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Believe it or not, we are halfway through the 2025 Idaho high school football regular season.
And while most of the teams are performing how we expected them to, there have been a few surprises this season, good or otherwise.
Using our preseason coaches polls for every conference in the state, along with my own personal thoughts as the season began, I thought we should re-visit our August expectations for every classification.
This Midseason Report will highlight what we got right, and, more importantly, what we got wrong.
CLASS 6A
THE FAVORITES:
Coeur d’Alene (2-2)
Eagle (4-0)
Rigby (3-1)
Rocky Mountain (4-0)
THE SLEEPERS:
Highland (4-1)
Madison (3-2)
Middleton (3-1)
Mountain View (2-2)
Post Falls (2-2)
Timberline (4-0)
THE DARK HORSES:
Boise (1-3)
Borah (1-3)
Capital (2-2)
Kuna (1-3)
Lake City (0-4)
Owyhee (4-0)
THE LONGSHOTS:
Centennial (0-4)
Meridian (0-4)
Thunder Ridge (2-2)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
I think most of this has held true thus far. After Rigby thoroughly dispatched Coeur d’Alene in the season opener, 38-7, most people assumed that the Vikings should drop into the “Sleepers” tier rather than the “Favorites.” But in recent weeks, Rigby narrowly defeated Woods Cross and Syracuse, a pair of Utah schools, and then were trounced by 5A Bishop Kelly, 29-15. The Trojans aren’t at full strength right now, but the offense hasn’t been as consistent as we are used to seeing.
Rocky Mountain and Eagle have strong resumes as well, although questions linger for both. Eagle hasn’t exactly faced the toughest competition yet this year, and if they can get past Mountain View this Friday, I’m not sure Eagle will be tested again until the SIC Championship Game, potentially. Rocky Mountain, meanwhile, has played stiffer competition, but the Grizzlies’ defense has been leaky, allowing 30.3 points per game. Rocky Mountain barely survived a tight affair with Capital, 55-49, last week.
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
Folks will point to Timberline and Owyhee, both undefeated, and say that they deserve more acclaim. I’m willing to wait a little longer to see how both teams stack up against tougher competition. Thunder Ridge deserves to be placed higher than the “Longshots” list, but because they play in such a rigorous conference, someone has to finish last, and it would be incredibly rare to see all four teams from east Idaho qualify for the state playoffs.
Lake City, meanwhile, probably deserves to be placed into the “Longshots” category. For the second year in a row, the Timberwolves have dug themselves a hole that may be too deep to climb out of. It’s a similar story for Boise and Kuna, but because the Treasure Valley gobbles up so many bids to state, their playoff paths are a little wider.
CLASS 5A:
THE FAVORITES:
Bishop Kelly (4-0)
Hillcrest (4-0)
THE SLEEPERS:
Blackfoot (2-2)
Lakeland (5-0)
Lewiston (2-3)
Minico (3-1)
Pocatello (1-3)
Preston (2-3)
Skyline (3-1)
Twin Falls (3-1)
Vallivue (2-2)
THE DARK HORSES:
Bonneville (1-3)
Canyon Ridge (1-4)
Emmett (3-2)
Nampa (0-5)
Sandpoint (5-0)
THE LONGSHOTS:
Burley (0-3)
Century (5-0)
Columbia (3-1)
Idaho Falls (0-4)
Jerome (0-4)
Mountain Home (0-4)
Ridgevue (3-1)
Shelley (0-4)
Skyview (2-2)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
Most coaches seemed to agree in the preseason: defending state champion Hillcrest was a significant favorite, and Bishop Kelly had potential if a few key pieces came together. While Hillcrest has “struggled” against some high-caliber competition, the Knights are undefeated at 4-0. BK, meanwhile, is also 4-0 with a signature win over 6A Rigby on its resume. It sure appears that these two are on a collision course.
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
Where to start? Century is 5-0 for the first time since the early 2000s, and Columbia, Ridgevue and Skyview have all exceeded expectations in the Southern Idaho Conference. Nampa, a team I was personally high on this year, is 0-5, and Inland Empire League preseason favorite Lewiston has stubbed their toe a few times this year, while Sandpoint and Lakeland are each 5-0.
CLASS 4A
THE FAVORITES:
Fruitland (4-0)
Homedale (4-0)
Kimberly (2-3)
Sugar-Salem (4-1)
Weiser (2-2)
THE DARK HORSES:
American Falls (4-1)
McCall-Donnelly (3-1)
Moscow (4-1)
THE SLEEPERS:
Bear Lake (0-4)
Buhl (3-1)
Gooding (3-1)
Snake River (2-3)
THE LONGSHOTS:
Bonners Ferry (3-2)
Cole Valley Christian (2-1)
Filer (3-1)
Marsh Valley (0-3)
Payette (3-1)
South Fremont (2-3)
Teton (2-2)
Timberlake (0-5)
Wood River (0-3)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
I still think that top quintent of contenders are similarly matched. Kimberly’s three losses are to Fruitland, Homedale and Sugar-Salem, so you could argue that the Bulldogs below one tier lower, but they have suffered injuries to their top two quarterbacks this year. A fully healthy Kimberly team might look different in the playoffs.
