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 ORDER GAME PHOTOS
As I walked outside this morning, I quickly realized what time of year it was.
With snow on the ground and the 20-something-degree air brisling my face, I recognized: it's playoff football weather outside, and that means it's winning time.
The opening weekend of the 2023 Idaho High School Football State Playoffs was fun. We saw a few games come down to the final play, while other squads dominated from the opening kickoff.
But now, as we enter the quarterfinal round, the true elite teams will start to make themselves known.
Will we see some upsets this weekend, or will the same familiar faces continue to prevail? I can't wait to see it all unfold on IdahoSports.com.
Here are Brandon Baney and I's breakdown of all 24 games this weekend.
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
West #5 Owyhee vs. East #1 Highland @ Holt Arena
5:30 p.m. Friday
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Neither Owyhee nor Highland has lost a game since mid-September, and the Storm and Rams will look to keep their respective winning streaks alive Friday night at Holt Arena as they vie for a spot in the 5A semifinals.
Under the direction of first-year head coach Jason Burton, Owyhee (8-2) has met (if not exceeded) its winning expectations so far this fall, but the work is still unfinished for the Storm.
The Storm surged for a game-winning goal-line stand on defense to cap a thrilling 28-21 overtime win against Southern Idaho Conference (SIC) rival Boise last Friday at Dona Larsen Park, avenging a 10-7 defeat to the Brave during the regular season. Owyhee has now won five straight games and has been playing like a championship-caliber squad all season.
Highland (8-1), led by second-year head coach Nick Sorrell, picked up a second straight District 5-6 title this fall, ensuring homefield advantage through the semifinal round (assuming the Rams survive). The Rams have been dominant all season long, losing only once to defending 5A runner-up Meridian.
In addition to Sorrell at the helm, Highland brought back a ton of difference makers this fall, but most notable are seniors Drew Hymas (74-of-113, 1,034 yards, 14 TD, 3 INT) and Jackson Riddle (1,452 yards from scrimmage, 16 total TD). Hymas and Riddle have been the headliners, but the Rams also bolster a stellar defense that has held opponents to 15.1 points per game this season.
Friday's showdown between the Storm and Rams should be a fun one to watch, and the winner will advance to a semifinal matchup against either Meridian or Mountain View next week.
West #7 Mountain View @ West #1B Meridian
7 p.m. Friday
I think it is safe to say that the 2023 season has not gone exactly according to plan for either Mountain View or Meridian, two teams that met in the 5A semifinals a season ago but have lost some head-scratching games this fall.
But I think it is also safe to say that a big win on Friday night would go a long way for either program in erasing some of those bad memories from earlier this year.
Mountain View (7-3) had a lot of momentum building from last year's darkhorse run to the state semis, and the Mavericks rode that right into the first few weeks of the 2023 season. The Mavericks took down Meridian 31-26 in their season opener then followed that up with a 24-14 victory over Rocky Mountain that made a lot of folks wonder whether Moutain View was the team to beat this year.
Then, things got a little harry, as the Mavericks dropped a shocker at home to Owyhee and fell again by two scores against upstart Boise. Mountain View again did not have the firepower to hang with Eagle, losing 28-14 on Oct. 6.
But give head coach Brian Compton and his squad a lot of credit because they have stayed the course, and they are right back in position to get back to where they were a season ago. Mountain View went on the road to Post Falls last week and stymied the highest-scoring offense in 5A, winning 24-14 to force a rematch with the all-too-familiar Warriors of Meridian.
Much like Mountain View, Meridian (6-3) is another team that has overcome a lot of adversity to be where it is this week. After coming oh-so-close to capturing the 5A state title last fall, the Warrior lost another heartbreaker in Week 0 to Eagle before dropping the aforementioned game against Mountain View.
The Warriors did not let the 0-2 start get them down, however, as they rebounded to win their next six straight games to capture the SIC Foothills Division crown and set up a rematch with Eagle in the SIC Championship Game. Meridian put up a valiant effort in that showdown two weeks ago but ultimately lost on a walk-off two-point conversion by a score of 22-21.
So the question persists: Will Meridian get the monkey off their back, avenge the Aug. 25 loss to Mountain View and earn another trip to the 5A semis, or will the Mavericks swoop in to play spoiler one more time? Whoever survives this clash will move on for a semifinal tilt against the Owyhee-Highland winner next weekend.
East #2 Rigby @ West #1A Eagle
7 p.m. Friday
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It's hard to say if this colossal showdown between two-time defending 5A champion Rigby and the undefeated and unanimous No. 1 team this season, Eagle, is a fitting quarterfinal matchup or a huge bummer for fans of these teams. In some ways, it is both.
