Bonneville seeks better start vs. Skyline after tough season

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville High School football team opens its season at home this Friday night against Skyline, looking to build momentum after finishing with a three-seven record last season.


The game serves as an immediate rematch against the opponent that ended Bonneville's previous campaign. Skyline defeated Bonneville in last year's regular season finale before eliminating them in the playoffs the following week.


Bonneville's senior class has grown up playing together through the program, enduring coaching changes, adverse weather conditions and periods without a proper practice field. Quarterback Briggs noted that the entire program is beginning to unite as younger players adapt to the system. “I feel like we're finally starting to put things together,” Briggs said. “Like some of those new groups that we have coming in, they're starting to buy in. So it kind of feels like the whole program is slowly starting to really come together.”

Reflecting on past seasons, Briggs acknowledged that sub-.500 records were difficult for a group that grew up with high expectations. “It hasn't been easy because I've always been a good group,” Briggs said. “And so just seeing those records has not been easy. But I think it's also humbled us and just worked harder.”

The years of shared experience have built strong familiarity on the field, particularly between Briggs and his primary targets. “I've got like my same group I've thrown to for the past four or five years now,” Briggs said. “So it's a lot of confidence.”

Senior receiver Kaine Rodriguez is among the pass-catchers who have developed chemistry with Briggs over the years. Rodriguez emphasized the strong personal bond established among the senior players. “I would trust him with my life, honestly,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez explained that the group works relentlessly throughout the offseason, even when their effort goes unrecognized outside the program. “We all train together every day, every week, make sure we can get as good as possible,” Rodriguez said. “And we all, you know, blood, sweat and tears every week, every day. So I think people don't really notice how much work we really do put in.”


Bonneville hosts Skyline this Friday night in the season opener, marking the senior class's first opportunity to demonstrate their progress on the field.