ORDER GAME PHOTOS

CLASS 5A

(West #5) Owyhee 28, (West #4) Boise 21 (OT)

After Boise (7-3) defeated Owyhee (8-2) by a 10-7 score in the regular season, the postseason rematch was just as exciting. Owyhee struck first on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Matt Irwin to Aidan Joye. Boise answered on a one-yard strike from Cooper Smith to Duncan Thompson, and the game was tied 7-7 at halftime. The Storm opened up a 21-7 lead on a 52-yard touchdown run from Tim Jamerson and an eight-yard run from Cade Walker. Boise then rallied back in the fourth quarter. A 16-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Schoolfield to Will Gebert brought the Brave to within 21-14. Smith then scored on a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line to tie the game up at 21-21 with just 57 seconds to play. Amazingly, Boise got the ball back one final time in regulation, but a 52-yard field goal attempt missed, sending the game to overtime. In OT, Owyhee had the ball first and scored on an 11-yard pass from Irwin to Joye. Boise’s possession ended with three straight attempts from the one-yard line. The Brave couldn’t cross the plane of the end zone, and Owyhee survived.

(West #7) Mountain View 24, (North #2) Post Falls 14

The Mavericks (7-3) jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead en route to the first round road win. Henry Nelson completed 10-of-18 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite target was Brody Munson, who caught four passes for 76 yards and a pair of scores. Tyler Weaver added five receptions for 55 yards and a TD, and Martin Connington also drilled a 30-yard field goal. Valentin Gomez-Ricks led the ground attack with 128 yards rushing. Post Falls (6-4) was led by Devin Burton’s 90 yards and a touchdown rushing. Wide receiver Alex Shields also scored on a three-yard run.

(East #2) Rigby 42, (West #6) Middleton 16

Middleton (7-3) started inauspiciously, fumbling on their first play from scrimmage. Rigby (6-4) repeatedly took advantage of Middleton mistakes to earn a resounding first-round win. Luke Flowers led the Trojans with 225 yards passing and two touchdowns. Brecken Searle was the top receiver with five catches for 90 yards and both TDs. Payton Klingler rushed for 66 yards and a score, and Carter Freeman returned an interception for a touchdown, as well. Middleton scored on a 27-yard pass from Cash Weeks to Blake Bishop and a ten-yard run from Cole Holman.

(West #3) Rocky Mountain 30, (#12) Borah 15

Rocky Mountain (7-3) opened the scoring with a six-yard touchdown run from Trey Broadbent. Borah (4-6) answered with an 89-yard touchdown run by Jevon Nelson to tie the game at 7-7 after one quarter of play. In the second, Rocky found the end zone again on a two-yard run by Cam Crum, and the Grizzlies led 14-7 at halftime. In the third, Shawn Thompson nailed a 29-yard field goal, and Taeshaun Reese scored from four yards out in the fourth to give the Grizzlies a 23-7 advantage. The Lions attempted a late comeback, as Jacob Detwiler threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Lopez to bring Borah to within 23-15 with 1:05 remaining. But Borah’s subsequent onside kick attempt was returned 48-yards for a touchdown by Brody Swearheart, and the Grizzlies held on for the first round victory.

CLASS 4A

(#1) Hillcrest 35, (#16) Canyon Ridge 0

It took nearly the entire first quarter for Hillcrest (10-0) to score, but once the Knights found their rhythm, they surged past Canyon Ridge (6-4). Trason Keller opened the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run, Braxton Battleson scored from five yards out, and Peyton King threw a 29-yard TD to Jace Jeudy to give Hillcrest a 21-0 halftime lead. Then, in the second half, Hillcrest rounded out the scoring with a nine-yard run from Tyson Sweetwood and a seven-yard run from Canon Davis.

(#8) Skyview 21, (#9) Shelley 14

Skyview (7-3) scored late to snap a 14-14 tie and win a tight opening-round playoff game. Shelley (4-5) opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 31-yard run by Chance Waite. Skyview responded with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Cache Beus to Mason Krahn. The two sides traded scores again in the second quarter, with Shelley notching a three-yard run from Brecker Williams and a Skyview scoring on a six-yard pass from Beus to Ayden Martinez. The score remained tied at 14-14 until the 2:42 mark of the fourth quarter, when Skyview broke through with the game-winner. Beus his Krahn with a 17-yard pass to lift the Hawks to the 21-14 win.