Much like Meridian, Rigby (6-4) has not had the season it would have expected after winning the 5A title last fall. The Trojans, who returned numerous contributors to their previous championship teams, not only opened the year 0-3 but also faltered against Highland for the second year in a row, finishing second in District 5-6 and being forced to play on opening weekend.
Then again, the Trojans are no strangers to the position they currently find themselves in. In an odd twist of fate, Rigby is playing against the exact opponent that it shockingly upended in the quarterfinal round a season ago. The Trojans had no problem last week in a 42-16 win over Middleton, and they will have no problem exploiting the Mustangs again this week if Eagle does not bring its A-game.
Eagle (9-0) may still have a zero in the loss column this year, but the Mustangs sure do have a flair for the dramatic. The Mustangs, who have been the top-ranked team in 5A for more than half the season, are 4-0 in one-possession games this season.
While the Mustangs have won games in a variety of ways this season, two of the biggest factors in their success have been a nearly unstoppable run game and a stymying defense. In other words, Eagle is winning on the line of scrimmage nearly every week.
Running back Noah Burnham has amassed 1,179 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground and defensively, the Mustangs have held teams to an average of only 251 yards and 16.2 points per game.
Rigby is on the hunt for a fourth championship since 2019 this fall while Eagle and first-year head coach James Cluphf are looking for the school's first state title since 2009. Either the Trojans or Mustangs will take one step towards that goal on Friday night, advancing to a semifinal against either Rocky Mountain or Coeur d'Alene.
West #3 Rocky Mountain @ North #1 Coeur d'Alene
7 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
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Two familiar foes will take the field against one another on Friday in Coeur d'Alene as the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies make their second trip of the year up north to face the Vikings.
Rocky Mountain (7-3) played at Coeur d'Alene back on Aug. 25 in a game that it won 16-0. The Griz were 2-0 at that point and looked primed to be one of the top competitors in the loaded SIC this fall. Then Rocky lost two straight to Mountain View and Eagle, falling again several weeks later to SIC Foothills Division rival Meridian for the second year in a row.
Despite missing out on the SIC Championship Game again, the Grizzlies have responded well, winning three straight games (including a 30-15 victory over Borah last week) and putting themselves in position to play for another semifinal appearance. Rocky Mountain is in a nearly identical position to where it was just a season ago when it beat Post Falls 22-0 in the 2022 quarterfinals.
With a win over the Vikings already under their belt, the Grizzlies can get off the bus on Friday confident, but hopefully not too prideful because this is a much-improved Coeur d'Alene team from the one they stifled back in August.
Coeur d'Alene (7-2) made a huge statement in Week 0 when it went to Washington-Grizzly Stadium in Missoula, Montana, and took down two-time defending 5A champion Rigby 27-21, intercepting Montana commit and defending 5A Player of the Year Luke Flowers four times in the win. But the aforementioned Vikings' shutout loss at home against Rocky Mountain revealed some underlying issues on the offensive side of the ball.
So head coach Shawn Amos made a gutsy decision that potentially saved Coeur d'Alene's season and helped the Vikings win the 5A Inland Empire League (IEL). Amos moved senior Jamison Kizziar to wide receiver and elected to start sophomore Caden Symons at quarterback. The move has paid dividends for Kizziar, Symons and the entire Vikings team.
In seven games at QB, Symons has thrown for 1,489 yards, 14 touchdowns and only three interceptions, while Kizziar has excelled as a receiver (16 catches, 291 yards, 3 TDs) and lockdown defensive back. Since the switch, Coeur d'Alene's only loss was a 28-16 defeat at Woodinville (WA). And all of that is not even mentioning the fact that the Vikings have the best scoring defense in 5A, allowing a mere 13.2 points per game.
Whoever wins this rematch will advance to play either Rigby or Eagle next week in the 5A semifinals.
4A
#8 Skyview @ #1 Hillcrest
7 p.m. Friday
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Two of the most powerful passing attacks in the state will go head-to-head on Friday night at Thunder Stadium in an intriguing 8-1 matchup between Skyview and Hillcrest.
After a disappointing result against Bishop Kelly in the regular season finale, Skyview (7-3) bounced back last week for a thrilling 21-14 victory over a pesky Shelley squad.
The Hawks got it done thanks to the prolific QB-WR duo of senior Cache Beus (2,078 passing yards, 22 TD, 4 INT) and junior Mason Krahn (823 yards receiving, 11 TD). Beus and Krahn connected for two scores last week, including the game-winner with less than three minutes left in the game.
