HOMEDALE — The Timberlake Tigers thought they had the team this year to finally reach the state 3A football championship game for the first time in school history.

They still do.

But they didn’t on this day, as a littany of early mistakes put Timberlake in a big hole, and the Tigers could never recover as they took a 51-6 pounding from the Homedale Trojans in a state 3A semifinal game Saturday afternoon.

On its first drive, Timberlake went for it on fourth and 1 from its 35 and didn’t get it.

On its second drive, the Tigers were intercepted by Homedale quarterback/safety Daniel Uranga.

Both led to scores.

“That certainly didn’t help,” Timberlake offensive coordinator Brian Kluss said of the early miscues. “They were very good, and you can’t give them opportunities like that ... next thing you know you’re down 28-0. Then you finally get something going, and you get picked in the end zone.

“Things didn’t go our way, and things went their way.”

Timberlake finished 9-1 in its second straight semifinal appearance, and fifth trip to the semis all time since the school opened in 1998.

Homedale (11-0), which beat Timberlake 35-20 at Spirit Lake last year in the semis, will face Sugar-Salem (9-1) in the championship game Saturday at Holt Arena in Pocatello.

Timberlake’s lone score came on a 20-yard run by quarterback Joey Follini with 4:54 left, after Homedale had build a 51-0 lead.

The lefty Uranga passed for 349 yards and four touchdowns — all to Nelson Lomeli — for Homedale, on just 12 completions.

The Trojans outgained the Tigers 525-198.

“Their skill kids had a really good day,” Kluss said of Homedale. “We had a hard time with their receivers. They were definitely better on defense (than last year); that caused us some problems.”

Homedale intercepted three Timberlake passes, and recovered a Tigers fumble.

Jack McDonald caught seven passes for 105 yards for Timberlake.

“This senior group made it to two semifinals, which is a pretty good accomplishment,” Kluss said. “It’s only the second time we’ve had a group go to two semis (2006, ’07). That’s something to be proud of.”

Timberlake 0 0 0 6 — 6

Homedale 14 14 20 3 — 51

First quarter

Home — Nelson Lomeli 24 pass from Daniel Uranga (Lomeli kick), 9:55

Home — Jake Collett 4 run (Lomeli kick), 5:59

Second quarter

Home — Uranga 2 run (kick failed), 8:30

Home — Lomeli 40 pass from Uranga (Uranga to Spencer Fisher pass), 4:54

Third quarter

Home — Collett 6 run (kick failed), 10:21

Home — Lomeli 28 pass from Uranga (Lomeli kick), 10:03

Home — Lomeli 86 pass from Uranga (Lomeli kick), 5:57

Fourth quarter

Home — Uriel Neri 22 field goal, 7:35

TL — Joey Follini 20 run (kick failed), 4:54

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING — TL, Louis Powell 5-11, Joey Follini 10-38, Jacob James 1-0, Jeremy McLemore 9-19. Home, Jake Collett 4-21, Daniel Uranga 4-13, Trent Shanley 1-4, Hayden Kincheloe 18-100, Rylan Binford 4-10, Jaxon Dines 2-(-2), Trenton Fisher 6-44, Team 1-(-14).

PASSING — TL, Follini 13-26-3-130. Home, Uranga 12-15-0-349.

RECEIVING — TL, Powell 1-(-5), Jack McDonald 7-105, James 1-4, McLemore 1-2, Joshua Yanez 3-14. Home, Caleb Smith 1-37, Nelson Lomeli 6-194, Collett 3-48, Kincheloe 1-13, Binford 1-57.