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
One “sleeper” that might still be a year away is Bear Lake. The Bears are leaning on several underclassmen, and have taken their lumps during an 0-4 start.
All of the other things we got wrong came from undervaluing teams. Payette is off to an excellent start once again this year, allowing under 7 points per game. South Fremont and Teton are both better than expected, as well. Could all three teams from the Mountain Rivers Conference qualify for the postseason? It’s happened before.
CLASS 3A
THE CONTENDERS:
Aberdeen (2-2)
Declo (3-2)
Firth (1-4)
Nampa Christian (2-2)
Ririe (5-0)
West Side (2-1)
THE DARK HORSES:
Grangeville (2-3)
Marsing (2-2)
Melba (0-4)
North Fremont (4-0)
Priest River (2-3)
THE SLEEPERS:
Kellogg (2-1)
Malad (2-2)
St. Maries (3-2)
West Jefferson (4-0)
THE LONGSHOTS:
New Plymouth (3-2)
Orofino (0-3)
Parma (1-3)
Salmon (2-3)
Soda Springs (1-3)
Wendell (0-4)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
Coming into the season, this was the most difficult classification to decode. Several standout teams, especially in east Idaho, muddied the waters, and that statement is still true. West Side, Declo, Aberdeen and Ririe have all started well, as has Nampa Christian. Both Aberdeen and Nampa Christian have lost to Declo, while the Hornets have lost to 4A teams Teton and Buhl.
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
For whatever reason, Firth just hasn’t been able to get the ball rolling this year. The Cougars, at 1-4 overall, probably belong in the “Sleepers” category for now. Grangeville is in a similar spot after falling to Priest River in convincing fashion in the Central Idaho League. As for Melba, it’s true that the Mustangs are 0-4, but their losses have come to Declo, Ririe, and a pair of 4A teams, so I’m okay keeping them where they are for now.
And speaking of sleepers, West Jefferson deserves a bump up from “Sleeper” to “Dark Horse”. The Panthers have been running roughshod over opponents to the tune of 43 points per game. And North Fremont is most certainly more than just a sleeper. The Huskies, 4-0 against four 4A opponents, firmly belong among the other “Contenders.”
CLASS 2A
THE CONTENDERS:
Butte County (0-4)
Hagerman (2-2)
Kendrick (4-0)
Logos (3-1)
Raft River (3-1)
Valley (2-2)
THE DARK HORSES:
Grace (5-0)
Potlatch (3-0)
Prairie (3-1)
Kamiah (4-0)
THE SLEEPERS:
Idaho City (3-1)
Notus (1-3)
Oakley (0-5)
Rimrock (1-3)
THE LONGSHOTS:
Centennial Baptist (1-2)
Clearwater Valley (0-3)
Glenns Ferry (3-1)
Lapwai (0-5)
Murtaugh (1-3)
Wilder (0-5)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
Kendrick is really good again, so we nailed their status as a contender. All kidding aside, other teams we were correct on include Idaho City, Kamiah, Potlatch, Prairie, Logos and Raft River.
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
If we were to re-do these tiers at the midway point of the year, Kendrick would be alone in the “Contender” category. The Tigers are averaging 81 points per game and only allowing 2 points per contest. Everyone else, at the moment, appears to be jostling for second position behind the Tigers.
Butte County’s trajectory changed quite a bit when senior quarterback/defensive back Keaton Archibald suffered a significant injury just prior to the season opener against Kendrick, so the Pirates probably belong in the “Sleepers” tier at this point. Similarly, I would swap out Oakley and Rimrock (moving them down to “Longshots”) in exchange for Glenns Ferry and Murtaugh (moving them up to “Sleepers”).
CLASS 1A
CONTENDERS:
Carey (4-0)
Council (2-1)
Garden Valley (4-0)
Rockland (3-1)
Tri-Valley (3-1)
DARK HORSES:
Dietrich (2-2)
Shoshone (2-1)
Wallace (4-0)
SLEEPERS:
Challis (1-4)
Coeur du Christ (3-1)
Deary (2-2)
Genesee (4-0)
Lakeside (0-4)
Mackay (3-0)
North Gem (3-2)
Richfield (2-2)
LONGSHOTS:
Camas County (0-4)
Cascade (1-2)
Castleford (1-2)
Clark Fork (1-2)
Hansen (3-0)
Horseshoe Bend (1-2)
Lewis County (2-3)
Salmon River (3-1)
Sho-Ban (0-4)
Timberline (0-4)
Watersprings (0-3)
WHAT WE GOT RIGHT:
That top five looks pretty solid right now. Those have been the five teams ranked in the statewide Media Poll for most of the season, and with three of those five belonging to the Long Pin Conference (Council, Garden Valley and Tri-Valley), we can’t wait for conference play to begin!
WHAT WE GOT WRONG:
Who had the Hansen Huskies at 3-0? How about Salmon River at 3-1? Both teams deserve to move up to “Sleeper” status, while Lakeside is now a “Longshot” after star seniors Tyson Charley and Hallah Peone did not come out for the team this year.
Additionally, both Genesee and Coeur du Christ have turned heads in the early going, and probably deserve a bump up to the “Dark Horse” tier.
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