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 ORDER GAME PHOTOS
There was more big news from the IHSAA this week, as schools across the state petitioned to allow their sports programs to move down (or up in several cases) a classification as part of the new classification system that has been approved beginning in 2024-25.
While not all petitions were approved, many of the successful ones will allow struggling programs to rebuild at a lower competition level. It will also make for some weird new conference structures in certain sports, as Brandon Baney painstakingly broke down this week.
These are big moves that will have intriguing consequences for years to come, and I encourage you to read more about them. But that is not what you clicked on this article for.
So, without further ado, I invite you to dig into our weekly smattering of previews for some of the best games, matches, and tournaments going on across the state. This weekend marks the regular season finale for many soccer teams, and district tournaments are just around the corner.
Catch up on all there is to know heading into the final weekend in September below.
And as always, if I missed a big game I should have covered, botched a spelling or maybe even wrote something you appreciated, please let me know. My email is crweaner@liberty.edu and my X (Twitter) handle is @christianweaner. I always appreciate your feedback!
FOOTBALL
5A
Rigby @ Skyline
7 p.m. Friday
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Rigby and Skyline have combined to win six of the past eight 4A and 5A state championships. These are two programs that know what winning looks like and have done a lot of it in the past few years.
However, in a shock to many around the state, the Trojans (2-3) and Grizzlies (3-2) enter this Week 6 matchup hovering right around .500 on the year. Both squads have looked beatable and have taken some devastating losses already this year.
But, as most around the state also know, you can never count either of these teams out of the state championship race. So, Friday night will be a great measuring-stick game for both Rigby and Skyline as each squad looks to turn the page and start their sprint toward the 2023 playoffs.
The Trojans pounded a struggling Blackfoot team 58-3 last week for their second consecutive win after starting 0-3. Three-star QB Luke Flowers looked good, tossing three touchdowns in the victory. Flowers and the offense will need to continue producing this week if they want to keep pace with Skyline.
The Grizzlies bounced back from a stunning loss to Hillcrest two weeks ago by downing Idaho Falls 35-28 in the Emotion Bowl last Friday. Skyline, who has struggled to hold on to leads in recent weeks, let a 28-7 advantage slip against the Tigers but managed to pull out the victory thanks in large part to RB Amani Morel's 205 yards and two TDs.
Rigby blanked Skyline 28-0 last season, and the Trojans have won the teams' last six meetings, dating back to 2017. The Grizzlies will need to play mistake-free football if they want to hold off the Trojans on Friday night.
Moscow @ Lewiston
7 p.m. Friday
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While neither squad boasts a strong overall record so far this year, Friday's Game Night on the Palouse will feature an intriguing matchup between two teams battling for their playoff lives this season.
Moscow (1-4) has now lost four straight after opening the season with a shutout win over Kellogg. Despite the results, the Bears, who found out this week that they were approved to play down in the new 4A Intermountain League (IML) next season, have shown a lot of signs of improvement, hanging tough in all of their games this year so far.
Lewiston (2-3) looked like it was picking up some momentum before getting steamrolled at Sandpoint last Friday. The Bengals, who snuck into the 5A playoffs a season ago, are going to need to get going if they want to make it back to postseason play.
With conference play looming in the coming weeks for both squads, Lewiston and Moscow will both look to pick up a confidence-boosting victory Friday evening.
Boise @ Eagle
7 p.m. Friday
The game of the week not only in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) but the entire state will go down Friday night at Eagle High School as the No. 2-ranked Boise Brave (5-0, 3-0 SIC River) visit the No. 1 Eagle Mustangs (5-0, 3-0).
Boise quietly opened the season 4-0, picking off some of the SIC bottom feeders and flying under the radar. The Brave gained some respect with a 10-7 win over Owyhee on Sept. 1, but it was not until last week that Boise made its presence known, downing mighty Mountain View 35-21 and asserting themselves as true 5A contenders.
