Former PHS standouts Poinsettia Bowl boundFor twin brothers Dave and Matt Wilson of Powell, Christmas has always been a special time of year. It's a time for family, food and, of course, plenty of good-natured fun. And just like last year, it also means a time to go bowling — college football style. Dave and Matt, both invited walk-ons and members of the Boise State University football team, will get an early Christmas gift in the form of trip to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The Broncos, ranked No. 9 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, departed for California late last week, and their bowl game against No. 11 Texas Christian University is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 23. Kickoff for the contest, which will be televised by ESPN, is scheduled for shortly after 6 p.m. (MTN). Phil and Anne Wilson, the parents of the twins, also will be on hand for the contest. Phil, as a Christmas gift to Anne, purchased a travel package for the game that included a round-trip charter flight from Boise to San Diego and back.Anne, in order to eliminate the long ride by car from Powell to Boise, made a Christmas purchase of her own — round-trip plane tickets from Billings to Boise. Her purchase, she said, was the only way to ensure everyone made it back to Powell for Christmas. According to the travel plans, Anne, Phil, Dave and Matt will fly from Boise to Billings on the same flight the day before Christmas. Once they arrive in Billings, the group will meet up with Dave and Matt's older brother, Jim, and make the trip back to Powell. “Christmas really means something special to our family, and it's important to us that we spend it at home,” Anne said. “We've been very blessed because we all get along so well, and we all love being together. We even get along great with our in-laws. That's something not every family can say.”Also joining in the Wilson family Christmas celebration will be Dave and Matt's older sister, Nikki, and her husband, Matt. Yes, there will be two Matts hanging around the Wilson household and that will only add to the good-natured chaos. As an example of the “chaos” that will take place, Anne pointed to the recent Thanksgiving holiday when she and Phil drove from Powell to Boise to spend time with Dave and Matt. The twins' main request was a Thanksgiving feast prepared by none other than their mother. That's not surprising, according to Anne, considering Dave and Matt both stand 6-1 and weigh about 225 pounds each. Anne planned well for the feast. In addition to a 15-pound turkey and a host of traditional Thanksgiving food items, she also made pumpkin and pecan pies. The pies, which she made in Powell, survived the long road trip, thanks to extra-special care. However, upon arrival at Dave and Matt's apartment, the pumpkin pie fell victim to the shenanigans for which the boys have become known. “We got there the day before Thanksgiving, and we were getting all of the food out of the car,” Anne said. “I got inside, and (Dave and Matt) were already doing there usual thing — joking around. Matt was poking me, and he got me in the ribs.”The shot to the ribs was enough to make Anne jump, and the pumpkin pie went flying. Fortunately, it landed on the kitchen counter, but it took on a whole new shape.“It was folded over like a taco,” Anne said. “I took the heat for that one,” said Matt, who quickly added the pie didn't go to waste. Like every other food item that found its way into the apartment during that holiday span, it got devoured. According to Anne, that short get-together, which also included Travis Dooley, a former Powell High School Panther football player, lasted about 60 hours total. During that time, the group consumed the majority of the Thanksgiving feast. They also went through a large pot of spaghetti, a dozen eggs and four gallons of milk. “You had to be quick about getting food,” Anne joked. “If someone reached for food, they just about lost a hand.” The good news for Dave and Matt is that they will get more of the same when they return home for Christmas. Nikki, instead of making the trip to San Diego, stayed behind to get a head start on some of the baking duties. And Anne, once she gets home, will go about her usual routine of preparing a feast fit for a king, or in this case, kings.“They really miss home-cooked meals,” Anne said. According to Dave and Matt, both freshmen who redshirted last season, the only thing that will make Christmas more enjoyable will be a bowl victory over TCU (10-2 overall, 7-1 Mountain West Conference) Tuesday. The twins said this year has been a dream season, and they've enjoyed their limited but important roles with the team, which navigated the regular season to the tune of a 12-0 mark and the Western Athletic Conference title. “I'm totally stoked about it,” said Dave, who has seen playing time on both the kickoff and kick return teams. It's been a fun ride for us.”Dave listed a tackle on special teams and the Broncos winning the WAC championship among the highlights of the season. “It was really cool when we won the WAC championship,” Dave said. “The students stormed the field. It was crazy, and it was a lot of fun to be part of that.”Matt also has made on-the-field contributions, including a number of key blocks while serving on the Broncos' kick-return team. “It's been a blast,” Matt said. “It's been a good year for us. Beating Oregon was pretty cool. Winning the WAC and being 12-0 — It's just been a fun deal for all of us. We've had a good year so far. The team has grown close, and we've been able to accomplish a lot together.”Dave, who wears No. 58, and Matt, who wears No. 42, both said the Broncos being left out of the Bowl Championship Series picture was disappointing, but they also said they aren't going to let that put a damper on the season.“We did everything we could do,” Dave said. “We wanted to go to a BCS bowl, but it was out of our hands. The Poinsettia is a good bowl game, and it should be a great matchup.”When the Poinsettia Bowl is in the record books, Dave and Matt hope to make a triumphant return to Powell for some time with family and friends. And if you're included in that group that will be spending time with the two linebackers, keep a close guard on the pumpkin pies if you are brave enough to let them into your home.

