ORDER GAME PHOTOS

Written by: Christian Weaner

FOOTBALL

Lake City vs. Emmett

4 p.m. Pacific time Friday

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Lake City (1-1) and Emmett (1-1) will meet Friday for the first game of a double header at Baker High School in Baker City, Oregon. Both the Timberwolves and Huskies dropped their season openers before bouncing back for big wins last week. Lake City fell to local rival Lakeland (3-0) in Week 1, but the Timberwolves rebounded with an impressive 36-22 win over the Raymond Comets of Alberta, Canada, last Friday. Emmett, on the other hand, lost to a solid Blackfoot team at home in its first game, and last week the Huskies dominated 3A Fruitland 40-0 in a road victory. Both teams will look to keep up their winning ways as they do battle Friday in Oregon.

Clearwater Valley @ Notus

6 p.m. Mountain time Friday

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After winning its Idaho 8-Man Classic game over Glenns Ferry to open the season, Clearwater Valley moved to 2-0 last week with a 68-58 victory over conference rival Logos. The Rams finished with three wins all last season, so a 3-0 start would be huge for third-year head coach Allen Hutchens and his program. Notus will provide a tough test for Clearwater Valley, however. The Pirates may have been shut out in their Week 1 loss to Kendrick — mind you, the Tigers have shown they are potentially the best 8-man team in the state after knocking off Oakley last week — but their 58-32 bounce-back win on the road against Council last Friday should remind Rams fans that they are no joke. Also, Clearwater Valley will need to make the four-hour drive down to Notus for Friday’s game. Regardless, this should be an exciting matchup between potential 1AD1 playoff contenders this season.

Homedale @ Baker City (Oregon)

7 p.m. Pacific time Friday

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The nightcap of Friday’s double header in Baker City, Oregon, will feature the host Baker (1-0) — a playoff team last year in Oregon — and the top-ranked team in Idaho’s 3A classification, Homedale. The Baker Bulldogs won their season opener last week, but they will have their hands full this week with a Trojans squad that has looked like a legitimate state title contender. Homedale won its season opener over California’s Laguna Beach High School in Week 0, and after a Week 1 bye, the Trojans annihilated Gooding — a fellow 2021 3A state semifinalist — 49-0 at home last week. This Friday will be the Trojans first road test of the year, which will be good preparation for a difficult road trip to Sandpoint coming up next week.

Shelley @ Burley

7 p.m. Friday

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Sure, Shelley might be 0-2 and Burley is 2-0, but do not let those records fool you — Friday’s game between the Russets and Bobcats is going to be a dog fight. Burley has looked impressive in their first two games, posting a whopping 62 points in each game, and defeating a pair of state playoff qualifiers from a season ago — Mountain Home and Vallivue. The Bobcats have a lot of buzz around their program this season, as former Gooding head coach Cameron Anderson is now at Burley, and a playoff run this season seems to be the expectation. Russets head coach Josh Wells and his Shelley squad will have something to say about that Friday, however. The visiting Russets might be 0-2 — with losses to Wyoming’s Star Valley High School and 3A powerhouse Sugar-Salem — but Shelley was a 4A quarterfinalist a year ago and has enough returning talent to make the playoffs again in 2022. With that being said, this will be a must-win for the skidding Russets, as their schedule does not get any easier with 4A High Country Conference play beginning next Friday.

Highland (Pocatello) @ Century

7 p.m. Friday

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Highland and Century both desperately need a win this week. The Rams are 0-2, losing their first two games to two defending state champions — Lehi (Utah) and Skyline. Highland — last season’s 5A state runner-up — will need to go on the road this week to try and get its first victory of the year against 4A Century. The Diamondbacks are scuffling so far this season, with road losses to Hillcrest and Bonneville. But Century will return home for the first time Friday night, as the team looks to defend their home turf against a talented opponent.

Madison @ Idaho Falls

7 p.m. Friday

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Madison and Idaho Falls are two more teams looking for a big win to jumpstart each team’s 2022 campaign. The Bobcats have been on a rollercoaster ride so far this season. They opened the year with a 13-7 loss at Owyhee but bounced back for a big 35-14 win over Utah’s Toole High School in the Rocky Mountain Rumble. Then, last week, 4A Blackfoot got the best of the Bobcats at home, beating Madison 31-14. The Tigers, on the hand, fought hard in their first two games but came up short both times, losing to Thunder Ridge 25-15 at home and Twin Falls 34-22 on the road last week. This Friday, Idaho Falls will be back in the friendly confines of Ravsten Stadium, and the Tigers hope to notch their first win in 2022.