The Brave are led by sophomore QB Trevor Schoolfield, who currently leads the 5A classification with 1,075 passing yards to go along with 11 touchdowns. Boise's prolific passing attack combined with strong play from senior RB Alex Hess and a stingy defense allowing just 14 points per game, have the Brave positioned as a top-five offense and defense in the state.
Eagle, meanwhile, has run through a gauntlet of a schedule thus far and passed every test with flying colors. The Mustangs defense, which has held opponents to less than 230 yards per game and only 13.8 points on average, has helped carry them to a 5-0 start and the top spot in the 5A rankings for the past six weeks.
The Mustangs already have wins over 2022 playoff squads Meridian, Kuna, Rocky Mountain and Owyhee under their belts, and Friday will be just one more tough test for Head Coach James Cluphf's squad.
Madison @ Hillcrest
7 p.m. Friday
Rigby at Skyline is not the only intriguing 4A/5A clash in East Idaho this weekend, as Madison (4-2) will travel to Hillcrest (5-0) for a battle between two playoff-caliber teams.
The Bobcats opened the year 0-2, dropping a pair of home games to Owyhee and Wasatch (UT) in the Rocky Mountain Rumble. Since then, Madison has gone on an impressive run, winning four straight games, most of which in blowout fashion.
Madison already has a 52-20 victory over conference opponent Thunder Ridge two weeks ago, and with huge games against Highland and Rigby on the horizon, knocking off 4A's top team would be a big statement.
Hillcrest, meanwhile, looks like the team of destiny at the 4A level after two huge victories in consecutive weeks. The Knights took care of business in their first three games before beating Skyline on a last-second Hail Mary two weeks ago and out-muscling Pocatello 21-14 on the road last Friday.
The Knights currently sit at No. 2 in the state media poll but No. 1 in the MaxPreps rankings, and they would truly be in the driver's seat for the top seed in the state playoffs with a win over 5A Madison this week.
Fans should be treated to a playoff atmosphere once again Friday night at Hillcrest as the Bobcats and Knights go at it.
Mt. Spokane (WA) @ Post Falls
7 p.m. Friday
One huge nonconference game to watch at the 5A level this week will be Mt. Spokane (WA) at Post Falls.
Both the Wildcats, who play in Washington's Greater Spokane League, and the Trojans enter Friday night 4-1, and both squads appear to be playoff teams once again this season.
Scoring at 49.2 points per game clip, Post Falls boasts the highest scoring offense in all of 5A, and the Trojans are led by the state's leading rusher in senior RB Tevin Burns, who already has 793 yards and 12 touchdowns in five games this season.
Mt. Spokane, who went 9-2 last year and won a playoff game, started the year 4-0 before losing narrowly to Ferris (WA) last week. One of the Wildcats' two losses last season was a 23-17 overtime defeat to the Trojans.
Friday night should be a battle at Post Falls High School, providing the Trojans with a much-needed test before they get into 5A Inland Empire League (IEL) play next week.
4A
Bishop Kelly @ Burley
7 p.m. Friday
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Bishop Kelly and Burley are two teams laden with talent, yet heading in opposite directions as of late.
Just like last season, the No. 1-ranked Knights (5-0) have come out firing to the tune of 46.4 points per game and 7.4 points allowed per contest. Bishop Kelly has not played a close game all season, and senior RB Peter Minnaert is a big reason why. Minnaert has 669 yards on the ground and 12 TDs so far this year.
Burley (2-3) came out of the gates hot this season, led by Boise State commit Gatlin Bair, as the Bobcats hung 78 and 65 on the scoreboard in their first two games. But, an injury to Bair that sidelined him for a couple of weeks and a defense that has looked like Swiss cheese has Burley in a tailspin with three consecutive losses.
Bishop Kelly broke Burley 63-14 last season in Boise, and the Bobcats will need to get some things figured out if they want to avoid that same fate and hang tough with the Knights this time around in Burley.
