Playoff picks: These 6 Boise-area football teams will advance to Idaho state semifinals
The first week of the state playoffs served as an appetizer. Now comes the main course as the Idaho high school football quarterfinals kick off with many of the favorites coming off first-round byes.
We sized up all the matchups for Treasure Valley teams in the 6A, 5A and 4A classifications below. See who we predict to advance to the final four, and how they can do it, below.
KUNA (5-5) AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN (9-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Key stat: 7-0 — Rocky Mountain’s all-time record vs. Kuna
Kuna key to victory: Protect the ball. The Kavemen played Rocky Mountain as tough as anyone in the season opener, trailing 10-7 at halftime. Then Kuna committed five second-half turnovers that turned into three defensive touchdowns to finish with a 53-14 loss. Kuna must control the clock and cannot afford to give the state’s No. 1 offense more opportunities.
Rocky Mountain key to victory: Stop the run. Kuna dominated Timberline up front for a first-round playoff win, running for 264 yards at 6.6 yards per carry. But Rocky Mountain field’s the 6A classification’s top run defense, allowing just 71 rushing yards per game. Force Kuna into second- and third-and-long situations, and the game falls into Rocky Mountain’s hands.
Pick: Rocky Mountain 35, Kuna 15
MADISON (9-1) AT EAGLE (7-2)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 267 — Madison’s rushing yards per game, the most in 6A
Eagle key to victory: Make the Bobcats one-dimensional. Madison’s Bryce Dredge leads the 6A classification with 1,309 rushing yards. But the Bobcats are their most dangerous when mixing in play action for quarterback Hazen Torgerson, who’s completing 72% of his passes. Eagle can’t afford to let both get rolling. Take away either the pass or run, and the Mustangs dictate the terms of the game.
Pick: Eagle 28, Madison 24
MIDDLETON (6-4) AT COEUR D’ALENE (7-2)
Kickoff: 8 p.m. MT Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 13-2 — Coeur d’Alene’s home playoff record since 2010
Middleton key to victory: Limit Coeur d’Alene’s touches. The Vikings field arguably one of the state’s top quarterback-receiver duos in Caden Symons and Kai Wheeler. Symons has thrown for 2,179 yards and 20 TDs, and Wheeler has hauled in 46 catches for 796 yards and 11 TDs. Keep those two on the sideline with sustained, clock-bleeding drives, and Middleton can pull another playoff upset.
Pick: Coeur d’Alene 27, Middleton 17
MINICO (8-2) AT BISHOP KELLY (9-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 4 — Interceptions forced by Bishop Kelly in a 20-8 win over Minico earlier this year, including three in the second half
Bishop Kelly key to victory: Contain Preston Sonner-Cranney. The two-time state wrestling champ leads the 5A classification with 1,811 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. Bishop Kelly slowed him enough to force Minico into passing situations and four turnovers earlier this year. The Knights will need to do the same to advance to the semifinals.
Pick: Bishop Kelly 22, Minico 15
VALLIVUE (7-2) AT LAKELAND (8-2)
Kickoff: 8 p.m. MT Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Key stat: 27 — Turnovers forced by Vallivue, the most in 5A
Vallivue key to victory: Control the line of scrimmage. This matchup features the state’s second- and third-leading rushers in Lakeland’s Kage Lovie Weil (1,610 yards, 23 TDs) and Vallivue’s Onix Carson (1,377 yards, 15 TDs). Expect an old-school battle between two run-heavy teams. The side that clears the most room for their star running back moves on.
Pick: Lakeland 22, Vallivue 15
FRUITLAND (8-2) AT KIMBERLY (6-3)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Key stat: 32-28 — Score of Fruitland’s season-opening win over Kimberly
Fruitland key to victory: Establish the run. Fruitland sophomore quarterback Titus Vidlak (1,836 yards, 21 TDs) often draws the headlines for his arm, but the Grizzlies and their multiheaded ground game are 6-0 when running for 200 or more yards. That includes 257 yards in a come-from-behind win over Kimberly in Week 0.
Pick: Fruitland 30, Kimberly 22
BUHL (7-2) AT HOMEDALE (8-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 6 — Straight years Homedale has won a state quarterfinal. Buhl last won a quarterfinal in 2008.
Homedale key to victory: Limit turnovers. The Trojans’ only loss came when quarterback Xavier Uranga threw his only three interceptions of the season, and Homedale coughed the ball up six times at Weiser. Buhl thrives off a ball-hawking secondary with 17 interceptions. Homedale cannot afford a relapse.
Pick: Homedale 28, Buhl 13
AMERICAN FALLS (6-4) AT WEISER (7-2)
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Key stat: 1 — Playoff wins for American Falls since 1995. It came last week with an upset at Moscow.
Weiser key to victory: Stick to its identity. The Wolverines field one of the state’s top ground attacks, running for 268 yards per game at 6.7 yards per carry. Kash Cobb (1,155 yards, 15 TDs) remains the heart of the ground game. But several other options emerged to lead Weiser to a seven-game winning streak entering the playoffs.
Pick: Weiser 30, American Falls 14
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 3:45 PM.