Meridian @ Middleton

7 p.m. Friday

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Two games into the season, Meridian looks like a state title contender. The Warriors have won both their first two games, posting home victories over Eagle and Mountain View. After a bye last week, Meridian will put its perfect record on the line as the Warriors make the short trip down Route 84 to face off with 2-1 Middleton. The Vikings, led by 23-year head coach Bill Brock, lost their season opener at home to No. 1-ranked Rocky Mountain. Middleton rebounded for clutch road wins over Nampa and Skyview in consecutive weeks, and the Vikings hope to ride that momentum into Friday’s home game against Meridian.

Twin Falls @ Pocatello

7 p.m. Friday

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The Pocatello Thunder will get to host their first game at the newly renovated Lookout Credit Union Field Friday night when the 2-0 Twin Falls Bruins comes to town. After losing 35-7 to Utah’s Morgan High School in the Rocky Mountain Rumble, Pocatello got its offense figured out last week in a 61-12 romp against Ridgvevue. The Thunder will hope to continue that momentum this week against a talented Bruins team that is 2-0 for the first time since 2018. Ironically, 2018 was also the last time Twin Falls beat Pocatello, as the Thunder have won three straight over the Bruins. Twin Falls will look to end that streak and play spoiler in Pocatello’s high anticipated home opener.

Sunnyside (Washington) @ Post Falls

7 p.m. Friday

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Senior running back Jake Bustamante busted out last week — pun very much intended — for Post Falls, tying a school record with five rushing touchdowns, in the Trojans 34-6 home win over Timberline (Boise). This Friday, Bustamante and the Trojans (1-1) will be back at home for a matchup with Washington’s Sunnyside High School. Post Falls will look to post win No. 1 against the Grizzlies (0-1), as the Trojans continue their march toward a 5A playoff berth this season.

Cole Valley Christian vs. Salmon

7 p.m. Friday

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Cole Valley Christian (2-1) and Salmon (0-2) will meet halfway in a game played at Carey High School this Friday night. The Chargers are coming off a stinging 24-21 loss last week at 3A Payette, as they look to get back in the win column. First-year Savages head coach Trey Infanger will need to get his offense in order this week. Salmon scored only six points in a Week 1 defeat and were shut out 49-0 at home by South Fremont last Friday. 

Aberdeen @ South Fremont

7 p.m. Friday

Speaking of South Fremont, the Cougars are hosting an exciting matchup with 2A Aberdeen Friday evening in a showdown between unbeaten teams. In addition to the blowout win at Salmon last Friday, South Fremont also won at home versus Wood River in Week 0 and on the road at Timberlake — a fellow 2021 3A playoff team — two weeks ago. The Tigers, meanwhile, dominated 3A American Falls to open the season before earning an impressive 18-12 victory last week at home against Declo. In the win last Friday, Aberdeen ran the ball 44 times for 296 yards. The Tigers might want to consider managing the clock with a similar ground-and-pound scheme this week against a formidable South Fremont defense.

Skyline @ Thunder Ridge

7 p.m. Friday

An intriguing 4A-5A matchup for East Idaho fans to keep an eye on this week will be played at Thunder Ridge, when the Titans host the defending state champions Skyline. This game will feature a father-son matchup, as first-year Thunder Ridge head coach Michael Berger and his father, longtime Skyline head coach Scott Berger, will stand on opposing sidelines. Both teams opened the season with a loss, but neither has been defeated since then. Thunder Ridge lost a road game at 4A Minico in Week 0 but rebounded nicely with wins over Idaho Falls and Hillcrest in consecutive weeks. The Grizz fell in a shot out 68-42 to Stansbury High School (Utah) in the Rocky Mountain Rumble, but bounced back for a huge 29-21 home win over 5A Highland last Friday.

