ORDER GAME PHOTOS

After three consecutive losses in the middle of the season, the magic that Kuna (5-4, 2-3 SIC River) had used to start the season 3-1 was seeming to fade. But give the Kavemen credit, with their backs against the wall, they knocked off Boise Oct. 14 and then picked up a thrilling come-from-behind win on the road at Middleton last Friday to earn the Southern Idaho Conference’s (SIC) sixth and final automatic bid to the postseason. Kuna picked up the win over the Vikings thanks to late game heroics from quarterback Cole Luekenga, who tossed a 31-yard touchdown to Luke Selto with 35 seconds left in the game, and running back Gus Austin, whose jump pass to Colton Deatherage scored the game-winning two-point conversion, giving the Kavemen the improbable 22-21 win over Middleton. This week, as the 5A state playoffs get underway, Kuna will have its toughest test of the season as the team looks to keep its Cinderella run alive. Rocky Mountain (8-1, 4-1 SIC Foothills) was the No. 1 ranked team in 5A for much of the season, and the Grizzlies only loss came in a 14-12 thriller against undefeated Meridian. The Grizzlies have looked dominant for most of the season, averaging more than 36 points per game while giving up less than 10 per contest. Friday’s winner will advance to take on Post Falls, the No. 1 seed from the North.

#12 Owyhee (5-4) at East #2 Rigby (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday
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In only the school’s (and football program’s) second year of existence, the Owyhee Storm (5-4, 2-4 SIC River) are headed to the 5A playoffs. The Storm snuck into the bracket as the twelfth and final seed, earning one of the two at large bids thanks to the team’s strong winning percentage against 5A opponents. Owyhee has been a team of runs this season. The Storm opened the season 3-0, before losing four straight games that put them in danger of missing out on the playoffs. But Owyhee responded by edging out Kuna on Oct. 7 and dominating winless Timberline last week to earn its spot in the playoffs. Aside from a 27-7 loss at Eagle in the middle of the season, Owyhee has won or come within one score of winning each of its games this season. The Storm’s playoff debut will not be easy, however, as Owyhee prepares for a road contest at Rigby (7-2, 2-1 District 5-6), the defending 5A champion. The Trojans have looked like one of 5A’s best teams all season, but Rigby surprisingly missed out on a first-round bye after the Trojans lost 43-42 against District 5-6 rival Highland on Oct. 7. The Trojans walloped Madison 42-0 last week, proving that they are ready to defend their 5A crown. The winner of Owyhee-Rigby will play at Eagle next Friday.

#11 Middleton (6-3) at North #2 Lewiston (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
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Despite losing the aforementioned heartbreaker to Kuna last week, Middleton (6-3, 3-2 SIC Foothills) still managed to earn one of the two 5A at large bids, and the Vikings will now prepare for the four-and-a-half-hour road trip to Lewiston to face the Bengals (7-2, 2-1 IEL). Before falling to the Kaveman, Middleton had been on a four-game winning streak. The Vikings lost to Rocky Mountain in the season opener and were blown out by Meridian on Sept. 10, but otherwise have played well all season in their first year playing in the 5A ranks. Middleton will have a tall task against Lewiston, however, who has the best scoring offense in 5A. Led by breakout quarterback Drew Hottinger and speedy running backs James White and Jackson Lathan, the Bengals have averaged 45 points per game this season. Lewiston lost its season opener 41-28 to Utah’s Layton High School before reeling off five straight wins. The Bengals lost in a shootout, 42-35, to Post Falls in the game that ultimately decided the 5A Inland Empire League (IEL) championship. Lewiston hosted a playoff game last season, falling 44-13 against Capital, but the Bengals are hoping for a different result this time around. A win would mark the first playoff victory for Lewiston since 2015. Whoever does claim victory on Friday will have to go on the road to face Meridian, 5A’s No. 1-ranked team, next week.

