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 ORDER GAME PHOTOS
Here. We. Go!
Idaho high school sports are back this weekend, and we are in for an exciting weekend of action to kick off the 2023-24 school year.
And that means I am back as well with your weekly Weekend Preview, providing you with a whip-around of some of the best high school sporting events taking place across the Gem State.
We have Week Zero rivalry games, playoff soccer rematches and showdowns between some of the top-ranked teams in the state on deck, and I am here to break it all down.
So without further ado, let's get started!
*Side note: If I missed a big game I should have covered, botched a spelling or maybe even wrote something you really appreciated, please let me know. My email is crweaner@liberty.edu and my X (Twitter) handle is @christianweaner. I always appreciate your feedback!
FOOTBALL
Lakeland vs. Preston
4 p.m. Mountain Time Friday
For the third straight year, Lakeland and Preston will meet halfway at Montana State University in Butte, Montana, to open the season. After losing 7-6 to the Indians in 2021, the Hawks ran away with a 28-0 win last season, sparking what ultimately turned into a successful 7-3 season in Head Coach Mike Schroeder's first year. Lakeland will be without its dynamic running back duo of Thomas Calder and John Cornish, who both graduated in the spring, but the Hawks are hopeful for another solid season in Rathdrum this fall. Preston Head Coach Craig Cunningham and his team, meanwhile, are looking for a bounce-back year after they finished with a disappointing 1-8 record in 2022. Cunningham's squad was young last year, but the Indians return a lot of talent this season, including all-conference performers Brackin Ward, Karson Winder and Zabian Mendoza.
Coeur d’Alene vs. Rigby
7 p.m. Mountain Time Friday
Watch Live
For the second year in a row, Coeur d'Alene and Rigby will meet halfway in Missoula, Montana for a season-opening showdown at the University of Montana's Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Trojans enter the season coming off their second state title in a row and the third in four seasons. The Vikings — a perennial power in Idaho 5A football — missed the playoffs in 2022 for the first time in 14 years. Rigby will be led by senior quarterback Luke Flowers, a Montana Griz commit, who threw for more than 3,000 yards and scored 37 total touchdowns last season. Coeur d'Alene was abnormally inexperienced last season, but the Vikings bring back several key contributors, including edge rusher and Washington State commit Camden DeGraw and linebacker Shea Robertson, a three-star recruit, who will look to bottle up a Trojans offense that put up 33.5 points per game last year.
Centennial at Kuna
7 p.m. Friday
Watch Live
This fall marks important transition seasons for both Centennial and Kuna as they both vie for relevance in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC). Entering his third season as head coach, Jeff Schank has a lot of holes to fill after graduating some key players from the Kavemen squad that finished 5-5 and earned a playoff berth for the first time since moving up to the 5A ranks. Centennial heads into 2023 with a new face on the sidelines as Head Coach Keelan McCaffrey starts his Patriots tenure after spending the past five seasons leading Minico. Utilizing his unique Wing-T offense, McCaffrey has become accustomed to winning, leading Minico to playoff appearances in each of the past five years. Both the Kavemen and Patriots hope to surprise some people in SIC this season, and notching a win in Week 0 would be a good step in the right direction for either team.
Owyhee at Madison
7 p.m. Friday
Watch Live
After knocking off Madison 13-7 in the season opener last season, Owyhee will travel to Rexburg Friday night for a season-opening rematch against the Bobcats. The Storm will do so un the direction of a new head coach, as Jason Burton begins his first year at Owyhee. Entering only its third year of existence, Owyhee has experienced success across its athletics programs, and the expectations are high for The Storm in year No. 1 for Coach Burton. The Bobcats, on the other hand, hope to take the next step under third-year head coach Chandler Rhoads, who has led Madison to two straight winning seasons but failed to reach the playoffs in 2022. A big home win over a formidable SIC opponent would be a great place to start for Rhoads and the Bobcats this season.