Potlatch @ Prairie

7 p.m. Friday

Led by running back Wyatt Johnson’s 229 rushing yards and four touchdowns, the Potlatch Loggers put up an astounding 90 points — yes, you read that correctly — in their season opening win last Friday against Genesee. This week, Potlatch will put its prolific rushing attack to the test when the team travels to take on the Prairie Pirates in an important 1AD1 Whitepine League matchup. Prairie was shut out by two-time defending 1AD1 state champions Oakley during the Idaho 8-Man Classic in Week 1, but the Pirates got a nice bounce-back win over Troy last Friday.

Oakley @ Murtaugh

7 p.m. Friday

In a battle of defending state champions, Oakley fell 52-48 last week to 1AD2 Kendrick in an epic game. The Hornets will need to lick their wounds and quickly turn around to prepare for a difficult matchup on the road against the 2-0 Murtaugh Red Devils. Murtaugh has looked impressive on both sides of the ball so far this season. The Red Devils shut out Wilder 66-0 in Week 1 and notched a 72-26 road win over Hansen last Friday. This week’s home contest with Oakley will be a big test for Murtaugh as the Red Devils look to return to the 1AD1 state playoffs this season.

Mountain View @ Owyhee

7 p.m. Friday

Some Idaho high school football fans might have predicted that this Week 3 matchup between Mountain View and Owyhee would include one unbeaten team and one team looking for its first win. Few, however, would have guessed that it would be the Storm who sat at 3-0 and the Mavericks at 0-2. But that is sports. One must expect the unexpected. The thing is, neither Owyhee head coach Sherm Blaser nor the Storm fanbase are surprised. Yes, Owyhee won only one game in the school’s inaugural season last year, but Blaser and his fans knew the talent was there. Now, in Week 4, the Storm have a chance to prove that they are the team to beat in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) River Division. Topping Mountain View will be no easy task, however. The Mavericks may be 0-2, but they are still the same 5A powerhouse program that went undefeated throughout the 2021 regular season. Keep in mind, Mountain View’s two losses this year were to last season’s 5A state semifinalist Meridian and Rocky Mountain, this year’s No. 1-ranked 5A squad. The Storm might have the homefield advantage Friday, but they lack the experience and pedigree of Mountain View.

Wallace @ Clark Fork

7 p.m. Friday

Wallace (2-0) will make the two-hour trek up to Clark Fork (1-1) Friday to take on the Wampus Cats in an important conference game in the newly expanded 1AD2 North Star League. The Miners, who bumped down from 1AD1 to 1AD2 this season, took care of business in each of their first two games, defeating Kootenai 60-12 in Week 1 and knocking off Lakeside 56-14 last Friday. Clark Fork, meanwhile, opened the season with a 46-0 route of Lakeside before falling 60-42 on the road last week to the three-time defending league champions Mullan-St. Regis. This season, two North Star League teams will make the state playoffs, so this matchup between the Miners and Wampus Cats is a must-win for both teams.

Firth @ Bear Lake

7 p.m. Friday

Firth (1-1), the No. 4-ranked 2A team and last season’s state runner-up, will travel to Montpelier Friday night for a matchup with 2021 state semifinalist Bear Lake (1-1) in a potential playoff preview. The Cougars got shut out in their home opener to the three-time defending 2A state champion West Side in rematch of last year’s state title game but rebounded for a 55-0 blowout win over Soda Springs last week. Bear Lake, meanwhile, lost a heartbreaker 24-22 at North Fremont in Week 1. The Bears responded with a 28-0 shutout win over Lyman High School (Wyoming) last Friday. Firth has won in the last three meetings with Bear Lake, so the Bears will have some extra motivation as they look to break that streak on their home field Friday night.

Nampa vs. Boise

7 p.m. Friday

After losing a nailbiter 36-34 at home to Middleton Week 1, Nampa — led by senior running back Daniel Carrillo’s 234 yards and five touchdowns — picked up a big come-from-behind win over Borah last Friday. This week, the Bulldogs have another good matchup against the Boise Brave at Dona Larsen Park. Boise will need to clean up its offense, after allowing not one, not two but three pick-six touchdowns last week in a 45-16 loss to Owyhee. The Brave looked sharp in their first two games of the year, defeating Timberline 27-0 and Ridgevue 17-14, and hope to return to form this week in an important conference game.