West #5 Mountain View (5-4) at West #4 Nampa (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday
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Possibly the most intriguing — and evenly matched — first-round game in the 5A bracket will be between SIC River Division foes Mountain View (5-4, 4-2 SIC River) and Nampa (7-2, 5-1). The Nampa Bulldogs, led by Head Coach Jon Choate, who is in his second stint as the program’s leader after spending several years as a special teams coordinator at College of Idaho, have had an impressive season in the 5A ranks. Much of Nampa’s success can be contributed to two seniors: quarterback Gabe Navarro and running back Daniel Carrillo, who have both had monster seasons to lead the Bulldogs. Navarro has completed more than 60% of his passes this year, tossing 10 touchdowns to only two interceptions, while Carrillo has rushed for an astounding 1,658 yards and 22 touchdowns. Nampa likes to control the game with its offense, rushing the ball more than 40 times per game and totaling a whopping 311 rushing yards per contest. Expect a heavy dose of Carrillo in the Bulldogs run game Friday, which is the formula Nampa used to power past Mountain View 23-14 two weeks ago. After back-to-back losses to division foes Eagle and Nampa, the Mavericks regrouped nicely and pounded Capital last week to earn one of the SIC’s automatic bids to the postseason. Mountain View remains a 5A power, and the Mavericks four losses this season were to the SIC’s four top seeds, all of which came in one or two score games that could have gone either way. If the Mavericks can figure out how to slow down the Bulldogs rushing attack, they could be a dark horse team to make a run in the postseason. A matchup with the No. 1 seed from the West, Highland, looms next week for Friday’s winner.

CLASS 4A

#16 Canyon Ridge (5-3) at #1 Bishop Kelly (9-0)
7 p.m. Friday

The 16-versus-1 game in 4A is a true David-versus-Goliath matchup. One team, Canyon Ridge (5-3, 2-3 GBC) started the year strong, but is backing its way into the playoffs after ending the season losers of three out of its last four games, including an 84-46 shellacking at home against Burley last Friday. The other, Bishop Kelly (9-0, 5-0 SIC) has looked like an absolute juggernaut, outscoring opponents by an average of 34 points per game. The Riverhawks got off to a 4-0 start to the season (which should have been 5-0 if not for a lightning storm that canceled their game against Ridgevue), but they struggled down the stretch against quality opponents in the 4A Great Basin Conference (GBC). The Knights, meanwhile, have dominated every game this season, with their closest contest coming last week in a 42-20 win over Skyview. Bishop Kelly should be considered favorites not only to win Friday, but to take home the 4A title this season. Friday’s victor will take on the winner of Lakeland-Pocatello next week.

 #9 Lakeland (7-2) at #8 Pocatello (4-4)
7 p.m. Friday (Mountain Time)
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If the 4A bracket was seeded solely by MaxPreps rankings, Lakeland (7-2, 1-1 IEL) would have been the No. 7 seed and hosted a game in Rathdrum, and Pocatello (4-4, 2-0 SEIC) would have been seeded No. 13 and played on the road. But that is not how things work in Idaho 4A football. Instead, the Thunder, who picked up a big 31-7 victory over Century last Friday to claim the 4A South East Idaho Conference (SEIC) title and secure a top-eight seed, get to host the Hawks, who fell short against Sandpoint in the de facto IEL Championship Game and were forced to take 4A’s top at large bid to the playoffs. Under the tutelage of first-year Head Coach Michael Schroeder, Lakeland soared to its best regular season since 2014. The Hawks picked up program-defining wins over 5A opponents Lake City and Post Falls and came within one point of knocking off Coeur d’Alene. Lakeland was led by dynamic senior running backs Thomas Calder and John Cornish, who combined for 2,321 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on the season. Pocatello, on the other hand, had a bit of an up-and-down year. After picking up a big win over Twin Falls 27-7 Sept. 9, the Thunder lost three straight one-score games to fall to 2-4 on the season. Pocatello responded, however, taking care of business in SEIC games against Preston and Century to earn a home playoff game in the first round. Whoever comes out on top Friday will have to prepare for a likely road test against No. 1 seed Bishop Kelly next week in the quarterfinals.