Minico at Thunder Ridge
7 p.m. Friday
Watch Live
Minico and Thunder Ridge will do battle to open the season once again in 2023, but the game taking place will look a lot different than it did a year ago, when the Spartans pounded out a 40-21 win over the Titans. Former Minico Head Coach Keelan McCaffrey accepted the same role at Centennial in the offseason and Sherm Blaser has stepped in to take his position at Minico after spending the past two seasons at Owyhee. With 23 seniors gone from last year's state semifinalist team, Minico will have its hands full as Blaser implements a new system and the Spartans look to reload at several key positions. The Titans, meanwhile, showed some encouraging signs last year but struggled to a 2-7 record in Head Coach Michael Berger's first season at the helm. Thunder Ridge returns a lot of players from last season and Berger is hopeful that his young team can make some noise in 2023.
Century at Sugar-Salem
7 p.m. Friday
Watch Live
Friday's season opener between Century and Sugar-Salem is a tale of two football programs. The Diggers went 11-0 last year, winning their fourth 3A State Championship in the past five seasons while outscoring opponents by an average of 35 points per game. Led by Head Coach Tyler Richins, who is entering his tenth season at Sugar-Salem, the Diggers will reload and prepare for another run at a state title this season, despite the loss of numerous all-state performers. Century, on the other hand, went 1-7 last year and continues to struggle with numbers as the school battles through enrollment issues. Head Coach Ryan Fleischmann will be in the second year of his second stint at Century this season, and his Diamondbacks will have a tough road to hoe as they travel north to face the defending state champions in Week 0.
Meridian at Eagle
7 p.m. Friday
Possibly the most exciting matchup of Week 0 will go down Friday night in Eagles as the Mustangs host 2022 5A State Finalist Meridian in a rematch of last season's SIC Championship Game. Meridian is coming off one of the best season in school history in which its defense held opponents to an astonishing 8.25 points per game. The Warriors are hoping to bounce back from a devastating loss in the state title game last fall, and they will have their hands full on the road to open the 2023 slate against a revamped Mustangs team. With former Eagle offensive coordinator James Cluphf entering his first season as the head coach, the Mustangs have several incoming players who are poised to make an impact in the SIC. Namely, Eagle's quarterback duo of talented sophomore Austin Ramsey and senior Idaho State commit Davis Harsin — the son of former Boise State and Auburn head coach Bryan Harsin — have a lot of people in the treasure valley excited for what the Mustangs can do this season. A matchup with potentially the best defense in the state of Idaho on Friday will be a good litmus test for Cluphf and his team.
Middleton at Rocky Mountain
7 p.m. Friday
A pair of SIC Foothills Division foes will square off in an important Week 0 matchup that is sure to have major implications for how the league race will play out this season. Middleton, led by Head Coach Bill Brock who is heading into his 25th year leading the Vikings, turned a lot of heads last year after making the transition to the 5A ranks. Middleton won seven games a season ago and gave Meridian everything it could handle in the State Quarterfinals. The Vikings return a lot of talent this season and they have a great chance to see how they match up with the best in the SIC when they travel to Rocky Mountain Friday night. After the surprising departure of Chris Culig to Bishop Kelly in the offseason, the Grizzlies promoted offensive coordinator and former head coach Scott Criner to head coach for his second stint leading the Rocky Mountain program. Following a 10-2 season in 2022 and a trip to the 5A State Semifinals, the Grizzlies lost numerous players from last season who are now playing Division I college football across the country. But if Rocky Mountain is known for anything, it is reloading with talent and doing it quickly. Coach Criner and his squad will have a tough task Friday as they host one of the most underrated teams in the SIC to open the season.
Mullan at Clark Fork
7 p.m. Friday
Mullan-St. Regis and Clark Fork were both 1AD2 playoff teams a year ago, and both matchups between the teams last season were instant classics, with Mullan coming out victories each time. Led by stalwart Head Coach Stetson Spooner, the Tigers will have to move forward this season without Caleb Ball and Blake Layton, both of whom were second team all-state selections a year ago and are now at the University of Montana Western. But Mullan has been the epitome of consistency over Coach Spooner's tenure, and the Tigers have plenty of talent and depth to push for a fifth straight North Star League (NSL) championship. The Wampus Cats, meanwhile, had a breakout season in 2022, racking up nearly 40 points per game on offense and earning a home playoff game. If Clark Fork wants to challenge for a NSL title in 2023 they will need to make a statement on home turf Friday night.