(#4) Twin Falls 28, (#13) Lakeland 12

Twin Falls (9-1) raced out to a 21-0 first-half lead to pick up the first round win. Wyatt Solosabal was featured all over for the Bruins’ offense, catching four passes for 60 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 16 rushing yards and a score. Austin Crum completed 10-of-18 passes for 143 yards and the two touchdowns to Solosabal, and Dalton Carter scored the first points of the game on a blocked punt return for a touchdown. The Hawks scored on an 18-yard run by quarterback Peyton Hillman, and a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown by Roan Reilly.

(#5) Skyline 45, (#12) Idaho Falls 6

Skyline (7-3) took the Emotion Bowl rematch in resounding fashion. After a tight win over Idaho Falls (3-7) in the regular season, the Grizzlies wasted no time in the playoff opener, sprinting out to a 35-0 halftime lead. CarMyne Garcia threw touchdown passes to Zyan Crockett and Amani Morel. Morel also scored two rushing touchdowns, while Crockett added a score on the ground, also.

(#2) Bishop Kelly 48, (#15) Burley 12

Bishop Kelly (10-0) defated Burley (4-6) for the second time this year on their way to the quarterfinal round. Peter Minnaert rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns for BK, whle Ben Avella was 6-of-11 passing for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Alex Sullivan caught three passes for 53 yards and both scores, and Will Sachse and Joe Stroschein each returned a fumble for a touchdown on defense. Mack Jensen threw a pair of touchdown passes to Gatlin Bair.. Bair finished his outstanding high school career with six receptions for 123 yards.

(#10) Emmett 34, (#7) Minico 33 (OT)

This was a tightly contested first round matchup. Emmett (7-3) cashed in on their opening drive of the game, thanks to a two-yard touchdown run from Quentin Smith. The Huskies missed the PAT, leaving the lead at 6-0. Minico (6-4) answered on an 11-yard scramble from quarterback Carson Wayment and a 7-6 lead. Emmett struck again on a 59-yard touchdown run from quarterback Ryder Scheibe, and the Huskies moved back in front 13-7. Minico regained the lead on a 12-yard touchdown strike from Wayment to Dominik Soto. The PAT was good, and the Spartans led 14-13 at halftime. In the second half, Emmett struck on an 75-yard touchdown run from Quentin Smith, but missed the PAT, leaving the advantage at 19-14. But again, Minico answered on their next drive, as Wayment scored on a nine-yard run. Minico missed the PAT, leaving the lead at 20-19 in favor of the Spartans after three quaretrs. In the fourth period, Emmett scored on a 43-yard touchdown run from Isaac Brennan. Emmett went for two, Brennan ran it in, and Emmett led 27-20 with 9:28 to play. Minico answered quickly, as Wayment threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ryker Stimpson with 7:58 remaining, tying the game at 27-27, and sending the game into overtime. In OT, Minico had the ball first, and Wayment scored on an eight-yard run. Minico went for two, and was denied, leaving the score at a precarious 33-27 lead. On Emmett’s possession, Brennan threw a three-yard touchdown to Haus Davis. Lucas Alvarado drilled the PAT, and Emmett celebrated the one-point win in overtime.

(#3) Pocatello 48, (#14) Preston 28

Ryken EchoHawk led the ground game, rushing for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Carson Christensen chipped in with 94 yards and two TDs. Dre Contreras completed 12-of-17 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. His top target was Ty Wilkinson, who caught five balls for 138 yards and both scores.

(#6) Sandpoint 48, (#11) Bonneville 0

Sandpoint (7-3) breezed past Bonneville (4-6) in a first round playoff contest. Drew Lehman completed 7-of-12 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown to Max Frank. Frank totaled 139yards receiving on four grabs, and also rushed for 101 yards and two TDs on just four carries. Kody Brewster rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns, and Shane Sherrill also scored a rushing TD.

CLASS 3A

(#3) Kimberly 31, (#14) Gooding 8

The Bulldogs (10-0) defeated their district rivals for the second time in less than a week by setting the tone on defense early.  Gooding’s opening possession ended abruptly when Chase Tilton scooped up a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown for Kimberly.  Gooding’s second possession ended in similar fashion, as Titus Osterman came down with an interception.  Offensively, Kade Larson threw for 113 yards and two touchdowns (one to Mason Jensen, one to Kasen Hammond).  Larson also rushed for 75 yards and a score.  Gooding (2-8) scored on a 45-yard touchdown pass from Braden Martin to Bryce Patterson.

(#4) Snake River 28, (#13) Wood River 10

Wood River (4-6) struck first on a 32-yard field goal from Conrad Foster to take a 3-0 lead into halftime, but Snake River (6-4) proceeded to score the next 28 points to earn the first round victory. Johnny Jones, Andy Serna and Peyton Williams all rushed for scores for the Panthers, while Williams also threw a touchdown pass to Royal Dalley.