Borah @ Kuna

7 p.m. Friday

Borah and Kuna were both 2-0 to start the season. Now, the Lions and Kavemen each sit at 2-1. Borah picked up shut outs in each of its first two games, beating Capital 21-0 and Timberline 41-0, before losing last week to Nampa on the road. This week, the Lions have another road test at Kuna, who won 28-3 over Centennial and 48-35 against Skyview in its first two games before losing to Eagle 21-7 last week. If either the Kavemen or Lions want to make some noise in the SIC River Division this season, they first must pick up a big win this Friday night.

Timberlake @ McCall-Donnelly

7 p.m. Friday

The Timberlake Tigers will hit the road again this week for another potential playoff preview matchup with McCall-Donnelly. Two games into the season, Timberlake has already been battle-tested. The Tigers hosted fellow 2021 3A state quarterfinalist South Fremont (3-0) in Week 1, losing 18-14 in a tight game. Last Friday, Timberlake was led by what head coach Kelly Amos affectionately referred to as “the engineering firm of Higgins and Higgins” — running backs Vaugh and Hunter Higgins combined for 48 carries, 236 yards and all four Tigers touchdowns — in a big 30-27 win on the road versus Washington’s Shadle Park High School. McCall-Donnelly — a 3A state qualifier last year — has gotten off to a 2-0 start by beating new 3A member Wood River Week 1 and 2A Nampa Christian last week. With MaxPreps rankings constantly on everyone’s minds, Friday’s game between the Tigers and Vandals could potentially have a big effect on playoff seeding this season.

BOYS SOCCER

Hillcrest @ Blackfoot

11 a.m. Saturday

Hillcrest travels to Blackfoot Saturday for an intriguing 4A High Country Conference matchup. The Knights (3-0-2) are undefeated so far this season with wins over Madison, Bonneville and Skyline, and draws with Pocatello and Thunder Ridge. The Broncos enter the match after posting wins over Rigby and Skyline last week. Saturday’s match will be an important test for both teams as they vie for a state playoff berth in 2022.

Rocky Mountain @ Mountain View

11 a.m. Saturday

The No. 3- and 4-ranked teams in this week’s Boys Soccer Coaches Poll will face off Saturday when Mountain View hosts conference rival Rocky Mountain. Neither team is yet to lose a game, as the Grizzlies sit at 5-0-1 and the Mavericks are 7-0. The winner of Saturday’s game will gain a big advantage in the ultra-competitive 5A SIC standings.

Lake City @ Sandpoint

Noon Saturday

Lake City (3-1-1) and Sandpoint (5-0-2) played to a 1-1 draw back on Aug. 20 in the season opener at Lake City. This time, the Bulldogs are hosting the Timberwolves, and Sandpoint is hoping to use its momentum from an impressive 0-0 draw against Coeur d’Alene last week as a catalyst to get the win Saturday. For reference, the Vikings dominated Lake City 4-1, but could not find the back of the net a single time against the stellar Bulldogs defense.

American Falls @ Sugar-Salem

1 p.m. Saturday

Earlier this season, American Falls — the defending 3A consolation champions — and the 2021 3A state champion Sugar-Salem Diggers played a thrilling one-goal match that Sugar-Salem eked out 4-3. This weekend, it is the Diggers turn to host the Beavers, who have not lost a match since falling to the Diggers. Both squads look like state contenders this year, making this important match a potential playoff preview.

Sun Valley Community School @ Wendell

1 p.m. Saturday

So far this season, Wendell and No. 2-ranked Sun Valley Community School (SVCS) appear to be head-and-shoulders above the rest of the 3A High Desert Conference. The Trojans and Cutthroats each sit at 5-0 entering Saturday’s showdown. The winner of this match will have the early advantage in the conference standings.

Bonners Ferry @ Coeur d’Alene Charter

5 p.m. Saturday

Bonners Ferry @ Timberlake

7 p.m. Monday

Bonners Ferry has gotten off to an impressive 5-0-1 start to the 2022 season. All five of the Badgers wins have been shutouts, with the lone tie coming against Stillwater Christian Academy in Kalispell, Montana. However, all five victories have also been against the bottom four teams in the 3A Intermountain League (IML). This weekend — and early next week — North Idaho soccer fans will get to see how Bonners Ferry stacks up with the IML’s other top teams — defending league champions Coeur d’Alene Charter and Timberlake. The Panthers (3-2-1, 2-1-1 IML) are up first for the Badgers, as the two teams will meet for a match at The Fields at Real Life in Post Falls. Next, Bonners Ferry will make the trip to Spirit Lake Monday to face off with Timberlake (5-1, 4-0 IML).