BOYS SOCCER
Preston at Sugar-Salem
2 p.m. Friday
For the second straight season, Sugar-Salem will open its season against Preston, and for the second straight season the Diggers will do so as defending 3A state champions. Sugar-Salem will look to reload after capping off a 19-2 season last year en route to the state title a season ago. The Diggers lost several key players to graduation including Cort Stoddard, who netted the game-winning goal in the 3A Championship Game last October, but Head Coach Scott Terry has shown that Sugar-Salem has the talent and depth to run it back and be major contenders once again. The Indians, meanwhile are coming off a respectable 7-9-2 campaign in 2022 that was highlighted by a 1-0 win over 4A South East Idaho Conference (SEIC) champion Century. Preston hopes to continue keeping pace with many of the talented teams in East Idaho this fall, and the Indians will have a tough test Friday afternoon in Sugar.
Timberline (Boise) at Bishop Kelly
6 p.m. Friday
Timberline (Boise) at Borah
Noon Saturday
Much like in the 3A ranks, 5A soccer saw a repeat champion claim the state title for the second year in a row as Timberline finished off an undefeated season (20-0-2) with yet another championship banner. The Wolves will hit the ground running this season in their encore, facing two of the toughest teams not only in the Treasure Valley but all of Idaho. First up Friday night is a trip to Bishop Kelly to take on last season's 4A State runner-up. The Knights had somewhat of a disappointing regular season last year, finishing just 10-5-7 overall and second place in the stacked 4A SIC, but they went on an incredible run as the No. 8 seed in the 4A State Tournament and nearly took down mighty Caldwell in the championship, losing 4-3 on penalty kicks after grinding to a scoreless stalemate in regulation and overtime. Timberline will then turn around Saturday afternoon for an important clash with 5A SIC rival Borah, who went 12-7-2 last fall and made it to the 5A State Consolation Finals. Needless to say, we will know a lot about where the two-time defending champion Wolves stand after a daunting opening weekend.
Canyon Ridge at Thunder Ridge
11 a.m. Saturday
Canyon Ridge will make the trip from Twin Falls up to Idaho Falls Saturday morning for an intriguing matchup against one of the best teams in 5A soccer. The Riverhawks were dominant in the 4A Great Basin League (GBL) in 2022, completing a 14-5-2 season that ended in the 4A State Consolation Finals. The Titans, meanwhile, lost just one game all season in 2022, and it came in a crushing 1-0 loss to Boise in the 5A State Semifinals. Thunder Ridge finished third in the state last year, and the team hopes to make a statement with a big home win Saturday as it looks to bounce back and assert itself as a state title contender once again this year.
Rocky Mountain at Boise
11:30 a.m. Saturday
As far as soccer is concerned, the Treasure Valley is just what its name implies — a treasure trove of talent. Rocky Mountain and Boise, the No. 2 and 3 teams in the crowded 5A SIC, are two prime examples of that reality. In a league where one-goal matches are an every-night occurrence, the Brave impressed last season, outscoring opponents by more than three goals per game and losing only twice all year — once to Borah in the District 3 Semifinals and once to Timberline in the 5A State Championship, and both times by a razor thin 1-0 margin. The Grizzlies were similarly impressive in 2022, going 9-3 in conference and finishing 10-6-1 overall, but Rocky Mountain's season shockingly ended with a 2-1 loss to Lake City in a state play-in game.
Lake City at Sandpoint
Noon Saturday
Two of North Idaho's premiere soccer teams will face off Saturday afternoon along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in what should be an exciting 4A-5A Inland Empire League (IEL) crossover matchup. The Bulldogs lost just one match all of last season, but it came at the most inopportune time, falling 1-0 in overtime to Bishop Kelly in the first round of the 4A State Tournament. But Sandpoint rebounded to finish strong, winning the 4A Consolation Championship, and the Bulldogs will look to continue that moment into a new season as they defend their home turf Saturday against a talented Lake City squad. The Timberwolves made some nice stride in 2022 themselves, knocking out Rocky Mountain in the aforementioned state play-in game and beating 5A IEL rival Coeur d'Alene 1-0 in the first round of the 5A State Tournament.