(#5) Timberlake 69, (#12) American Falls 27

Timberlake (6-4) turned on the jets in the second half to race past American Falls (3-7) in a first round playoff game. Cooper Lenz (166 yards, 2 TDs) and Vaughn Higgins (101 yards, 3 TDs) both had strong rushing performances. Higgins also returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown. Caius Tebbe rushed for 63 yards and a score, and Cole Meidinger threw for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Jacob Yetter caught both scores and had three catches for 34 yards. American Falls passed for 192 yards in the win. Dax Brower and Zak Grigg each threw a touchdown pass, and Austin Adair had seven receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown.

(#6) Teton 47, (#11) Fruitland 14

With snow flurries falling all around them, the Teton (8-1) offense remained red-hot, piling up a 33-8 halftime lead.  Thomas Heuseveldt found the end zone three times, scoring on a pair of runs, and also returning a punt 85-yards for a score as the first quarter expired.  Jack Joyce ran in a pair of TDs, and Jack Nelson also hit Ty Brown twice for scores.  Fruitland (2-8) scored on a Coye Coffman touchdown pass and a one-yard run from Ryan Tracy.

(#7) Weiser 38, (#10) Marsh Valley 16

Weiser (9-1) made quick work of Marsh Valley (2-8) in a first round playoff victory. Kolin Cook was 5-of-6 passing for 222 yards and three touchdowns for the Wolverines. His favorite target was Brock Spencer, who caught four of the five completions for 164 yards and and two scores. Jayden Walker caught the other pass for a 58-yard TD, and added 53 yards rushing and a touchdown. Kaleb Grove led the ground game with 78 yards and a score, and Ryndon Olsen also kicked a short field goal. Marsh Valley scored on a 39-yard field goal from Seth Bartschi, a two-yard run from Corbridge Bastian, and a 25-yard pass from Keaton Belnap to Chandler Bennett.

(#9) Buhl 20, (#8) McCall-Donnelly 12

McCall-Donnelly (6-3) scored on their first drive of the game, as Maddox Arnold threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jack Duncan. The PAT was blocked, leaving the score at 6-0. The Vandals struck again on their second drive, as Arnold threw an eight-yard strike to Ethan Roberts. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and the Vandals led 12-0. But from there, the Buhl (7-3) defense dug in, and didn’t allow a single point the rest of the way. Meanwhile, the Buhl offense did its job, scoring on a seven-yard run from Felipe Villegas, a one-yard sneak from Gabe Finley, and a 27-yard touchdown pass from Finley to Kyler Kelly. All three scores came before halftime, as the frozen, snow-covered field at McCall proved to be tough to navigate through in a scoreless second half.


CLASS 2A

(#1) Melba 34, (#6) Marsing 14

After a tight, come-from-behind win by Melba (7-2) over Marsing (5-4) in the regular season, the Mustangs left no doubt in their playoff rematch. Melba scored on a pair of short touchdown runs in the first half to take a 14-0 lead into the intermission. Marsing cut the gap to 14-8 on their opening drive of the third quarter, but Melba answered with rushing scores on back-to-back drives in the third quarter to extend the lead to 28-8. Each side traded scores in the fourth quarter of play, but Melba’s strong play in the middle periods helped the Mustangs advance.

(#2) Aberdeen 22, (#5) Firth 14

Firth (3-5) scored first on a touchdown pass on a 40-yard pass from Darrell Vasquez to Fisher Arnold, taking an 8-0 lead in the first quarter of action. Aberdeen (6-3) answered on a nine-yard touchdown run from Juan Hernandez to tie the game at 8-8. Tigers quarterback Lupe Ortiz then scored on a two-yard plunge, and Aberdeen led 14-8 at halftime. The score remained the same through the third period of action, but Firth struck early in the fourth on a one-yard run from Beau Ringel to tie the game at 14-14. Undeterred, Aberdeen marched the ball down the field on a time-consuming drive, and capped it off with a one-yard run from Hiatt Beck with 1:59 to play. The two-point conversion was successful, and the Aberdeen defense held strong in the 22-14 win.

(#3) Bear Lake 42, (#4) Wendell 0

Bear Lake (5-4) zoomed out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a touchdown pass and run from Rhett Lloyd, and a pick-six by the Bears defense. Wendell (5-5) eas led by Jesse Chavez’s 56 yards rushing.