If Skyview wants to slay the giant that is No. 1 Hillcrest, expect another big game from those two.
Hillcrest (10-0) got off to a slow start in their first-round matchup against Canyon Ridge last weekend, but once the Knights got things rolling, it was all downhill from there in a 35-0 route of the Riverhawks.
Senior quarterback Peyton King (1,529 yards, 15 TD, 3 INT) has been the heartbeat of the Knights offense this season, but it was Hillcrest's ground game that got it done in round one. Trason Keller, Braxton Battleson, Tyson Sweetwood and Canon Davis all had rushing scores last week, and the Knights stymying defense pitched its third shutout of the year.
Whoever wins Friday night will move on to the semifinals, and matchup up against either Skyline or Twin Falls next week.
#5 Skyline @ #4 Twin Falls
7 p.m. Friday
For the second year in a row, Skyline and Twin Falls asserted themselves in the first round of the 4A playoffs, and for the second straight season, the Grizzlies and Bruins will clash in the quarterfinal round.
Skyline (7-3), the three-time defending 4A champion, had little trouble with an over-matched Idaho Falls team last week. The Grizzlies reminded everyone that this is their time of the year, jumping out to a 35-0 lead and rolling to a 45-6 victory.
The Grizzlies have taken a couple of lumps this season, but as we seem to see every year, head coach Scott Berger's team is playing well when it matters most. One key note for Skyline, however, is the fact that they are only a No. 5 seed this season, meaning it will not only have to go on the road on Friday to Twin Falls but the Grizzlies would also likely play another road game next week if they were to advance.
At 403 yards of offense and 33 points per game, Skyline certainly has the necessary scoring ability to win, but the key will be how its defense fairs against the formidable Bruins' attack.
Twin Falls (9-1) has the second-highest scoring offense in 4A this year at 45.1 points per game, but it was the Bruins' defense and special teams that showed out last week in a 28-12 win over Lakeland. The Bruins gave up only one offensive touchdown on the night and they also returned a blocked punt for a score in the victory.
With veteran Austin Crum at quarterback (1,585 yards, 17 TD, 4 INT) and Wyatt Solosobal at running back (1,238 total yards, 23 total TD), Twin Falls certainly has the firepower to hang with an elite team like Skyline. The question for the Bruins will be how the defense shows up. Twin Falls has only allowed 14.5 points per game, and it is going to need a rousing performance on that side of the ball to get the win.
Whichever team gets it done on Friday in the Magic Valley will move on to play the Hillcrest-Skyview winner next week in the semis.
#10 Emmett @ #2 Bishop Kelly
7 p.m. Friday
Bishop Kelly has played one close game all season: a 42-35 win over Emmett on Oct. 6. So it's safe to assume that the Huskies will not play scared on Friday night, despite facing one of the most categorically dominating teams not named Sugar-Salem or Kendrick.
Emmett (7-3) survived the most tightly-contested game of the week last Friday, taking down No. 7 Minico 34-33 in a game that featured 10 — yes 10!!! — lead changes. Talk about a back-and-forth affair.
In some ways, last week's result was a picture of Emmett's season. The Huskies looked great at some points while struggling at other times, yet their resiliency never subsided. When Emmett lost badly to Skyview on Sept. 14 and then dropped another game the following week to Twin Falls, the Huskies could have cashed it in.
Instead, they rebounded to win four of their last five games and came within a touchdown of possibly one of the best teams in the entire state. And now the Huskies will get a rematch against the Knights with a spot in the 4A semifinals on the line.
Bishop Kelly (10-0) is just that good. The Knights lead 4A in scoring offense (47.3 points per game), scoring defense (9.8 points allowed per game) and turnover margin (+12).
The Knights showed their strengths last week in a 48-12 romp of Burley. Running back Peter Minnaert (1,318 yards on the year) rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns, adding to his 4A-leading total of 24 scores on the year. Bishop Kelly also had two defensive scores in the win.
Whoever wins this SIC rematch will advance to play the Sandpoint-Pocatello winner next weekend.
#6 Sandpoint @ #3 Pocatello
5:30 p.m. Friday (Mountain Time)
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One of the most intriguing matchups of the weekend will pit two run-heavy teams against one another in Sandpoint and Pocatello. Both the Bulldogs and Thunder bullied their round one opponents with dominating rushing performances, and both squads will look to replicate that success Friday evening at Lookout Credit Union Field.
Sandpoint (7-3) had no problem against Bonneville last week, blasting the Bees 48-0 thanks to the unstoppable duo of running back Kody Brewster and receiver/running back Max Frank.