Pocatello @ Shelley
7 p.m. Friday
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Despite consecutive losses, the Pocatello Thunder remain in the top five of the 4A rankings, currently sitting at No. 4, and they will get yet another big-time showdown this week as they travel to Shelley to rumble with the Russets.
Pocatello (2-2) started 2-0 but lost two straight home games to Highland and Hillcrest. Both were close losses, decided by just seven points each, but the Thunder are not looking for moral victories. Pocatello already has two quality wins over Mountain Crest (UT) and Twin Falls, and the Thunder will look to get back on track with another big win Friday night.
Shelley (3-2) seems to have a penchant for slow starts followed by gaudy winning streaks. The Russets opened 2022 at 0-3 before reeling off four straight wins, including a 24-21 over Pocatello, en route to a second straight 4A playoff appearance.
This season, Shelley fell to Star Valley (WY) and Sugar-Salem in its first two games but the Russets have since won three straight, outscoring opponents 101-21 during that stretch.
With the Russets getting things together over the last three weeks and the Thunder reeling after two consecutive losses, Friday's game should be an intriguing battle between a pair of likely 4A playoff teams this season.
Idaho Falls @ Century
7 p.m. Friday
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While a battle between 1-4 and 0-5 teams in late September might seem meaningless, history will tell you that is simply not the case.
In fact, despite similar struggles last season, both Idaho Falls and Century found themselves on the 4A playoff bubble late in the season. That is the beauty (and irony?) of Idaho high school football, especially at the 4A level — you are never out of the playoff hunt.
Although Idaho Falls has only one win all year, the Tigers could easily be 3-2 if things had fallen their way the past two weeks. Idaho Falls lost 22-19 against Bonneville two weeks ago and then made a riveting comeback in the Emotion Bowl last Friday before coming up just short in a 35-28 loss to Skyline.
According to MaxPreps, Century has played the second-hardest schedule in 4A this year, which has not been helpful for a Diamondbacks program struggling with numbers this season. Despite the box scores not looking great, the young team has shown some signs of improvement, and it will enter Friday's game well-rested coming off a bye week.
Canyon Ridge @ Minico
7 p.m. Friday
Between Canyon Ridge, Minico and Twin Falls, the Great Basin Conference (GBL) is shaping up to be a fun three-team race this season, and Friday's matchup between the undefeated Riverhawks and sizzling-hot Spartans will be a key deciding factor in who takes home the league title.
Canyon Ridge (5-0, 1-0 GBL) has come out victorious in all its games this season, albeit against some less-than-stellar competition. The Riverhawks shockingly were challenged by Jerome last week, pulling out a 20-12 home win that was much closer than most would have expected. With a tough road test this week, Canyon Ridge will need to get things cleaned up quickly.
Minico (4-2, 2-0) reminded everyone that it is still the team to beat in the GBL this year, pounding Burley 64-25 on the road last Friday. The Spartans lost a pair of games early in the season, but have bounced back to win three straight, scoring 63 points per game during the winning streak.
Many thought this could be the year Minico finally relinquished its stranglehold on the conference with former head coach Keelan McCaffrey leaving for the Centennial job, but Sherm Blaser has stepped in and led the Spartans to another great season so far in 2023.
If the Riverhawks want to compete Friday night, they are going to need to bring an A game.
3A
Sugar-Salem @ Timberlake
7 p.m. Friday
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Defending 3A champion Sugar-Salem will travel 500 miles this weekend for a huge 3A nonconference matchup with Timberlake on Friday night.
The Diggers (5-0), who have won four of the last five 3A titles, are off to a roaring start once again this season. Sugar-Salem has been pounding teams with its power run game and a stingy defense that has allowed only 34 points all season. The Diggers manhandled Marsh Valley 63-6 last week, rushing for 342 yards.
Despite taking a couple of close losses, Timberlake (4-2) has controlled most of its games with its own potent rushing attack thanks to the three-headed monster of Vaughn Higgins, Caius Tebbe, and Cooper Lenz. The Tigers scampered for six touchdowns in 56-14 steamrolling of St. Maries last Friday.
