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Previous 3-Star Columns:
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten
1. Jarrett Keen (Deary)
Keen’s dominant performance in an opening-round win over Richfield earns him his second star of the season. The junior rushed for 278 yards and five touchdowns while passing for 215 yards and four more TDs. He also had eight tackles and an interception on defense.
2. Connor Parish (Castleford)
Parish continued his torrid finish to the season by rushing for 254 yards and two scores in a tough opening-round win over Hansen on Friday. The senior has now earned three star awards this season, the most among all 8-man players this season.
3. Payson Kelly (Garden Valley)
The Wolverine junior triggered the offense to a 12-point win over visiting Potlatch on Friday by passing for 112 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 116 yards and three scores.
Honorable Mention:
Jason Mayorga (Clark Fork)
Jim Tucker (Council)
Tate Stoddard (Grace)
Carson Mulberry (Hansen)
Mac Roeber (Idaho City)
Logan Keen (Kamiah)
Grayden Bruley (Mackay)
Mark Lungu (Notus)
Kohl Beck (Oakley)
Brody McGreal (Potlatch)
Treyce Ward (Raft River)
Kellen Peck (Richfield)
Myles Herzig (Salmon River)
Putting The Clamps Down
On Hansen’s first possession Friday night, senior quarterback Grayson Denney connected with fellow senior Junior Martinez for a 74-yard touchdown down the left sideline, giving Hansen a quick 6-0 lead. The Castleford defense held Hansen to 175 yards for the rest of the game, including 129 rushing yards on 39 carries (just 3.3 yards per attempt), as the Wolves rode that strong defense into the quarterfinal round after beating the rival Huskies, 20-6.
On A Roll
On September 12, the Council Lumberjacks woke up with a 1-2 record and had been outscored 92-64. Since then? The ‘jacks have won six consecutive games by a cumulative score of 216-76 – allowing an average of less than 13 points per game. During the current streak, Council has defeated Kamiah, Carey, and Salmon River, before scoring its win over Mackay in its postseason opener on Friday. The other three will all play in the quarterfinals this coming week.
No Place Like ‘Dome?
Idaho high school postseason games inside Moscow’s Kibbie Dome or Pocatello’s ICCU Dome (formerly Holt Arena) are commonplace. However, their host universities’ home football schedules make it a little more challenging in 2026; the University of Idaho hosts home games in Moscow the next two Saturdays, while Idaho State University plays at home this coming Saturday and on November 21, when it hosts the University of Idaho.