GIRLS SOCCER

Bonneville @ Idaho Falls

11 a.m. Saturday

The 3-1 Bonneville Bees will make the trip to Idaho Falls to face the Tigers in a matchup between the 4A High Country Conference’s top two teams Saturday. Bonneville picked up a big season-opening win over 5A Rigby, and since losing to Madison last Monday, the Bees have won two straight conference games at home against Hillcrest and Shelley. Idaho Falls opened its season with a 3-3 draw versus Thunder Ridge, and the Tigers also have wins over Rigby and Shelley so far this year. Saturday’s winner will have a big leg up in the conference standings.

American Falls @ Sugar-Salem

11 a.m. Saturday

Sugar-Salem looks like the team to beat in 3A so far this season. The Diggers have scored 46 goals and only given up 8 all season. If there is a team that can keep pace with that kind of scoring output, it might just be American Falls. In their three wins so far this year, the Beavers have scored 12, 8, and 6 goals, respectively. Granted, Sugar-Salem outpaced American Falls 9-4 in the team’s first meeting, but the Beavers will look for revenge this Saturday on the road.

Sun Valley Community School @ Wendell

11 a.m. Saturday

The top squads in the 3A High Desert Conference square off Saturday morning as Wendell hosts Sun Valley Community School (SVCS). The Cutthroats were one goal away from winning the 3A state championship last season, and they look poised to make another deep postseason run in 2022. CVSC is 5-0 so far, with three shutout victories and a +35 goal differential. The Trojans, on the other hand finished third in the conference a season ago, coming just short of a state playoff berth. Wendell has also gotten off to a hot start and enter the game winners of three straight.

Bonners Ferry @ Coeur d’Alene Charter

3 p.m. Saturday

Bonners Ferry @ Timberlake

5 p.m. Monday

Bonners Ferry graduated a lot of talent from a team that finished 9-7 in 2021, but the young Badgers have looked impressive so far this year. Bonner Ferry is 5-0 and has outscored its opponents 22-3. This weekend — and early next week — the Badgers will find out exactly where they stand, as they face 3A IML stalwarts Coeur d’Alene Charter and Timberlake on the road. The Panthers and Tigers faced off last week, and CDA Charter won 3-1. The Panthers are the defending IML champions and are 4-0 to start the season. They will look to prove they are still the team to beat this weekend when the Badgers come to town.

VOLLEYBALL

Triple Threat Tournament

Many of the state’s best volleyball teams will all converge on Idaho Falls this weekend for the annual Triple Threat Tournament, hosted by Thunder Ridge this season. The undefeated Titans will look to defend their home court against the likes of Idaho Falls, Madison, Skyview, Rocky Mountain, Timberline (Boise), Eagle, Snake River, Shelley, Mountain View, Owyhee, Rigby, Century, Firth, Ririe and Hillcrest. The stacked field is sure to provide Idaho volleyball fans with some state tournament preview matchups.

West Jefferson Invitational

The Triple Threat Tournament might feature some good volleyball, but fans will also want to keep their eye on the West Jefferson Invitation Saturday as well. In addition to the Panthers, Malad, Salmon, Aberdeen, Soda Springs, West Side, Butte County, North Fremont and Challis will also vie for the tournament crown.

Horseshoe Bend vs. Orofino

10 a.m. Saturday

Horseshoe Bend vs. Troy

11:30 a.m. Saturday

Troy vs. Orofino

1 p.m. Saturday

Orofino hosts Horseshoe Bend and Troy Saturday for an exciting tri-match between some of the best volleyball teams in the state. Last season, Horseshoe Bend finished with a perfect 21-0 record — losing only one set the whole season — en route to the 1AD2 state title, and the Mustangs are already 7-1 so far this year. Troy is also a defending state champion at the 1AD1 level, and the Trojans currently hold the No. 1 ranking in their classification. Do not sleep on the host Maniacs, however. Orofino posted a respectable 16-5 record last season and earned a state playoff berth at the 2A level.