On the season, Brewster and Frank have combined for 2,586 yards of offense and 31 of the Bulldogs' 45 touchdowns on the year. Junior quarterback Drew Lehman (1,381 yards, 12 TD, 5 INT) went 7-of-12 for 237 yards and one touchdown against Bonneville, and Sandpoint will need another big game from him on Friday if they hope to clinch a fourth straight semifinal appearance.
Pocatello (6-2) has an effective ground game of its own, and the Thunder showed that last week in their 48-28 win over Preston. Senior running back Ryken EchoHawk led the charge for Pocatello in the victory, rushing for 204 yards and three scores. Quarterback Dre Contreras also threw for 208 yards and two TDs in the win.
One of the keys to the Thunder's success this season has been their defense, however. Pocatello has allowed just 13.8 points per game. The 28 they allowed last week was the most the Thunder have allowed in a game all season, and that is saying something considering that they have played against prolific offenses like Twin Falls, Highland and Hillcrest.
Friday night's winner will advance to a semifinal showdown with either Bishop Kelly or Emmett next weekend.
3A
#8 Timberlake vs. #1 Sugar-Salem @ Madison High School
Noon Saturday (Mountain Time)
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For the second time this season, Timberlake and Sugar-Salem will line up against one another.
The Tigers, who lost the first meeting 55-8 on their home field in Spirit Lake, will hope for a different result this time in Rexburg. The Diggers, aiming for their 20th consecutive victory and fifth state title in the last six years, will look to keep chugging along.
After missing out on the 3A Intermountain League (IML) crown last fall, Timberlake (6-4) put together a very respectable season in 2023, and the Tigers looked dominant last week in a 69-27 route of American Falls.
The running back trio of Cooper Lenz (995 yards, 13 TDs), Caius Tebbe (712 yards, 10 TDs) and Vaughn Higgins (598 yards, 11 TDs) make the Tigers a real threat in the ground game. Additionally, quarterback Cole Meidinger and receiver Jacob Yetter have a special connection, connecting on 69 throws this season for a total of 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air.
The key for Timberlake will be the team's defense, which allowed at least 28 points in all four of the team's losses. On the bright side, the Sugar-Salem defeat was the only game the Tigers dropped this season by more than one score. If Timberlake can control the game with its balanced rushing attack and make a big play or two on the outside with Yetter, the Tigers feel they can give the Diggers a run for their money in this rematch.
Much like Bishop Kelly in 4A, Sugar-Salem (8-0) is just completely dominant in every phase of the game. Similar to last season, when the Diggers went 11-0 en route to the state championship, Sugar-Salem has not even played a close game yet this year. The closest margin of victory came in a 31-14 victory over Wyoming's defending 3A champion Star Valley (WY) And that was Star Valley's only loss so far this year.
Offensively, senior running back Carson Harris (1,140 yards, 15 TD) is a bell cow for the Diggers and junior quarterback James Chase (1,057 yards, 11 TD, 2 INT) is an efficient and capable passer when needed. Defensively, senior defensive end Ryan Bingham is an absolute game-wrecker coming off the edge, as he has accounted for 38 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and 5.5 sacks in eight games. On average, Sugar-Salem scores 44.8 points per contest while allowing just 8.5.
Whoever wins on Friday night at Madison High will move on to a semifinal matchup with either Weiser or Kimberly next weekend.
#5 Weiser @ #4 Kimberly
7 p.m. Friday
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The Weiser Wolverines finished as runners-up in the Snake River Valley Conference (SRVC), but thanks to their strong MaxPreps ranking, they only slipped to the number five seed. They will travel to play the Kimberly Bulldogs, statistical juggernauts both offensively and defensively.
After losing in the opening round of the 2022 playoffs, Kimberly (10-0) came into the 2023 season with the experience, skill and confidence needed to put together a special season. The Bulldogs beat Snake River in their season opener 27-20, setting the tone for the rest of the year.
Kimberly went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 2016, and the Bulldogs did so convincingly, scoring 41.7 points per game while allowing a 3A-leading 7.1 points per contest. Most impressive for the Bulldogs has been how balanced they are offensively.
Senior quarterback Kade Larson (1,400 yards, 26 TD, 6 INT) has connected with five different receivers for at least 100 yards and three touchdowns this season. Led by junior Damon Taylor (702 yards, 11 TD), the Bulldogs also have three rushers with more than 250 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Kimberly pounded conference foe Gooding 31-8 last week in the first round of the playoffs, and the Bulldogs will come in confident on Friday night in Weiser.
Despite failing to beat Homedale once again this season, Weiser (9-1) has looked as strong as ever this season, and the Wolverines are hungry for another deep playoff run.
