POCATELLO — Pocatello’s defense excitedly took the field late in the fourth quarter, after the Indians’ offense turned the ball over on downs in a one-score game.

The unit had made plenty of do-or-die plays already, so what was one game-clinching series?

Routine.

Pocatello’s defense anchored the Indians’ second-half comeback Thursday, while the offense chipped away at the early deficit and made enough plays to beat Twin Falls 20-15 at Holt Arena. The team’s 20 points are its fewest in a victory since a 20-14 win over Preston in 2013.

“Our defense runs elite, together,” senior linebacker Jarrett Lindley said. “If we don’t play together, we don’t win together. Gotta play hard.”

The game’s final drive was emblematic of the bend-but-don’t-break, big-play studded night for the Indians’ defense.

PHOTOS: Pocatello vs. Twin Falls football

Bruins quarterback Nick Swensen hit Emery Iradukunda on three consecutive out routes to get Twin Falls to Pocatello’s 20-yard line as the clock winded down. An incomplete pass and a false start — one of several third-down flags for Twin Falls — made it third-and-6 from the 25.

Another misfire put the Bruins at fourth-and-6, and Swensen’s pass — intended for who else, Iradukunda on an out route — was broken up, sealing the win for the Indians.

Poky’s defense snared two interceptions, forced and recovered a fumble on its own 4-yard line and forced two turnovers on downs with the Bruins in enemy territory. Defensive lineman Jacob Foreman collected the first INT on a screen pass, linebacker Hunter Killian tipped a pass to himself for the second, while Lindley was consistently in the Bruins’ backfield racking up tackles for loss.

After allowing two first-half touchdowns, Pocatello (1-0) shut Twin Falls out in the third and fourth quarters.

“We were down at halftime and really just dug deep and pulled out the win,” said Killian, who also scored on a 3-yard toss play. “I haven’t felt that good in years.”

Pocatello surely benefited from Twin Falls’ self-inflicted errors, but capitalized accordingly.

The Bruins committed five penalties on third downs and one on a fourth down. An offsides on fourth-and-1 extended the Pocatello possession that ended with Killian’s touchdown.

That end-zone trip came with 1 minute, 49 seconds to go in the third and was the final score of the game. Pocatello got on the board in the second quarter when first-year QB Jadyn Downs dropped in a 33-yard pass to Matthew Ney for a score, cutting Twin Falls’ lead to 8-6, and dug into the lead again when sophomore running back Ryan Payne scored on a 1-yard run to make it 15-12 with 8:44 left in the third.

Downs completed 18 of 21 passes for 164 yards, the TD to Ney and no picks. Payne, Killian and Downs rushed for 32, 34 and 35 yards, respectively.

The Indians utilized screen passes to inch their way downfield and keep the clock moving. The longest plays of the night were Downs’ TD toss to Ney and a busted screen pass to Payne that went 44 yards. No other plays gained more than 16 yards.

“That was a grind, which is fantastic,” Indians coach Dave Spillett said. “We had to battle, we had some adversity, and the one thing I love about this group, there’s just no quit. They don’t know how to quit.”

Payne had a team-high five receptions for a team-best 64 yards, Ney added 54 yards on four catches and Zach Park chipped in three receptions for 26 yards. Twin Falls’ Swensen completed 15 of 25 passes for 208 yards, one TD and one interception, and Jarod Perry led the Bruins’ rushing attack with 120 yards and a score on 18 attempts. Iradukunda finished with six catches, 65 yards and one touchdown.

But the Indians’ night goes to the defense, which pursued Twin Falls’ ballcarriers for team tackles all game.

“We’re a unit,” Killian said. “We’re going to be big this year.”

Up next:

Pocatello plays Sept. 6 at Mountain Home.

POCATELLO 20, TWIN FALLS 15

Twin Falls 0 15 0 0 — 15

Pocatello 0 6 14 0 —20

Scoring summary

Second quarter

TF — Perry 5 run (Robbins pass from Swensen), 5:22

P — Ney 33 pass from Downs (kick blocked), 3:06

TF — Iradukunda 35 pass from Swensen (10 kick), 0:35

Third quarter

P — Payne 1 run (run failed), 8:44

P — Killian 3 run (Ney pass from Downs), 1:49

Individual stats

Twin Falls — Passing: Swensen 15-25-208-1-2. Rushing: Perry 18-120-1, Swensen 3-20, Guzman 5-26. Receiving: Perry 1-6, Robbins 1-22, Iradukunda 6-65-1, Jones 4-57, Walker 2-16, Swafford 1-5.

Pocatello — Passing: Downs 18-21-164-1-0. Rushing: Payne 16-32-1, Downs 16-35, Killian 19-34-1, Park 1-(-1). Receiving: Ney 4-54-1, Christensen 3-14, Payne 5-64, Killian 2-5, Williams 1-1, Park 3-26.

HIGHLIGHTS: Pocatello 20, Twin Falls 15