TWIN FALLS — Try as they might, nothing the Nampa Bulldogs did could save their season.

Not a second half comeback after falling behind by two scores. Not a couple of defensive stops deep in their own zone. Not even another gutsy performance by senior Mahonri Bostrom.

In the end the Bulldogs fell short again, falling to Twin Falls 28-21 in the 4A state playoffs.

"The feeling is done forever," said Bostrom, who had 269 rushing yards, but still ended his Nampa high school career with a loss. "No more high school football."

For the Bulldogs it was the same exact score as their quarterfinal loss to Jerome last season. And for the third straight season, Nampa coach Scott Wooldridge had to address his team after a disappointing loss in the playoffs.

"For three years we've made the playoffs and I don't know when the last time a (Nampa) team has done that," the coach said after the game. "I'm very proud of the effort, but we have to figure out what to do different in the postseason."

Nampa's problems started on the game's very first drive. The Bruins marched down  field for a 12-play, 62-yard drive, capped off by a 7-yard run from Mark Christensen.

Not even a 76-yard touchdown run by Bostrom on the Bulldogs' first play from scrimmage could swing the momentum back in Nampa's favor, as Twin Falls was able to build their lead back up to 20-6 by halftime.

But just as Nampa had trouble staying close in the first half, the Trojans had trouble putting the game away in the second half.

They had an opportunity to extend their lead to three scores early in the third quarter, but a fourth-down pass by TJ Ellis from the Nampa 24 fell incomplete.

Nampa responded with a touchdown on the ensuing drive.

The Bruins drove deep on the next drive, but fumbled on the Nampa 16.

Again the Bulldogs scored, this time on a 49-yard run by Bostrom. Nampa took its first lead of the game and finally had some momentum.

"We just couldn't figure out the momentum in the early part of the game," Wooldridge said.

But the 8 minutes still on the clock were more than enough for the Bruin offense. On the 11th play of the drive, Ellis connected with Jon Pulsifer from four yards out as Twin Falls took back the lead, 28-21.

Hayden Wright kept the Nampa dreams alive on a fourth-down pass on the ensuing possession — connecting with Kevin Engel for 15 yards. But that was Wright's last completion of the game. After four straight incomplete passes, Twin Falls took the ball back with under a minute to play and ran out the clock.

"We really felt it," said Wright, who finished 5-for-11 passing for just 30 yards. "We thought we'd be able to come together and score on that last drive that we had the ball. But they were ready to play and we came out on our heels."