine game winning streak.
55-7 Phenomenon
Look through the history of 420 games
and an oddity or two will stand out.
Veterans Day 1966 the Knights hosted
Meridian High School with a share of the
SRV conference title on the line. The
Knights scored first and took a 7-0 lead
into the 2nd quarter, but QB Ben Ysursa
had to sit out the remainder of the game
with an injury. Meridian’s offense was
afoot, ahead 21-7 at half and ultimately
drubbed the Knights, 55-7.
Fast-forward 25 years to September 20,
1991, Nampa at BK. Knights QB Andy
Speck hit Gus Rios on a 43-yard TD pass
and the Knights lead 7-0. But Speck got
injured and left the game. Backup QB
Brett Bibeau entered, but he in turn was
injured – all this in the first five
minutes of the game.
Cornerback Andy Green took over, but the
Knights were at a decided disadvantage
to a Bulldog squad that included future
NFLer Rob Morris at fullback and
linebacker. Not only unable to generate
scores, the Knights gave up a touchdown
on a blocked punt as well as two
touchdowns each on interceptions and
fumble returns. As a result the Knights
end up on the losing to the Bulldogs.
The score was 55-7.
Sandpoint Syndrome III
The Sandpoint – BK rivalry is an
amazing phenomenon: three games, all
state playoffs, all down to the wire.
In November 2001 Sandpoint travels to
Boise and at end of regulation the shoot
out is a 42-42 tie. Overtime Knight
trickery manifests with a pass back to
QB Colt Brooks who waltzes into the end
zone. Preston Carter’s PAT makes it
49-42. Sandpoint responds with a two
play scoring drive and then the crowd is
surprised they don’t go for two but
instead line up to kick the PAT, which
is missed, and BK wins 49-48.
Four years later at Barlow Memorial
Stadium on the icy shores of Lake Pend
Oreille the underdogs are inspired by a
large home town crowd and break a 14-14
tie with a 4th quarter touchdown. But
the kick is blocked by Ryan Kettner and
the 20-14 lead is not enough to stop
some last minute heroics with a Cody
Hawkins to Stew Tracy TD pass. Clutch
Kicker Matt Thomas seals the deal with
the PAT for a 21-20 final.
And then Nov. 3, 2006, at Sandpoint, and
the
Immaculate Deception to draw close,
the onside kick, and a grinding ROTA
drive followed by Kyle Cefalo’s 4th down
QB sneak in the final moments for an
unforgettable 28-24 win.
Buhl Blowouts
Whenever the BK Knights and the Buhl
Indians have played it has never been
close: one team puts up 32 to 36 points
and wins by a least three touchdowns.
BK won in 1965 33-7 but the Indians
returned the favor in 1966 with a 32-13
victory. Ten years later the teams met
in a mythical championship at BK where
the Indians dominated 36-6. The next
year the 1977 10-0 regular season
Knights traveled to Buhl to take care of
unfinished business but the Indians
triumph 36-13. Then in 1978 in the
first IHSAA sanctioned state
championship at Bronco Stadium, BK and
Buhl met on the (then green) artificial
turf with Buhl winning 32-6. The series
went dormant until 1994 when in the
season opener the eventual A-2 champion
Knights throttled the Indians 34-6. The
scoring symmetry found in this series
may look interesting, but it means
little to those still haunted by those
losses in the 1970s.
What About That “Tongia” Chant?
In 1976, the Balbas brothers (Rick and
Dave) arrived at BK from Damien Memorial
School in Honolulu. Upon arrival they
introduced their new teammates to a
Samoan war chant titled “Tongia.” At
Damien, a Samoan student led the entire
home cheering section in the chant at
each game.
Loosely translated, the words encourage
the team to “go forth” in the battle
with “spirit and courage” and to have
“faith.” BK teams have invoked the
chant in post game celebrations for 30
years, butchering the words badly, but
keeping the spirit alive.
Hold That Tiger
BK battled the Jerome Tigers in
“Southern Idaho bragging rights” playoff
games in 1971 and 1972. BK lost the
first one 14-6 on a rainy November night
at BK. That was the night LB Mike
Brunelle tackled a Tiger runningback and
drove him way off the field, the two of
them tumbling onto the sloppy, muddy
track in front of the BK student
section. In his haste to stand up
Brunelle inadvertently placed two hands
on the back of the helmet of his
opponent, pushing his face into the
mud. This drew a huge cheer from the BK
students, but no penalty flag. “Hey, it
was slippery,” he says. “I would never
do something like that on purpose.” The
’72 game was an upset win for the
Knights at Jerome, 32-8, featuring a
3-TD performance by Dan “Lefty” Spears.