After failing to win the IML last season, the Timberlake Tigers will have an exciting chance to see where they match up with the class of 3A football on Friday night in one of the biggest nonconference games ever hosted in Spirit Lake.
Weiser @ McCall-Donnelly
7 p.m. Friday
The 3A Snake River Valley Conference (SRVC) is always Homedale No. 1 and Weiser No. 2, right? Well, maybe not this season, as a new competitor is emerging and will take its shot at the Wolverines on Friday night.
In its first season with former assistant BJ Sorenson at the helm, McCall-Donnelly (4-0, 1-0 SRVC) has already picked up some big wins so far this season, and the Vandals will hunt for another one Friday night at home. The Vandals have a pair of road wins over Nampa Christian and Timberlake already this season, and they will have a lot of confidence after dominating Fruitland 37-14 last week.
Weiser (5-0, 1-0), meanwhile, has continued doing Weiser things this year. The Wolverines have won by an average of 39.2 points this season, demolishing every opponent they have taken the field with thus far.
Both the Vandals and Wolverines were playoff teams a season ago and both appear to be tracking toward that destination once again, as they currently sit at No. 6 and No. 4, respectively, in the MaxPreps rankings.
Weiser has won its past four matchups with McCall-Donnelly dating back to 2017, and the Wolverines pounded the Vandals 47-13 last season. McCall will look to exact some revenge on Friday in what should be an intriguing conference showdown.
Snake River @ Teton
7 p.m. Friday
Another matchup between 2022 3A playoff squads will go down Friday night in Driggs as Snake River travels to take on Teton.
The Panthers (3-2) started 0-2, losing to Richfield (UT) and Kimberly in back-to-back weeks, but they have responded nicely since that point. Snake River has won three in a row over Filer, Soda Springs and South Fremont and still appears to be the team to beat in the three-team 3A South East Idaho Conference (SEIC).
Teton (4-0) was a state semifinalist last season, and the Timberwolves look primed for another deep playoff run later this fall. After annihilating American Falls 40-0 last week, the high-powered Timberwolves continued its streak of 40 or more points with yet another blowout victory.
Teton has yet to be truly challenged this season, but that is likely going to change on Friday when an experienced Snake River team comes to town.
2A
Aberdeen @ Malad
7 p.m. Friday
Two of the teams currently sitting atop the 2A SEIC standings will square off Friday night as Aberdeen plays at conference rival Malad.
A season removed from an impressive run to the 2A state semifinals, the Tigers (3-1, 1-0 SEIC) are right back in the hunt this season. With wins over a pair of 3A squads in American Falls and South Fremont and a 38-0 shutout of Soda Springs, Aberdeen has proven it can win some games in 2023, despite losing some significant contributors from last year. The Tigers' lone loss came in a competitive game at Declo, who is currently ranked No. 1 in 2A.
Malad (4-2, 1-0), meanwhile, went 1-7 last fall and last had a winning season back in 2014. But the Dragons have a lot of optimism around the program after a 4-2 start to the season has them in position to break that nine-year curse and potentially even break into the 2A playoffs.
Last season, Aberdeen mashed Malad 50-8 at home, but with the game being played in Malad on Friday and some new faces on both sidelines, the Dragons are hoping for a much more competitive contest this time around.
Marsing @ Nampa Christian
7 p.m. Friday
It is Homecoming weekend at Nampa Christian, and the Trojans are hosting a huge Western Idaho Conference (WIC) showdown against the Marsing Huskies.
Nampa Christian (3-2, 1-0 WIC) had a tough stretch to start the season, losing to a pair of undefeated teams in Declo and McCall-Donnelly, but the Trojans responded well since that point. After a 54-0 pounding of Parma, the Trojans won 27-21 over 3A Fruitland and took care of WIC rival Cole Valley Christian 17-13 last Friday on the road.