Weiser pounded Marsh Valley 38-16 last week in a complete offensive showcase through the air from quarterback Kolin Cook, who was 5-of-6 for 222 yards and three touchdowns. Cook and wide receiver Brock Spencer have connected for more than 800 yards and 9 scores this year to go along with the Wolverines' two-headed rushing duo of Kaleb Grove (763 yards, 11 TD) and Jayden Walker (533 yards, 10 TDs).
A semifinal showdown with either Sugar-Salem or Timberlake looms for the winner of Friday's clash in Kimberly.
#7 Snake River @ #2 Homedale
6 p.m. Friday
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After losing a shocker in the 2022 opening round, Snake River got the monkey off its back last week with a convincing 28-10 win over Wood River. Things are about to get a lot tougher for the Panthers, however, as they travel to an undefeated and well-rested Homedale squad that is hungry for a state title in 2023.
Snake River (6-4) got off on a bad note this season, losing its first two games to Richfield (UT) and Kimberly, but the Panthers quickly righted the ship and won the 3A South East Idaho Conference (SEIC) for the second straight season.
Quarterback Peyton Williams is a dual-threat option for the Panthers, as he ran for a score and threw for another in Snake River's big win last week. Williams will need another huge performance on Friday if Snake River hopes to keep pace with the Trojans' potent attack.
Homedale (9-0) and head coach Matt Holtry just keep putting together winning seasons and bringing home SRVC titles each year. But the ultimate goal still looms. With both Weiser and archnemesis Sugar-Salem on the opposite side of the bracket, it almost seems inevitable for No. 2 Homedale to make another run to the 3A title game.
If the Trojans do get there, it is going to be thanks in large part to senior quarterback Dillon Fine, who leads 3A with 30 touchdown passes to go along with 1,884 yards and only one interception. In addition to spreading the ball around to four different receivers who have at least 250 yards and four touchdowns, Fine can also get it done with his legs, rushing for 395 yards and seven scores on the year.
The Homedale-Snake River winner will move on to play the Buhl-Teton winner next weekend in the 3A semifinals.
#6 Buhl vs. #3 Teton @ Holt Arena
8:15 p.m. Thursday
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The first 3A game of the weekend, and potentially most entertaining, will go down late Thursday evening at Holt Arena as a pair of capable conference runners-up, Buhl and Teton, converge on Pocatello for a huge quarterfinal clash. The Timberwolves and Indians met a season ago in this same round with Teton winning 53-32, and now they will run it back in 2023.
Buhl (7-3) has lost three games so far this season to teams with a combined record of 28-1 (Declo, Weiser and Kimberly). Outside of those three games, the Indians have handled their business each week, including last Friday when they roared back from down 12-0, stifling McCall-Donnelly for a 20-12 first-round road win.
Senior receiver Kyler Kelly (39 catches, 732 yards, 8 TD) is a big-play threat on the outside for the Indians, and he came up huge with a 27-yard touchdown catch in last week's victory. Buhl also has a balanced rushing attack featuring Riley Brunson (675 yards, 8 TDs), Gabe Finley (503 yards, 7 TDs) and Felipe Villegas (428 yards, 4 TDs). The Indians are going to need to bring their A-game on Thursday because Teton can score in bunches.
Teton (8-1) has the highest-scoring offense in 3A at 45.2 points per game, and it was on full display last week in the Timberwolves' 47-14 pounding of Fruitland.
The Timberwolves are led by 3A's leading passer Jack Nelson, who has 2,713 yards and 26 touchdowns through the air this season. Of those 26 scores, 14 have gone to senior receiver Thomas Heuseveldt who is the state's leader in total touchdowns at 31. Heuseveldt has an insane 1,975 yards from scrimmage in only nine games this year. Not to be overlooked on the Timberwolves' offense is also junior running back Jack Joyce, who has 1,079 rushing yards and 11 scores on the season.
Teton lost 41-14 against Sugar-Salem on Oct. 13, but every other game has not been close.
The winner of this showdown will advance to play either Homedale or Snake River next weekend in the semifinals.
2A
#8 Grangeville @ #1 Declo
1 p.m. Saturday (Mountain Time)
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2A’s top-ranked Declo Hornets enjoyed a first round bye, and will now embark into the quarterfinal round as the lone undefeated team remaining.
How has Declo done it this year? With incredible balance on offense, and with a stingy defense that prides itself on takeaways. Declo has allowed 20 or more points only three times this year (two of those occurrences came against fellow 2A quarterfinalists Aberdeen and West Side.)