QB Mark Luchte and FB John Post led the
team to a 9-2 record and #1 ranking in
the AP poll.
Where’s George?
It’s pretty easy to find George
Gamber on a Friday night. The veteran
assistant coach has been at every BK
football game since 1989, working
alongside the head coaches Ray Wilmot,
Tim Brennan, and now Jack Parker.
That’s 198 consecutive games, or 43% of
all BK games ever played.
’94 Champs Bust Weiser Lock. Two
Times.
The 1994 team brought BK its first
official football State Championship,
and pretty much smoked everyone in the
process. The biggest challenge was
Weiser, which had beaten BK eight
straight years (many with Brennan as the
Wolverine assistant!). The BK boys
whipped the Wolverines 24-6 that season,
and beat them again in the playoff,
20-7. This awesome group was first to
set the black-and-gold standard at 12-0.
Yes, it really was 95-0
In October 1969, BK traveled to Payette
and set a single game scoring record
likely never to be exceeded. The 95-0
deluge was so absurdly high that the
Idaho Statesman write-up drolly said,
"the Knights started slow" with only 27
points in the first quarter. The
floodgates opened in the 2nd quarter as
BK produced a prodigious 55 points to
take an 82-0 lead into the locker room.
That was it for the starters. The final
13 points came in the 3rd quarter and
after that referees called back two or
three touchdowns scored by the
sophomores. Kicker Barry Zamzow was 11
for 14 in PATs and kicked off 15 times.
(He still walks with a limp.) Why did it
get so out of hand? Several touchdowns
came on punt returns and interceptions
and the starters were kept in the game
the entire first half. Payette threw on
most downs, which stopped the clock
after incomplete passes.
The 13 Greatest Finishes of the Brennan
Era
Coaches
Tim Brennan and Jack Parker picked 13 of
the “Greatest Finishes” during their
time together on the BK staff. Remember,
this covers the “Brennan Era” of 1992 to
present, so other cool and dramatic wins
(like the 1978 rally at Vallivue) aren’t
mentioned here. In no particular order:
- BK 20 Weiser 7 in the 1994
Semi-finals. Weiser comes close to
tying it up in the 3rd quarter with
a well executed pass play, but Tim
Heffner strips the talented receiver
at the goal line. BK puts it away on
TD run by Joel Durham in 4th. (These
Knights go 12-0 and win the school’s
first official State Championship)
- BK 17 Kuna 15, October 18, 1996.
A thriller two minute drill where
the Knights start on their own 18
and score on the last play of a game
on a pass from Tim Speck to Chris
Horras.
- BK 14 Kuna 7, in overtime
September 24, 1999. Standout wideout
Joe Bleymeier subs for dinged QB,
but still catches game winner on
throwback from RB Pat Mallory.
- BK 21 Lakeland 14 in 1999 State
Semi-finals. Comeback win, Eliopolus
to Bleymeier on the fade.
- BK 35 Lake City 28 2000 State
Quarterfinals. Heroes abound on
golden night of playmaking to win
shocker.
- BK 23 Emmett 20, October 19,
2001. Preston Carter kicks game
winning field goal with :06
remaining, then helps tackle the
kick returner who nearly broke it.
- BK 31 Kuna 28, October 26, 2001
QB Colt Brooks leads final drive.
Tommy Steiner and Chris Fife catches
are clutch.
- BK 49 Sandpoint 48, November 2,
2001, Heavyweight fight goes OT,
Bulldogs blink.
- BK 35 Timberline 27, November 1,
2002 Knights trail late in 3rd, but
‘counter trey’ led by Tad Miller
leads to 4 running TDs in final 12
minutes. Ultimate ROTA.
- BK 27 Borah 19, September 9,
2004 Late game gadget pass from Max
Davis to Tommy Bleymeier is key
play. Ryan Brennan seals it with
recovery on ensuing kickoff.
- BK 21 Sandpoint 20, November 11,
2005 Cody to Stew is The Big Play on
Pend Oreille.
- BK 31 Pocatello 29, November 18,
2005 State Championship won in the
Mini-Dome is 24th straight win and
marks back-to-back titles.
Definitive Moment: 3rd and 47.
- BK 28 Sandpoint 24, November 3,
2006 Stifled all game by the Bulldog
defense, Knights come alive and
score twice in the last 6:30 to win.
Signature play is
“The Immaculate
Deception” with offensive guard
Javier Galindo outrunning the
Sandpoint secondary, followed by an
onside kick recovery by frosh Nick Buich, and a 4th and goal QB sneak
by Kyle Cefalo. ..
