(IdahoSports.com will live stream the game starting at 6:50 p.m. Click here to watch.)

The Highland Rams and Rigby Trojans resume their heated rivalry Friday night on the IdahoSports.com Gem State Game of the Week.

The IdahoSports.com Gem State Game of the Week features Idaho’s best broadcasters, multiple camera angles, and enhanced graphics, and is reserved for the top matchup in the state of Idaho each week.

The Rams are the defending state champions at the Class 6A (previously Class 5A) level, and carry an unblemished 6-0 mark into Friday’s High Country Conference showdown.

However, the Rams have had several close encounters this season.  Their average margin of victory is just 9.6 points per game.

Contrast that with Rigby.  The Trojans started the season with a 24-14 road loss at Coeur d’Alene, but have snapped off four convincing victories since for a 4-1 overall mark.  Rigby’s average margin of victory is 16.6 points per game, a full touchdown better than Highland.

Of course, they don’t play the games on paper.  The past two encounters between Highland and Rigby have been fierce, as the Rams carry a two-game winning streak into Friday’s tilt.

In 2023, Highland scored late in the fourth quarter to defeat Rigby 22-19.  The game-winning score came on a trick play, as wide receiver Rhidge Barela threw a touchdown pass to Jackson Riddle.

Barela was also involved in a late Highland win in 2022.  The Rams trailed Rigby by 21 points in the fourth quarter of that game, but staged a comeback for the ages that was capped off by a successful two-point conversion pass to Barela to propel the Rams to a 43-42 triumph.

Fortunately for Rigby, Barela has since graduated.  In fact, Highland lost 21 of 22 starters to graduation this past spring.  The lone returning starter, cornerback Kai Callen, moved to Georgia this summer, so head coach Nick Sorrell was starting with a completely new group of players, which makes the Rams’ 6-0 start even more impressive.

Junior quarterback Keaton Belnap, a transfer from Class 4A Marsh Valley, has completed 58.7% of his passes this season for 743 yards and seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

Sophomore Cedric Mitchell leads the ground game with 482 yards and three touchdowns.  The speedster is averaging six yards per carry.  Belnap has added 261 yards and six scores rushing.

Senior Lana Alvarico has caught 15 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, while Mitchell has added 20 grabs for 203 yards and a pair of scores.

The Highland defense has been tough to score on this year, as ten defenders have twenty or more tackles.  Sophomore Malakai Mitchell leads the way with 50 total stops, including 3.5 for loss.  Senior defensive end Markell Bowens has added 3.5 sacks.

As for Rigby, there are a lot of weapons on offense, and head coach Armando Gonzalez deploys all of them with regularity.  The Trojans have sent their last three quarterbacks on to the Big Sky Conference (Keegan Thompson to Idaho State, Tiger Adolpho to Weber State and Luke Flowers to Montana), and Luke’s younger brother, junior Jake Flowers, is attempting to become the fourth.

Flowers has a trio of solid receivers to lean on in seniors Parker Graham and Kasyn Thomas, and junior Owen Golding.  Senior Jerzey Duenes typically starts at running back and sets the tone, while Skyline transfer Amani Morel is the closer, pounding on tired defenses late to run out the clock.

Rigby’s offensive line is also unheralded, and is led by fourth-year starting center Feki Pouha.

The Trojans defense boasts playmakers at all three levels. Some standouts include senior defensive end Gauge Larsen, linebacker Graham and junior cornerback Cannon Korth.