#13 Vallivue (5-4) at #4 Minico (8-1)
7 p.m. Friday
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Let’s go ahead and acknowledge the elephant in the room here: this might be the most dramatic — no, ironic? — first round match in Idaho 4A football history. A bit of history, for those who are lost. Last season, the Minico Spartans finished a perfect 9-0 in the regular season, earning them the No. 3 seed in the 4A state playoffs and a first-round home game against, you guessed it, No. 14 Vallivue, who was 5-4 and finished in the middle of the pack in the 4A SIC. “This could be the year to make a deep run,” Minico fans must have thought. Well, the Falcons had other plans, handing the Spartans their first and only loss of the season 28-12 and sending Minico home in the first round. Well, here we go again. This time around, Minico (8-1, 5-0 GBC) finished the season one point away from a second consecutive perfect regular season and notched the No. 4 seed and homefield advantage at least through the quarterfinals. The Spartans dominated on both side of the ball in 2022, scoring 40 points per game while allowing less than 11. Vallivue (5-4, 3-2 SIC) once again finished in the middle of the SIC standings, and this year the Falcons picked up the No. 13 seed. While Vallivue and Minico did not meet during the regular season, the Falcons did play games against Twin Falls and Burley — two GBC teams that Minico beat this year — and lost both contests. Needless to say, this one should be a dog fight on Friday as Minico looks to put last season’s failure in the past for good and Vallivue hopes to embark on another Cinderella run in 2022. The winner of this game will play the Hillcrest-Blackfoot winner next Friday.

#12 Hillcrest (5-4) at #5 Blackfoot (5-4)
7 p.m. Friday

As NCAA Tournament fans know, the 12-5 matchup seemingly always has the potential for an upset. That is certainly the case in the 4A playoff bracket, as a pair of relatively evenly matched 4A High Country Conference (HCC) opponents face off. Hillcrest (5-4, 3-2 HCC) got off to a frustrating 1-3 start to the season, but the Knights battled back to win four of their last five games and earn a playoff spot for the first time since 2020. One of Hillcrest’s strengths this season has been its depth, as Head Coach Brennan Mossholder has moved players around at different positions all season. The Knights have five players with at least 170 rushing yards on the season and 20 receivers have made a catch this year. Another strength for Hillcrest down the stretch has been its defense, which has allowed no more than 21 points in a game over the last five weeks. Blackfoot (5-4, 3-2), on the other hand, was fortunate to grab the HCC’s second automatic bid, which secured a home playoff game for the Broncos. Blackfoot was riding high after an impressive 3-0 start to the season, but a crushing four-game losing streak seemed to take the wind out of the Broncos sails. Granted, the four losses were to Shelley, Rigby, Highland, and Skyline — all of which are playoff teams and beat Blackfoot by a touchdown or less — but the momentum the Broncos had built up was certainly lost. Blackfoot responded well, however, picking up blowout wins over Idaho Falls and Bonneville in consecutive weeks to snag the No. 5 seed. Last year, the Broncos sat in the same position as a No. 5 seed heading into the 4A state playoffs and they ended up making a run to the state semifinals, where they lost in heartbreaking fashion, 29-28, in overtime on the road against top-seed Sandpoint. Whoever wins this conference rivalry matchup will move on to face either Vallivue or Minico next Friday.

#15 Bonneville (3-6) vs. #2 Skyline (6-3) at Holt Arena
8:15 p.m. Friday
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The irony of this year’s 4A bracket continues as crosstown rivals Bonneville (3-6, 2-3 HCC) and Skyline (6-3, 4-1) make the trip down to Holt Arena to face off for the second time this season. In their first meeting two weeks ago at Bonneville’s Thunder Stadium, the Bees pulled off an improbably 16-13 upset of the two-time defending 4A champion Grizzlies. Bonneville has had a revolving door at quarterback this season, causing Head Coach Kevin Kempf to rely heavily on the Bees rushing attack. Senior Anthem Dahlke has paced Bonneville with 477 yards and 7 touchdowns on just 76 carriers this season. With one of the lowest scoring offenses in 4A, Bonneville will need to rely on its power run game to manage the clock and keep the score low if they hope to repeat their success from two weeks ago and avoid elimination. Skyline, meanwhile, has been very boom-or-bust this season. The Grizzlies offense is highlighted by four-star wide receiver and Oregon commit Kenyon Sadiq, who has hauled in 37 catches for 741 yards and seven touchdowns. If quarterback Lachlan Haacke can get the ball to Sadiq on the outside successfully and senior running back Abrahn Silverio continues his impressive production, Skyline will be a major threat to vie for a three-peat this postseason. Either the Bees or Grizzlies will move on to play the winner of Burley versus Twin Falls.