On offense, Will Garrard pilots an extremely efficient offense. Receiver Gavin Rasmussen is a matchup nightmare, and the 6-foot, 180-pound junior is an electrifying kick returner, also. Girard mostly leans on Max Snedaker and Bode Backenbury to run the rock, but the senior signal-caller isn’t afraid to call his own number at times, as well.
Grangeville is the champion of the Central Idaho League in northern Idaho’s District 1-2. The Bulldogs went 4-3 this season, and also enjoyed a first-round bye. Grangeville has crossed the 40-point barrier on offense five times this season, and went 3-1 in those games, losing a 52-49 shootout to New Plymouth.
Junior quarterback David Goicoa has no shortage of weapons to get the ball to, including Cooper Poxleitner, Jaden Legarreta, Carter Mundt, Ray Holes and Cody Klement. All of those athletes also play defense, with the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Mundt excelling at defensive end.
The winner of this contest will play the winner of the Melba-Nampa Christian affair.
#5 Melba @ #4 Nampa Christian
7 p.m. Friday
Two familiar faces meet up for the second time in three weeks, as these same squads met in the regular season finale. Nampa Christian won that battle, 36-22.
The Trojans finished with 429 yards of total offense in that win over Melba, and started fast. Quarterback Aiden Thompson threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Szilagyi in the opening quarter of play, and that penchant for big-yardage scores proved to be an asset. Leading 21-14 in the fourth quarter, Matthew Nevarez ripped off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Trojans the breathing room it needed.
Melba, meanwhile, continues their District 3 reunion tour after defeating fellow league foe Marsing in their playoff opener last week, 34-14. The Mustangs stuck to the ground game in the win last week, and will likely try to control the clock against Nampa Christian with the running of Cutter Beus, Rylan Frank and others.
The winner of this game advances to the semifinals against either Declo or Grangeville.
#7 Bear Lake @ #2 North Fremont (in Holt Arena)
5:30 p.m. Thursday
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Despite the number seven next to their names, the Bear Lake Bears are still the defending 2A state champions. They reminded everyone of that fact with last week’s statement win over Wendell in the opening round, 42-0.
Bear Lake quarterback Rhett Lloyd threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score, and the Bears defense also returned an interception for a score. In the blink of an eye, the lead was 21-0 in the first quarter, and Bear Lake rolled from there.
The Bears will increase the degree of difficulty this week, as they battle 7-1 North Fremont. These two met in the season opener back in August, and the Huskies emerged victorious by a 28-6 margin. Now, Bear Lake has definitely improved since that first game, but so has North Fremont.
The Huskies love running a diverse option attack featuring a bevy of ball-carriers. You’re never quite sure which athlete will handle the ball on any given play, and coach Ben Lenz’s offense is humming right now. Jed Hill quarterbacks the attack, and hands off to Jacob Hill, Karson Bohn and others.
Whoever survives this battle will play the winner of the Aberdeen-West Side quarterfinal.
#6 Aberdeen @ #3 West Side
6 p.m. Friday
Nothing quite like facing a conference rival with a trip to the semifinals on the line.
West Side won the regular season matchup between these squads, by a score of 34-22. Their Wing-T attack is humming as usual, with lead back Tyson Moser crossing the 1,000 yard mark on the season. Quarterback Eli Brown is also an adept passer, and athletes like Crew Sage, Lincoln Henderson, Trayce Stone and Colten Gundersen have all found the end zone multiple times this year, as well.
Aberdeen continues to defy the odds. Starting quarterback Gage Driscoll has been out all season with an injury, and sophomore Lupe Ortiz has been thrust into the starting lineup. All he did was engineer a 22-14 win over Firth in last week’s opening round.
The Tigers held the ball for nearly the entire third quarter in the win, and Hiatt Beck scored the game-winner from a yard out with just two minutes to play. This is an Aberdeen team that wants to keep the score low and the clock on their side.
The winner of this contest will play either Bear Lake or North Fremont.
1AD1
#8 Notus @ #1 Oakley
6 p.m. Friday
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It certainly appears as if Notus is walking into the proverbial Hornets’ nest on Friday in Oakley.
The Pirates are banged up, and have had to navigate a series of devastating injuries throughout the year. Starting running back Gunnar Campbell suffered a season ending injury during summer camp, ending his season before it could even begin.
In Campbell’s absence, veteran coach Joe Woodland moved top receiver Grayson Benitez to running back, and the move has paid off: Benitez has totaled nearly 1,800 yards of offense this season. His workload will only increase now that starting quarterback Benny Guevara also finds himself on the shelf with an injury.
