IDAHO FALLS — When a football program is rebuilding after going through a string of tough seasons, sometimes all it takes is one statement win to turn the tides for the future.

Pocatello learned that the hard way Friday night against Hillcrest.

All that stood between the Knights and a victory was 95 yards and just about 10 minutes of game clock.

The Knights chewed up all but one minute of the game’s final 10 and capped off the long drive with a Connor Payne two-yard touchdown run and the ensuing two-point conversion, defeating Pocatello 27-21 at Thunder Stadium Friday night.

“We have been preaching team all season, and on that drive, we had a bunch of guys that we rode, that wanted to win and made some huge plays,” Knights coach Brennon Mossholder said. “We converted third downs and fourth downs a couple of times on that drive, and it paid off. We got a big win.”

The Knights (2-3) used the running back duo of Titan Larsen and Trason Keller to methodically march the ball down the field leaving precious little time left for the Thunder to try and mount a comeback.

After the Knights’ final score, their defense sacked Poky quarterback Tavin Williams deep in Thunder territory with seconds left on the clock.

“We have had our struggles since the split of enrollment with Thunder Ridge,” Mossholder said. “But having so few seniors and facing the schedule gauntlet the have and still have in front of us, we knew it was going to take a team effort to get us another win. Tonight we had that team effort.”

On their first drive, Pocatello needed just two plays to turn an interception into a touchdown, getting a 48-yard score on a pass from Hunter May to Krue Hales.

Only problem for the Thunder: On their next drive, officials ejected Hales for what they deemed a punch. So the visitors then played without their starting quarterback, the injured Dre Contreras, and one of their starting receivers and defensive backs.

The Knights scored the next 13 points on a Payne two-yard run and a King 23-yard touchdown pass to Sheldon Nelson. The second score was set up by a fumbled onside kick the bounced off a Pocatello player and into the hands of Knights kicker Thomas Endsley.

Pocatello answered right back with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, one a two-yard run from Tyson Beckles, and the other came with 54 seconds in the half, when May hit a 14-yard pass to Parker Smith, who caught two passes for 22 yards and that touchdown.

King did throw a pair of touchdowns, a 31-yarder to Keller on a screen pass and a 23-yard touchdown to Sheldon Nelson.

King finished the game 21-30 for 191 yards two touchdowns and an interception. Payne added 26 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

Pinegar led the Knights (2-3) in receiving yards with 47 on six catches.

Hillcrest travels to Madison next week.

HILLCREST 27, POCATELLO 21

Pocatello 7 14 0 0 — 21

Hillcrest 13 0 6 8 — 27

Scoring summary

First quarter

P – Krue Hales 48 pass from Hunter May (Garett Keller kick)

H – Connor Payne 2 run (kick failed)

H – Sheldon Nelson 23 pass from Peyton King (Thomas Endsley kick)

Second quarter

P – Tyson Beckles 2 run (Keller kick)

P – Parker Smith 21 pass from May (Keller kick)

Third quarter

H – Trason Keller 31 pass from King (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

H – Payne 2 run (Tayson Pinegar pass from King)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – Pocatello: Hunter May 14-70, Ryken Echohawk 8-16, Tyson Beckles 2-5-1, Tavin Williams 2-(-10). Hillcrest: Trason Keller 11-24, Sheldon Nelson 5-0, Titan Larsen 9-35, Peyton King 8-(-2), Braden Crystal 2-5, Morgan Christensen5-12, Connor Payne 5-26-2.

PASSING – Pocatello: Hunter May 5-12-126-2-0, Tavin Williams 0-2-0-0-0. Hillcrest: Peyton King 21-30-191-2-1, Sheldon Nelson 0-1-0-0-0.

RECEIVING – Pocatello: Parker Smith 2-23-1, Krue Hales 2-90-1, Chance Crittenden 1-13. Hillcrest: Sheldon Nelson 4-42-1, Drew Caldwell 2-27, Cole Peninger 6-34, Tayson Pinegar 6-47, Morgan Christensen 1-9.