#10 Burley (6-3) at #7 Twin Falls (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday
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The theme of familiar foes facing off in the first round continues as District 4 rivals Burley (6-3, 3-2 GBC) and Twin Falls (7-2, 4-1 GBC) prepare to square off Friday night. There is no question that the Bobcats have the highest-powered offense in 4A football, and potentially the entire state of Idaho. Led by senior quarterback Caleb Loveland, who has thrown for 2,514 yards and 29 touchdowns while posting an impressive 0.688 completion percentage, Burley has averaged more than 50 points per game. The only problem: the Bobcats have also allowed 41 points per game. With the help of senior running back Ramsey Trevino’s 880 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, Loveland and company have scored at least 28 points in all but one of their games this season and dropped 80 points on two separate occasions. Like I said, probably the best offense in state, and a prolific attack that could make the Bobcats a real threat to make a deep run. One team that did slow down Burley this season, relatively speaking, was Twin Falls. The Bruins went to Burley on Oct. 7 and beat the Bobcats 48-32 en route to a solid 4-1 finish in the GBC. Twin Falls only conference loss this season was last Friday in the de facto conference championship game when Minico got the best of the Bruins 23-7 in Twin Falls. If the Bruins can build an early lead, control the time of possession and lean on senior running back James Noorlander, who has run for 838 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, Twin Falls will be in good position to take down Burley for a second time this season. Whoever wins this GBC rematch will play against Bonneville or Skyline next Friday.

#14 Skyview (2-7) at #3 Sandpoint (4-3)
7 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
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By just looking at Skyview (2-7, 2-3 SIC) and Sandpoint’s (4-3, 2-0 IEL) records, one would not suspect that this would be a 14-versus-3 matchup, but the bottom line is that they are two solid football teams that lost a lot of close games against quality opponents this year. First, let’s look at the Hawk’s resume. Yes, Skyview is 2-7, but one must keep in mind that their nine opponents this season combined for a record of 50-30 on the year. The Hawks won their only two games against non-playoffs teams (Columbia and Ridgevue) handily, and they played three 5A SIC teams (Kuna, Middleton and Nampa) to close, one or two score games. But now it is playoff time and close losses result in elimination. If Skyview hopes to pull the upset Friday in Sandpoint, the Hawks will need a big day from senior quarterback Max Cutforth. While Skyview has struggled to find consistency in the run game (partially due to playing from behind in many games), Cutforth has carved up opposing defenses, completing better than 70% of his passes for 1,640 yards and 16 touchdowns with only six interceptions thrown on the year. For the Bulldogs and Head Coach Ryan Knowles, this is where the work really begins. Sandpoint had high expectations coming into the year after falling short in the 4A State Championship Game last season to Skyline, but the Bulldogs struggled with execution early in the season, dropping close road/neutral site games to Alta (Utah), Coeur d’Alene, and Lewiston during a disappointing 1-3 start to the year. But the battle-tested Bulldogs bounced back, led by senior quarterback Parker Pettit’s impressive play, to win their final three games of the season and secure 4A’s No. 3 seed. A potentially semifinal match at Holt Arena against Skyline — who has knocked Sandpoint out of the playoffs in consecutive seasons — is likely looming in the back of the Bulldogs minds, but they must focus in and take care of business at home over the next two weeks first. Either the Hawks or Bulldogs will advance to play the Shelley-Emmett winner.