Marsing (4-1, 1-0) has been one of the pleasant surprises of the 2A classification this year. After winning only one game all of last year, the Huskies are off to a 4-1 start and could easily be 5-0 if not for a tight loss at Wendell in Week 2. Led by former NFL linebacker and Marsing/Boise State standout Shea McClellin, the Huskies' calling card has unsurprisingly been its defense, which has held opponents to 12.4 points per game.
Both Nampa Christian and Marsing have their sights set on a WIC crown, and the winner of Friday's showdown will take a big step toward that goal.
Cole Valley Christian @ Melba
7 p.m. Friday
With both squads coming off of tough losses a week ago, Friday's WIC tilt between Cole Valley Christian and Melba will be a must-win for both squads.
The Chargers (2-3, 0-1 WIC) have looked solid at times this season, but have struggled against top competition, dropping games to Wendell, Weiser and last week at home against rival Nampa Christian. If Cole Valley Christian wants to play spoiler at Melba's Homecoming game and get themselves back in the WIC race, they are going to need to clean up some of the mistakes that doomed them last Friday.
Melba (3-1), meanwhile, was riding high going into last week after a huge 34-38 win over North Fremont the week before but the Mustangs struggled in a road contest at Vale (OR), falling 37-12. Despite the loss, Melba still sits at No. 5 in the MaxPreps ranking and remains the favorite to defend its WIC crown.
As the Mustangs celebrate Homecoming this weekend, they will look to open WIC play strong, while the Chargers hope to pick up a much-needed win and break their two-game losing streak.
1AD1
Kendrick vs. Butte County
3:30 p.m. Friday
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In a loaded week for Idaho 8-man football, one matchup that stands out above the rest is two-time defending 1AD2 champion Kendrick versus the No. 4 team in 1AD1 Butte County in a game that will be played at Middleton High School.
Because of some odd scheduling issues this season, the Tigers (3-0) have only played three games so far this year, but they have already shown that they have no intentions of relinquishing their position as the best 8-man team in the state anytime soon. Kendrick has already notched wins over Council, Oakley and Lewis County this season, and the Tigers have not lost since October 2021.
While they do not quite have the pedigree of Kendrick, few teams are as battle-tested as Butte County (5-0) so far this year. The Pirates have won all five of their games by at least 18 points or more and beaten numerous playoff-caliber opponents, including Valley, Camas County and Council.
As both the Tigers and Pirates continue their pursuit of deep playoff runs this season, Friday afternoon's game should be a great opportunity to test themselves against top competition.
Oakley @ Lighthouse Christian
7 p.m. Friday
Speaking of fun games to watch, 1AD1 Snake River Conference (SRC) fans will finally get the matchup everyone has been waiting for on Friday night as the mighty Oakley Hornets, three-time defending 1AD1 champions, travel to Twin Falls to take on Lighthouse Christian in a matchup of the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the classification.
The last time Oakley (4-1, 3-0 SRC) lost to a team not named Kendrick was Oct. 22, 2021, when they fell to fellow SRC rival Raft River. The Hornets dropped a game to the 1AD2 Tigers for the second straight season on Sept. 1, but they have looked dominant aside from that, piling on 53 points per game while giving up less than 24 per contest.
Led by QB Justice Shrader, one of the top 8-man players in the state, Lighthouse Christian (4-0, 2-0) is off to a perfect 4-0 start and already earned some huge wins this season. The Lions took down 2022 1AD1 runner-up Grace in Week 2 and eked out a big win over Carey two weeks ago to preserve their unbeaten record.
Friday's game will likely decide the 2023 SRC champion and impact playoff seeding, but few would be surprised to see these two squads matching up again in November.
Logos @ Potlatch
7 p.m. Friday
Few would have predicted it, but there is no question that, so far this season, Logos and Potlatch are two of the top teams in the 1AD1 Whitepine League (WPL), and on Friday night they will go head-to-head for the top spot in the standings.
The Knights (5-0, 4-0 WPL) have run through their competition this season, scoring 53 points per game while allowing less than 10 on average. Thanks to its strong play so far, Logos has earned the No. 3 spot in the statewide media poll and even received a first-place vote. The Knights, who are only in their third season as a football program, are entering uncharted waters, and they will all but lock up the Whitepine title with a win on Friday at Potlatch.