Watch the
“The
Immaculate Deception"
Video
This is arbitrary collection of "Memorable Moments in BK Football History"
compiled by the contributors of this site. If you have a suggestion to add
to this please contact:
editor@BKfootball.com.
September 4, 1964 – The first game in school history is a 34-0 victory over
Homedale.
September 5, 1969 – “Undefeated” -- BK beats Meridian 19-8, the first and only win over Meridian and first step to a 9-0 regular season.
October 9, 1970 – “The Boise Game” -- In its first-ever battle with a Boise School District team, tiny BK (enrollment 277) plays the state's top-ranked big school Boise High at Bronco Stadium and holds a shocking 7-0 lead entering the 4th
quarter. The come-from behind win for Boise was the last time a Boise School
District team has defeated Bishop Kelly in football (Knights are now 9-1 vs.
BSD).
October 6, 1972 – A come from behind win over 1971 SRV champs Nyssa, 27-21, sets stage for BK SRV championship. Knights then defeat Jerome, 32-8, for
mythical A-2 Southern Idaho crown.
September 24, 1976 – A 28-0 win over Vallivue paves way to first SRV crown
in four years. Team achieves the fourth 9-win season in school history.
November 4, 1977 – “Ten And Oh, Need I say more?” -- BK Knights secure the school's first-ever perfect 10-0 regular season with win over Payette, 29-12.
November 18, 1978 – “The Snow Bowl” -- In its first-ever official IHSAA sanctioned playoff game, Bishop Kelly wins at Wallace, 30-21. Game is played in six inches of fresh snow. It is the 10th win of the season for BK, marking the first back-to-back 10-win seasons in school history.
October 31, 1981 – BK returns to playoffs for first time in three seasons
and defeats heavily-favored Lakeland, 27-0, at BK.
November 10, 1984 – A goal line stand in overtime is key to win over Vallivue, 13-6, in state semi-final.
October 13, 1989 – A special ceremony is held at the stadium to dedicate
"Nick Ysursa Field" and retire #11 in honor of the former Bishop Kelly
student athlete.
November 18, 1994 – “Twelve and Oh” -- BK wins the state final over Snake River, 35-20, capping a perfect 12-0 season and the first official State Championship for the school and 3rd-year coach Tim Brennan.
November 13, 1999 – Knights come from behind to beat Lakeland 21-14 in state
semi-final.
November 3, 2000 – The Knights successfully petition to "play up" in
realigned 4A Southern Idaho Conference. In first round of state playoffs, BK rallies from behind to upset Lake City 35-28 in Coeur d'Alene.
August 31, 2001 – "Battle of the Ditch Bank" -- BK beats Borah,
34-12. Knights win 10 straight games and grab first SIC title.
November 1, 2002 – “The Comeback” -- Down 27-7 with :59 remaining in the 3rd quarter, Knights rally for four running TDs to defeat Timberline 35-27 and secure spot in state playoffs.
October 31, 2003 – Knights win 49-6 at Emmett, and miss undefeated regular
season by one point playing one of toughest schedules in school history. The
SIC Champs garner wins over 5As Lake City and Borah.
November 19, 2004 – “Perfect Season” --High flying Knights combine 2nd quarter goal line stand with offensive weaponry and roll to 40-8 victory in State Championship final against Pocatello at Bronco Stadium. Knights finish 12-0 and average a school record 45.1 points per game.
November 11, 2005 – At Sandpoint the BK Knights snag victory from the jaws
of defeat with late touchdown and kick to win, 21-20. Win earns return to
state championship game.
November 18, 2005 –
“3rd & 47" --BK defeats Pocatello 31-29 to win the State
Championship in Pocatello, capping a perfect 12-0 season and running the
winning streak to a record 24 straight. Team averages 50.6 points per game.
Seniors complete undefeated careers at BK. "3rd and 47" is forever etched
in BK history.
Watch the
“3rd & 47"
Video
November 3, 2006 – “Immaculate
Deception” -- Just 4:31 remaining in the state quarterfinal at Sandpoint, down by 10 points, 3rd and 9 and 41 yards from the end zone. Time out, Brennan enters the huddle. With a shrug and a grin he suggests a schoolyard gadget play devised earlier in the season. The players agree; nothing else is working, why not “Javier Left” (or whatever the called it)? With a cautionary reminder to the ball carrier to “be patient,” Brennan leaves the field as the players head toward the line of scrimmage and football immortality.
On the snap, QB Cefalo and the entire offensive unit runs right, bringing most
of the Bulldog D along. Then suddenly
left guard Javier Galindo bolted to the
left…. and the rest, as they say, is
history.
Watch the
“The Immaculate
Deception" Video |