#11 Shelley (4-5) at #6 Emmett (7-2)
7 p.m. Friday
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The 2022 season has been a roller coaster ride for the Shelley Russets (4-5, 3-2 HCC). After a 4A state quarterfinal appearance and big expectations coming into the year, Shelley struggled out of the gates, starting the season 0-3. But, Head Coach Josh Wells and his Russets responded, winning four straight games and putting themselves in great position to earn one of the HCC’s two automatic bids and a top-eight seed in the playoffs. Then, Shelley’s offense sputtered, and the Russets lost games against Hillcrest and Skyline in consecutive weeks, knocking the team out of what would have likely been the No. 7 seed and instead setting themselves up with a challenging road contest at Emmett (7-2, 4-1 SIC) in the first round. The Huskies are a solid team that challenged Bishop Kelly for the 4A SIC crown. Aside from Bishop Kelly, Emmett’s only other loss this season came in the season opener against Shelley’s conference rival Blackfoot. Huskies quarterback Dakota Perry threw for 1,455 yards and 32 touchdowns (19 of which went to wide receiver Stevie Howe) and running back Ry Fullerton tallied 1,265 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground to lead an offense that averaged 38 points per game. Emmett is hoping to make up for last season, when the No. 4-seeded Huskies lost in the first round to Nampa. Whoever wins this battle will take on the winner of Skyview at Sandpoint in the quarterfinals.


CLASS 3A

#14 Wood River (3-6) at #3 Bonners Ferry (8-0)
Noon Saturday (Pacific Time)
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History will be made Saturday afternoon in Bonners Ferry as two teams with some of the longest playoff winless streaks in the state square off in an unlikely first round matchup. Bonners Ferry (8-0, 1-0 IML) is having potentially the best season in program history. The Badgers picked up a huge 18-13 road win over Intermountain League (IML) rival (and their only IML opponent thanks to Kellogg and Priest River’s move to the 2A ranks) Timberlake last Friday to cap off the team’s first undefeated regular season since 1975, according to Head Coach Travis Hinthorn. The victory marked Bonners Ferry’s first win over Timberlake and IML championship since 2005, and earned the Badgers a home playoff for the first time in 17 years. Bonners Ferry last made the 3A playoffs in 2015, and the No. 3-seeded Badgers have not won a playoff game since 2003. Those seem like long playoff droughts, until you consider Wood River (3-6, 2-2), which has never won a playoff game in its 50+ years of existence, according to Head Coach Shane Carden. Carden, a former standout quarterback at East Carolina University who spent time in the NFL, AFL and CFL, has been leading the Wolverines program for the past fours years and has his team on the brink of history themselves. Despite having a 4A enrollment, Wood River petitioned the IHSAA and was granted the right to play 3A football due to low numbers in the program. Despite many of these challenges, Carden’s group picked up wins in three of their last five games of the season to earn a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Because the 3A bracket re-seeds after the first round, Wood River would face No. 1 Sugar-Salem next Friday with a win, while the Badgers would have to wait and see who their next opponent would be if they come out victorious.

#13 McCall-Donnelly (4-3) at #4 Buhl (8-1)
6 p.m. Friday

After losing its season opener to defending 3A state champion Weiser, Buhl (8-1, 4-0 SCIC) won its final eight games of the regular season to claim the Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference (SCIC) title for the first time since 2009 and notch the No. 4 seed in the state tournament. The feather in the Indians cap this season came in a huge 34-29 victory over Kimberly on Oct. 14, which sealed the District 4 championship. Buhl is not satisfied with a solid regular season, however. The Indians, led by standout running back Jayce Bower, who totaled 1,930 yards and 20 touchdowns on the season, will start their playoff run with a home game against a solid McCall Donnelly (4-3, 2-3 SRVC) team. The Vandals may have finished in fourth place in the Snake River Valley Conference (SRVC), but they are a team with playoff experience that could pose a real threat to Buhl.

#12 Fruitland (4-5) at #5 Snake River (6-2)
7 p.m. Friday
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The Fruitland Grizzlies (4-5, 3-2 SRVC) will make the 300+ mile journey to Blackfoot Friday for a matchup against 3A SEIC champion Snake River (6-2, 2-0 SEIC). The Grizzlies faltered early in the season, going 0-3 and struggling on offense. Then, things started clicking for Head Coach Jordan Gross’ squad and Fruitland went on a four-game winning streak that catapulted them into playoff contention. The Grizzlies wrapped up the year with back-to-back losses to Homedale and Weiser, but Fruitland fought hard in both contests and believes they are capable of beating Snake River. The Panthers, meanwhile, had a strong season under Head Coach Jeff Dalley, reclaiming the SEIC crown that they had relinquished to Marsh Valley last season. Snake River’s only losses this season came in the season opener against Kimberly and on Sept. 30 versus Teton. Even then, the Panthers responded well by defeating Marsh Valley 35-14 the very next week, and Snake River has not lost since. After winning a first-round playoff game last season and then falling to the eventual state champion Weiser in the quarterfinals, the Panthers hope to make a deeper run this season in the 3A bracket.