Former PHS standouts Poinsettia Bowl bound

For twin brothers Dave and Matt Wilson of Powell, Christmas has always been a special time of year. It's a time for family, food and, of course, plenty of good-natured fun. And just like last year, it also means a time to go bowling — college football style.

Dave and Matt, both invited walk-ons and members of the Boise State University football team, will get an early

Christmas gift in the form of trip to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

The Broncos, ranked No. 9 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, departed for California late last week, and their bowl game against No. 11 Texas Christian University is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 23. Kickoff for the contest, which will be televised by ESPN, is scheduled for shortly after 6 p.m. (MTN).

Phil and Anne Wilson, the parents of the twins, also will be on hand for the contest. Phil, as a Christmas gift to Anne, purchased a travel package for the game that included a round-trip charter flight from Boise to San Diego and back.

Anne, in order to eliminate the long ride by car from Powell to Boise, made a Christmas purchase of her own — round-trip plane tickets from Billings to Boise. Her purchase, she said, was the only way to ensure everyone made it back to Powell for Christmas.

According to the travel plans, Anne, Phil, Dave and Matt will fly from Boise to Billings on the same flight the day before Christmas. Once they arrive in Billings, the group will meet up with Dave and Matt's older brother, Jim, and make the trip back to Powell.

“Christmas really means something special to our family, and it's important to us that we spend it at home,” Anne said. “We've been very blessed because we all get along so well, and we all love being together. We even get along great with our in-laws. That's something not every family can say.”

Also joining in the Wilson family Christmas celebration will be Dave and Matt's older sister, Nikki, and her husband, Matt. Yes, there will be two Matts hanging around the Wilson household and that will only add to the good-natured chaos.

As an example of the “chaos” that will take place, Anne pointed to the recent Thanksgiving holiday when she and Phil drove from Powell to Boise to spend time with Dave and Matt. The twins' main request was a Thanksgiving feast prepared by none other than their mother. That's not surprising, according to Anne, considering Dave and Matt both stand 6-1 and weigh about 225 pounds each.

Anne planned well for the feast. In addition to a 15-pound turkey and a host of traditional Thanksgiving food items, she also made pumpkin and pecan pies. The pies, which she made in Powell, survived the long road trip, thanks to extra-special care. However, upon arrival at Dave and Matt's apartment, the pumpkin pie fell victim to the shenanigans for which the boys have become known.

“We got there the day before Thanksgiving, and we were getting all of the food out of the car,” Anne said. “I got inside, and (Dave and Matt) were already doing there usual thing — joking around. Matt was poking me, and he got me in the ribs.”

The shot to the ribs was enough to make Anne jump, and the pumpkin pie went flying. Fortunately, it landed on the kitchen counter, but it took on a whole new shape.

“It was folded over like a taco,” Anne said.

“I took the heat for that one,” said Matt, who quickly added the pie didn't go to waste. Like every other food item that found its way into the apartment during that holiday span, it got devoured.

According to Anne, that short get-together, which also included Travis Dooley, a former Powell High School Panther football player, lasted about 60 hours total. During that time, the group consumed the majority of the Thanksgiving feast. They also went through a large pot of spaghetti, a dozen eggs and four gallons of milk.

“You had to be quick about getting food,” Anne joked. “If someone reached for food, they just about lost a hand.”

The good news for Dave and Matt is that they will get more of the same when they return home for Christmas.

Nikki, instead of making the trip to San Diego, stayed behind to get a head start on some of the baking duties.

And Anne, once she gets home, will go about her usual routine of preparing a feast fit for a king, or in this case, kings.

“They really miss home-cooked meals,” Anne said.

According to Dave and Matt, both freshmen who redshirted last season, the only thing that will make Christmas more enjoyable will be a bowl victory over TCU (10-2 overall, 7-1 Mountain West Conference) Tuesday. The twins said this year has been a dream season, and they've enjoyed their limited but important roles with the team, which navigated the regular season to the tune of a 12-0 mark and the Western Athletic Conference title.

“I'm totally stoked about it,” said Dave, who has seen playing time on both the kickoff and kick return teams. It's been a fun ride for us.”

Dave listed a tackle on special teams and the Broncos winning the WAC championship among the highlights of the season.

“It was really cool when we won the WAC championship,” Dave said. “The students stormed the field. It was crazy, and it was a lot of fun to be part of that.”

Matt also has made on-the-field contributions, including a number of key blocks while serving on the Broncos' kick-return team.

“It's been a blast,” Matt said. “It's been a good year for us. Beating Oregon was pretty cool. Winning the WAC and being 12-0 — It's just been a fun deal for all of us. We've had a good year so far. The team has grown close, and we've been able to accomplish a lot together.”

Dave, who wears No. 58, and Matt, who wears No. 42, both said the Broncos being left out of the Bowl Championship Series picture was disappointing, but they also said they aren't going to let that put a damper on the season.

“We did everything we could do,” Dave said. “We wanted to go to a BCS bowl, but it was out of our hands. The Poinsettia is a good bowl game, and it should be a great matchup.”

When the Poinsettia Bowl is in the record books, Dave and Matt hope to make a triumphant return to Powell for some time with family and friends. And if you're included in that group that will be spending time with the two linebackers, keep a close guard on the pumpkin pies if you are brave enough to let them into your home.