BOISE — The age of 5 was about the time when Highland’s Dakota Tillotson started dreaming of winning a state football championship.

That dream came to fruition by his senior year and he led his team to the title no less. Highland defeated Mountain View 56-21 Friday at Albertsons Stadium in the state championship game.

“I just thank God. I just thank all the hard work I put in, my teammates that have my back,” Tillotson said. “Everything’s paid off the way it should. I’m just in awe right now.”

Like he has all season, Tillotson made it look easy on the big stage, despite it being his first year starting at quarterback. He started the game by completing 11 of his first 12 passes for 91 yards.

For the game, he went 21 for 30 for 224 yards and three touchdown passes, and one interception on a third and long play in Mountain View’s end zone.

“He’s an athlete,” said Highland coach Gino Mariani. “He understands it. He gets it. He’s a competitor and he was going to get it done regardless, and he did a great job for us all year.”

It was only right that the last touchdown Tillotson threw was to Garrett Christensen. The senior running back also had a major part in the victory, rushing for 112 yards on 15 carries and accounting for four total touchdowns.

Christensen was another player among many who had waited so long to earn a state championship. Mariani said he could not be more happy to see his players reach their goals.

“I’m excited for them,” Mariani said. “These kids really wanted this. They did a great job of getting it done. Yeah, they did dream of it when they were little kids and it was just an awesome effort.”

The team joins nine other Highland teams as state champions. Highland’s 10th state football title ties the record for most in Idaho with Snake River, which beat Fruitland 36-21 for the state title Friday.

The Rams were in a battle to win their first since 2008, only up 21-14 at halftime. But a 28-point third quarter created breathing room.

Tillotson started off the second half with a touchdown using his legs instead of his arm. He ran 9 yards into the end zone, using a juke and running through a tackle at the goal line.

Soon after, the defense contributed a big play with Ethan Williams taking an interception all the way back to the end zone. The quarter was capped with a touchdown with three seconds left on a 26-yard throw from Tillotson to Connor Harding.

Video

A highlight of one of Dakota Tillotson's three touchdown passes. The completion to a wide open Kamron Farnsworth may have been his most important because it came on fourth and goal with his team up only 14-7 in the second quarter.

“It just worked great. They were getting a little overly aggressive on the run.” Tillotson said. “Gino called the perfect play.”

Highland 56,

Mountain View 21

Highland    14    7    28    7 — 56

Mountain View    7    7    7    0 — 21

Scoring Summary

First quarter

H – Two-yard run by Garret Christensen (PAT made by Connor Atkinson)

H – 35-yard run by Christensen (PAT made by Atkinson)

M – 17-yard run by Garrett Collingham (PAT made by Matias Lamberti)

Second quarter

H – Three-yard pass from Dakota Tillotson to Kamron Farnsworth (PAT made by Atkinson)

M – 44-yard pass from Garrett Collingham to Ryan Haun (PAT made by Lamberti)  

Third quarter

H – Nine-yard run by TIllotson (PAT made by Atkinson)

H – Interception return by Ethan Williams (PAT made by Atkinson)

H – Three-yard run by Christensen (PAT made by Atkinson)

M – 86 yard run by Collingham (PAT made by Lamberti)  

H – 26 yard pass from Tillotson to Connor Harding (PAT made by Atkinson)

Fourth quarter

H - Seven yard pass from Tillotson to Christensen.

Individual statistics

Rushing – Highland: Dakota Tillotson: 3-13, Garrett Christensen: 15-112, Kaden Butters: 8-57, Tamalii Campbell: 1-9. Mountain View – Garret Collingham: 28-207, Cole Goodwin: 6-16.

Receiving – Highland -Christensen: 6-47, Logan Schmidt: 6-61, Campbell: 4-45, Alex Hall 1-5, Kamron Farnsworth: 2-24, Conner Harding: 2-41. Mountain View – Trey Bell: 7-87, 21 Keenan Pattwell: 5-45, Ryan Haun: 3-55, Kole Goodwin: 1-5.

Passing – Highland – Tillotson: 21-30-224-3-1. Mountain View – Collingham: 17-31-193-1-1.