#11 Timberlake (4-3) at #6 Weiser (8-1)
6 p.m. Friday (Mountain Time)
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After losing the IML Championship Game last week to Bonners Ferry, Timberlake (4-3, 0-1 IML) will now be forced to hit the road for a game against the defending 3A champion Weiser (8-1, 4-1 SRVC). The Wolverines lost a de facto conference championship game of their own back on Oct. 7, when they fell 21-7 at home against No. 2-ranked Homedale. Aside from that one loss, Weiser has steamrolled every other opponent, picking up five shutout wins along the way. In fact, the last time the Wolverines allowed a point was that Homedale game in early October. With a defense that has allowed less than six points per game and a balanced offense full of explosive players, Weiser has what it takes to defends its 3A crown. If the Tigers hope to compete Friday evening, they will need big games from running backs Hunter and Vaughn Higgins, who have each contributed to Timberlake’s strong run game this season.

#10 Marsh Valley (3-5) at #7 Teton (6-2)
7 p.m. Friday

Marsh Valley (3-5, 1-1 SEIC) and Teton (6-2, 0-2 Mountain Rivers) played an instant classic back on Sept. 2 in Arimo with the Timberwolves prevailing 41-40. Now, the two teams will face off in Driggs for what should be an action-packed first round game. The Eagles and Timberwolves have each had intriguing paths to get to the No. 10 and 7 seeds, respectively. Marsh Valley went through a gauntlet this season (hence the 3-5 overall record). The Eagles began 0-3 after losing to South Summit (Utah), Teton and three-time defending 2A champion West Side. The team’s other two losses came to a pair of conference champions — Sugar-Salem and Snake River. But, with big wins over Kimberly Sept. 16 and South Fremont Oct. 13, the Eagles showed they were worthy of a playoff appearance in 2022. Marsh Valley did falter a bit last week, however, only defeating winless American Falls by a score of 34-27 in the regular season finale. Teton, on the other hand, is seemingly limping into the playoffs after looking like a top-five 3A team for most of the season. The Timberwolves burst out of the gates this season, winning their first six games of the year, and scoring nearly 47 points per game. Then, in conference play, Teton lost 28-26 to South Fremont and 56-6 last week at Sugar-Salem. If the Timberwolves are going to get back on track, it will start with standout quarterback Jack Nelson, who has completed 64% of his throws this season for 1,712 yards, 17 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Nelson will need to have a big game against Marsh Valley if Teton hopes to advance and make a run in the state tournament.

#9 Kimberly (7-2) at #8 South Fremont (6-3)
1 p.m. Saturday
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The final 3A pairing will be a battle between two talented teams that came up short of conference championships this season. Kimberly (7-2, 3-1 SCIC) is led by junior quarterback Kade Larson, who is the second leading passer in the entire state with 2,532 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air this season. A true dual threat at the quarterback position, Larson also leads the team in rushing with 658 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. When the Bulldogs are at their best, they are putting up 40+ points with Larson as the ringleader. However, the teams that have gotten to Kimberly this season (specifically Buhl and Marsh Valley) have been able to slow down Larson and outscore the Bulldogs. South Fremont (6-3, 1-1 Mountain Rivers) has had a very similar season as its conference rival Teton. The Cougars opened the season 5-0, picking up solid wins over Timberlake, Aberdeen and Jackson Hole (Wyoming). But the wheels came off the wagon a bit down the stretch as South Fremont lost three of its last four contests. The Cougars have a dual threat signal caller of their own in sophomore Bryce Johnson. Johnson threw for 875 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for 588 yards and another five scores during the regular season. Saturday’s showdown will be a battle of two talented young quarterbacks as the Bulldogs and Cougars each look to extend their season. 