CLASS 1AD1

(#1) Kamiah 56, (#8) Idaho City 22

Kamiah (8-1) led 56-0 at one point on their way to the first round win. Connor Weddle rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns on just six carries for the Kubs, while Colton Ocain added 117 yards and a score on ten totes. Quarterback David Kludt rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown, and completed 4-of-6 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown to Tug Loughran. Porter Whipple led the defense with seven tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Tell Jewell, Trey Martiny and Ruari Mulrey each scored a rushing touchdown for Idaho City (2-6).

(#2) Grace 28, (#7) Carey 6

Grace (6-3) slowly pulled away to pick up the first round playoff win.  Sophomore quarterback Gavin Draper threw touchdown passes of 25 yards to Koby Rindlisbaker and 40 yards to Braden Kimball, and also ran for a touchdown.  Wyatt Cutler scored a rushing TD to round out the scoring for the Grizzlies.  Carey (3-6) quarterback Preston Wood scored on a one-yard run.

(#3) Murtaugh 64, (#6) Lighthouse Christian 26

For the second time in less than a week, Murtaugh (7-2) defeated their conference rivals from Lighthouse Christian (5-4).  The Red Devils piled up 426 rushing yards on offense in the victory, with quarterback Soyer Young leading the charge.  Young rushed for 221 yards and five touchdowns, while also completing 3-of-4 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown to Sway Stanger.  Eli Merrick and Jr. Benites each rushed for an identical 92 yards, with Merrick also finding the end zone twice.  Benites also threw a touchdown pass to Stanger.  Lighthouse Christian’s Justice Schrader passed for 170 yards and three touchdowns (two to Johnny Millenkamp, one to Case van Leeuwen), while Millenkamp rushed for 93 yards.

(#4) Valley 30, (#5) Potlatch 16

The Vikings (6-4) led 30-0, then withstood a spirited comeback attempt from Potlatch (6-3) in the fourth quarter. Thomas Vargas opened the scoring with a nine-yard touchdown run, and also returned a fumble 35-yards for a score. Josh Hardy threw a nine-yard score to Nathan Christensen, and Aaron Damian scored on a 13-yard run for Valley, as well. Potlatch’s Jack Clark threw a 10-yard touchdown to Benton Breeze and a 73-yard strike to Ben Johnson during the Loggers’ rally.


CLASS 1AD2

(4B) Hagerman 70, (5-6B) Mackay 0

Hagerman (8-2) flexed its muscles in a first-round triumph over Mackay (4-4). Martin Gonzalez scored five rushing touchdowns for the Pirates, while Wyatt Mavencamp and Ky Kendall also scored on the ground. Mavencamp also threw a touchdown pass to Kendall, and Mavencamp took an interception back for a TD on defense.

(4C) Dietrich 50, (3A) Council 28

Dietrich (6-3) earned a first-round stunner on the road, toppling District 3 champion Council (6-4), thanks to a staunch defense and explosive offense.  The Lumberjacks actually scored first on a three-yard run from Dahlton Bingham, but back-to-back fumbles on their next two possessions allowed Dietrich to capture a 14-8 lead after one quarter of play, and the Blue Devils never looked back.  Connor Perkins completed 8-of-12 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed for 188 yards and two scores.  Wyett Sneddon added 55 yards and two TDs on the ground, while Rhein Rhesz, Chase Norman and Brody Torgerson all caught touchdown passes.  Perkins also led the Devils’ defense with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Sneddon recovered two fumbles.  Bingham rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns for Council, and Owen Hatfield also threw a touchdown pass to Decker McLinn.

(3C) Garden Valley 54, (1B) Clark Fork 36

Garden Valley (7-3) turned a tight 21-14 halftime lead into a 54-36 win with a second-half barrage of points. Tacoma Kelly threw three touchdown passes (two to Max Yearsley, one to Tim Larsen), and also ran for a pair of scores. Trevor Corn rushed for two touchdowns, and Yearsley also returned a kickoff 55 yards for a TD. Clark Fork (4-4) was led by Cole Mintken’s three rushing touchdowns. Ethan Howard also threw a pair of touchdows to Chase Sanroman.

(3B) Tri-Valley 32, (2B) Lewis County 22

Tri-Valley (7-2) exploded for 20 unanswered points in the second quarter, turning a 14-6 deficit into a 26-14 halftime lead. Quarterback Jace Waggoner scored on a pair of touchdown runs for the Titans, and also threw a touchdown pass to Klaytin Harper. Harper and Gage Warren also scored on TD runs. Lewis County (4-6) was paced by Gage Crow’s three rushing touchdowns.