Caldwell at Wood River
4 p.m. Saturday
Wood River will make the trek up to Hailey Saturday afternoon for an intriguing rematch of the 2022 4A State Tournament opening round. The Cougars won that contest last season 2-0 and went on to claim the 4A State Championship, completing an undefeated 19-0-2 campaign. Caldwell has tons of talent and should reload and compete for the state title once again in 2022, but Wood River should prove to be a good test to open the season for the Cougars. The Wolverines graduted just four seniors from a team that finished 14-3-3 overall last season and gave Canyon Ridge a run for its money in the GBL, so Wood River looks poised to compete once again in 2023.
GIRLS SOCCER
Sandpoint at Lake City
4 p.m. Friday
When Sandpoint and Lake City take the pitch Friday afternoon, it will be the same name on each team's uniforms but a lot of new face for both the Timberwolves and Bulldogs. Lake City went a perfect 15-0 in the regular season last year and looked poised to push for the state title behind senior superstar Elliotte Kortus, now a freshman on Washington State's women's soccer team, but it all came crashing down in the 5A State Semifinals with an upset loss to No. 5 seed Centennial. But Head Coach Matt Ruchti has developed a strong program at Lake City, and he will lead a new-look Timberwolves squad forward this season, opening with a tough home match against a talented Sandpoint team. The Bulldogs won the 4A IEL a season ago and finished 9-6-3 overall, making it to the 4A State Third Place Game where they fell in penalty kicks to Pocatello. Head Coach Conor Baranski will look to move forward after the loss of key defender Kelsey Cessna to graduation, but much like the Timberwolves, the Bulldogs have a strong enough program that they do not have to rebuild, they just reload.
Bishop Kelly at Timberline
6 p.m. Friday
The defending 4A State Champion Bishop Kelly Knights will open their season Friday night with a tough test against 5A SIC contender Timberline, a state playoff team from a year ago. The Knights were dominant in 2022, going 17-2-1 and scoring nearly four and a half goals a game, and they will look to continue that success this season. The Timberwolves went 11-6-4 a year ago, finishing sixth in the packed 5A SIC but earning a state playoff berth with an impressive run in the District 3 Tournament. Timberline will see what it is made of Friday evening when one of Idaho's best squads comes to visit.
Thunder Ridge at Canyon Ridge
11 a.m. Saturday
Just like in boys soccer, the Thunder Ridge Titan and Canyon Ridge Riverhawks will square off this weekend in an important season-opening match for both teams. In just her freshman season last fall, talented striker Marisol Stosich paced the Titans with 32 goals, helping Thunder Ridge win its state play-in match against Owyhee and earn a spot in the 5A State Tournament. The Riverhawks, meanwhile, found themselves battling atop the GBL last season with crosstown rival Twin Falls, finishing 12-4-3 on the season and earning a state tournament berth.
Highland (Pocatello) at Twin Falls
11 a.m. Saturday
Speaking of Twin Falls, the Bruins will host a big matchup Saturday morning when Highland heads over to the Magic Valley for a big season-opening showdown. Twin Falls capped a 16-3-2 season a year ago with a trip the 4A State Championship Game, where the Bruins were edged 2-0 by Bishop Kelly. Highland, on the other hand, dominated District 5-6 in 2022 and made it to the 5A State Consolation Finals. The Rams and Bruins both have high expectations for 2023 and Saturday's match will be a good test to start the season.
Sugar-Salem at Sun Valley Community School
1 p.m. Saturday
Sugar-Salem and Sun Valley Community School (SVCS) were two of 3A's best squad a season ago, but each team's season ended in markedly different ways. The Cutthroats went on a magic run through the 3A State Tournament, outscoring their three opponents 9-3 en route to a championship. Sugar-Salem, meanwhile, which went 16-0 in the regular season but lost a heartbreaking 1-0 match to Mountain Rivers Conference Teton in the District 6 title game, abruptly ending what looked like a championship-caliber season for the Diggers. Both teams have the talent needed once again in 2023 and look poised to compete for the state title, making Saturday's match in Hailey a key benchmark for both teams.
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