Despite being picked fifth in the preseason coaches poll, the Loggers (4-0, 3-0) have proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in the WPL this season. After narrowly missing out on the playoffs last fall, Potlatch came out of the gates firing in 2023. The Loggers have not played a close game yet this season and currently have the most prolific offense in 8-man football at 65 points per game.
One of the key battles to watch in Friday's game will be between the two Jacks at quarterback — Jack Driskill for the Knights and Jack Clark, who accumulated 461 yards of offense and five touchdowns in a win over Troy last week, for the Loggers. With two of the top offenses in 1AD1 facing off Friday night, we could be in for some fireworks in Potlatch.
Prairie @ Kamiah
7 p.m. Friday
District II will only get three auto bids to the 1AD1 state playoffs this season, meaning the fourth (and potentially fifth) teams in the standing will need to earn an at-large bid via MaxPreps rankings to make the postseason. Therefore, Friday's game between the two squads likely vying for that third at-large bid, Prairie and Kamiah, is of huge consequence for both teams.
Finishing with a disappointing 4-4 record and a fourth place in the WPL, Prairie was the team that missed the cut line last fall, and the Pirates (3-1, 2-1 WPL) are fighting hard to avoid the same fate this season. The Pirates have looked strong in three of their first four games this season, toppling Troy, Timberline and Genesee, but Prairie got outclassed 50-8 in Week 3 at Potlatch. With games against Lapwai and Logos down the stretch, the Pirates still have a puncher's chance to fight for a WPL title, but only if they win Friday at Kamiah.
Kamiah (3-1, 2-1) was a 1AD1 semifinalist last season and the preseason favorite to repeat as WPL champions, but the Kubs got a big wakeup call on Sept. 8 when Logos came to Kamiah and beat them 40-14. The Kubs have responded nicely with a pair of shutouts over Council and Clearwater Valley in recent weeks, but they now find themselves in a precarious situation in the WPL standings. Kamiah finishes the season on Oct. 20 at Potlatch in a game that could allow them to reach a three-way tie atop the WPL standings, but that is only possible if they hand Prairie at home this week.
With so many playoff implications on the line, Friday's Kamiah-Prairie matchup should be a fun game to watch.
1AD2
Hagerman @ Camas County
4 p.m. Friday
After picking up a huge Homecoming win over 1AD2 Sawtooth Conference opponent Dietrich last week, Hagerman will now have a choice to spoil Homecoming for another conference rival as the Pirates head to Fairfield on Friday afternoon for a game against the Mushers.
After finishing conference play at 3-1 for the second year in a row, Hagerman (4-1, 1-0 Sawtooth) took a huge step toward a playoff berth by taking down the Blue Devils 34-6 last week, earning the No. 5 ranking in 1AD2. In a conference that sent three teams to the 1AD2 state semifinals a season ago, the Pirates always have a major uphill battle to earn one of District IV's three playoff spots. Now, Hagerman can not only essentially lock up a playoff spot, but it also could move toward a potential conference championship with another win this week against Camas County.
Although the MaxPreps ranking is not officially out yet for 1AD2 to confirm this, it is safe to say that Camas County (3-1, 1-0) has the best strength of schedule in the conference thus far, and yet the Mushers still stand at 3-1. The Mushers opened the season with two impressive victories over Rockland and Garden Valley. In week 3, Camas County gave 1AD1 Butte County a run for its money, ultimately falling 46-28.
Friday's Sawtooth Conference showdown will go a long way in determining playoff positioning and the winner will be the clear favorite to claim the conference championship this fall.
Mackay @ North Gem
4 p.m. Friday
Only two teams make the 1AD2 playoffs from the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) this season, and with preseason favorite Rockland likely to grab one of those spots, the other will likely come down to who wins Friday night between Mackay and North Gem.