CLASS 2A

#11 Cole Valley Christian (5-3) at #6 West Side (7-1)
6 p.m. Friday

Cole Valley will travel to Dayton this Friday to take on a Westside team with one of the best defenses in all of 2A. Westside has only allowed 10 points per game this year. Since Westside's 27-28 loss in week four against Bear Lake, the Pirates have won their last four contests - outscoring their opponents 155-34 during that span. Meanwhile, Cole Valley enters this game on a little hot streak of their own. Following a midseason slump that saw the Chargers lose three out of four games, Cole Valley Christian turned their season around - winning their final two regular season games by a combined score of 71-8. It will be interesting to see which team is able to ride this momentum into the next round.


#10 St. Maries (3-5) at #7 Aberdeen (5-3)
2 p.m. Saturday (Mountain Time)
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This game features two teams that have been trending in opposite directions.  For St. Maries, an 0-5 start to the season must have made the state tournament feel like an impossibility.  However, the Lumberjacks turned their season around, winning their final three games - including blowout wins against Priest River and Orofino - and enter the tourney as hot as any team in the state.  The same cannot be said about the Aberdeen Tigers.  The Tigers started the season off 5-1 with the only loss coming against a 3A opponent in South Fremont.  Since then Aberdeen has lost their last two contests and only managed to score eight points in each of those games (though it should be mentioned that the two losses came against higher seeded opponents in #6 West Side and #1 Bear Lake and both contests were rather competitive).  With that said, this is a good Aberdeen team and fans can expect a competitive game this Saturday.

#9 Soda Springs (3-6) vs. #8 North Fremont (6-2) at Holt Arena
5:30 p.m. Friday
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On the surface, this game looks like a blowout waiting to happen.  North Fremont comes in with a 6-2 record, including a win over the top-seeded Bear Lake Bears in Week One.  On the other side, Soda Springs enters this game with a record of 3-6.  However, when looking deeper these teams are much more similar than their records indicate.  These two shared five common opponents during the regular season.  North Fremont went 3-2 in those games, while Soda Springs went 2-3.  The only difference in the common matchups was North Fremont's win over Bear Lake.  Beyond the similarities in records in those common opponent games, the point differential was also quite comparable.  For example, North Fremont beat Malad 50-16, while Soda Springs defeated Malad 49-18.  Holt Arena is likely to host the most exciting game in the 2A tournament this weekend.


CLASS 1AD1

#12 Idaho City (3-5) at #5 Carey (6-2)
4 p.m. Friday

Idaho City has managed to bounce back nicely from their early season troubles.  The Wildcats started the season on an 0-4 skid, but have since won three out of four games to earn themselves a spot in the state tournament.  They enter the tourney on a two-game winning streak, picking up W's against division rivals Rimrock and Wilder.  As for Carey, do not let the #5 seed fool you, this is one of the best teams in all of 1AD1.  They enter the playoffs riding a dominant four-game winning streak - with their average scoring margin being 64 to 9.  The Panthers ended the regular season with a record of 6-2.  Their only losses came to #1 seed Oakley and #2 seed Grace.  Carey lost those two games by a combined 13 points, so expect them to enter this tournament seeking revenge.

#11 Lapwai (5-3) at #6 Butte County (5-2)
1 p.m. Saturday (Mountain Time)
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Lapwai managed to claw its way out of one of the strongest conferences in all of 1AD1.  The Wildcats finished the season on a strong four-game winning streak following their disappointing 1-3 start.  They enter the tourney with one of the most dangerous offenses in the state, s they have scored over 80 points twice and average 56.5 points a game.  It will be interesting to see how this high-flying Lapwai offense matches up with a stout Butte County defense that hasn't given up more than 34 points in any game this season.  As for Butte County, they too could serve as a serious threat in this year's state playoffs.  They come into the tournament with a 5-2 record.  The Pirates have looked very dominant in their wins.  They have also looked competitive in their losses, losing by six points to both #5 Carey and #2 Grace.

