POCATELLO – Wally Kelly waited for the day that he would watch his son play at Holt Arena, where he suited up as an Idaho State receiver in the 1970s.

While Kelly’s recent death preceded his son’s Holt Arena debut, Beau Kelly knows his father would’ve been proud of his first-ever game at the 49-year-old facility Saturday.

Beau Kelly, a sophomore on the Portland State football team, compiled a career-high 82 yards receiving and a touchdown on three catches Saturday against Idaho State at Holt Arena.

“This one was for him today, for sure,” Beau said. “I know he wanted to see this one really bad. It was a big one for him today. Unfortunately he wasn’t here today, but it’s all right.”

Beau scored the Vikings’ first touchdown with a 61-yard reception near the end of the second quarter to cut their deficit to 34-10. The final score was 51-24, Bengals.

Beau has compiled 50-plus yards receiving in each of his last two games. The sophomore receiver is averaging 2.4 catches for 37.4 yards per game this season after suffering a broken leg last season.

He said he recovered from the injury right before this year’s spring practices, but then more adversity struck. His father Wally – a Highland High and ISU grad – died in July at 62 years old in his Phoenix home.

“It’s something I honestly can’t describe,” Beau said. “It was a very sad moment in my life. I wish he was here today with me.”

In Wally’s ISU career from 1974-76, he was a two-year starting receiver and led the Bengals in punt return average (8.5 yards) in ‘75. When Wally was an honorary captain for a 2014 ISU football game, an ISU press release stated he was a member of the ISU-associated Bengal Athletic Boosters, FAT Club and “I” Club.

Beau has never lived in southeast Idaho, but that did not mean he did not attend games at Holt Arena or listen to his father talk about playing there.

“Oh God. I never heard enough about it,” Beau said. “He always spoke about it, how he played back in the day and stuff like that. So I know it meant a lot to him.”

Accompanying Beau on Saturday was his “best friend,” roommate, fellow member of PSU’s receiving corps and someone else with ISU ties in Davis Koetter, whose father Dirk Koetter is a Pocatello native and former Idaho State player. Koetter has been coaching at the highest level of football in the NFL and is currently the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator.

Davis had to mention his grandfather Jim Koetter, who has more experience at Holt Arena than most, as he had head coaching stints at Pocatello and Highland high schools in addition to ISU.

Davis said he had never seen a game at Holt, let alone played a game there. But he knew he was walking into a cherished place.

“It was a great atmosphere,” Davis said. “Kind of gave me chills knowing the family history behind it. So a lot of meaning in this game.”

Davis called his performance “horrible,” with one catch for 8 yards and one rush for 4 yards in Saturday’s loss by Portland State.

However, the quarterback-turned-receiver has already had two 90-plus yard receiving games this season, plus the sophomore was happy for a “brother” in Beau, who scored a touchdown in the place his father once called home.

“I’m ecstatic for him, scoring here,” Davis said. “It gives you goosebumps because you know his dad’s looking over him and it’s really special.”