Playing as an independent team for the first time since 2021, the Miners (3-1) have looked solid this season, opening the year with blowout wins over Richfield and Clark County and grinding out a 28-22 win over Challis last week. Now, as conference play gets underway, Mackay has a chance to do what few thought would be possible this season — earn a 1AD2 playoff bid.
North Gem (3-2) is no slouch, however. Despite opening the year at 0-2, the Cowboys have now won three straight games over Shoshone, Challis and Richfield, putting them in position to earn a playoff spot and compete for the RMC title for the first time since 2021.
Last year, the Challis-Mackay co-op team between North Gem 36-12, but the Cowboys will look to avenge that defeat on Friday afternoon in Bancroft.
Dietrich @ Castleford
7 p.m. Friday
Sawtooth Conference rivals Dietrich and Castleford both made deep playoff runs in 2022, but both the Blue Devils and Wolves are off to 2-2 starts this season. Now, after Dietrich's shocking loss to Hagerman last Friday, the teams' game Friday evening in Castleford could determine who earns the third and final playoff bid from District IV.
The Blue Devils (2-2, 0-1 Sawtooth) came just eight points shy of a state title last season, but they lost a lot of talent from that team, which averaged 56.8 points per game and allowed less than 15 per contest. Dietrich, which has wins over Rockland and Mackay but losses to Garden Valley and Hagerman, is only scoring 30.5 per game this year while giving up more than 32 on average.
Castleford (2-2, 1-1) had the second-best defense in 1AD2 last season, allowing less than 10 points per game and guiding the Wolves to a semifinal appearance, but they have given up almost 37 per game so far in 2023. The Wolves beat North Gem and Shoshone, but they have a pair of blowout losses to Garden Valley and Rockland already this year as well.
With both teams essentially playing for their playoff lives, Friday's rivalry game should be one of the better 1AD2 contests on tap this weekend.
BOYS SOCCER
Coeur d'Alene Charter @ Bonners Ferry
6 p.m. Friday
With very few truly meaningful games on the schedule this weekend, the one boys soccer game to watch will go down under the lights Friday evening in Bonners Ferry as the top two squads in the 3A IML clash for the second time this season.
Coeur d'Alene Charter (6-2-2, 5-0-1 IML) came out strong this season and has looked like the best team in the IML for most of the season. The highlights for the Panthers this season include a 0-0 draw against District III power McCall-Donnelly in the season opener, a pair of wins over Timberlake, a 1-0 victory against St. Georges School (WA) and a 2-1 win against Bonners Ferry back on Sept. 9. Charter has slipped a bit recently, however, taking a surprising 1-1 draw against Grangeville last weekend and losing 2-0 to Post Falls on Monday.
Bonner Ferry (7-3-1, 6-1-1) lost three of its first six matches this season, but the Badgers have gone 4-0-1 since that point. The marquee victories for the Badgers include a 5-0 drubbing of 2022 IML champion Timberlake and a 2-0 win over Stillwater Christian (MT) last week.
In a league that sends only two teams to state, seeding for the district tournament is incredibly important, making Friday's match huge for both squads. A Charter win or draw would virtually guarantee them the No. 1 spot, whereas a Badgers win could force a tie atop the standings.
GIRLS SOCCER
Sugar-Salem @ Marsh Valley
3 p.m. Friday
Based on the current MaxPreps standings, if the 3A state playoffs started today, Sugar-Salem would be the No. 1 seed and Marsh Valley would be No. 4.
That means Saturday's match in Arimo currently has the potential to be a state semifinal game if all things stay the same (which we know never happens in soccer — just ask the Diggers about that after last year).
Regardless, Saturday's heavyweight clash between the undefeated Diggers (13-0) and the talented Eagles (11-3-1) should be a good nonconference tune-up for both squads before district playoff action gets underway next week.
Sugar-Salem, which has scored 90 goals while allowing only six, has played very few competitive matches this season, but one of them was a narrow 2-0 win over Marsh Valley back on Sept. 2.
