Highland (1-0) left its bench and crossed the field at the Portneuf Wellness Complex to thank its supporters following Saturday's 3-1 win against Preston (0-1). 

As Jared Short turned around to walk toward Highland's sideline after acknowledging the team's fans, Ben Elizarraras leaped over his teammate, capping off the opening-season win for the first-year Rams. 

"It couldn't have started any better than this," Elizarraras said. "It was the perfect outcome." 

Highland was led by Caleb Wydick, who scored two goals on five shots in the win. 

The sophomore's first goal came two minutes into the match off a mistake from the Indians' defense. 

After a scramble, Preston's Clay Jepsen cleared the ball from the top of his penalty area off a teammate. The deflection landed at the feet of Wydick, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the net past goalkeeper Brayden Stokes. 

"He did very well," Highland coach Mark Muzzo said. "Caleb is faster than anybody we will go against. ... He will score a lot. He will be our No. 1 scorer. He is quick and agile. He reads the field well. He sees things before they happen." 

The sophomore's second goal put the Rams ahead 2-1, 24 minutes into the second half after the Indians' Julian Murillo tied the game in the 18th minute. 

"We really didn't have a plan for Caleb. ... We were not aware of all their skill players," Preston coach Robert Bowles said. 

The Rams' Jon Elizarraras netted Highland's third goal in the 39th minute off a pass from Ethan Wydick.  

Highland outshot Preston 23-9, including totaling 10 shots on goal while the Indians had five. 

"Our offense is going to score goals," Muzzo said. "They have a nose for goal." 

The Indians were without 13 players between their junior varsity and varsity squads on Saturday due to various reasons. 

Four first-year players for Preston, who hosts Twin Falls on Tuesday, saw time on the pitch, including two on the backline. Stokes also left in the second half due to a right thigh injury, but Bowles said "he will be all right." 

"I wasn't able to substitute as much as I could next week," Bowles said of his team's depth. "That did affect our ability in the end." 

Highland, who plays at Twin Falls on Thursday, was also without four varsity players, including junior starters Nico Lira and Hunter Anderson. 

The players were ineligible because they did not met the IHSAA's practice requirements before Saturday's game. Players must participate in 10 practices before being eligible to play. 

Juniors Tannon Swaner and Tyler Kelley also logged their first varsity minutes for Highland in the win. 

"This isn't even our defense, and I am so proud of them," Muzzo said. "They have never played on this level." 

Despite being down two starters and having new faces on the field, Muzzo was confident in his replacements. 

"I did expect them to beat these guys," Muzzo said. "Even our second team guys, I expected it." 

Muzzo and Highland are looking to bounce back after losing to Hillcrest 1-0 in a do-or-die , winner-to-state game after beating the Kngihts 3-2 in the district semifinals days earlier. 

Sixty-six percent of 2015's team was made up of seniors. This season the Rams have five seniors, including defender Carson Figueroa, who was named man of the match by Muzzo. 

Figueroa and the Rams' defense allowed two shots on goal in the second half. 

"He saved us," Muzzo said. "We kept going, 'Oh, Carson has done it' again and again."