Matt Williams is thinking big.

The organizer of the Sept. 13 Rocky Mountain Rumble, which will pit four area high school football powers against four Idaho teams, anticipates a crowd of more than 10,000 for the event at Pocatello's Holt Arena, Idaho State's indoor stadium.

But fans of the four participating area teams – Colfax, Del Oro, Whitney and Grant – won't have to go to Idaho to see the games. Comcast SportsNet West will broadcast two live and two others on tape delay.

Comcast SportsNet West general manager Larry Eldridge said the game at 10 a.m. Pacific time between Colfax and Minico of Rupert and the 1 p.m. game between Del Oro and Lake City of Coeur d'Alene will be live broadcasts. The Whitney-Idaho Falls game at 4 p.m. and the 7 p.m. contest between Grant and Highland of Pocatello will be televised the next day at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

Eldridge said the latter two prep games would be taped because of a conflict with the Sept. 13 broadcasts of the Capital City Football Classic, featuring Shaw University against Texas Southern at Hughes Stadium, and the Portland State at UC Davis game.

For the Rocky Mountain Rumble games, Comcast is picking up the feed from Altitude Sports & Entertainment, which is broadcasting the games in 10 Western states.

"It's going to be great exposure for these schools," Williams said.

All four area teams will bus to Idaho. Del Oro and Whitney will stay in the Idaho State dorms, and Grant and Colfax will lodge at a nearby motel.

Vacaville Christian coach is a juggler

Chris Smith is an ultra-busy man these days. The athletic director and coach is getting his Vacaville Christian football players ready to defend their Sac-Joaquin Section and league titles.

Smith also has added another job to his résumé: principal of the 370-student private school. He's taking the job as the school debuts its new campus, which includes a 40,000-square-foot, two-story, state-of-the art teaching facility and an all-weather, lighted football stadium – largely accomplished through a $16 million bond.

"Trust me, I live here now," Smith said. "I don't go home. But I have tremendous support from all the teachers, staff and a personal secretary who keeps me focused on the task at hand. I can say we feel a little bit spoiled now. God has blessed us this year."

Smith has been Vacaville Christian's football coach for eight seasons, and the Falcons have come into their own the past two years in going 22-2 overall. They won their first section title last year by beating Calvary Temple of Modesto 50-28 in the Division VII championship game and could be in the running for a state Small School Division bowl berth this season.

A tragic end to a young life

Grant football coach Mike Alberghini was saddened to learn of the death of 16-year-old Robert Haynes, who was gunned down last Friday night at a house party in Meadowview.

Haynes was one of the top running backs on last year's 10-0 Grant junior varsity team. He transferred to Hiram Johnson in the spring, then to Sacramento High School, where he was expected to be a big contributor for the Dragons.

"He was a hard worker and a good, intelligent kid," Alberghini said.

He said he talked with Sac High football coach Doug Cosbie the day before Haynes was killed and was pleased to learn that the junior was doing well on the field and in the classroom at his new school.

"It looked like he was headed in the right direction," Alberghini said. "It's so frustrating. I've seen too many young kids from our school and from other schools killed."

Call The Bee's Bill Paterson, (916) 326-5506.