Lewis & Clark Athletics – Cruz Montana

By Ray Hamill — Two former H-DNL players will renew their rivalry on the collegiate fields this weekend, while several others are coming off big performances last weekend.

This Saturday, Jack Rice and the College of Idaho (1-1) will host Jared Smith and Southern Oregon (1-1) at noon, the first meeting between these players since they were high school juniors back in September 2015 when Rice was a quarterback at St. Bernard’s and Smith a running back at McKinleyville.

Rice got the better of exchanges that day by a score 50-41, throwing for 306 yards and three TDs, and he will be hoping for more of the same this time around.

Smith, who carried the ball 19 times for 104 yards in that game, is now a linebacker at SOU.

Former Fortuna standout Daeden Taylor, meanwhile, scored his first-ever collegiate touchdown last weekend while playing quarterback for Feather River in a 41-16 win over San Jose.

Taylor scored from a yard out, while seeing some playing time for the Golden Eagles — he completed 3 of 3 passes for 29 yards.

Feather River hosts Monterey Peninsula on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Former Eureka Logger, Cruz Montana, also was in action last weekend, getting the start under center for Lewis & Clark in a 34-10 loss at Claremont.

Montana completed 20 of 45 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown in the team’s season opener.

The Pioneers (0-1) host Whittier on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Another former Eureka Logger is enjoying a good start to the season at Clarke University.

Kenny Spaight finished with four tackles and two interceptions in a 31-16 loss at home to Central Methodist last weekend, giving him three interceptions in the past two games.

The Pride (0-3) will try to get their first win when they travel to play Benedictine College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Four other former H-DNL players are riding high in the latest state JC poll, including Eureka’s Tyce Mullins and Arcata’s Jack Baca at Butte, which is No. 11 in the rankings.

Mullins, a linebacker, made his college debut for the Roadrunners (2-0) in a 23-10 win over Laney last week.

The Roadrunners will have their hands full at 2 p.m. on Saturday, when they play San Mateo, the No 1 team in the state.

Del Norte’s Anthony Slayton and Eureka’s Josiah Graham are both playing for No. 22 Shasta, which got the season off to a winning start last week at home to San Joaquin Delta (42-27).

Slayton had a big game, finishing with seven tackles, which was tied for second best on the team, including two for a loss.

The Knights play at Laney on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Former St. Bernard’s player Micah Fontenot also had a big game last week playing for Santa Rosa.

The Bear Cubs receiver had six catches for 100 yards in a 24-7 los at Fresno.

Santa Rosa (0-2) hosts Reedley on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Two other former Del Norte players, OJ Calleja and Nick Freeman also will be in action this week when Siskiyous plays at Chabot on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Also on Saturday, Eureka’s Isaak Gutierrez and New Mexico (2-0) will try to make it three wins in three weeks when they play Texas A&M in a game that will be broadcast on the SEC Network at 9 a.m., while his former Loggers teammate Miles Meynell and UC Davis (2-0) will try to extend their impressive start at home to Dixie State at 7 p.m.

Former McKinleyville Panther James Solomon and McPherson College (1-1) host Ottawa University at 6 p.m., while Arcata’s Hayden Santsche and Simon Fraser (0-2) host Central Washington at 6 pm.

Del Norte’s Ethan Price and Western Oregon play at Portland State at 2:05 p.m., while Eureka’s Trevor Carlin and Hoopa’s Tristin Campbell play Lincoln when Willamette hosts at 1 p.m.