Oakley is deep and balanced. Kyler Robinson leads the offensive attack, and can lean on All-State running back Bry Severe if needed. More often than not, though, Oakley hasn’t needed to give Severe a heavy workload, instead relying on playmakers like Isaac Cranney, Bridger Duncan, Kooper Beck, and Braig Bench.
The winner of this quarterfinal match will play the winner of Grace vs. Kamiah.
#5 Grace @ #4 Kamiah
6 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
This game is expected to be played on a sloppy, soggy field at Kamiah High School. And both teams wouldn’t have it any other way.
Both of these teams pride themselves on punishing running attacks and stout defensive units. Kamiah flexed their muscles in a 56-22 victory over Idaho City in last week’s opening round. Check out the rushing totals:
Connor Weddle (six carries, 144 yards, three touchdowns)
Colton Ocain (ten carries, 117 yards, touchdown)
That’s a lot of big runs that ended in the end zone. Grace will have to stay disciplined defensively, as Kamiah quarterback David Kludt also rushed for 75 yards and a score.
The Grizzlies will also have their hands full on offense trying to contain Kamiah defensive lineman Porter Whipple. Last week, Whipple had seven tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.
#7 Valley vs. #2 Butte County @ Holt Arena
8:15 p.m. Friday
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Both of these teams feature explosive playmakers on both sides of the ball, which means it could be a track meet inside Idaho State University’s Holt Arena on Friday night.
Butte County made a midseason quarterback change, and the move has worked well. Keaton Archibald has starting taking reps at QB, which frees up previous signal-caller Razor Duke to move all over the formation. Brody Westergard is a talented wide receiver/linebacker, and Braxton Gammett has also made several outstanding plays this season.
Valley built up a 30-0 lead over Potlatch in their first round playoff game last week, and held on for a 30-16 victory. Quarterback Josh Hardy is close to eclipsing 1,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing this season, but it’s not just the Hardy Show. Running backs Aaron Damian and Thomas Vargas are tough runners, and wideouts Pedro Robles and Irving Estrada can catch lightning in a bottle, also.
Whoever wins this matchup will face either Murtaugh or Logos.
#6 Murtaugh vs. #3 Logos @ Kibbie Dome
4 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
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Talk about a battle of high octane offense. Both Logos (59.3 ppg) and Murtaugh (54.0 ppg) have no troubles piling on the points. The way they go about it, however…let’s just say there’s differing opinions.
Murtaugh is your classic smash-mouth eight-man football team. The Red Devils line up in the Wing-T and their lead back is Jr. Benites. After missing most of last season with an injury, Benites has been in the lineup every week this year and has rushed for 1,207 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Fellow wingback Eli Merrick has rushed for 716 yards and 13 scores, and quarterback Soyer Young has added 818 yards and 14 TDs. The offensive/defensive linemen trio of Oscar Aburto, Hudson Giles and Teague Gunnell brings a lot of beef up front.
Logos, meanwhile, runs a wide-open spread attack, complete with four wide receivers. Often, quarterback Jack Driskill is alone in the backfield and his versatility (1,875 yards and 29 TDs passing; 922 yards and 16 TDs rushing) causes opposing defenses plenty of headaches.
Driskill shares the love in the passing game, as wideouts Lucius Comis, Dominic Porras, Ryan Daniels, Ben Carlson and Henry Sundlie have all had their time in the spotlight this year. The glue that holds it all together is starting center and defensive end Gunnar Holloway.
Another special distinction is that Logos, in just its third year of varsity football, will be competing in its first postseason football game in school history.
The winner of this battle will face either Valley or Butte County.
1AD2
4B Hagerman @ 1A Mullan/St. Regis
1 p.m. Saturday (Pacific Time)
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Hagerman is making its first postseason appearance in years, and is taking full-advantage. They head into a quarterfinal showdown with a hobbled Mullan/St. Regis squad primed and ready to go.
The Pirates had the largest margin of victory in the opening round of the playoffs last week, as they defeated Mackay 70-0. Running back Martin Gonzales rushed for five touchdowns in the victory, while Wyatt Mavencamp and Ky Kendall also ran for scores. Mavencamp also threw a touchdown to Kendall, and even returned an interception for a touchdown.
Those three athletes are joined in the backfield by fullback Wyatt Hoskovec, and they all operate behind a solid offensive line anchored by Alex Asher and Alex Johnson. Hagerman is 8-2 on the season with their only losses coming to Camas County and Rockland, who are also competing in the quarterfinals.