Marsh Valley, meanwhile, currently sits atop the 3A SEIC standings and will be tested twice this weekend with this match against Sugar-Salem and an away contest at Snake River (8-7) on Saturday.
Thunder Ridge @ Pocatello
11 a.m. Saturday
Despite coming in at No. 2 in the statewide media poll, Pocatello (14-0) has already clinched the 4A SEIC title for the third straight year and will look to cap off an undefeated regular season with a win over 5A power Thunder Ridge (9-4-1).
The Thunder have outscored opponents 76-7 this season and have already bested all three of the Titans' fellow 5A District 5-6 cohorts this season. Barring a total collapse in the district tournament, Pocatello will receive the No. 1 seed at state.
After earning a 5A state playoff bid a season ago, Thunder Ridge has put itself in a position to compete for a spot again this year, but they are going to need to finish the regular season strong and head into the district tournament with some momentum. The Titans will get their shot at Pocatello on Saturday before traveling to district rival Madison on Tuesday for the season finale.
Moscow @ Coeur d'Alene
2 p.m. Saturday
The combined 4A/5A IEL has been an absolute bloodbath this season with teams constantly beating up on each other and no clear hierarchy within the standings. As the regular season glides to a close, Moscow (6-3-2, 6-3-1 IEL) and Coeur d'Alene (5-3-2, 5-3-2) will get one final shot at each other before each squad's respective district tournaments get underway in the coming weeks.
For the 4A Bears, the season seemingly always comes down to a district championship match against archrival Sandpoint, and the margins appear to be razor-thin this year. Moscow lost 1-0 to the Bulldogs on Aug. 30 but bounced back to earn a draw 2-2 against them last Thursday. Against the 5A IEL schools this year, Moscow has posted an impressive 4-2 record, including a 2-0 home win against the Vikings back on Oct. 7.
Coeur d'Alene came up just short of the 5A State Tournament last fall, falling in a state playoff game for the third consecutive season. The Vikings have not made state since winning the 5A consolation title back in 2019.
With Lake City regressing this season after nearly a half-decade of dominance in the 5A IEL, Coeur d'Alene seemed poised to break that streak. But Lewiston has emerged out of nowhere as the league frontrunner and apparent team to beat at districts.
The Vikings gave the Bengals their only league loss this season in August and tied Lewiston in the rematch, but Coeur d'Alene will need a win Saturday to get the No. 2 seed at districts since the Vikings lost twice to Lake City this year.
VOLLEYBALL
Battle of the Best Tournament
As its name denotes, many of Idaho's best volleyball teams will battle it out this weekend in Rexburg at the Battle of the Best Tournament hosted by defending 5A champion and No. 4-ranked Madison.
The 5A field includes several more top-ranked squads, including Timberline (No. 2), Owyhee (No. 5), Boise, Coeur d'Alene, Thunder Ridge and Rigby. Four 4A teams will compete with No. 1 Bonneville and No. 3 Idaho Falls headlining a group that also will feature Wood River and Columbia. The 3A classification's No. 3 team, Fruitland, will participate this weekend as well as South Fremont.
With district and state tournaments just around the corner, Friday and Saturday's action will provide a great playoff atmosphere for all of these talented teams.
Malad Tournament
The current No. 1 team in 2A is hosting a home tournament this weekend for some of the best small-school volleyball teams in the state.
Malad will be joined by No. 3 Declo, Bear Lake, Ririe and West Jefferson from the 2A ranks as well as Butte County, which is the top team in the "also receiving votes" section of the 1AD1 statewide coaches poll.
Linda Sheridan Volleyball Classic
While Coeur d'Alene travels to Rexburg over the weekend, many of the Vikings' fellow North Idaho powers will play in the prestigious Linda Sheridan Volleyball Classic in Spokane.
Post Falls, currently checking in at No. 3 in the 5A rankings headline the field, and the Trojans will be joined by fellow 5A IEL foe Lake City, as well as Lakeland, Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, Kellogg and Genesee.
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