#10 Clearwater Valley (7-2) at #7 Raft River (5-3)
1 p.m. Saturday (Mountain Time)
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Clearwater Valley ended the season at 7-2 and is riding a four game winning streak into the state tournament.  Something to like about this team is their ability to win games in a variety of different ways.  They can win in a shootout, like their 68-58 win over Logos, or they can win in a defensive slugfest, like their 20-6 win over Potlatch.  As for Raft River, many aren't sure what to make of this team.  They have several quality victories including wins over #3 Kamiah, #9 Lighthouse Christian and #8 Murtaugh.  They even kept it close in their loss to top-seeded Oakley, only losing by four points.  But the Trojans ended their season with back-to-back blowout losses to Butte County and Carey.  Those are two high quality teams, but Raft River will need to play better than that if they want to make any noise in this year's playoffs.

#9 Lighthouse Christian (2-6) at #8 Murtaugh (5-3)
7 p.m. Thursday
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These two are in the peculiar situation of playing each other for the second time in five days.  Murtaugh won that game 28-8, so it will be interesting to see what both sides look to change ahead of their first round playoff game on Thursday.  Before their win over Lighthouse Christian, Murtaugh was on a two-game losing streak.  Coincidentally, Lighthouse was on a two-game winning streak before their loss to the Red Devils.  Murtaugh ended the season with a 5-3 record.  Lighthouse ended with a 2-6 mark, but had one of the hardest schedules in all of 1AD1.  All six of the Lions' losses came to teams that qualified for the 2022 1AD1 state tournament.


CLASS 1AD2

4C Camas County (6-2) at 5-6B Watersprings (4-3)
3:30 p.m. Friday
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Camas County has looked unbeatable in their six wins this year.  The average scoring margin in their victories has been 58 to 8.  That includes wins over Rockland and Horseshoe Bend.  Their two losses, however, came in blowout fashion against two potential favorites in this year's 1AD2 state tournament (Castleford and Dietrich).  It will be interesting to see which Camas County squad shows up this Friday.  The Mushers will be facing a resilient team in Watersprings.  The Warriors went 4-3 on the year with two of their losses coming against 1AD1 opponents.  This is a roster consisting of just 12 players!  They will be facing a Camas County team that has 22 players on their roster, so it will be interesting to see if depth becomes a factor in this game.

4B Castleford (7-1) at 1B Clark Fork (5-3)
1 p.m. Saturday (Pacific Time)
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Castleford looks tough.  They ended the season 7-1 and looked dominant in all of their wins.  Their lone loss came to District 4 champion Dietrich by a 26-20 score.  Aside from that game, this Castleford squad has not given up more than 14 points in a game, and held three different opponents to zero points.  As for Clark Fork, they too have looked dominant in their wins this year, and they also held three different opponents to zero points.  The Wampus Cats come in with a 5-3 record, but one of those losses came against 1AD1 Logos.  They also lost twice to North Star League champion Mullan/St. Regis.  This could be the most competitive game in the first round of the state playoffs.

3C Horseshoe Bend (5-3) at 4A Dietrich (8-0)
7 p.m. Thursday
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Horseshoe Bend comes into this game riding a two-game winning streak after finishing the year at 5-3.  The Mustangs started out 2-0 before dropping two games in a row.  Since then, they've won three out of four and are hoping to keep that momentum going into this year's postseason.  As for Dietrich, there may not be a scarier team this year.  They are undefeated, and aside from a 26-20 win over Castleford, their next closest game was won by 42 points.  The Blue Devils are one of the favorites to win this year's 1AD2 state championship.

3B Garden Valley (7-1) at 2B Lewis County (6-2)
7 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)

There may not be a more exciting game in the first round of these playoffs than Garden Valley and Lewis County.  Garden Valley checks in at 7-1 and all seven of those wins came with ease.  Lewis County, meanwhile, is 6-2.  The reason this game is so intriguing is these teams have faced five common opponents, which can help paint the picture for how these teams stack up against one another.  They both went 4-1 in those games.  Each side defeated Salmon River, Tri-Valley, Timberline and Meadows Valley, while they both lost to Council.  It is worth noting that Garden Valley looked more dominant than Lewis County in those four aforementioned wins, but the Eagles played Council much closer.  Keep your eyes on this one.