As for Mullan/St. Regis, the Tigers went 8-1 this en route to the District 1 title and a first round bye. They’ve found success with the one-two punch of John Pruitt and Kofi Appiah in the run game, and freshman quarterback Conner Lulis quietly threw for over 1,000 yards this year.
But there’s no denying that the Tigers are banged up. Mullan/St. Regis is missing five starters for Saturday’s contest. All five contributed to both sides of the ball, so depth is even further tested.
Whoever wins this contest advances to play the winner of Dietrich-Kendrick in the semifinals.
4C Dietrich vs. 2A Kendrick @ Kibbie Dome
1 p.m. Friday (Pacific Time)
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It’s a rematch of last year’s 1AD2 state championship game, a contest that Kendrick narrowly won 42-34.
Despite the close victory, Kendrick has continued rolling. The Tigers carry a 22-game winning streak into Friday’s quarterfinal showdown. The last time Kendrick tasted defeat was in a 24-22 loss to Genesee on October 22nd, 2021.
Senior quarterback Ty Koepp is a heavy favorite to win the 1AD2 Player of the Year award. Koepp has thrown 33 touchdown passes this season, while rushing for seven more. His favorite targets are Hunter Taylor (ten touchdown receptions) and sophomore Nathan Tweit (seven receiving touchdowns).
Sawyer Hewett is another dual-threat at running back, as he’s rushed for nine scores and caught six TDs this year. Wyatt Fitzmoris (four rushing TDs, four receiving TDs) also brings great balance to the backfield.
As impressive as the Kendrick offense is, the Tigers defense is just as sturdy. Kendrick is allowing just over ten points per game, and are led by linebacker Lane Clemenhagen. His propensity for game-altering hits sets the tone for a dominant defensive unit.
Dietrich advanced to the quarterfinals by knocking off District 3 champion Council 50-28 in the opening round last week. The Blue Devils pounced on three Lumberjack fumbles, and cashed in on those opportunities, building up a strong lead that held.
Connor Perkins led the charge. The senior completed 8-of-12 passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 118 yards and two scores, and led the defense with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery. He’ll have to produce a similar stat line for Dietrich to spring the upset two weeks in a row.
The winner of this game advances to the semifinals against either Mullan/St.Regis or Hagerman.
3C Garden Valley @ 4A Camas County
3:30 p.m. Friday
Camas County’s Mushers cruised to a 7-1 record this season. Their lone blemish was a non-conference loss to Class 1AD1 quarterfinalist Butte County.
There’s no shortage of athletes on this Camas County squad. Tristen Smith, Troy Smith, Trevor Tews, Tyson Tupper, Sage Patten and Emmett Palan all handle the ball, and all are capable of scoring from anywhere on the field. They all play defense as well, and it’s not uncommon to see the Mushers finish with two or three takeaways each game.
Garden Valley knows this all too well. The Wolverines traveled to Fairfield to play the Mushers on September 1st, and returned home with a 50-12 loss. Since then, Garden Valley has course-corrected, and gritted out a tough win over Clark Fork in last week’s opening round.
Tacoma Kelly is a true dual-threat quarterback. He passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two scores last week. Fullback Trevor Corn is tough to bring down, and he also paves the way for running back Tim Larsen. Garden Valley doesn’t pass often, but when they do, Max Yearsley is often the target.
The winner of this game faces the Tri-Valley vs. Rockland victor in the semis.
3B Tri-Valley @ 5-6A Rockland
1 p.m. Saturday
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Speed is the theme of this quarterfinal clash. Both sides feature burners that can get loose down the sideline in a hurry.
For Rockland, do-it-all quarterback Teague Matthews leads the charge. The 6-foot-5 Matthews is a passing and rushing threat, and recently took a visit to the University of Utah to talk with Utes coaches about continuing his career there. Aidan Radford and Abe Held are Matthews’ favorite targets in the passing game.
After two losses to fellow 1AD2 quarterfinalists Camas County and Dietrich (in triple overtime), Rockland has righted the ship and enters the postseason on a six-game winning streak. However, it’s been 36 years since the Bulldogs advanced to the semifinal round.
Standing in their way is Tri-Valley. The Titans opened up the postseason with a 32-22 win over Lewis County a week ago. Tri-Valley trailed 14-6 in the second quarter of action, but back-to-back takeaways on defense allowed the Titans to take a 26-14 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Sophomore quarterback Jace Waggoner scored on a pair of touchdown runs, and he also threw a TD to Claytin Harper. Harper is the reigning 1A 100 Meters champion on the track, and has speed to burn. Gage Warren and Harper both scored rushing touchdowns in last week’s win, as well.
A showdown with either Garden Valley or Camas County awaits the winner.
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